Jamie and Claire return to Scotland and change strategy, this time gathering resources to help the Jacobite cause. Get a sneak peek of this week’s Outlander (“The Fox’s Lair”), airing Saturday, May 28 at 9:00pm ET|PT on STARZ.
Sassenachs, you know how I’ve said (repeatedly) that reading Dragonfly in Amber gutted me? Well, let me tell you, watching this season on screen, especially last week’s episode “Faith” might have been even more heart-rending and poignant than the novel. I won’t detail my feels here… my fellow WSN fangirl Katie shared her list (and gifs) of her thoughts while watching “Faith” and they 100% mirror mine. However, I would like to make three points:
1. Caitriona Balfe is PHENOMENAL. *throws all the awards* I can’t even describe how emotional it was for me to watch Cait’s portrayal of Claire in the aftermath of losing Faith (her baby) and faith in Jamie. (Incidentally, this double-meaning of the episode title was the subject of Toni Graphia’s breakdown of “Faith” and she offered some very profound thoughts. You can watch the video HERE). Scene after scene, Cait brought it: waking up and calling out for her baby, dealing with her intense disappointment in Jamie breaking his promise to let Black Jack Randall live for an additional year, putting her pain aside to comfort Fergus and then get Jamie out of prison by any means necessary. However, the moment that I still replay in my mind is Claire holding Faith, counting her fingers and toes, cataloguing her attributes (so much like Jamie), and then singing to her baby. *UGH*SOBS* Yes Claire hated Jamie…she might have even hated herself for asking him to do the impossible. But she forgave him as he forgave her. They would bear this heartache together, and with time, they would heal as individuals and as a couple.
2. I HATE Black Jack Randall. I mean, I hated him before for the way he tortured Jamie and Claire throughout Season 1 (culminating in Wentworth Prison). BJR even continued to taunt Jamie about it during the duel at the end of “Best Laid Schemes…” about how Claire could have forgiven him. But the flashback of Black Jack raping Fergus was so grotesque and SO unforgivable. Black Jack is a monster, and deserved much more than a sword to the groin.
3. I know there’s been a lot of critique of production’s decision to depict BJR’s actual rape of a child across the interwebs (specifically the thrusting; Tom & Lorenzo’s episode recap is one example, I have in mind, HERE). I don’t want to wade too deep into the debate here, but I do think some of the distress is symptomatic of a larger criticism of the frequent use of rape as a plot device in original novels. That’s actually one of my biggest complaints about the Outlander series… very few characters are spared the agony of sexual violence. Truth be told, even in “Faith” I would call Claire’s experience with King Louis rape. Yes, she seemed to give ~consent, but there was so much coercion there… again a plot point taken directly from the novel. I recognize that this form of assault is a part of the real world, unfortunately experienced by millions. And yes, if literature is to reflect reality, violence can’t be sugarcoated. In terms of the TV adaptation, one of the things we love so much about the show is how cast, creators, and crew have retained the integrity of the story, bringing it to life in all its vivid truth, including the violence. So, perhaps there is a purpose to this discomfort and heartache we feel… for Fergus, Claire, Jamie, Mary.
In any event, I am beyond glad that we’re going back to Scotland and leaving all the intrigues and subterfuge of Paris behind us! But what does this mean for Operation Stop Culloden?
This week, Claire and Jamie return to a familiar setting with familiar faces to heal and move forward, while their homecoming causes ripples throughout the highlands.
In “The Fox’s Lair”, written by Anne Kenney and directed by Mike Barker:
Claire and Jamie call upon Jamie’s grandsire, Lord Lovat, in an attempt to elicit support for the Jacobite cause. However, a visiting Colum MacKenzie has other plans, and Lord Lovat’s manipulative machinations ensure that no matter what, his own interests will be served. (via STARZ)
The following two clips from the upcoming episode show that Jamie and Claire are back in Lallybroch, but have turned their efforts to helping Prince Charles rally support for the Jacobite war. Jamie’s assignment is to reach out to his grandfather Simon Fraser (Lord Lovat); however, sister Jenny seems to believe that’s a bad idea:
(The first clip is via ELLE.com exclusive)
I can’t wait for us to learn more about the Fraser family and why Jenny believes their father would balk at the idea of Jamie defending Lord Lovat. And what’s this about Jamie and Claire joining the Jacobite cause?! What causes this change of heart?
You can also watch a third clip from Saturday’s episode below where Claire tries to prepare the Fraser clan and Lallybroch for the impending Jacobite battles. She does this by introducing the potato! It’s a very sweet family moment:
We missed Lallybroch almost as much as the Frasers! Sneak a peek into tomorrow's new episode of #Outlander:https://t.co/Zj804SCjlx
— Outlander (@Outlander_STARZ) May 27, 2016
*SWOONY SIGH* I do love Jamie and Claire!
Take a look at 10 images from “The Fox’s Lair” watch the new Outlander when it airs Saturday, May 28 at 9:00pm ET|PT on STARZ. Tune in and come live tweet with @WeSoNerdy!
What measures will Jamie and Claire go to save Scotland? Find out this weekend on #Outlander.https://t.co/CUVSs1UpDl
— Outlander (@Outlander_STARZ) May 25, 2016
