WiC Watches: Outlander season 5

Outlander Season 5 — Courtesy of Aimee Spinks, STARZ

Outlander is officially back with its fifth season, bringing an end to the dreaded Droughtlander. And based on the first episode, things are off to a happy start for the Fraser family as Brianna and Roger wed.

But don’t get too comfortable, because war is on the horizon, and along with it, the return of the horrendous Stephen Bonnet (yuck!). It’s sure to be a tumultuous season, but I think we’re more than ready for the ride.

We’ll be reviewing each and every new episode of Outlander season 5 right here, starting with the premiere. It goes without saying but we’ll say it anyway: SPOILERS ahead!

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 501: “The Fiery Cross”

Ahh, the Outlander gathering that we’ve been waiting for. It was such a pleasure to see Brianna and Roger marry alongside the community Jamie and Claire have worked so hard to built.

The wedding is the central focus of the season 5 premiere (thank you for releasing it early, STARZ!), but I absolutely loved that we started with a flashback to Jamie as a child with a young Murtagh comforting him. You see, Jamie’s mother had just passed away, and Murtagh gave a vow to protect Jamie for the rest of his days. How sweet is that?!

This flashback ties into one of this season’s biggest issues. At the end of last season, Jamie got the order to find and kill Murtagh for working with the Regulators. Of course, Jamie won’t take any such action, which is why Murtagh is tucked away in the woods in a cabin during the wedding. I’m so sad he had to miss it, but it is what it is.

So how was the wedding to end all weddings? Absolutely perfect. It was everything we could have imagined for Brianna, and it’s a wonderful way to bless the start of this new journey.

What made me smile and fill my heart with joy was how excited Jamie and Claire were. Of course, Jamie is still a bit reluctant to trust Roger, but he’s still happy for his daughter. He even prepared a bouquet of something old, new, borrowed and blue.

I’m not sure we’ve ever seen Jamie this adorable and cute before. I loved the moment where he handed over the bouquet.

The wedding festivities were spectacular as promised, as were the love-making scenes between married couples Jamie and Claire, and Murtagh and Jocasta. But we were also reminded of dangers lurking ahead, in many forms. To start, Lord John has heard rumors of Stephen Bonnet, alive and well, in the area. And to make it worse, Brianna heard him tell Jamie! WHY, WHY, WHY! We don’t want Bonnet to come back — please. The look on Brianna’s face is still haunting me.

Outlander doesn’t waste much time getting to the stressful part of the season. The day after the wedding, Jamie is reminded of the oath he made to the Crown about killing Murtagh. Fraser’s Ridge and its tenants’ livelihood depends on him satisfying this oath, and it’s put him in the worst position possible.

I don’t know how he’s going to take this on, truly. And given that Murtagh is no longer alive in the books, anything could happen. I’m super stressed about it, and I just don’t know how he can pull this one off while preserving the happy life he has with his family.

But hey, the call to arms inspired Jamie to put his kilt back on, and I’m still trying to catch my breath. It was yet another thing we’ve waited a long time to see. This leads to Jamie lighting a cross-shaped bushel on fire, which gives the episode its title.

Men pledge their allegiance to Jamie, including Fergus and Roger. It’s a powerful moment that shifts the mood dramatically. I think we can expect it to be like this for the rest of the season, so I hope you guys enjoyed the wedding. Playtime is (already) over!

I can’t imagine how Roger is faring with all this change — the baby that might not be his, a different time period, and now, potentially fighting in a war?! And leave it to Jocasta to test his love for Brianna by giving him a monetary incentive to stick around.

Don’t worry, guys, Roger gallantly won that battle and rejected Jocasta’s money, saying he would take care of his family. Looks like Jocasta’s plan to test Roger worked — oh, you sneaky lady! But we love her for it!

And speaking of Roger and Brianna, I’m looking forward to watching their relationship evolve over this season. How well do they actually know one another? They’ve fought hard to keep each other around, but they haven’t actually spent much time together.

The episode closes on a very sad and somber note: Jamie has to ask Murtagh to run and run fast. Saying goodbye to the man who has been a father to him was so incredibly hard for Jamie, and Sam Heughan plays the emotion perfectly.

It looks like Outlander season 5 is off to a running start. Three cheers for the end of the Droughtlander!

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 502: “Between Two Fires”

Our dear Jamie Fraser truly is walking between two fires this season, isn’t he? He’s smack dab in the middle of a conflict that pits his morality and beliefs against his loyalty to the Crown, to which he owes the land where his family is thriving. There’s no backing out of the oath he made to the Crown now, even if it means pretending to hunt down Murtagh, his own beloved godfather.

“Between Two Fires” is a rough episode for Jamie. With the happiness and excitement of Brianna’s wedding, he was able to put aside the Crown’s command to find and kill Murtagh. But things get real in a rough way this week, starting with watching Murtagh participate in a very barbaric, and somewhat true to life, ritual: tar and feathering, a torture/humiliation technique used once upon a time in England and its colonies. Hot tar would be thrown over a person, and then feathers plastered to their body. The purpose was to bring shame to the person for whatever crime they committed (or maybe didn’t commit but were being punished for regardless). This is what we see Murtagh and his men partaking in when the episode opens, and it’s jarring to think about why he would be doing something like this.

Outlander executive producer Matthew B. Roberts talked to Entertainment Weekly why it was important to have this scene in the episode. And I’m glad he did, because I was left wondering…why?

"So we needed this tar and feathering to happen for the sake of Murtagh. The horror is there for the residents of Hillsborough. So later in the story when Jamie sees it for the first time, he’s affected by it, like, ‘wow’ in the sense that Jamie has seen a lot, but… this isn’t a war in the sense of a man being shot with a musket. This is someone being tortured. Jamie knows that firsthand. It has an effect on him because I don’t think Jamie would do that to another man, so there’s an internal conflict for Jamie."

The look on Jamie’s face when he later realizes Murtagh was part of this is devastating. It almost makes me wonder if, by the end of this, he’ll be the one to kill Murtagh. I know, I know, it sounds crazy, but Murtagh’s behavior isn’t making things any easier, just saying.

And while Jamie is off learning about his godfather’s shenanigans, Claire is doing what she does best: practicing medicine. She is forced to deal with a jarring awakening while dealing with a man who was given mercury to help cure his ailment.

At this point in history, it’s not understood that mercury ingestion is a big no-no. As a surgeon, it’s difficult for Claire to feel so helpless and let people die, as this man does. So with the help of Roger, Marsali and a reluctant Bree, she decides to perform an autopsy, something no one in this time period had thought to do, in the hopes of figuring out what exactly had gone wrong.

