Welcome back to Lallybroch, Sassenachs! It’s time for another Scottish summer with a look at Outlander‘s second season. But this year, we won’t be in the Highlands: we’re crossing the Channel to the Continent, where Claire and Jamie will find a new temporary home in the City of Light.
It’s time for the Frasers to take a more active role in derailing the war effort, but Claire’s knowledge that Randall is alive looks to derail her marriage.
It should also be noted that Outlander is very much an 18+ series, with graphic violence and sexuality throughout. As well, there may be spoilers within for both the tv show and the novel series.
This episode contains a content warning for a scene of rape and sexual assault against a woman.
1. The White Lady
So before we even get into the episode, let’s talk about the significance behind the title, “La Dame Blanche” – translated, “The White Lady.” This is from ancient Irish and Celtic lore, particularly Macha, an ancient goddess of Ireland. No doubt this applies to Claire.
What is ironic about the title La Dame Blanche is that she is known for death and destruction. Not things one would associate with the color white, which symbolizes cleanliness and peace. And certainly ironic for a woman like Claire, a healer who seeks to preserve life and do no harm, to be associated with a figure so closely connected to death.
But let us remember how close faith and folklore are tied into the life in 18th century Europe. A modern woman like Claire, who seems to possess mysterious knowledge, is often to be feared rather than loved. In this consideration, the moniker of La Dame Blanche is more fitting than we may have initially thought.
Let’s see if Claire embraces this identity or runs from it.
2. Bitter Cascara
You might recall in last week’s “Useful Occupations and Deceptions” a reference to bitter cascara when Claire was visiting Monsieur Raymond’s apothecary. The herb makes its appearance once more as someone has slipped it into Claire’s wine at Versailles, leaving her in severe stomach pain. The culprit appears to be the Comte St Germain, also at Versailles and lurking around Jamie and Claire (and Duverney) like a bad raincloud. He’s no friend of the Frasers, so of course he would be suspect #1.
Fortunately, both Claire and the baby are fine, but it underscores the danger that the Frasers are in. And it also has us wondering whose side Raymond is really on, in spite of his protests last week that his allegiance to St Germain are of a business nature and nothing more. He does admit to selling bitter cascara, but to a servant he does not recognize that could be working for the Comte. That’s enough to win Claire’s trust, as she confesses to Raymond her worries about Frank’s existence. He not only reassures her she will see Frank again, but offers Claire a gift of a necklace with a stone that will change color in the presence of poison.
A side note: You may have noticed Raymond’s nickname for Claire: “Madonna.” You’ll find out later this season just why he calls her that.
3. Wonderful News…?
Jamie gets his own dose of bitter cascara in this episode, as Claire doesn’t waste time revealing her knowledge about Black Jack Randall. Kudos to Claire, and to the writers, for not dragging this out over an entire episode. The knowledge itself isn’t the crux of the conflict, but the aftermath of its reveal is – – and we get plenty of time here to explore that. Much to Claire’s surprise, Jamie is happy at this revelation. It gives him something to look forward to (killing Randall with his own hand), and even more surprising, it doesn’t derail their plans in any way. For the moment, Claire finds relief . . .
. . . until Jamie comes home from night from the meeting in the usual place with the Prince, ready to make the beast with two backs with Claire, and Claire finds a souvenir from that visit on her husband’s thigh. If you’re expecting this to go over like a lead balloon, you’re right. The logic hoops Jamie jumps through to justify to his wife how a prostitute in a brothel are certainly hoops, and Claire’s not buying it. But it actually causes Jamie to open his fortress and be vulnerable with Claire.
Continued belowIt doesn’t resolve things immediately for the two of them, but it is a necessary step forward, culminating in a love scene so tender and passionate it might just burn through your TV. If you never thought pregnant women could be sexual, this’ll change your mind.
4. Late Night Visit
The passionate reconciliation gets interrupted by a very dignified intruder on the roof: Prince Charles. He’s in need of Claire’s medical skills due to an injured hand after sneaking out of a lover’s house. The injury is a bite from the lover’s pet, who seems to bite everyone except its owner. Claire knows someone who owns a pet like that: Louise.
Now earlier in the episode, Louise confessed to Claire that she finds herself in the family way, courtesy of her lover.
Put two and two together and it’s clear: Louise’s lover is Bonny Prince Charlie.
Claire and Jamie are excited by the prospects this could mean for their plans, especially since the lovers are on the outs. Claire does raise the question if this makes them bad people, especially since Louise is her friend and she’s throwing her under the bus. Jamie’s logic hoop for this one: a bad thing for a good reason. The politics of morality are never cut and dry.
5. Party Prep
At last, it’s the night of the Fraser’s dinner party, and preparations are underfoot. (And Claire’s preparations are getting out of the damn way for work at the hospital. A woman after my own heart!) Claire unfortunately gets delayed at the hospital due to a broken down carriage, forcing Jamie to start the party without her. The prince and his lover come face to face, but they both play it cool on their first meeting, so as to save face in society (and with Louise’s husband). And Louise convinces her husband the baby is his, which puts the Prince off his game ever so slightly (but not enough to get some choice barbs in at Louise’s husband).
Meanwhile, on their long walk back home, Mary confesses her secret relationship with Alexander Randall, which started on the first trip to Versailles. Claire doesn’t have time to process the ramifications of this news, as they get accosted in the street, with Mary being raped by one of the assailants. The only thing that distracts them? Claire, who the bandits call “La Dame Blanche” while running from them.
Fortunately Mary is fine, and has Claire’s care and Alexander Randall’s devotion. But everything has to be kept in secret so as not to spoil Mary’s innocence (which means spoiling her marriage prospects). Ah, the perils of being a woman, where one’s desirability for a good match takes precedence over her physical and mental health. And Mary certainly has some PTSD from the rape, which leads to her and Alexander in a compromising position when he tries to bring her back to bed and all hell breaking loose when the guests find out.
So much for dessert. At least Fergus got a nice meal out of it.
The Lost Papers of Black Jack Randall (Our Afterthoughts Section)
- While “La Dame Blanche” is the title of Chapter 20 of the Dragonfly in Amber novel, the events in this episode take place in chapters 16-18.
- “You mean sleep with my husband? But my lover would be furious!” Oh the vulgarity!
- For such a young age, Fergus is certainly wise in the ways of love. That’s what growing up in a brothel will get you!
We’ll see you next week for “Untimely Resurrection” and let us know what you thought of the episode in the comments.
As of this writing, the first five seasons of Outlander is available for viewing on Netflix in the US and Amazon Prime Video in the UK. All six seasons of the show are also available with a subscription to the Starz network in the United States. The seventh season of Outlander is currently in production.
