Outlander: Dangerous Moves

Last time on “Outlander:” Jamie, Murtagh and some other MacKenzie men stormed Fort William to rescue Claire. They then froze her out until Jamie punished her for disobeying him and putting everyone in danger. He spanks her and she then freezes him out as they return to Castle Leoch. There, Colum learns that Dougal and Ned have been raising money for the Jacobite cause and he’s not happy about it. But Jamie convinces his uncle to support it, so Colum gives them the money. He also decides to invite the Duke of Sandringham for a visit. Jamie apologizes to Claire and the two have makeup sex. After, Claire discovers an ill wish and Jamie reveals it has to come from Laoghaire, who is heartbroken over Jamie and Claire’s marriage.

Cue the credits!


We start with some sexytimes. Jamie goes down on Claire as someone knocks on the door. When it proves that whoever it is won’t be discouraged, Jamie lets the person in. It’s Murtagh and he tells Jamie not to get lost in his marital duties. He reminds Jamie that the Duke of Sandringham is due soon. Murtagh warns Jamie to be careful.

("I know the blood isn't running to your head right now...")

Jamie tells Claire that the Duke can help remove the price from his head. Claire warns Jamie that the Duke can’t be trusted, that he’s friendly with Black Jack. Murtagh wants to know how she got that information, but Jamie tells him to drop it since he promised Claire to never push her. He says that she might be right but the Duke is still his best chance to return to Lallybroch. He says he’ll speak to Ned, though, just to be safe.

Ned advises Jamie to be cautious in light of Claire’s information. He suggests that they write up a formal complaint against Black Jack, detailing his crimes against Jamie and Claire. Ned believes that they can get the Duke to see how harmful his association with Black Jack might become. Then the Duke can take the formal complaint to the proper authorities and get Black Jack removed from Scotland. From there, the Duke can then get Jamie a full pardon. After all, it’ll be a Duke’s word against a disgraced soldier’s. Jamie feels confident now that he has a game plan.

(The man with the plan)

Claire heads down to the kitchens and asks to speak with Laoghaire alone. Mrs. Fitz clears out but says she won’t be too far away. Claire tells Laoghaire that she knows she put the ill omen in her room. She tries to be understanding, saying she knows it hurts when affection isn’t returned. But Laoghaire insists that Jamie loves her and that Claire stole him from her. She insults Claire, going so far as saying that Jamie must have to get really drunk before having sexytimes with Claire. At that point, Claire slaps Laoghaire. She apologizes immediately after but makes it clear that the girl should stay away from Jamie. Laoghaire will do no such thing and then takes great delight in telling Claire that she got the ill omen from Geillis. Looks like she’s not much of a friend, huh?

(Beware a teenager scorned)

So Claire goes to visit Geillis. Except Arthur tells her his wife isn’t home. He’s also in great distress, driving their poor maid mad with his complaining. Arthur wishes he knew where Geillis was so he could get some relief. Claire gives the maid something to give him to at least provide some temporary relief. She decides to take her leave and come back another day. Arthur snaps that it’s for the best. But the maid tells Claire that it’s the full moon so she’ll find Geillis in a little glen that night.

Claire does so and finds Geillis clothed in white garments, dancing around the fire. She seems to burn something in effigy but everything else about her ritual reminds Claire of the women she saw dancing near Craig na Dun. Geillis’ ritual takes on a very…sexual…nature and she ends up almost naked despite the truth. Claire discovers she’s pregnant.

Geillis finishes her ritual and tells Claire that she can come out. Claire starts with the pregnancy. Geillis tells her that the baby is Dougal’s and Claire is surprised. She’s also surprised to learn that Dougal is married. He’s kept his wife holed up somewhere else but she and Arthur are roadblocks to Geillis and Dougal living happily ever after together. Claire asks if that’s why she did the ritual—to get rid of the two spouses. Geillis is a bit vague but one gets the feeling the answer is “yes.”