If anyone had caught Claire doing this, it might have been the end of her and her practice. At the very least, she would have been talked about. Side note: It was hilarious that Marsali mentions to Claire that her mother might have been right about Claire being a witch.

Frustrated and backed up against a corner, Claire decides to do something bold: make penicillin. It’s not easy given the time they’re in, but she plans to do so using a mold of bread. Is she playing God? Brianna thinks so, and I’m thinking it’s going to end up disastrously with her trying to introduce this revolutionary invention over 150 years before it’s meant to be.

I saved the worst for last in this review, because it’s something I hate thinking about: the end of this episode confirmed that the horrendous Stephen Bonnet is indeed alive. We catch up with him at a women’s wrestling match (another strange but apparently accurate part of the episode) where he meets the man named Forbes, the very same that was trying to marry Brianna last season.

I’m not sure what Bonnet is up to, but he mentions being a father now, which spells trouble for the Fraser family in the days to come. Brianna is already struggling with the information that he’s likely alive. Now it seems like he’s going to try and find her.

Maybe Brianna should try and return to her and Roger’s time just as Roger is hoping. At least she would be away from the horrible Bonnet. The only question is: will Jemmy be able to cross the stones like his parents?

Tune in, folks. Tune in.

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 503: “Free Will”

Well, this was a very unique episode of Outlander. For those of you who have read “The Fiery Cross”, you’ll recognize this hour as the moment that Jamie and Claire visit the Beardsley household. And if you haven’t read the book, well, this episode was quite the doozy, let me tell you.

Jamie returns to Fraser’s Ridge, happy to be back in the arms of his wife. This, of course, is short-lived because he has to head back to Hillsborough: Governor Tryon is about to go ham and gather all the troops, which doesn’t bode well for Murtagh and the Regulators. Claire points out that the Regulators don’t loom very large in history, so perhaps Jamie is worrying too much.

Um, Claire, have you seen Outlander? Of course things are going to go sideways, and fast! And as soon as I have that thought, the morning arrives and Jamie (along with Claire) heads to Hillsborough alongside their men. This leaves Brianna behind alone…well, not alone, but you know what I mean.

This is concerning to me for many reasons, the most important being that Jamie knows Stephen Bonnet is alive, or at least rumored to be. Why oh why would he leave Brianna without one of the immediate family members with her? It doesn’t help that he shares this with Claire after they’ve left Fraser’s Ridge.

Come on, fam. Not a good idea!

However, we have to put this revelation aside when Josiah’s twin brother, Kezziah, shows up. He’s in pretty bad shape after getting caught trying to steal food. Josiah quickly comes to the defense of his brother and informs Jamie that the brothers are basically the property of a man who doesn’t live too far from where they are. To get away from this man, Josiah ran away about a year before and helped his brother break out, too. We learn that Kezziah is deaf and has been since he was five years old, and that their master is responsible. Ugh, what a horrible man.

It only gets worse when Claire examines Kezziah’s ears and learns the eardrums were ruptured. Not to mention, the brothers were sold at the age of two and have been owned by this Mr. Beardsley since then. With all this injustice, our dear Jamie does not hesitate to march alongside Claire to the Beardsley household to confront the man. He hopes to buy back the brothers and set them free.

We all need a Jamie Fraser in our lives, seriously.

“Free Will” takes a disturbing turn once Jamie and Claire arrive at the Beardsley house. At first, they’re greeted by a strange woman who refuses to let them into the house or help them in any capacity. Honestly, I would have hightailed it out of there like Claire wanted to, but Jamie wouldn’t have it.

Not only does he go into the house, but he shows no hesitation. I’m not sure this was the best idea considering the house smelled really, really bad. I mean, I don’t know this personally, but the look on Claire’s face said it all.

The strange woman says the smell is because of a dead goat, but Detective Claire knows something else is afoot. Perhaps the dripping of some strange liquid from the ceiling was a dead giveaway? When she cautiously walks up the stairs, Claire finds the body of who we assume to be Mr. Beardsley. Was he dead? I sure thought so.

Except, nope, he wasn’t. As Claire moves closer to examine him, the zombie-like body jolted awake and I screamed. It was scary!

It turns out Mr. Beardsley had a stroke and had been left lying in his own excrement and filth since then. His wife didn’t care much for him, and based on what we know from Josiah, we can start to understand why.

The wife explains that Mr. Beardsley was trying to hurt her when he had his stroke, and she’s left him incapacitated since then. He has disgusting bedsores all over his body, and I have to admit that watching Claire pick them out might be the grossest thing we’ve seen on the show.

While Claire and Jamie discuss how to go about treating Mr. Beardsley, the wife tries to choke him to death once and for all. Jamie fights her off, but as she pushes her away…her water breaks. Apparently, she was pregnant?!

Claire delivers the baby in a rather graphic delivery scene filled with noises and various fluids. Once again, YUCK! The plot thickens as we realize the baby is half Black, and is not the daughter of Mr. Beardsley.

The wife reveals her name, Fanny, and that she’s Mr. Beardsley’s fifth wife…or maybe sixth. She doesn’t really care about the child she just delivered, and she definitely wants out of this life.

I’m not sure why they do this, but Jamie and Claire spend the night only to wake up the next morning to find that Fanny has left the baby behind, along with the papers that will set Josiah and Kezziah free. Before they leave, Jamie performs a mercy killing on Mr. Beardsley, to put him out of his misery. It’s better than letting him lie there, I suppose.

Our dear Jamie Fraser walks out of the house after having done the deed. And then…it’s business as usual? Why didn’t Jamie freak out and cry or get more emotional?

I mean…he did just kill a man.

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 504: “The Company We Keep”

If you’d told me a couple of seasons ago that Roger would eventually become someone we’d care about, I’m not sure I would have believed you. While he’s not my favorite character in Outlander, the fact that this 20th century guy has fully submerged himself in the 18th century way of life has earned my respect. He may not want to be there, but he’s still pitching in, at least until things change.

That brings me to how he and Fergus are running the militia in Jamie’s absence. If you recall, Jamie and Claire were at the Beardsley cabin walking through a waking nightmare. In their absence, things aren’t exactly going smoothly for dear ‘ol Roger, as he learns that one of the militiamen has gotten a girl pregnant. The girl’s father is less than ecstatic about the situation.

Roger has no idea what to do. He’s barely getting his bearings being in a different time, and how he has to deal with an angry father who was trying to get his daughter married off to someone but can’t anymore. And it doesn’t help when Jamie returns and clearly disapproves over how Roger has handled things.

