Jamie & Claire Court Chaos on 'Outlander'
Outlander hit a rough patch this week. The show abandoned the even pacing of last week's ecstatic reunion this episode, rushing to establish the danger of Jamie's work in Edinburgh, introduce and explore the new characters with which he surrounds himself, and underscore exactly how much Claire and Jamie have changed in their 20 years apart. This resulted in a disjointed episode where some scenes (Claire attempting surgery for the first time in the 20th century, Young Ian meeting and wooing his first paramour) happened much too fast, while others - Claire tending to a mentally ill woman, Fergus and Young Ian discussing Claire's return - slowed the episode to a nearly glacial pace. That's not to say the episode was a total loss - Claire's reunion with Jamie's brother-in-law, Ian Murray, echoed the emotion of last week's episode in a truly touching scene, while the revelation of Jamie's other wife - who Claire still doesn't know exists - sets up next week's episode for some serious drama.
Here's what we learned from Outlander Season 3 Episode 7, "Creme de Menthe."
1) Claire seriously injures the intruder in her bedroom.
At the end of last week's episode, a large, strange man searching for Jamie's ledgers attacked Claire in her room at the brothel, threatening to rape her. This week's episode picks up right in the midst of that cliffhanger, with Claire threatening the thug with a knife while he tries to pin her to the bed. "Now I’m not even gonna bed you," her shouts as her swing with the knife connects with his body. "I’m just gonna kill you.”
Claire lunges after the man again and he loses his balance, falling and cracking his head off the floor. Claire realizes he's unconscious just as Jamie enters the room. He removes the knife from Claire's shaking hand, but before she can even explain what happened, she realizes the strange man is still alive and goes into doctor mode. Jamie is aghast - how can she be so sympathetic to a man who tried to kill her? Claire reminds him it's her duty as a doctor to do something. She needs to relieve the pressure in the man's skull or he can die.
Fergus and Madame Jeanne enter, and Jamie explains that the unconscious man is an exciseman (i.e. a tax collector) likely working for Sir Percival. Percival is the sinister guy Jamie met at the pub in last week's episode; Jamie's been paying him to keep quiet about the smuggling in exchange for a portion of the profits. Percival accused Jamie of expanding his operation without increasing Percival's share, which Jamie denied, even though of course, it's true. The exciseman was looking for hidden casks - the very ones hidden in the basement of the brothel.
Jamie sends Fergus to the basement to prepare the casks for removal from the brothel premises. When they're alone again, he reminds Claire that things are very different in the 18th century - she can be arrested for assaulting a man who was not her husband in a brothel.
Also, Jamie calls Claire "Sassenach" four times in this sequence - he's slipped back into his familiar ways with her immediately.
2) Claire meets a older man at the apothecary and offers to in exchange for urgent service.
Claire heads to the apothecary to purchase supplies for operating on the exciseman. She begs another customer to let her place her order first, since her patient needs immediate attention, but he demands she tend to his sister in exchange for allowing her to cut the line. She promises to visit when she's finished with the exciseman.
3) Young Ian and Fergus sell Jamie's casks and discuss Claire's return.
Jamie tasks Young Ian and Fergus with selling the extra casks immediately so they can't be traced back to him. Young Ian is desperate to please his uncle, and manages to turn a decent profit. After tending to their customer, he asks Fergus what he remembers about Claire. Fergus recounts how Claire saved many men before the Battle of Culloden, describing her as "spirited and incredibly brave" and "fearless." But, he warns, she's not afraid to kill, too. Young Ian is so pure, assuring Fergus, "If Auntie Claire was forced to kill men, likely they deserved it." He's already enchanted by her.
4) Sir Percival arrives to search the brothel for Jamie's extra casks while Claire performs surgery. When the exciseman dies, she's devastated.
Back at the brothel, Claire goes to work on the exciseman, drilling a hole in his skull to release the pressure from his injury. Yi Tien Cho watches with fascination. Meanwhile, Jamie tends to Sir Percival, who arrives at the brothel with another one of his employees (distinctive due to a blind left eye) to search for the casks. But there's no trace of the contraband, since Young Ian managed to sell it all this morning.
