Outlander: Past and Present

Last time on “Outlander:” Wedding bells all around! Jamie and Claire got married and spend time in the 18th century version of the honeymoon suite. They talk about their families and generally get to know each other. Jamie also tells Claire about how the wedding day came together, which is good because she was buzzed for most of it. She warms up to Jamie and the rest of the episode can be summed up in this gif:

CREDITS! Are they going to update the images for season 2, I wonder. Also, another warning—there is some graphic content in this again. I’ll give you some warning. And I won’t post screen caps of them.


We open in 1946 at the Inverness police station. One officer takes a call about some missing items while his colleague asks him for the liquid courage he keeps in his desk. He motions to his own desk where a man sits there. The colleague understands and gives him the whiskey. The officer is about to give the man a bad report. The man? Frank Randall, who is looking for any news of his missing wife. Two police sketches stare at him: Claire and the Highlander he saw way back in Episode One. A Highlander who looks a lot like Jamie. Hmm…

The detective sits down and tells Frank that pretty much they know nothing new. At this point, they have to assume that Claire left of her own volition and is off living with the mysterious Highlander Frank saw the night before she disappeared. Frank is adamant his wife didn’t run off with another man, lets the Inverness police know he wasn’t expecting them to be competent at all and they proved him correct, and storms out.

(Keep in mind I also play the bad guy, Detective)

We travel back to 1743. Jamie and Claire sit in a field, having a picnic. He says that between the two of them, she’s the most experience when it comes to sex. So he asks her if it’s normal, the feelings he experiences with her and what passes between them when they do make love. She says no, it’s not normal. He kisses her until an arrow nearly pierces them. They duck at the right time, thankfully.

Jamie tells Claire to stay down and he goes to check out the arrow. He smiles, recognizing the arrow. Rejoice book readers—Hugh Munro has arrived! He and Jamie reunite and they have a conversation. Well, Munro grunts and motions while Jamie translates and responds. 

(Time for charades with Hugh Munro)

Jamie tells Munro he is married and introduces his friend to Claire. He explains that Munro was captured by Muslims and tortured. They cut his tongue out amongst other things. Claire feels pity for the poor man. She notices his tags, which give him permission to beg in different parishes. Munro gives her a wedding present—a dragonfly preserved in a piece of amber. For those who don’t know, the second book in the series is called “Dragonfly in Amber.” Claire thanks him for his gift.

(This is a very important gift)

Munro then grunts and motions to Jamie a bit more. He reveals that there’s a British army deserter who was there when Jamie escaped Fort William. A deserter who knows that Jamie is innocent and is willing to testify to it. Jamie thanks him and promises to be in touch to meet this man. He tells Claire that this means he can get the price off his head and take her home. She'll be the lady of Lallybroch. 

Back in 1946, Frank discusses Claire’s case with the Reverend Wakefield. Wakefield believes Claire may have gotten swept away in a river by Craig na Dun and ended up miles away. She may be lost, living in the Scottish wilderness and living off the land. Frank’s a bit skeptical but Wakefield points out she was an army nurse. She has survival skills. The housekeeper comes in with tea, a young boy carrying a plate of biscuits. It’s wee Roger Wakefield! Take note, he becomes important later on. Anyway, he’s adorable in the entire scene as he gets another biscuit. Wakefield sends him to bed as Frank studies his board of clues.

(Look at wee Roger!)

At night in 1743, Claire and Jamie cuddle by the fire as Rupert regales the other MacKenzie men with stories. Jamie notices that the horses grow restless. While Rupert keeps talking, every goes on guard. Jamie leans close to Claire, pretending to whisper sweet nothings in her ear. Instead, he tells her there are people nearby and on his signal, she is to run to a large log several feet from camp. He gives her his dirk for protection.

(You don't want to mess with this man)

Jamie gives his signal and Claire runs like hell. The MacKenzies battle a group of raiders who try to steal their things. In the end, they only get a few bags of grain and a horse. But the money is fine. Jamie goes to check on Claire. She barely made it to the log and had trouble using the dirk. He hugs her close as everyone shares a laugh to relieve the tension.

In 1946, Frank decides to go drink his problems away. Ahh, something he and Claire have in common. He nurses a drink as a pretty young woman shows up. She sits next to him and introduces herself as Sally, though admits it’s not her real name. She pulls out a wanted poster featuring the Highlander and says she can lead him to people who know the whereabouts of the man. Frank starts to stand but she says not now. He needs to meet her at 12:30 AM and to bring the ransom money.

This can’t end well.

(Yeah, she seem's on the up-and-up)

The next day, everyone searches for the knife Claire dropped the night before. It's found and Jamie insists it belongs to Claire. But she tells him that it's too big for her. After an 18th century "That's what she said" joke, it is decided that Claire needs to learn how to use a weapon to defend herself. They give her a small knife she can hide somewhere on her person and Angus teaches her how to use it. The men all watch and Angus is actually pretty knowledgeable.

(Claire passed!)

Frank meets up with “Sally,” who takes him to a dark alley. Oh, yes, this is definitely not ending well. Two strange men meet him and demand he hand over the reward money. They go to beat him up but Frank’s Randallness comes through and he wallops them. As he beats one near death, “Sally” begs him to stop. She pulls him off and he says there isn’t a Highlander. She shakes her head and Frank leaves.

(Time for Frank to fall back on Black Jack's genes)

At Wakefield’s, the Reverend berates Frank for fighting as they clean up his wounds. The Reverend tells Frank to go to Oxford and start living again. To forget Claire because she had clearly forgotten him. Once more, Frank’s not happy at the implication that his wife ran off with another man. Wakefield leaves him to think.