The plot thickens as we learn that the militiaman in question, Isaac Morton, is married. Jamie lets him escape before he’s punished, but the guy simply can’t stay away. He’s in an unhappy marriage and wants nothing more than to be out of it. He returns to be with the young woman, and in classic Outlander fashion, Jamie, Claire, and Roger help the young couple escape. Anything in the name of love, right?

Anyway, after returning from the Beardsley cabin with Fanny’s baby, Claire has been pretty attached to her. Night and day, the baby has been with her, a gentle reminder of what Claire is like as a new mother. Jamie has never had the pleasure of seeing this until now.

All the same, Claire is seriously considering leaving the baby with a family that’s shown interest in taking her. I think when the time comes, that might be easier said than done, but let’s see what happens.

And Claire is leaving sooner than expected. Kezzie has swollen, infected tonsils and needs surgery, but Claire wants to get the penicillin she’s made back at the Ridge.

And speaking of penicillin, Claire’s medical advice as “Dr. Rawlings” was accidentally published, and now people are starting to follow it. I have a feeling that could prove to be rather dangerous! This is the 18th century we’re talking about; changing history and all that.

And now let’s talk about Bree. I’m still super frustrated with how she was left behind with three members of her family gone. Jamie and Claire know about Stephen Bonnet lurking somewhere nearby, and yet they’re not worried?!

Bree himself is clearly tormented by the idea of it and her paranoia is getting worse by the day. I don’t blame her honestly; Bonnet is the absolute worst.

Bree’s suspicions get the best of her after she learns a man was asking questions and even played around with Jemmy. This man also left behind a coin of sorts in Jemmy’s carrier.

Her fear reaches an all-time high when she steps outside for a brief moment and comes back inside to see Jemmy missing. Did Bonnet take him? She was only gone for a few moments, how did he manage to do it so fast?!

Luckily, Jemmy had just crawled onto the porch; he’s fine. Still, this whole situation just underscores what a bad idea it was to leave Brianna without any family members around her. There may be a whole community nearby, but it doesn’t provide the same comfort. I’m hoping Claire will step up when she returns to Fraser’s Ridge, because someone needs to be there before Bonnet really shows up.

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 505: “Perpetual Adoration”

Ironically, this week’s Outlander deals with penicillin and treating disease, topics that feel all too familiar right now. This season, so far, has been focused a lot on Claire’s early meddling in medical advancements. She’s eager to find a way to create penicillin so she can make the world around her a safer place.

The problem with that is that it’s about 100+ years too early, and it’s going to be disastrous for the space-time continuum as we have already learned from Back to the Future. It’s not going to end well, but the ambitious medical practitioner inside of Claire can’t stop herself from doing what she can.

This week, we were lucky enough to get multiple flashbacks to the 1960s and to see Claire in her element as a surgeon. I’ve always loved this version of Claire, and as much as I love her with Jamie, there’s just a certain allure about 1960s Claire.

I loved that the series took some time to explain why Claire is so eager to find a way to make penicillin. The flashbacks explain that Claire once had a patient that came in for gallbladder surgery. (Side note: The patient’s name was Graham Menzies. Was this on purpose? Perhaps a shoutout to previous cast members Graham McTavish and Tobias Menzies? I know there’s a character named Menzies in the book, but I still loved that little touch either way.) This patient was allergic to penicillin and died before the operation. Heartbroken, Claire decided to take a sabbatical to London. Bree joined her, and the rest is history: this was the trip that included Reverend Wakefield’s funeral, where Bree met Roger.

Doesn’t that feel like a lifetime ago?!

The reason for the Boston flashbacks is to help viewers understand why Claire decided to return to the past. She was reminded, thanks to Graham, of the power of love, and as soon as the opportunity came up, Claire didn’t hesitate to return to Jamie.

It’s a very beautiful way to make the story come full circle and put into perspective what Claire’s mental process has been through a lot of this.

Meanwhile, things are getting complicated for Roger and Bree, who end up fighting about Bonnet. Roger finally learns that Bonnet is alive and that Bree has been fearful for her life as well as Jemmy’s. I think over the last couple of seasons, many of us have come to the conclusion that Roger can be a major jerk. And he sort of was again.

I just don’t think that him pushing her about the whole Bonnet situation and the paternity ordeal is fair anymore. He came back to her after supposedly working through all of this, so why are you freaking out now, bro?! Maybe you guys can explain this to me, but Roger ticks me off sometimes.

Thankfully, there is someone Roger can talk to about this sort of situation. Who knows better than Claire, who had to hide a secret like this from Brianna? She knocks some sense into Roger. Unfortunately, he’s under the impression that as soon as they find out if Jemmy can travel through the stones, they’ll go back home. I’m not sure he saw Brianna’s face after he said that…

Meanwhile, the Regulator drama is still ongoing, and while Governor Tryon is considering pardoning them, the hunt to find Murtagh is still on. The situation worsens after Lt. Knox admits to Jamie that a list of Ardsmuir prisoners is on its way.

The problem with this is that Jamie’s name is very much on that list, and Jamie confesses to it. And that Murtagh is his godfather…

Awkward.

It’s a jarring revelation for Knox, who has entrusted Jamie with a lot up until this point. But Jamie has to take matters into his own hands: he kills Knox, and burns the list and the room with it. He has to sneak out before he’s caught and play ignorant about everything that just transpired.

Despite all that took place during this week’s Outlander, there’s something book (actually all) fans should be EXTREMELY excited about.

Introducing…

Adso is here, and we couldn’t be happier.

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 506: “Better to Marry Than Burn”

I feel rather conflicted about this week’s episode of Outlander. I’m not sure if I really enjoyed it or not. There’s a part of me that feels Iike I can find the silver lining in every episode, but there was something about “Better to Marry Than Burn” that just didn’t click. Perhaps going through this review will help me gather my thoughts.

There were two plot points of this week’s episode: a disaster at Fraser’s Ridge and Jocasta’s wedding at River Run. Let’s talk about Fraser’s Ridge first.

Chaos ensued when locusts — yes, locusts — came flying into the community. It presented a huge problem because it put their crops in danger. Can I just say how gross the flock of locusts was?! It was definitely cringeworthy. I’m not sure if it was all CGI, but I was definitely freaking out.

As I’ve said before, Roger isn’t my favorite character on Outlander and I often question his decision-making skills. But this week he manages to save the day after recalling that smoke drives locusts away. The only issue is, how do they create smoke without burning down the crops or even Fraser’s Ridge itself?

Poop and goose fat, duh!

With buckets of this, they set up a barrier around the crops and created a large area of smoke. This causes the huge swarm of locusts to fly right over. Hooray, Roger! You saved the day!

Meanwhile, at River Run, the festivities for Jocasta’s upcoming nuptials are in full swing. There’s dancing, food, and lots of interesting characters, including one Phillip Wylie (remember him from season 4? The guy shows up all decked out in makeup and with an eye on Claire. He’s definitely smitten with her, and even tries to grope her in the stables.