When Jamie returns to their room, Claire informs him the exciseman died. She's so upset she can barely speak, but Yi Tien Cho informs Jamie, “honorable wife fought hard.” Just like Young Ian, he's fascinated by Claire and already allied himself with her. Yi Tien Cho leaves and Jamie tells Claire he won't mourn a man who tried to kill his wife. "God took him," he says, attempting to comfort her, but Claire's not in the mood for platitudes. She could've saved him in Boston, in a proper hospital setting. Jamie reminds her she's not there anymore. She knows his, but that doesn't change how she feels about her patients: “I’ve dedicated the last 14 years to respecting human life," she explains. "To healing people without judgement. I work hard. I don’t often lose a patient.” Jamie promises there will be more opportunities to help people in their future. Claire apologizes for all the chaos. Jamie assures her it doesn't matter, as long as they are together:
“You came thousands of miles and 200 years to find me. I’m grateful that you are here, no matter the cost. I would give up everything I have for us to be together again. Since you left, I’ve been living in the shadows. then you walked into the print shop and it was as if the sun returned and cast out the darkness.”
Even though they've only been reunited for less than a day, Jamie's ready to risk everything to be with Claire.
6) Fergus helps Young Ian seduce a barmaid.
Fergus and Young Ian celebrate their successful sale with a pint, and as it so often does with young men, their conversation devolves into a frank discussion about romantic trysts. Fergus reveals his first time, at 15, was a "ménage à trois" with two women. Young Ian reveals he's never had sex but thinks the barmaid, Brighid, is beautiful. Fergus imparts these words of wisdom before calling her over:
"The art of seduction can be mastered thus: first, you must look into her eyes and tell her how beautiful she is. Second: offer her a drink. whatever her heart desires. The piece de resistance is perhaps the most important part: repeat one and two."
After the beauty of last week's reunion between Jamie and Claire, this sequence felt out of place and frankly, a little uncomfortable. The show is clearly trying to establish this duo as the next generation answer to fan-favorite Angus and Rupert (RIP) but the dialogue was much too earnest. Hopefully future encounters between the two feel more natural.
7) Claire tends to Mrs. Campbell's sister.
Claire arrives at the home of the customer she met at the apothecary, Archibald Campbell. His sister, Margaret, is seated at a table in a sparse if comfortable room. The middle-aged Campbells are not impoverished, but Archie, as his sister calls him, is clearly money hungry, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's also a bit of a social climber - both he and his sister seem to be dressed for a higher social station than their incomes allow.
Margaret is nearly catatonic and complaining of exhaustion when Claire arrives. Archibald explains he keeps her calm with laudanum, and during their conversation, Margaret suddenly grips Claire's hand and starts muttering nonsense. Archibald explains Margaret is a fortune teller and offers to translate her ramblings for a price. Claire explains that Margaret is suffering from a mental disorder and Archibald says she's been "soft in the head since a bairn." Claire pities the woman and after writing our prescriptions for calming teas, makes Archibald promise to stop treating his sister with laudanum. She wants to return to treat Margaret again, but Archibald explains the two are about to sail for the West Indies, as they have a "wealthy client to administer to." Claire is considered about the difficult journey ahead and prescribes fresh fruit for Margaret when they arrive. As Claire leaves, a single tear drops down Margaret's cheek. This scene feels random and purposeless within the context of the episode, but it's likely not the last we'll see of the Campbells this season.
8) Claire and Jamie discuss their future - until Ian arrives at the brothel.
Jamie is counting money when Claire returns to their room at the brothel. He explains they hid the exciseman's body in a cask of creme de menthe and assures Claire this "wee bit of chaos" is "nothing we haven't seen before." Claire broaches the subject of their future: a home, maybe even a medical practice in the back of the print shop. Claire tells him, "We could build a happy life here in Edinburgh," which, of course, means that certainly is not going to happen. Madame Jeanne knocks on the door to inform Jamie he has a visitor - Ian Murray. Claire is excited to see him, but Jamie makes her promise not to reveal she's seen Young Ian, which perplexes Claire.
Ian looks like he's seen a ghost when he encounters Claire for the first time. Steven Cree is so great in this scene, conveying utter disbelief and astonishment. He's not sure if should be happy or horrified, so much so he's actually dumbstruck. His eyes well up when Claire hugs him, telling her, "Jenny and I, we grieved over you for years." This is so tender and touching, I actually cried. Jamie explains their separation was a "terrible misunderstanding" and Claire says she traveled to Boston when she thought Jamie was dead. As Ian listens, a single tear runs down his cheek, a reaction we're seeing a lot this season.