Jamie and Claire sneak off to have a quick one in a field. Well, Jamie told the others that Claire wanted to find some herbs. But being far away from the MacKenzies proves to be a bad thing when they are interrupted by two British deserters. One holds Jamie at gunpoint while the other decides to rape Claire. He drops trou and falls on top of Claire. She struggles as does Jamie, who wants to protect his wife. But the soldier has a good grip on him as well as, you know, a gun trained to his head. Claire, though, stabs her assailant and the surprise gives Jamie time to turn the tables. He slits the other soldier’s throat and runs off with Claire.

The Frasers embrace as Jamie makes sure Claire is physically fine. She assures him she is though she realizes she is going into shock. Jamie continues to hold her as he apologizes. She tries to insist it isn’t his fault but he’s having none of that. Dougal and the other MacKenzies show up, alerted by the noise. Jamie tells them what happened, leaving out a few bits, and the group decide to move on.

Frank stares at Claire’s suitcase, at last going through it. It contains her clothing, her gloves and picture of the two of them. 

(Memories, light the corners of my mind...)

He closes the suitcase. Downstairs, Wakefield and the housekeeper are arguing. She insists she has to tell Frank about what else could’ve happened to his wife. Wakefield will not have such superstitious nonsense in his house. But Frank agrees to listen. She tells him about Craig na Dun and the legends of people going back in time. It’s possible that it happened to Claire. He thanks her and tells them he is heading out to Oxford. Time to live his life and move on.

("Are you high?")

The MacKenzies ride through the woods as Jamie tells Dougal about Hugh’s news. Everyone agrees that it’s best Jamie doesn’t go alone to meet this deserter. He tells Claire to wait there in the clearing while they ride ahead. This shakes her out of her shock for a bit as she protests but Jamie is having none of it. He makes her promise to stay put. She promises.

(Stay? Am I dog?)

Frank drives away from Inverness when he comes to a stop. A motorcyclist swerves to avoid him but Frank doesn’t blink. A sign says Craig na Dun is five miles in the other direction. He turns around and heads for the stone outcropping.

Claire wanders the area where Jamie left her, along with young Willie to be her guard. She’s bored and a little upset at being left behind. Willie asks if he can go relieve himself and she gives him the okay. As she wanders some more, she realizes where she is—Craig na Dun. She’s almost home. Without a second thought for Jamie (unlike in the book where she experiences some guilt about leaving him behind), she runs toward the stone outcropping.

Frank arrives at the standing stones and approaches them. Meanwhile, Claire keeps running toward them. We keep switching between the two in their respective time periods. Frank calls for Claire, who responds. He seems to hear her as well. 

(Marco?) 

(Polo!)

(MARCO!) 

(POLO!)

Claire almost reaches the large stone but she’s captured by Lt. Foster and other red coats. She dragged away from Craig na Dun as Frank gives up and leaves. Bye, Frank.

Claire is bound and tied, sitting in a cart as it heads toward Fort William. She tells us in a voiceover that Black Jack has no clue she’s coming, which she hopes to use to her advantage. She formulates a plan as they enter the fortress.

All cleaned up, Claire is escorted to Black Jack’s rooms. He has her sit down and pours some wine for her, congratulating her on her recent marriage. She thanks him. Black Jack notes she is still wearing her old wedding ring and she says it’s for sentimental value. He replies that he doesn’t think she has a sentimental bone in her body. Burn! So Claire goes on the offensive and mentions the Duke of Sandrinham. We get a flashback to the pilot where Frank and Wakefield discuss Black Jack’s possible patron.

Black Jack starts choking on his wine. 

(Or sneezing into his wine. Your choice)

Claire files away that to tell Frank he was right about his ancestor’s benefactor. She strolls over to undo his stained cravat, realizing she has the power now. She goes on about the Duke and how he would be disappointed to learn how Black Jack was treating his fellow agents. Yes, she lies, she works for the Duke as well. Black Jack is surprised, saying the Duke didn’t tell him anything about her. He says he’ll have to write the Duke for confirmation. Claire’s all for it, no doubt hoping the slow mail system of the 18th century will give the MacKenzies time to bust her out of Fort William.

(Look at that smug face)

Then Black Jack asks about the Duchess. This trips Claire up a bit. Black Jack explains that the Duke does nothing without the Duchess knowing. So Claire says she’s only dealt with the Duchess via letters, never met her in person. Then Black Jack drops the bomb: there is no Duchess. The Duke has never been married and Claire is clearly not in his employ. She realizes she is screwed.

(What of the Duchess?) 

(We're totally BFFs)

(I made her up)

(Oh crap)

He pulls a rope from his desk and tells the soldier standing outside not to disturb him, no matter what he hears. Black Jack binds her hands and discovers her knife hidden in her boot. She struggles and yells, but he cuts her dress off her. Now she’s lying naked on his desk as he runs the knife over her. Yes, we get a second rape attempt on Claire in two episodes. You might want to look away.

But wait! Before Black Jack can do anything, the window is thrown open. Jamie crouches there, gun pointed at Black Jack. He tells him to get his hands off Jamie’s wife. And then he cocks the gun as Black Jack laughs at his fortune.

(I wouldn't mess with him)

There it is! The first half of the first season of Outlander! I know a lot has happened. And a lot more is going to happen. But so far, I think it’s off to a great start. April seems so far away…

I know some people haven’t liked how much they’ve expanded on Frank’s character. Pretty much everything involving Frank this episode was created for the show. And some people have said it makes him too sympathetic especially since in later books…Frank’s revealed to be a jerk. In my opinion, I think some of what they added does lead to how Frank is in later books. Especially the fact he keeps insisting Claire is not with another man, only for the show to cut to her with Jamie. I think that’ll play a huge part in who Frank becomes—without giving too much away.

See you in April!