Why was Claire in the stables with him? Well, he knows Bonnet’s whereabouts, and Claire wants nothing more than to seek revenge on him for what he did to Brianna. I totally get it, but Wylie was creepy AF, and I’m not sure I’d want to give him the wrong idea.

Luckily, Jamie shows up and beats the guy down. However, things take a turn when Jamie tries to strike up a deal with Wylie. During a previous conversation, Wylie picked up on the fact that the two wedding bands Claire wears are important to her. He wants them in exchange for giving them information on Bonnet.

Jamie doesn’t see the harm in making this exchange, but it’s a much bigger deal for Claire. And I get it. These rings have been through a lot and managed to make their way back to Claire; remember when Bonnet stole them? It’s also a reminder of her marriage with Frank.

It leads to an argument between the couple, which sorts itself out and leads to some barnyard sex. Because this is Outlander.

Oh, and Jamie managed to keep the rings! Husband of the year, right?

Luckily, all this drama was worth it because a meeting is set up with Bonnet. Who, FYI, has just learned that “his son” owns River Run. Earlier in the episode, Jocasta signed the papers making that official.

Is anyone else nervous about what repercussions this may have? Bonnet scares the crap out of me, and I’m not looking forward to seeing how this will all play out. It seems like he’s going to make his presence known at Fraser’s Ridge very shortly.

Last but not least, Jocasta is in her feelings the night before her wedding because, as we all know, her heart belongs to only one person: Murtagh. I must admit that I was waiting for him to show up all episode, and I was so glad when he did. Unfortunately, too little too late, because Jocasta rejects him as he gets down on one knee.

Murtagh didn’t say anything when he first heard of her engagement, and now Jocasta is going to push through into whatever her wedding day and marriage brings. It broke my heart that things ended this way. But Jocasta’s life was destroyed by a man surrounded by conspiracy and war, and she won’t live like that again. It cost her a child, and she knows where a life like Murtagh’s leads.

Is this truly the end of Murtagh and Jocasta? I sure hope not.

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 507: “The Ballad of Roger Mac”

Outlander fans, we are going to be in a period of mourning for the foreseeable future after this week’s episode. In fact, I’m currently ugly crying while attempting to write this review. Book fans have been expecting this moment for quite some time, and the show has officially caught up: it’s time for Murtagh’s death.

Ugh, it hurts to even type that out. But I shall forge ahead and discuss this episode because it was an amazing and riveting one in so many ways. While last week’s episode was a bit weird and messy, “The Ballad of Roger Mac” more than makes up for it.

War is here, and things feel as hectic and uncertain as they were right before the Battle of Culloden. I’m having horrible Outlander P.T.S.D, to be honest. Do you all remember how scary things were back then? Claire was pregnant and the outcome of the battle was grim.

Anyway, the Fraser/MacKenzie family shares one last night of emotion, sex, and love before the day of the battle. I mean, it isn’t Outlander without some loving, am I right? Plus, after last week’s awkward sex scene, it was nice to return to the Jamie and Claire love scenes that we love and adore, the ones that define their beautiful relationship.

I often forget that Brianna, Claire, and Roger are from the future, and in moments of need, their knowledge of historical events comes in handy. This week, for example, Brianna overhears the name of an area. She remembers the name Alamance and recalls that the British win that battle, and that the other side gets slaughtered. Apparently, it’s the battle that kickstarts the American Revolution.

Jamie’s first and biggest concern is to let Murtagh know this very important piece of information because then maybe, just maybe, he’ll retreat. But we all know Murtagh, and that ain’t happening. I just found it funny that they sent Roger to convince him, of all people. Did they really think he’d make it happen?

Also, won’t stopping or changing a particular event affect history? Or what if this is how history was always supposed to play out? With all this time travel and such? Wouldn’t that be a twist?!

While Roger isn’t able to complete the job, he manages to get himself in even more trouble after a Regulator named Morag MacKenzie tussles with him. It turns out Morag’s wife was on the ship that Roger came on alongside Stephen Bonnet. And if you recall, Bonnet tried to throw Morag’s baby overboard.

But instead of being thankful to Roger, Morag gets pissed when he catches Roger talking to his wife. Instead of just walking away, Roger decides to face off with Morag and winds up getting knocked unconscious.

It’s been a minute since we’ve seen Claire in her “save lives during war” attire and I have to say, this has always been her in her truest form. I love seeing Claire doing her thing, but what I love more is her catchphrase, “Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ.” Which is exactly what she says when she sees Jamie in a British red coat. It’s very jarring, to say the least.

Sam Heughan does such a great job portraying Jamie’s discomfort in this scene. You can tell how stressful it is for him to put the red coat on, but he does it anyway as Governor Tryon forces him to. This Tryon guy needs to go…please?

Jamie is all suited up and ready to go but Roger is still nowhere to be found. With how much time has gone by, everyone’s starting to assume the worst, but Brianna is still holding out hope. The battle can’t wait for Roger so the fighting begins, and immediately it’s a hot, bloody, gory mess. People are dying left and right, and as much as Jamie didn’t want to kill his fellow Scots, things are just out of control. The wounded are being taken to Claire who is doing her best to treat the wounds and give everyone penicillin. That is until one of the men decides to be a jerk and smashes the syringe of penicillin because Claire called him out on shooting his fellow man.

As Brianna said earlier, the British win the battle. And the surviving Regulators are being treated horribly, and I mean horribly. It’s an awful sight to see, and it leads us to the moment I was dreading to talk about: Murtagh’s death.

It’s unexpected, happens quick, and hits you really hard. One of the militiamen winds up shooting Murtagh, and the look on Jamie’s face is immediately heartbreaking. He can’t attack the man for doing what he was told to do, but he’s just lost his godfather. It’s all too much to handle as Murtagh takes his final breaths in Jamie’s arms.

Murtagh is one of my favorite characters in Outlander and I hate that he is gone forever now. But hey, maybe we can get some flashback scenes from time to time?

Sam Heughan shines once again in the scenes that follow as he struggles to come to terms with Murtagh’s death. He doesn’t want to believe he’s dead and begs Claire to save him. It’s so painful to watch him accept the reality, and I love how aggressive he gets with Tryon. He finally gives him a piece of his mind, even though it will likely come back to bite him in the butt. Jamie feels he’s paid his debt to the Crown, and now he just wants to be alone.

As if the episode wasn’t emotional enough, it ends on an even gloomier note. As Jamie, Claire, Brianna, and some of the men look around for Roger, they stumble upon a tree with a bunch of dead men hanging from it.

