As a historian who has spent countless hours delving into the intricacies of the 18th century, I must say that this episode was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The plot twists and turns were as unpredictable as the winding roads leading to Castle Leoch, leaving me on the edge of my seat, clutching my quill for dear life!
You gotta love Outlander, the show that continues to pump out episodes with at least three events that are so major they all easily could carry the A-plot of their own installment. It makes sense: We’re headed into the final stretch of our time traveler story, so there is no time to waste. I knew what was coming in the back half of season seven (book readers, you with me?), and yet I still did not expect we’d get so much of it all at once as we do in “Brotherly Love.” I mean, by the end of it, I was like, wait, is this the same episode where Ian died? That seems wrong. But it is right!
Indeed, the opening six minutes of “Brotherly Love” focus on the two men who were like brothers, Ian and their final moments before Ian’s demise. Raised together, with Ian always instilled to safeguard the laird’s son, he even managed a witty jab about Claire being centuries older than Jamie. As his life ebbed away, Ian was enveloped by both Jamie and Jenny, each holding one of his hands. His dying words to his brother-in-law were “on your left” (which in the book was “on your right”), an amusing detail since Ian had always been more like a sidekick to Jamie’s main character. However, his final utterance was “Jenny,” his gaze lingering on his wife one last time.
Farewell, friend! Jamie offers to remain at Lallybroch for as long as his sister requires, even extending an invitation for her to join him and Claire on Fraser’s Ridge. Yet, she declines his offer. With a sense of sadness, we bid Scotland adieu for now, as there are significant matters unfolding in Philadelphia.
Presently, the city is under control of the British Military, and with winter’s departure, war activity is set to resume once more. This isn’t an ideal situation for those advocating American Independence in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. Fortunately, many British soldiers exhibit a strong misogyny, so they barely notice Claire as she and Ian arrive at Mrs. Woodcock’s residence. Additionally, it benefits them that they have permission from General Burgoyne to visit Lord John and conduct their usual activities within the city.
Claire’s meeting with Lord John carries a mix of joy and apprehension. He anticipated her arrival and knew she would bring ether for this very purpose – to aid in saving his nephew Henry, who is in agonizing pain. It falls on him to gather all the required supplies. Upon seeing the situation, Claire swiftly realizes that she must operate to remove the remaining musket ball from Henry’s body. In a fortunate turn of events, the surgeon who previously extracted a musket ball from Henry happens to be Denzell Hunter – yes, our Quaker friend (and Rachel’s brother). He’s thrilled to work alongside Claire once more, and without delay, they put Henry under anesthesia and perform the operation to remove the final musket ball. The surgery proves successful! Thank goodness, at least one thing in this series goes smoothly the first time around.
As a movie critic, I found myself in another surprising turn of events while watching Outlander. It seems that Mrs. Mercy Woodcock, who has been sheltering Henry since the Continental Army held Philly and he was brought to her home as an injured prisoner of war, is connected to someone we’ve encountered before. Remember the heart-wrenching tale of Claire and a soldier named Walter, who required amputation at Fort Ticonderoga and later perished from a blood clot? Well, it turns out that Mercy was Walter’s long-lost love – their relationship ended on less than ideal terms. The small world of Colonial America never ceases to amaze me!
In due course, Mercy encounters another hurdle: Unexpectedly, she discovers herself as an undercover agent for the Continental Army. Due to prejudice and an extra layer of racism, she makes an ideal spy – men are skeptical about her usefulness. What a fascinating era for women! One day, however, upon returning from a mission, Mercy confides in Claire that one of her associates has been exposed, and she fears she’s being trailed. Without delay, Claire decides to deliver an urgent message meant for George Washington to the drop-off location. As a result, Claire Fraser becomes a rebel spy; what an exciting time!
In the unfolding of this new role, I’m unable to experience any thrilling moments as I feared. Brace yourselves, folks! Upon returning home after a day of spying, I find Lord John in tears, conversing with a navy captain. The atmosphere is heavy and gloomy. It’s about Jamie, the man whose ship was presumed lost at sea, with no survivors. The captain presents a manifest bearing Jamie’s name, which coincidentally matches the one he mentioned in his last letter, where he hinted at his imminent journey to Philadelphia. As I grapple with the torrent of emotions surging within me – disbelief, rage, sorrow, and even violence – I voice my despair, “I’d know if his heart had stopped, wouldn’t I? Mine would cease too!” This tragic remark is met with a chilling response from Lord John: “Perhaps it already has.