They head back to Castle Leoch and Geillis says she didn’t know Laoghaire bought the ill wish for Claire. She assures Claire that if she had known, she never would’ve sold it. Geillis then shows off her cloak and says that Dougal had given it to her. She seems quite proud of the fact. Claire isn’t sure what to make of it.
She then hears crying. Geillis pretends she doesn’t hear it but Claire is persistent. She tries to tell Claire not to go after it. That the parents believe the baby is a changeling—that their baby was stolen by the fairies and replaced with one of theirs. The parents have left the baby out in a fairy hole, hoping the fairy will give them their baby back. She tells Claire not to interfere.

(Girl chat)

Claire of course can’t leave the baby alone. She runs toward the sounds of the cries as Geillis calls for her to stop. Claire reaches the fairy hole but the baby stops crying. She pulls it from the fairy hole and sees it has gone blue. The baby is dead. Claire cradles the baby close and apologizes as she cries.

Jamie appears and tries to get her to hand over the baby. He explains that the parents will have some comfort to think the fairy baby died and not theirs. So they need to put the body back. Claire lets him do that and he crosses himself. He tells her Geillis told him where to find her and then says he needs her to sign something.

(I think my ovaries just exploded)

Ned has drawn up the complaint against Black Jack. Jamie plans to present it to the Duke later that day as the man has arrived at Castle Leoch, though he’s taken up residence at another house. Jamie asks his wife to sign it, just below his name. She hesitates but does it for Jamie’s sake.

She then also pays the Duke a visit. The Duke says he’s surprised to hear about what Black Jack has done and doesn’t think it’s true. Claire assures him it is and he’ll see when Jamie presents the complaint later. She also says she knows it’s hard to believe the worst about one’s friends. The Duke denies being Black Jack’s friend. He’s dismissive of Claire…until she mentions the gold Dougal gave him for the Jacobite cause. She makes it clear that the Duke will help Jamie and the Duke makes it clear she’s making a powerful enemy.

(Claire doesn't care. She wants things to work out for Jamie)

Claire returns to Castle Leoch and Angus comes running out to get her. He explains that Dougal’s wife took ill suddenly and died. This unnerves Claire but there’s more. Dougal is on a rampage in the Great Hall. The Laird hopes Claire could use one of her sedatives on him.

She fetches one and returns to the great hall. Dougal is incredibly drunk and belligerent. He moans about his poor wife and how her death was his fault. Any MacKenzie man who tries to get close is met with Dougal’s sword. Fortunately, they all have shields. Claire wonders how she’ll get the sedative to Dougal. Angus handles that—he grabs a bottle and Claire puts it in. He then raises the bottle high and offers a toast to Moira (Dougal’s wife) and her memory. Saddened, Dougal takes a sip and goes down like a ton of bricks. Colum is disgusted and orders his brother removed. He says that when the man has woken and sobered up, he wants to see Dougal.

(And he's down for the count)

Jamie and Murtagh go to visit the Duke. Some other men leave and they exchange dirty looks. Jamie wonders why the McDonalds were visiting the Duke. Murtagh tells Jamie to focus on the task at hand. Inside, the Duke muses about taking the complaint. He makes Jamie an offer—the McDonalds have challenged him to a duel. So he needs a second. If Jamie is his second, he’ll take the complaint to the proper authorities. Jamie agrees even though Murtagh is less than thrilled.

("I'm going to kill him and then Claire's going to kill me. And then dig him up to kill him again.")

Claire runs into Geillis, who is delighted to learn of the death of Dougal’s wife. She says that all she needs to do is wait for Arthur to kick it and she can be with the man she loves. Claire’s a bit unnerved by the turn of events but she admonishes Geillis.

That night, Colum holds a feast in honor of the Duke. Pipers lead him in and everyone is just happy to be merry. Jamie introduces Claire to the Duke and the two play along. She asks her husband to fetch her a drink and then lays into the Duke for asking Jamie to be his second. She tells him to send her husband back to her in one piece or so help her God. The Duke reminds her that she and Jamie need him in one piece to deliver their complaint.