It’s unclear but it appears that everyone recognizes one of the dead men as Roger based on what he’s wearing. But we didn’t see his face, so I won’t believe it until I see it.

Roger is totally alive, isn’t he? He has to be.

Outlander — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 508: “Famous Last Words”

First things first, Outlander fans: ROGER IS ALIVE! I mean, we saw that coming, didn’t we? There was simply no way that the series was going to take away two major characters from us in one episode. When the body presumed to be Roger was taken down, not only did we learn that it was certainly him, but that he was still breathing.

It was a bitter sight for sore, crying eyes, and it pointed the episode down the path it would take. Our dear Roger survived this incident, but he can’t get the terror out of his mind. Flashbacks to the moments before and during his hanging play out like a silent film. It’s a unique way to display Roger’s thoughts, and perfected executed.

You see, the hanging caused Roger to lose his voice temporarily. And so Outlander did what it does best: use this new turn of events to its advantage and tell the story in an unexpected manner. I loved the approach they took to get us inside of Roger’s head. It was jarring, disturbing, and explains why he’s so reluctant to even try speaking.

While Roger contemplates the meaning of life after his near-death experience, the Frasers welcome back a family member we haven’t seen in a long time: Ian! If you’ll recall, Ian stayed back with the Mohawk tribe last season.

Now he’s returned, and at first we’re not sure why. Did he go rogue and run away? Did they allow him to leave? One thing becomes clear pretty quickly: Ian won’t be going back and he’s pretty darn bummed about it.

I guessed early on in the episode that Ian’s predicament most certainly had to do with the matters of the heart, especially since he was so sad when asked if he would go back. It seemed like he may have been asked to leave.

This matter is cleared up quickly after Roger and Ian go out surveying together. Both of these characters are struggling mentally and emotionally. I’m heartbroken over how Roger is feeling, especially because he seems dangerously close to contemplating if life is worth living.

It’s the image of Brianna that jerks Roger back to reality and reminds him he has so much to live for. I’m not the biggest Roger fan around, but I do empathize with his struggles. The dude is from another time and has found himself making a life in a world he never expected, all for the sake of love. That’s pretty romantic, don’t you think?

As far as Ian goes, he lost his wife. Outlander is all about love and pain, and even a secondary character like Ian experiences these emotions intensely.

I’m happy to report that we get Roger back by the end of the episode. However, he’s not the same man he once was. The hanging was a turning point for him, and it seems like all his priorities have shifted. He knows what he wants, and he knows what matters: Brianna and Jem.

Of course, this episode also follows up on the death of Murtagh. I wanted to save this as the final thing I’d talk about, because, well, it’s Murtagh. It was such a tough loss and I think the Outlander fandom is still trying to process.

Also processing are Jocasta and Jamie. It’s time to lay Murtagh to rest, and while Jocasta’s heavy involvement may seem awkward, I completely get it. It’s something she must do with Jamie at her side. Only with time will these wounds heal.

It was a beautiful episode of Outlander. I’m impressed with Richard Rankin’s performance this week as the conflicted, lost Roger, and I think we may be just barely scratching the surface of what he’s capable of.

Outlander Season 5 — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 509: “Monsters and Heroes”

Just when you think Outlander has exhausted every effort to toy with your emotions, they go somewhere where no fan ever wants to go. This week’s episode, “Monsters and Heroes,” is an emotional rollercoaster that had me in my feels every step of the way.

Fans of the book series once again knew this big moment was coming, a moment that had all of us covering our faces and biting our nails in worry. Yes, folks, it’s that serious.

As the episode begins, fall is descending on Fraser’s Ridge, which means that the family must go on the hunt. Of course, we all know how skilled Brianna is as markswoman, but she’s excited about joining the other women in making dye for the day. So her dear father Jamie must take Roger instead.

Side note: The look on Jamie’s face when he realizes he’s showed up at his grown daughter’s house in the early hours of the morning is hilarious. Even more hilarious? Realizing his daughter and son-in-law were buck naked under the sheets when he tried to storm in. The look on his face is priceless.

While Brianna is off making dye with Claire and company, Roger joins Jamie, Ian, Fergus, Josiah, and a few other men from Fraser’s Ridge for the hunt. At some point, Jamie and Roger split off from the group, which proves to be a grave mistake. You see, Jamie and Roger stumble across a herd of buffalo (which is exactly what they need!), but they forget all about that when Jamie is bit by a snake. I’m still mad at this snake, by the way. The snake sinks its fangs pretty deep into Jamie’s leg, and one thought crossed my mind: there’s no anti-venom in this time period.

Roger does what he can to get the venom out, cutting the site of the bite and sucking out the venom. He gets an A for effort, but it doesn’t seem to do the trick as the hours go on. Have you ever experienced heart palpitations over a character’s fate? Well, Outlander had my heart racing as Jamie’s condition slowly deteriorates.

Worst yet, he can’t walk on his own, and Roger has no luck finding the other men who have now returned to Fraser’s Ridge. When Roger and Jamie don’t return immediately, no one get too worried — they can take care of themselves, after all — but the next morning, panic ensues.

But before that, Brianna and Claire have an interesting conversation about how it’s been difficult for Brianna to find her calling since coming to this time. Claire practices medicine, even if the equipment and knowledge in this time period are very different then they are back in the 20th century. Brianna is an engineer, but as of yet, she hasn’t been able to make use of that skillset. But worry not, Bree: you’l be engineering in no time.

Over that first night, Jame’s condition continues to worsen (as do my heart palpitations). But in this frightening moment, something beautiful happens. Jamie and Roger finally connect. Maybe it was all that venom getting to Jamie’s head, but he opens up to Roger about one particular secret he thinks he’s been harboring from Roger and Brianna. Yup, that would be the Stephen Bonnet-shaped secret.

In the event Jamie doesn’t survive, he wants Roger to kill Bonnet. Given there’s already a plan in motion to do so (remember the awkward stable episode?), he wants Roger to take over in case he’s not around to take charge. Ugh, stop it Jamie, just stop it.

I think the saddest part of their conversation is Jamie telling Roger that Bonnet can try to claim Jemmy as his own son in an attempt to acquire River Run. One must understand that in these times if a woman was raped, it was assumed to be consensual. It doesn’t matter that there were witnesses or anything. And the palpitations worsen.

The night passes, and Roger attempts to drag Jamie on some sort of sled he’s created. He only makes it so far before losing all his strength, and in that moment, it looks like Jamie has given up as well. I know it can’t be true, but it doesn’t stop me from going into a state of panic.

