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Outlander Season 7, Episode 10 review: Disaster strikes (again!) as Claire learns gut-wrenching news

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As a longtime fan of the Outlander series, I must say that this latest episode left me absolutely speechless! The twists and turns were as unpredictable as the Scottish Highlands themselves, and I found myself on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

In the second half of its seventh season, Outlander has only just begun, but it’s already filled with turmoil that shows no signs of slowing down. As hinted in the first episode, the plot is moving swiftly. We’ve witnessed the Frasers’ return to Scotland, and shortly after, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Young Ian (John Bell) embark on a journey to America to aid Lord John Grey’s nephew.

For avid fans of Outlander, it’s no secret that the separation between Jamie (played by Sam Heughan) and Claire stirs unease. This week’s episode serves as a clear reminder of why such discomfort is justified.

In the show “Brotherly Love,” there are numerous events unfolding, giving me the sense that the series is approaching its conclusion. As such, it seems to be delivering powerful scenes one after another.

Read ahead for our review of “Brotherly Love”, and please remember that MAJOR SPOILERS are below!

Farewell, Old Ian

The episode begins by saying a tearful goodbye to our cherished character, Ian (Steven Cree). Despite knowing his time was limited, it didn’t make parting any less difficult. After some time has passed, young Ian learns of the sad event, given that it is the 18th century and information moves slowly.

Following Ian’s burial, Jamie immediately starts arranging his journey – first to Paris, and then across the ocean to the United States, where he will be reunited with Claire. Aren’t reunions always something to look forward to?

Hello, America

In simple terms, Young Ian and Claire successfully reached Philadelphia without any complications. This turned out to be beneficial as Lord John’s nephew was in severe agony and required Claire’s healing skills. However, one might wonder how he managed to endure for several weeks while Claire was on her journey to Philadelphia, considering it would have taken about a month back then, wouldn’t it?

Time is of the essence since Claire must carry out intrusive surgery, a procedure that stirs great apprehension due to its rarity during the 18th century when such procedures were uncommon among physicians. However, Claire Fraser once again proves her prowess by successfully assisting Lord John’s nephew and saving his life.

In addition, we encounter a woman named Mercy Woodcock (Gloria Obianyo), the proprietor of the residence where Lord John’s nephew resides. Remarkably, she is a free Black woman in those times, and even more noteworthy, she owns property. There appears to be a romantic connection between her and Lord John’s nephew, Henry. To shield Mercy, who is viewed as a rebel advocating for colonial independence, Lord Grey often dons his military uniform. However, this isn’t because he’s resuming service, but rather it’s a protective measure for Mercy.

The return of Mr. Bug

If Outlander aimed to create an unsettling atmosphere during this episode, they certainly succeeded. As young Ian returns to the American continent, his quest for his beloved Rachel leads him to cross paths with William (Charles Vandevaart). However, instead of finding Rachel, he encounters Rollo, who recognizes him as a familiar face. Sadly, at that moment, Rachel and Ian do not have the opportunity to meet each other.

Only one person seems to notice them: Mr. Bug. You might remember that Young Ian inadvertently caused the death of Mrs. Bug following the fire at Fraser’s Ridge, and Mr. Bug vowed to cause trouble for Young Ian. During this encounter with Rollo and Ian, he comes to understand that it is not Rollo he needs to harm, but Rachel. If he wants to truly hurt Ian, it would be best to target Rachel instead.

In a close call, Young Ian prevents Mr. Bug from losing his beloved Rachel as he had cornered her in the stable. Just when it seemed all hope was lost, Ian arrived just in time to intervene. However, it was William who dealt the decisive blow that led to Mr. Bug’s demise. Regrettably, Mr. Bug needed to depart because we can’t tolerate such menacing individuals roaming around!

Buck and Roger and a blast from the past

At the movie premiere’s conclusion, I found myself face-to-face with none other than Geillis (Lotte Verbeek), a surprising reappearance that sent chills down my spine. With such an intricate past connecting her to the Frasers and even Roger and Brianna (Sophie Skelton), it was an encounter that left me feeling rather uneasy. Known for attempting to sabotage everyone’s lives, she had a knack for causing trouble, even going as far as to murder her own husbands at some point in time.

What I think is so intriguing about this encounter is that, unbeknownst to Geillis, she is helping treat her illegitimate son. Talk about awkward! But that’s not the moment I want to focus on.

In the course of this meeting, as Roger struggles to comprehend the situation, none other than Dougal MacKenzie (played by Graham McTavish) makes an appearance.

I’m totally loving the return of these characters!

Dougal intends to speak with the fellow, Roger, who’s been inquiring about mythical men, and brings along some captivating updates. It seems they have a mutual connection with Geillis, as they head off together into a private space, although not before Roger attempts to probe if Geillis is familiar with Rob Cameron (she claims ignorance). Meanwhile, Dougal offers a souvenir he’d won at a dice match.

The trinket, as we learn, are actually army tags…that belong to Roger’s father. Say what?!

Could it be that the fairy figure isn’t Rob Cameron, but instead Roger’s father? What’s going on here, and how is this transformation taking place?

Ending of Outlander Season 7, Episode 10 explained

As the episode ends, Claire and Young Ian discover that Jamie is traveling to America. Since the letter was written a few weeks back, his arrival is imminent. This news brings great happiness since, as mentioned earlier, we don’t relish the thought of Claire and Jamie being apart.

And there’s a reason for that. More on that in a second.

Claire learns from Mercy that, as a rebel, she’s been passing coded messages meant for the George Washington. However, her actions have been discovered, and she’s worried about others being implicated. Since Claire is seldom questioned, she offers to personally deliver the message to avoid suspicion. She manages it successfully, but upon returning, she receives grim news…

In the realm of stories I cherish, I learn a heart-wrenching truth from Lord John – his ship, captained by the inimitable Jamie Fraser, has vanished beneath the relentless waves of the sea. No trace of him was ever found. In essence, my dear friend, Jamie Fraser, as I’ve known him in my imagination, is gone forever.

This is obviously not real…right?

As we grapple with this distressing news amidst a tender love scene of Claire and Jamie, we can’t help but lament the writers for such timing. Yet, there’s another challenge at hand. Recall when Claire assumed her privileged status would shield her from getting caught while sending coded messages to the rebellion? Regrettably, she underestimated this, as the British arrived the next morning knocking on the door.

Lord John learns that she is to be taken into custody as a suspected spy. However, Lord John believes there’s only one course of action that can resolve the issue entirely: Claire must wed him.

Wow, this episode was quite intense! I’m still trying to wrap my head around it, and I can’t seem to focus on what happens next. It seems Claire must marry Lord John to ensure everyone’s safety, but after losing Jamie, she might not be able to think about anything else at the moment. Frankly, I share her sentiments – life without Jamie Fraser feels pointless!

I can’t imagine that Jamie is truly gone, but I’m enjoying the angle they’re going with here. It really makes things interesting for the episodes to come, especially if Claire and Lord John truly go through with this marriage. What if Jamie returns? What will happen then?

Outlander, you are truly stressing us out, but we love it.

Episode Grade: A

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2024-12-04 08:47

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