Like I said, bleak.
Claire sequesters herself in her room for several days, mourning deeply. The narrative revisits significant scenes from the series “Outlander” where Jamie and Claire faced grave danger but managed to prevail. It’s hard to fathom that he wouldn’t survive this ordeal. This montage also features one of Jamie’s most poignant, romantic lines: “If my final words are not ‘I love you,’ you know it’s because I didn’t have time,” a sentiment he once shared with Claire. Hearing Jamie utter those words, considering that if his death were real — and it seems Claire is gradually accepting this possibility — means that this heartfelt statement became a reality, which is truly devastating.
If only Claire could have known that under any circumstance, Outlander wouldn’t have one of its main characters die off-screen. (There has been an abundance of chatter regarding the filming of the final season of Outlander, but rest assured, Sam Heughan is very much present.) It’s challenging to express strong feelings in this scenario because it’s impossible to accept Jamie’s demise. However, this minor plot twist doesn’t diminish the excitement because what unfolds afterward is utterly mind-blowing, and I am overjoyed!
It appears that Claire is not proficient in everything, particularly espionage. For instance, Mercy had been spying for an extended period, whereas Claire has only been at it for about a week and already got caught. We receive this information from Captain Richardson, who was once William’s superior, dropping by Lord John’s house to inform him that they have indisputable evidence that Claire has been transmitting letters for the Continental Army. He wanted to ensure that Lord John and Claire weren’t romantically involved before taking her into custody and sentencing her to death. Quite thoughtful of Richardson, wouldn’t you agree? Lord John manages to conceal his feelings — no, he isn’t dating her, but also, she is not home at the moment. Richardson promises to return the next day.
John bursts into Claire’s room, barging through the locked door. He shouts, “You need to marry me!” in her vicinity. Claire looks taken aback, almost shocked, which can be likened to a “what the hell?” reaction. It’s not that she’s angry at John for suggesting this out of the blue, but given the circumstances, it’s understandable that she’d react angrily. After all, he’s not exactly known for his romantic gestures, so you have to wonder if he’s just joking around. However, John is absolutely serious! Here’s the deal: If Claire doesn’t comply and gets caught as a spy, it won’t just be her life at stake. John makes it clear that Ian, Denzell, Rachel, and Mercy would also be implicated. So, in essence, by marrying him, she could save their lives too. Quite the predicament, isn’t it? It’s a matter of life or death, quite literally!
In this episode, there are other significant happenings, yet at this juncture, they might seem secondary. Nevertheless, it’s quite captivating to observe none other than Dougal Freaking MacKenzie stride into Geillis’s residence, presenting more proof of the “fairy man” to Roger, right? I must confess, I could manage without Roger’s voiceovers, but witnessing Geillis and Dougal encounter each other for the first time – in the presence of their future son Buck, no less – is a delightful experience.
Additionally, the items Dougal presents to Roger carry a substantial importance. What you may not know is that these items are World War II military ID tags, not belonging to Rob Cameron, but rather to Roger’s father who disappeared during that war. This could be why Roger and Buck were transported to this time when they crossed the stones, and it strongly suggests that Rob and Jem aren’t present. While this news might not be good for Jem, Roger appears quite excited as he may have found his dad.
In this tale, I find myself witnessing a reunion between Ian and his beloved, Rachel. Arch Bug, sworn to avenge his wife’s death at Ian’s hand, makes an appearance. However, the promised retribution falls flat. Perhaps it’s because Arch Bug appears more like a harmless nuisance than a genuine threat. He’s unstable, no doubt, but his actions lack conviction. When he corners Rachel in the stables and rambles about his intention to kill her in front of Ian, he seems weak and frail. Despite Rachel’s pacifist nature, she could’ve easily escaped with a well-timed shove. His struggle with Ian is comical at best. It takes William, rushing in and shooting Arch Bug, to finally bring an end to the charade. I can’t help but feel sorry for William when he sees Rachel walking away with Ian towards the sunset. The man is heartbroken!
Unfortunately for him, Rachel’s affection lies with Ian. She refers to him as her ‘wolf,’ and it seems she doesn’t mind if he goes out to commit acts of violence during the day, so long as he returns to her. Their love is strong. It appears that the older Ian would be pleased. At least someone is content. However, brace yourselves! Turbulence lies ahead!
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2024-11-30 06:54