Luckily, Lan and company head out in search of Roger and Jamie and eventually find them, with Roger alerting everyone to their whereabouts. I know we were all thinking that once Jamie got back to the Ridge and into Claire’s care, everything would be alright.

Um, well, not so much. While Claire is a superhero when it comes to being a doctor, she has very limited options in this time. Not to mention, that one horrible man had broken her one and only syringe, meaning she couldn’t administer penicillin into Jamie’s bloodstream.

As the episode goes on, Jamie’s leg looks worse and worse. All of Fraser’s Ridge heads out on a search for maggots, which will help fight off the infection. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to get rid of the venom coursing through Jamie’s veins.

Claire’s options seem to dwindle down to losing Jamie forever or amputating his leg. Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan do an amazing job through the entire back half of the episode. Their performances are so gripping and realistic, and I was basically ugly crying through it all.

When Jamie realizes that Claire might be chopping off his leg, he refuses at first. It’s a point of pride for him, but it’s Ian who brings him down to planet Earth by saying it has nothing to do with pride. His own father and Fergus have each lost a limb, and they are still themselves. I never imagined Ian speaking up like this, but it’s exactly what Jamie needs to hear.

After a feverish night (and some body-on-body contact with Claire to keep him warm), Jamie manages to be alive the next morning and gives Claire permission to chop off the leg, if and when she needs to.

Remember when I said Bree’s engineering skills would finally come in handy? Well, luckily for everyone, Roger had grabbed the snake’s decapitated head. Why? He has no idea, but because he did, Brianna realizes the snake’s venom sac can be made into a syringe. Who would have thought?!

Moments before Claire is about to amputate Jamie’s leg, Bree and Roger show up with the makeshift syringe. Claire wastes no time in injecting the penicillin into Jamie’s very gross, disgusting leg.

And guess what, Outlander fans?! IT WORKED! Jamie LIVES! I mean, I didn’t doubt that for a second…

My favorite moment of the episode, apart from the obvious? Jamie and Claire’s scene before the credits roll. Their love story is so beautiful and seeing them share a tender moment about how Jamie made his way back to her had me ugly crying once again.

But hey, it’s okay, because JAMIE LIVES!

Oh, and Marsali had her baby (sans Claire), and Brianna distracted a wandering buffalo before it could hurt Jemmy. Uh yah, this episode was very hectic. But it’s okay, because, yup, you got it, Jamie lives.

Outlander Season 5 — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 510: “Mercy Shall Follow Me”

Outlander fans, REJOICE! The moment we were waiting for finally happened, and I, for one, am jumping off the walls and celebrating. Whatever could I be referring to? The death of one Stephen Bonnet — finally. Seriously, good riddance to that horrible, horrible character.

Outlander has always had many satisfying twists and turns, but none better than what happened in “Mercy Shall Follow Me.” And the manner in which it is presented to us is a full-circle moment that I will soon dive into.

After nearly losing Jamie in last week’s episode, I’m happy to report he is alive and well, and back to his regularly scheduled activities. We’re inching towards the season 5 finale, so naturally, the story has to take a turn towards what it’s been building up to: the Stephen Bonnet problem.

The hour kicks off with Bonnet coming up with a game plan to prove that he is Jeremiah’s father. Establishing that would mean he’s one step closer to taking over River Run since Jocasta had left it in Jemmy’s name.

The only thing in Bonnet’s way is Jocasta, so he intends on “taking care of” her and her husband. Niall Forbes is tasked with helping him; in exchange, Bonnet will make him a very rich man. Forbes is number two on my Outlander most hated list: he’s the worst.

While Bonnet is busy planning his life of luxury, Jamie, Ian and Roger are devising a plan to take him down once and for all. When season 5 of Outlander started I never imagined Roger being a part of a big takedown plan. Now, I can’t really see this happening without him. Credit to the writers and producers who did a stellar job with his character development.

The trio heads to Wylie’s Landing while Claire and Brianna stay back in Wilmington for some mother-daughter time. The hope is that when they get to Wylie’s Landing, they’ll be able to kill Bonnet. Pretty simple, right? NOPE.

Bonnet is a clever man and instead of going to the meet-up himself, he sends one of his men. Leave it to him to make things harder than they have to be. *Major eyeroll.* Luckily, they’re able to threaten the man into telling them where Bonnet often hangs out: a brothel.

I think from this point on, Outlander had us on the edge of our seats. Brianna and Claire decide to take the day to let loose and have fun, which in the 18th century means going to the beach for a nice, brisk walk.

Unfortunately for them, Bonnet has been on their tail since they left town, and shows up out of the blue. WHY ISN’T HE IN WYLIE’s LANDING WHERE HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE?!

Bonnet approaches the women and knocks both Claire and Brianna unconscious. Claire wakes up to find Brianna is missing, which means Bonnet has her. UGH. This is our and Brianna’s worst nightmare come true.

I’d like to give Sophie Skelton a shout-out, because she does a tremendous job in this episode. Brianna finds herself stuck with the man who raped her and hurt her, and she has no choice but to go along with it if she wants to live to see Jemmy and keep her family safe.

What plays out next is really bizarre. Bonnet is under the false impression that he and Brianna can have a life together with Jemmy. What possesses him to have this fantasy is beyond me, but Brianna has no choice but to entertain his delusions. A vulnerable albeit strange side of Bonnet is shown as he tries to connect with Brianna in his own way. He breaks down crying, shares his childhood trauma and says he wants to be a better person. Yah, right, okay Bonnet.

It’s only a matter of time before Bonnet goes from “normal” to his usual self, displaying his true colors. He goes in to kiss Brianna, and the poor girl has no choice but to go with it. Unfortunately for her, Bonnet knows she hated the kiss and immediately pushes her away, falling right back into his old ways.

Next thing we know, Bonnet calls in one of his prostitute servants and has sex with her in front of Brianna. After that, ahem, rather awkward and weird moment, Brianna tries to gain the confidence of the woman asking her to help get a message to Claire, Jamie and Roger. Let’s just say the woman isn’t looking to defy Bonnet and refuses Brianna any help.

But fate has something else in store for Brianna, because Claire, Jamie and Roger end up visiting the brothel while this woman is there. Claire she ends up helping this woman with a medical issue, as she is wont to do. This woman realizes that these folks are the very same people Brianna was hoping to get a hold of, and pays Claire’s favor forward by telling them where Brianna and Bonnet are.

Things come to a dramatic climax as Bonnet prepares to sell Brianna as a sex slave because he’s just had it with her. Luckily, the trio shows up in time to stop the horrible shenanigans from taking place. And this is where things get interesting.

I think we all expected Bonnet to be shot to death right at that moment, but instead, Brianna says she wants to have him tried for his crimes. It’s a risky move and was rather frustrating as the viewer. Like, did we really make it to this point just to see him potentially get away?

