Welcome back to Lallybroch, Sassenachs, where you can hear the drums of war with each passing day throughout the Highlands, approaching that fateful battle at Culloden. And while Jamie feverishly works to change the course of Scotland’s history, Claire faces a crossroads in the trajectory of her personal history.
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.
1. Hail Mary Full of Grace, The Lord is With Thee
While one would expect the symbolism of this title to refer to the traditional Catholic prayer, given how much religious faith plays in the life of 18th century Scotland and this series, the meaning here is a bit different. The “Hail Mary” here refers to a last-ditch effort to change the current situation – – and often with little success. You often hear it in the American football context for a play that the losing team takes to put in one last good fight effort, even if they know it’s not going to work. That’s where Jamie is: he’s going to do whatever he can to prevent the atrocities of Culloden Moor, even though both he and Claire know deep down that the massacre that will kill the Jacobite cause must happen. And perhaps what he does will make a small impact into the battle, but both he and Claire know what Claire states in the opening scene: “our worst nightmare was coming true, and I felt completely helpless in the face of it.”
If anything, that statement makes me feel more for Claire in this moment. She knows how this is going to end, and all she can do is sit back and let history take its course, while having a front row seat to it.
2. Claire and Culloden
Take notice of Claire when the traveling party reaches Inverness. Not only is the stress of the current and future situations on her face, but she’s also quite pale, exhausted, and sweating. Could there be something else on her mind besides changing history at Culloden Moor?
(You all reading this know I know the answer to that question, but naturally I am keeping my mouth shut.)
Jamie continues to keep the faith that they will be successful, and I have to applaud him for his optimism. As I said earlier, he knows deep down that he cannot totally alter history, but he also knows his role as comfort and support to his wife. Sometimes, in the face of stark truth, that’s all you need to help get you through it.
Jamie himself certainly could also use some of that comfort, as the generals and Jamie continue to bicker over the course of the war. Jamie wants the soldiers to rest, but the generals (and Prince Charlie) want to make the march to Culloden. The wheels of history continue to turn as they should, even in the face of those that want to alter it.
3. Return of the Mary
Guess who’s back? Back again? Mary Hawkins is back, tell a friend!
Turns out Mary’s set up home in Inverness after the situation with the Duke. Alexander Randall has a new job, and he and Mary can finally wed. It’s not a happy reunion for the two – – Mary found out that Claire had a role in pushing Alex away, and she’s none too quick to forgive her. The two do not part completely as enemies, with Mary extending an invitation to Claire to visit them. Mary obviously knows her fiance is ill, but it she hiding the truth of the full situation?
Indeed she is, as Claire’s visit to the betrothed find Alex Randall much sicker than Mary may have said, as well in dire financial straits since Alex is too ill to work. Also visiting the ill Alex is his brother Jack Randall, granted leave from his military duties, which underscores the gravity of the situation: Alex is dying, and everyone but Mary knows this.
And as if all this wasn’t enough: Mary is pregnant.
If anyone is going to need a Hail Mary in this situation, it’s the future Mrs. Randall: she (and Jonathan Randall) want a cure for Alex so he can wed Mary and welcome their child.
Continued below4. The Shrewdest of Negotiators
If anyone can bring out the kind side of Captain Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall, it is his brother Alex. As he and Claire leave the boarding house where Alex and Mary live, Randall begs Claire for her healing skills to save Alex. Claire is willing, but wants something in return: British army intelligence. Give up the position of the army and Claire will do whatever she can to save the younger Randall. Thus the price of a life is tactical battle intelligence. It’s one of the few moments I don’t agree with Claire, as this is in violation of part of the Hippocratic Oath, medical ethical standards that Claire certainly upholds in her practice:
Into whatever homes I go, I will enter them for the benefit of the sick, avoiding any voluntary act of impropriety or corruption, including the seduction of women or men, whether they are free men or slaves. (source).
The value of a life is within itself, and should not have any bounty put upon it. And the granter of that bounty – – Black Jack Randall – – is not one to be trusted, as Jamie wisely points out to his wife. (Though Jamie’s independent intelligence gathering does confirm what Randall shared.)
5. Birth, Marriage, and Death
There’s someone else in the Fraser world that’s also dying: Colum. He’s traveled to Inverness to see his brother and nephew, and to make quite the request of his niece-in-law: assisted suicide, particularly by cyandie. But before he goes, we find out one secret: Geillis Duncan’s child lives, and Geillis also lived to see her child born (she wasn’t burned for witchcraft until after the birth). This means Dougal’s son or daughter lives. Colum also appoints his son Hamish as chief of the Mackenzie clan, with Jamie – – not Dougal – – as the boy’s guardian until he comes of age. Dougal is rightly enraged, feeling he’s being punished for fathering Hamish since Colum could not. But Colum also knows Jamie is sensible and not reckless, something that Dougal doesn’t exactly possess. In spite of anger over this decision, Dougal does find time to make peace with his brother in his final hours. It’s a quiet, tender, performance from Graham McTavish that shows this war chief’s tender side – – something we don’t often see, just as we don’t see it with Jonathan Randall.
Meanwhile, Alex Randall is in his final hours, and it’s not as pretty or peaceful as Coulm. Claire’s unorthodox methods of palliative care (seriously, one of the methods resembles an oversized joint) are bringing some comfort. But everyone knows the end is near, Alex most all – – and he makes quite the request of his brother: marry Mary Hawkins to ensure their child has the Randall name, along with the status and position Jonathan brings. Everyone but Claire thinks it’s a crazy idea, with Murtagh going as far as offer his hand in marriage in a very tender proposal. Eventually, everyone comes around to the Jonathan Randall – – Mary Hawkins marriage, most of all the groom, whose death, as Claire tells him, is only days away. The two wed at Alex’s bedside as his life slowly slips away, comforted somewhat that the love of his short life, and his future child, will have a comfortable life.
Amidst all this marriage and death there is still a war to be fought, and the decision is made to intercept the British using Randall’s intelligence. But the Prince and his men are not coming. Having been lost in the dark of night, they retreated, and now the whole army is heading back to Inverness. But there will be a battle tomorrow, on Culloden moor. The wheels of history are turning.
We’ll see you next week for the second season finale, “Dragonfly in Amber,” and let us know what you thought of the episode in the comments.
As of this writing, the first five seasons of Outlander are 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.
