Outlander Recap: How I Met My Father

As a long-time fan of Outlander, I must say that this episode was a rollercoaster of emotions! From the heartwarming wedding of Ian and Rachel to the tense encounters between Jamie and Lord John, there’s never a dull moment in this time-traveling drama.

It’s surprising to find myself emotional over the plotline of Roger Mac’s story, but here we are! After last week’s chaos, it’s understandable that Outlander gives its 1778 characters a moment of calm by focusing on a quiet wedding and intensifying Roger’s search for his father in 1739. The brief yet heartfelt encounter between them is quite impactful.

Roger and Buck are exploring the Scottish countryside when Roger notices they’re in the area where the Loch Errochty Dam will be constructed someday, indicating they’re near the time portal Bree sensed in the dam’s underground tunnels. It appears this stone formation – which is a time portal in their era – is where Jerry, Roger’s father, had entered from. Their suspicions are confirmed when they arrive at the stones and discover Jerry’s survival kit and flight goggles hidden nearby.

Through a somewhat useful yet inconsiderate youngster, Roger and Buck discover that the townsfolk have become suspicious of Jerry’s activities, suspecting him of theft (apparently a time traveler needs sustenance!), and are planning to potentially harm him if they locate him. The last encounter the kid had with the mysterious man was in the woods where he was hiding. Interestingly enough, when Roger and Buck venture into those very woods, there they find Jerry MacKenzie, an RAF pilot, who turns out to be none other than Roger’s late father.

Roger skillfully calculates the situation: Since Jerry’s about to grapple with a massive shock of finding out he’s traveled 200 years back, it’d be overwhelming if he also discovered that his son, who is Roger, is present too. So, Roger decides to pass off as a helpful time traveler instead of revealing their family ties. Jerry’s confused state prevents him from questioning much, allowing Roger to pull off this deception. Although they don’t share the expected emotional father-son reunion, it’s deeply touching to see Roger interact with his elderly father, who he barely knew as a child. Richard Rankin’s acting beautifully conveys this complex mix of emotions: relief at finding Jerry, joy at meeting his dad, and the melancholy that pervades their interactions. The scene is particularly poignant when Roger helps clean his father’s wounds, they share a drink, and Jerry recounts his plane crash during a secret MI6 mission over the Highlands aimed at photographing Nazi labor camps in Poland. Concerned about his young grandson, Roger reassures him that he’ll be fine, showing a deep understanding of the situation. However, their heartfelt moment is cut short as villagers track them down, forcing an escape.

In another turn of events, Roger finds himself performing calculations once more: He acknowledges the difficulty in parting ways so suddenly, yet understands the urgency to remove Jerry from 1739. The trio hastens back to the stones, and before handing over the gemstone, Roger quickly imparts some essential Time Travel fundamentals, virtually propelling his father into his own time. However, before Jerry travels through, he inquires about Roger’s identity. With no other choice but to preserve his secret, Roger reveals that they have won the war, which leaves Jerry bewildered and forgetful of everything else, allowing him to pass through as Roger whispers, “I love you.” Although it may sound a bit unsettling, Rankin imbues it with such innocent tone that one can feel all the sorrow he’s been harboring — he’s simply a man yearning for his father.

What significantly saddens this small journey, though, is how Roger reacts once Jerry passes through the stones. He imagined a flood of memories would follow. He presumed if his father returned to his own era, it would’ve drastically altered everything – he would have grown up with his dad present. The time-travel mechanics in Outlander have often been unclear, but generally, they adhere to the principle that “what has happened, cannot be undone” and “you can’t alter history.” So, Roger’s belief that his entire childhood could change appears rather wishful, yet one can hardly fault him for hoping.

If the one new image Roger gets the moment his dad leaves 1739 (again, the rules are murky — too murky, one might say!) is really supposed to be a new memory (debatable!), that means Roger sent his dad back to his time just to die holding him in the London Underground during the Blitz (like his mother did). Any way you slice it, this whole thing is depressing. Roger tries to assuage any fears in regards to his father’s fate by reminding himself that wherever Jerry went, it had to be better than being strung up by a bunch of Highlanders. It doesn’t make me rest easy, personally, but these aren’t my daddy issues. One wholly positive development to come out of this father-son reunion is that by realizing he was brought to 1739 to help his father, Roger starts to believe that Jem might not be in this time after all — maybe it means a quicker return trip for our travelers.