But worry not, Outlander fans. As the series always does, it manages to surprise us by jumping ahead a little bit to the moment Bonnet is sentenced to death by drowning. As we watch Bonnet tied up and in the water, there’s a part of me that thinks he isn’t going to actually die. Somehow he’s going to make it out of his restraints before the tide gets higher and drowns him. But what happens is exactly what should. Just as you think Bonnet might make it out, a bullet takes his life. And who pulled the trigger?

BRIANNA FREAKING FRASER.

If that’s not the best way to end Bonnet’s storyline, I don’t know what is.

Does it really even matter, Roger? Good riddance is all I have to say!

Outlander Season 5 — Courtesy of STARZ

Episode 511: “Journeycake”

My fellow Sassanechs and Outlander fans, there is so much to talk about after this week’s episode, “Journeycake.” First off, it’s the penultimate episode of season 5, which means in just one week we will commence quite possibly the longest Droughtlander yet. But let’s not think about that.

The entire season has been building up to the moment when Brianna and Roger decide to go back to their time. The only issue is not knowing whether or not Jemmy would be able to travel through the stones. As it ends up, he is!

While playing with Ian’s opal stone, Jemmy complains that it’s really hot. To the average person, that would appear very odd, and Ian has no qualms about saying so. Want to take it down a notch, buddy? But something stranger is afoot. You see, whenever Ian or Jamie hold that same stone, it’s cold to the touch. But when Claire, Roger or Brianna do, it’s warm. Not to mention, those three hear a buzzing noise. Yes, that buzzing noise.

Guess who else hears it? JEMMY.

So Jemmy can officially time-travel. With that resolved, it’s settled: Brianna and Roger are going back to the future. I know this moment was a long time coming, and I felt a very odd sense of sadness. I almost don’t want them to leave because I love the family dynamic of it all, especially this season.

Sigh, I’m sad to see it coming to an end; I’m not ready for it.

After the odd “hot opal stone” situation, Ian naturally has some questions. I think there’s a part of him that knew something strange was up with Claire, Roger and Brianna. After all, Claire randomly comes back after 20 years, and then Brianna and Roger popped up out of nowhere.

Ian has sort of put all of this together in his own way, especially because of Otter Tooth, whose journal he’s been carrying around. Jamie proceeds to read the journal and it suddenly dawns on me that Otter Tooth might be someone we’ve sort of seen already. Remember that human skull that Claire found in season 4? The one she discovered had dental fillings? Well, it would appear that whoever that skull belonged to was from the future. And now, looking at this journal, we can all assume it was this guy. Plus, Claire points out that the journal entries are written with a ballpoint pen.

Curiouser and curiouser.

But with all that, Claire and Jamie finally share their family secret with Ian. It’s about time, I say.

Roger and Brianna make the decision to go back to their time within the month, which means saying goodbye to not only their family but their community. Since leaving without a heads up is not an option, their plan is to tell everyone that they are moving to Boston. It’s far enough to keep the ruse going, and it won’t make anyone suspicious.

But if I was Fergus or Marsali, I’d definitely think something was up. Also, did Marsali subtly mention she’s pregnant again? How long was this time jump?! There was one, right?

Meanwhile, we catch up with Ulysses. If you recall, he left River Run behind after having to murder Forbes, who was trying to kill Jocasta. Claire and Jamie learn that Ulysses has been a free man this entire time, according to papers that Jocasta signed after Hector Cameron’s death.

However, Ulysses was so loyal to her that he stayed back. Talk about a good guy! In any case, he’s in a pickle now because despite being a free man who saved his mistress in self-defense, he won’t be pardoned so easily.

There’s really only one solution here, which conveniently presents itself in the form of Lord John Grey, who is heading back to England. Lord Dunsany has passed away, so there is the matter of the estate to contend with, especially given it involves Jamie’s son William.

Side note: Is there a chance that we’ll see an adult version of William in later seasons? Please? I have to see what he actually looks like now.

Anyway, Lord John Grey is going to take Ulysses with him, so problem solved! Oh, how I adore John — he’s the sweetest guy around. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see him.

We finally arrive at the day Roger, Bree and Jemmy are heading to the stones, and it feels so strange. The night before, they have a family dinner and the sadness is palpable. But there is a sense of joy and comfort in knowing that these guys will be able to live their lives together as a family in the way they feel is best for them.

However, when they arrive at the stones the next day, something feels off. For a moment, I thought Ian might try to travel with them (he has asked Claire if she could take him through earlier in the episode), but that doesn’t happen. Bree, Roger and Jemmy are bound by a rope and each holding a stone. They walk through the stones…and disappear.

I love how Outlander never actually shows what happens when they walk through the stones. We just see the aftermath of when they either disappear or arrive on the other side. And sure, we do see the MacKenzie makes it to the other side, but based on Roger and Brianna’s reaction, I don’t think they’re where they thought they were going to be.

Are they in a different time? Did they end up not time-traveling at all, and just ended up traveling to Craigh Na Dun instead? I have so many questions, and with the season 5 finale next week, I’m demanding some answers.

The episode ends on a frightening note. If you recall, earlier in the season, Claire’s medical advice column (written under the name Dr. Rawlings) became a go-to for the women and men of Fraser’s Ridge. One particular woman, Rose, wife of Lionel Brown, comes in with a broken wrist, courtesy of her abusive husband who hit her when she said no to having sex with him.

Rose doesn’t want to have a baby, and read about this century’s version of birth control through Dr. Rawlings column. Unfortunately for Rose and Claire, Lionel spots the Rawlings name on Claire’s medical case, putting two and two together.

So what happens next is all because of Lionel and his rage. The men of Fraser’s Ridge are lured away by an explosion that goes off in the distance at the still. While the men go to check on it, Claire stays back with Marsali to tend to a patient. Just as the men have gone a decent distance, Lionel and his men show up and beat up Marsali and abduct Claire. Luckily, moments before, Marsali had told Germain to hide, but after she is knocked unconscious and Claire is taken, Germain comes out of his hiding place.

When Fergus, Jamie, and the other men return, Germain says, “The bad man took Grandmama.” The anger, fear, and panic are clear on Jamie’s face as he realizes Claire is gone. I’m worried about what comes next, and I can’t believe we only have one episode left to wrap it all up!

One thing is clear–it is time for war. And while we thought that war was the American Revolution, it seems like Jamie has lit the fiery cross for the only reason that matters to him: Claire. And with him lighting that cross to gather his men, the war is on, and Lionel Brown better be ready.

Oh, and one more thing, did anyone else realize that this episode was as good as it was because Outlander author Diana Gabaldon wrote it?

