Every episode of Outlander season 5, ranked worst to best
By Ariba Bhuvad
Outlander Season 5 — Courtesy of Aimee Spinks, STARZ
2. “Never My Love” Season 5, Episode 12
If the season 5 finale wasn’t Caitriona Balfe’s best episode to date, I don’t know what is. Ahead of the episode, Sophie Skelton posted on Instagram to reach out to survivors of sexual assault. Those affected or who know someone affected by sexual assault should read ahead/watch the episode at your own discretion due to the sensitive material. And take care of yourself.
In the penultimate episode, Claire is abducted by Lionel Brown and his men after she pisses him off for educating women on birth control. What transpires after her abduction is difficult to think about. She is abused, raped, and beaten to a pulp by her captors, who have no remorse.
Balfe’s performance during these scenes is unlike anything I’ve ever seen out of her before. It’s worthy of every award. I’m serious: if she is robbed come award season, it will be a travesty.
In order to escape her brutal reality, Claire dissociates into a dreamlike vision filled with series Easter Eggs. In this vision, she imagines her family in a 1960s setting celebrating Thanksgiving. Everyone is dolled up in groovy clothing…well, everyone but Jemmy, Brianna and Roger. Their absence from her vision is likely due to the fact that Claire believes they’ve traveled through the stones.
This brings me to another reason why this episode was one of my favorites of the season. For some reason, Brianna, Roger and Jemmy didn’t travel back to their time. Instead, they stayed in the 18th century, because they were thinking of home. Beautiful plot twist, right? I am so happy they didn’t end up anywhere else but there because Claire needs Brianna now more than ever. After all, Brianna has gone through a similar ordeal, just as Jamie had. This family dynamic and the trauma they share are instrumental to the finale.
Luckily for viewers, just as soon as we get into Claire’s unfortunate circumstances, she is rescued. We’ve always known Claire to be an incredibly strong woman, but the season 5 finale solidifies it. I’m still in awe of how resilient she is throughout this episode, and despite the future being glum, she finds a way to hang on and look ahead. If this isn’t classic Outlander inspiration, I don’t know what is. And it was one hell of a way to end their fifth season. Here’s to more powerful Claire moments in season 6!