Ian tells Jamie Young Ian has run away again, but to Claire's horror, Jamie lies, telling Ian he has not seen the boy. Ian fears he'll be kidnapped by a press gang (i.e. forced service on a ship) but Jamie assures his brother-in-law that won't happen - "they'd throw him off before they leave port." Jamie promises to return Young Ian to Lallybroch if he returns, and in a particularly cruel statement, tells Ian, "let's not delay your search any longer" and ushers him out of the room. It's appalling to see Jamie, usually so honest, baldly lie to a man he considers his own brother. Claire's horror is palpable.
In the entryway of the brothel, out of earshot of Claire, Ian cryptically asks Jamie how Claire took his "news." Jamie explains he was waiting for the right time to tell her, and Ian scoffs: "You might be waiting forever then." Jamie assures him, "all will be well," which means it most certainly will not.
9) Sir Percival's crony sets the print shop alight.
Young Ian brings Brighid back to the print shop, where they proceed to have very awkward sex (last week's passionate union, this is certainly not). A noise disturbs them, and Young Ian realizes it's an intruder. It's Sir Percival's crony, the man with the blind eye. Young Ian makes Brighid leave by the back alley doorway and confronts the man. The intruder slams Young Ian into a cabinet, which opens to reveal Jamie's treasonous pamphlets. The intruder then shoots at Young Ian, setting the place on fire, and Young Ian retaliates by throwing some kind of boiling printing chemical on the man's face. The intruder flees and Young Ian tries to stamp out the fire, but it soon overwhelms him. Instead of trying to flee, he hides in a room in the back of the print shop.
10) Jamie and Claire have their first fight in 20 years.
Claire is waiting for Jamie when he returns to their room after showing out Ian. "Twenty years apart couldn’t erase the meaning behind that look,” he says when he sees the distress in Claire's face. She reproaches him for lying to Ian, but Jamie defends himself, saying he couldn't tell Ian his son was committing crimes for him. Claire is concerned for Jenny and Ian, telling Jamie they're probably worried sick, but Jamie says they don't know what's right for Young Ian - plus, he's safer with his uncle than out in the world on his own. He challenges her, reminding her of all the lies they told together years ago, then Claire hits him with a low blow: You have no idea what it's like to be a worried parent." This wounds him, and then, the truth comes out:
I’m Brianna’s father. I didnt get to raise her, did I? I didn't have a say in how you and Frank brought her up... wearing that wretched thing you call a bikini."
Ugh, of course Jamie is upset about the damn bikini. That seems like it should be the least of his concerns, but clearly, it upset him. Claire rolls her eyes, remarking, "Christ, I'd forgotten how bloody rigid this century is," which seems totally uncharacteristic of her. Claire just forgot she wore 20 layers of clothing every day for three years? Jamie is actually really hurt that Claire went back to Frank, and he raised their child together. Claire even has to defend Frank to Jamie. He asks if Claire fell in love with Frank again, but she assures him she did not: "I cared for Frank very much, and I loved him, but that was before you." Their argument is not over, but the conversation is interrupted by Madame Jeanne, who is the bearer of bad news this week: the print shop is on fire.
11) Jamie rescues Ian from the burning print shop.
Jamie and Claire arrive at Carfax Close, where the print shop is in flames. He runs in to rescue Young Ian, who sleeps in the back, and Claire watches in horror as flames engulf the structure. A firefighter (at least, I think that's what he is, even though the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment wasn't founded until 1824) pushes the crowd away. With the stairs of the shop in flames, Jamie saves Young Ian by pushing the printing press against the wall and climbing it - while carrying Young Ian's body, no less - to reach the exit at the upper level of the shop. They emerge from the building and run to safety just as the sign for the print shop drops in flames.
12) Jamie is married to someone else and hasn't told Claire yet.
The crowd disperses and Claire tends to the men. Young Ian apologizes, explaining the man with the blind eye broke into the print shop and found the seditious pamphlets. Jamie knows he can be hanged for his crimes, and, at Claire's behest, agrees to return Young Ian to his parents at Lallybroch - Sir Percival won't find him there, since he only knows Jamie as Alexander Malcolm of Edinburgh. Jamie pulls Fergus aside to help him settle his business in Edinburgh when Jamie departs with Claire and Young Ian. Then Fergus asks te question we all knew was coming: "Milady does not yet know about your other wife?" YIKES. Jamie promises he'll tell her at some point. He leaves Fergus to stand in front of his shop and watch all his hard work burn away.
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