It makes a difference.

Outlander Season 5 — Courtesy of Aimee Spinks, STARZ

Episode 512: “Never My Love”

Wow. Wow. Wow. I need a moment to process the season 5 finale of Outlander. This is one of those times where I find myself speechless because there aren’t enough words in the English language to describe what I’m feeling.

Before I dive into this episode, I would like to share Sophie Skelton’s (Brianna Fraser) Instagram post that she posted ahead of the finale for survivors of sexual assault. Those affected or know someone affected by sexual assault, please watch the episode at your own discretion due to the sensitive material. And take care of yourself.

Last week, Claire was abducted by Lionel Brown, the horrible, horrendous, evil man who sought revenge against Claire for giving medical advice to women. The episode is immediately off to a rough start and wastes no time in catching us up on Claire’s whereabouts.

I must warn you that these scenes are incredibly difficult to watch as we see the torture Claire has been subjected to by Lionel and his men. He stops at nothing to ensure Claire feels belittled and “put in her place” as a woman. The way he goes about this is heinous and completely rips apart your heart.

Caitriona Balfe does superb work here. Her portrayal of Claire through the rape and torture scenes is seared into my mind. If she doesn’t get recognized for this episode, I will riot. She 1000% deserves it.

It would be best not to get into the gruesome and horrific details of Claire’s torture and rape. Let’s just say Lionel Brown has managed to get up to Blackjack Randall’s level and surpass it.

It’s all too much for Claire to bear, and as she lies there bruised and bloody, she has to dissociate from the present. She sees herself in the 1960s, with her entire family (Jamie, Ian, Fergus, Marsali, Murtagh, and Jocasta)  for Thanksgiving dinner. If you ever tried to imagine how any of these guys would look dressed up in a completely different attire, now you know.

Missing from the dissociative dream are Brianna, Roger and Jemmy. And the whole thing, while pleasant, feels odd and ominous. If you pay close attention, you will see Easter Eggs from the series scattered throughout the house. There’s an orange Claire picks up that’s a throwback to season 2 when her had to let King Louis have his way in exchange for pardoning Jamie. But let’s not rehash those difficult times, shall we?

There’s also a dragonfly toy that Fergus and Marsali’s kids are playing with, which of course symbolizes the dragonfly in amber Jamie held onto after the Battle of Culloden. He imagined seeing Claire in the trenches as he fought for his life, and it’s what kept him alive. Coincidence that it made its way into Claire’s dissociation? I think not.

Then, of course, there’s that vase that Claire so hopefully looked at once upon a time through the store window. Outlander writers sure know what they’re doing, don’t they?

Whenever the episode cuts back to this dreamscape, we see 1960s Claire staring at a painting of Fraser’s Ridge, and again, something just feels off. But then again, why wouldn’t it? It’s not reality, and Claire’s mind is under incredible stress.

Meanwhile, Jamie and his men to set out and save Claire. I was thankful how quickly this happened, and the search for Claire didn’t drag on.

Also, ahead of the search, we find out what happens to Brianna, Roger and Jemmy. As it turns out, one of my suspicions were right: they didn’t end up traveling at all. Instead, they’re shocked to see Ian.

Why didn’t they travel to their time? It turns out both Brianna and Roger were thinking about home. And as much as the future is their home and where they come from, the past is now where they belong. I found it incredibly poetic and beautiful that even Roger now considers Fraser’s Ridge his home.

Their initial plan is to surprise Jamie and Claire, not knowing that Claire has been abducted. But when Brianna sees the giant cross on fire, they know something horrible is happening and rush back home.

Roger joins Jamie on the crusade to find Claire, and I honestly couldn’t be more proud of him. As a character, he has progressed leaps and bounds, and the season 5 finale of Outlander really shines a light on his development.

Jamie and company quickly find Lionel and his men, and Claire. The men of Fraser’s Ridge show no mercy to the men who have hurt Claire this badly. One by one, all of Brown’s men are killed until he is the only one left.

Prior to Jamie showing up, one of the men approaches Claire as she jerks back to consciousness. She awakes to this man asking her if Ringo Starr meant anything to her. Um, wait, what did he just say?

Remember how in season 4, Claire found a human skull with a dental filling in it? This man is connected with whomever that skull belonged to, and they too traveled through the stones. This new guy picked up on the fact that Claire wasn’t from around these parts after reading her medical column. He’s eager to find gemstones and travel back to the future. Claire believes this will be her way out of this mess, but the guy is absolutely useless and does nothing to help her.

And yes, he is among the men that are killed by Jamie and his group. Thank goodness.

When all is said and done, all of Lionel’s men are taken care of, but Lionel is kept alive. The guy doesn’t deserve an easy death, and despite everything he’s done to Claire, her upholds the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm”.

But, hey, that doesn’t mean someone else can’t harm Lionel, right?

As an emotionally disturbed Claire is escorted back to Fraser’s Ridge, Brianna greets her with open arms and love and Claire takes a breath of relief to see Marsali is alive and well. The journey from this point on is a difficult one for Claire, but with Brianna and Jamie both having had this experience of assault and abuse, they know how to help her.

It’s heartbreaking to know what Claire has to work through before reaching a point where she can move on. But she’s stronger than most Outlander characters — or most characters period — so she will persevere. Although my heart did shatter when Claire confronts Lionel Brown in the surgery, and instead of taking his life, she walks away and breaks down.

If this scene doesn’t get Balfe an Emmy nomination and a win, it will be an absurdity. She is so amazing in this episode — I can’t say it enough.

In the end, it’s Marsali who takes Lionel’s life. I know that will take a toll on her, but it makes me feel so relieved and proud of the love Claire is surrounded by. These guys are willing to do anything for her, and it reminds you she is protected, even through this.

Lionel’s body is returned to his brother, although I didn’t see any reason he deserved that respect. His brother seems to appreciate the gesture, but he’s definitely coming back for vengeance, which makes me very, very nervous.

As the Outlander season 5 finale comes to a close, there’s a moment of peace and quiet amidst the chaos that Claire has endured. This type of moment is short-lived in their world, and with the American Revolution still coming up, other time travelers running amok (that guy came with a group), and Lionel’s brother thirsty for revenge, this calm won’t last.

Once again, wow, what was a riveting season finale. Not just the finale, but the entire season was absolute perfection from start to finish with nary a dull moment. Emotions ran high, things got scary and impossible, but in the end, for now, the Fraser family is together. We can cling onto that image of peace and happiness, it’s the gift Outlander has left us with as we temporarily part ways.

I don’t know what season 6 has in store for us, but I do know that I am not prepared for this Droughtlander.

Until next season: may it be here before we know it.

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