At his table, Arthur struggles to catch his breath. He draws the attention of the crowd as he collapses on the floor. Claire rushes over and rolls him on his side. She believes he’s choking and tries to clear his airway. After all, the Heimlich Maneuver was not created until 1974. But it’s not enough and Arthur dies. She rolls him on his back and notices foam coming from his mouth. Claire realizes he’s been poisoned with cyanide. As she looks up at Geillis, she doesn’t find a grieving widow. Not until Geillis realizes she has an audience. Then she gives a great performance.

("He's dead, Jim")

The next day, Jamie goes to the duel. He and the McDonalds’ second pace out and then the Duke and the chief McDonald take their marks. On the count of the three, the two fire…and miss. The person officiating the duel asks the Duke if he’s sorry. The Duke says he is. The official asks the chief McDonald if he forgives the Duke. The chief McDonald says he does. Duel’s over!

Jamie and the Duke head back toward the house but the McDonald men keep insulting them, playing up the Duke’s known preference for men. They accuse Jamie of sleeping with the Duke…so Jamie pretty much calls them motherfuckers. Well, them’s fighting words and Jamie finds himself fending off three McDonalds. He injuries them but one does injure him. The chief McDonald finally calls his men off as the Duke pleads with Jamie to tell Claire it wasn’t his fault. Looks like he’s frightened of her after all. He takes the complaint, promises to bring it to the right authorities, and runs off.

("I do not want your wife to kill me")

Back at Castle Leoch, Claire cleans her husband’s wound and stitches it up. He tries to assure her it’s only a scratch (that’s what the Black Knight said) and that the Duke is going to bring their complaint to London. Claire says nothing, so Jamie keeps rattling on. He’s clearly nervous. Apparently Claire’s silent anger is worse than any tongue lashing she could give him. He has to be relieved when he’s summoned to see Colum.

("I'm going to kill them all. Twice")

Dougal is there too and Colum lays into him about his drunken rampage. He then learns about Geillis and the baby. Dougal says that now that both are widowed, he plans to marry her. Colum thinks he’s mad and then realizes that no, he’s in love. He orders Dougal to go home and bury his wife. Dougal is to stay there until Colum tells him to come back.

And he’s sending Jamie as his babysitter. It’s punishment for dueling with the McDonalds without his Laird’s permission. And Colum doesn’t care that it was at the Duke’s request. Jamie is going—without Claire—and he’s not returning until Colum says he can. Jamie understands and leads Dougal from the room.

(I'm sensing a buddy comedy!)

Jamie prepares to leave. Claire is not thrilled about the separation. Jamie warns her to be careful and orders her to stay away from Geillis’. He says there’s trouble brewing around her and he doesn’t want Claire caught up in it, especially when he can’t protect her. She agrees as Dougal orders Jamie to kiss his bride goodbye. Jamie plants one on her…and another. Dougal then orders him to stop. The two leave Castle Leoch.

(Smooches for the road)

Claire spends time with Mrs. Fitz, helping her with the laundry. Young Tommy comes with a message for Claire. It’s a note asking her to visit Geillis. Immediately. Ignoring Jamie’s warning, Claire goes.

Geillis is surprised to see Claire and insists she didn’t write the letter. Claire is confused, but uses the opportunity to discuss Arthur’s murder with his killer. Geillis admits it to Claire and says she can now be with Dougal. Claire realizes that Geillis doesn’t understand the severity of what she’s done.

Someone knocks on the door and yells that it’s the warden, come for Geillis. The maid asks if she should open the door and Claire tells Geillis to pack a bag. She implores Geillis to flee before the warden breaks down the door. But Geillis says she will not run and she will trust in Dougal to rescue her. She tells the maid to open the door.

The warden arrests Geillis for witchcraft. When he spots Claire in the house, he arrests her too. She says she’s married to Jamie Fraser and lives up at Castle Leoch, that she’s not a witch. But they carry her off too. As she is led to the prison, Claire spies Laoghaire watching in the shadows. She realizes the girl sent the letter and set this up.

(dun dun dun)

They are certainly packing a lot into these episodes, aren’t they? It feels like if you blink, you’ll miss something.

I’d grab oxygen tanks for the next episode. It’s the trial and it’ll have you on the edge of your seat, forgetting to breath.

Screen caps from here.