In simpler terms, Roger is not supposed to be the one rescuing his son; instead, that task was assigned to Bree in 1980. After hitting Rob Cameron unconscious with a frying pan, Bree restrained him and hid him in what’s called a “priest hole.” Rob Cameron is despicable due to his actions of kidnapping a time-traveling child to search for gold. He even had the audacity to call Bree a derogatory name. Although Sophie Skelton’s strangling skills may not be convincing in this scene, her swift kick to Rob’s face appears to silence him. With the kidnapper unconscious once more, Bree takes Mandy and they set off to inform the local authorities. However, on their way, Mandy begins to sense a connection with Jem again, leading them on an unexpected journey to find where Rob took the child. It seems challenging to play this game in a car, but then again, who am I to say? And interestingly enough, it works! Jem, hidden in tunnels under the dam, remembers a vivid tale his mother once told about her own escape from those tunnels and uses her path to find his way out.

After reconnecting with her son, Bree finds the police are unable to assist in dealing with Rob due to his disappearance without a trace. Bree’s predicament is complicated because she can’t explain the situation fully without disclosing the existence of time travel – something like, “Oh, by the way, time travel is real.” Instead, Bree seeks help from Fiona, who, accompanied by her spouse, takes Bree’s children and a box containing letters from Jamie and Claire from the past. Bree then makes a decision to journey alone to Lallybroch, despite everyone advising against it. Sounds like quite an adventure!

Reflecting on our band of friends in 1778, the most thrilling tidbit: Ian and my dear friend Rachel tie the knot! Their Quaker ceremony, reminiscent of a gathering yet concluding with matrimony, was a simple affair, devoid of conventional wedding pomp. Yet, it provided a heartwarming moment for Jamie, as he expressed beautiful sentiments about his nephew – a welcome respite after their rather uncomfortable pre-wedding uncle-nephew discussion! It also served as a significant moment for the Hunter siblings. Touched by the spirit, Denzell apologized to his sister for pushing her away when he decided to join the Continental army. As a result, she was expelled from the meeting, and in loyalty and love, she followed him. She sacrificed her life and reputation for her brother’s sake, and he has carried guilt and remorse ever since. Moved by Rachel’s journey, Denzell now realizes that it led her to love and a home with Ian. It was a sweet moment indeed. Entering the series seven seasons late, I found it challenging to feel like an integral part of the group, but Denzell and Rachel have managed to win me over with their warmth and resilience. No one harmed them!

Following Ian and Rachel’s wedding, they share a Outlander wedding night scene, which wasn’t necessarily required for their pairing, but they are adorable together. However, I could do without their constant discussions about each other’s derrieres. Simultaneously, Jamie is grappling with the chaos he has caused upon his arrival in Philadelphia. William is absent, but Claire advises Jamie not to fret; eventually, he’ll understand that Jamie and John had to deceive him for his own safety because they care about him deeply. This seems to provide Jamie with some comfort. However, there’s less certainty when it comes to Lord John. Denny informs Jamie about the events at the Continental army camp, causing Jamie to feel remorseful for betraying his friend to an unfriendly faction. Nevertheless, he tells Claire that while he can find it in his heart to forgive her for their past actions, he cannot bring himself to forgive John. Thus, it seems that Jamie continues to display less than desirable behavior. While Jamie is embracing his wife, Lord John is discovered hiding in a ditch by more Continental soldiers. This time, though, he manages to spin a more convincing tale: He claims to be Bertram Armstrong, a Continental army enlistee who was apprehended by British officers on his way to join the Continentals. They believe him, and he departs with them, it appears that Lord John’s struggles will continue.

It appears that another tense encounter between Jamie and John is likely to occur, perhaps accompanied by emotional reconciliation, as John finds himself in a precarious situation among the rebels and Jamie and Ian are called to serve in their smart new Continental army outfits. The American Revolution continues unabated, with our beloved characters seemingly destined to be right in the thick of it. But don’t worry, this is Outlander, so tranquility is never an option!

2024-12-21 06:54

Outlander Recap: How I Met My Father

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