207 Faith

 

I. Can’t. Even. With this episode. Gut wrenching, heart wrenching, thunder punch on a level of a Chuck Norris round house kick to the heart.

So thanks for that, Ron & Co. Thanks a bunch. But I did have one small gripe before the show aired, and that is with the opening warning. I don’t remember there being anything but Mary’s rape in the book, and when I saw the episode warnings I thought, Rape again? This is getting a little too frequent, folks. But there was something in the back of my mind that said, “Trust the producers. It’s going to be handled correctly. Dinna fash.” so I just went along and let the show tell me the story. And they did fine, if you were talking about the Fergus/Randall scene. If you were talking about raping our emotions, well you did that all in one go. And I think the rest of the fandom will agree. We needed a lot of these:

Because when you have to watch an episode of Outlander, choose the very best. Kleenex brand tissues, a Kimberly Clark company.

1. Am I the only one who noticed that this is the first episode in this show’s history to go from the opening card right into the scene that follows it? We see the opening of books splayed on a table, and then we see a picture of a Blue Heron. And then we get a glimpse of young Bree. She’s asking her mother what that bird is, and Claire answers, “It’s a Heron.” Bree wants to know if she’s ever seen one, and Claire answers, “Yes, in Scotland.”

By the way, you can also see blue herons on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and yes, they are beautiful. If you’re traveling through Virginia, do yourself a favor and go visit that part of the state. It really is a charming and beautiful place. This message brought to you from the folks at the Eastern Shore of Virginia Board of Tourism.

2. Tissue Count: 2 already. When last we left our intrepid heroine, she was being rushed to the Hospitale because she was experiencing premature labor, and not in a good way. We start this episode with Claire on the operating table with Mr. Forez doing surgery to get her child out of the womb. Claire is obviously in shock, and can’t even process what is going on at all. Mother Hildegarde and the nuns are trying to keep her calm. And I noticed the Executioner at one point give her the stink eye. Really dude? You’re judging this woman when last week you were talking about tearing a guy’s still beating heart out of his chest? You’re in a house of God, I believe the book of that house says Judge not lest you be judged also in the eyes of the Lord? Why don’t you do your damn job and save this woman’s life. Thanks.

The scene ends with Claire spread eagle staring up into space while the camera pans away from her face and into the sky. And there is a tremendous amount of blood here. What the hell, Ron, you couldn’t go easy on the gore here? Had to show everything didn’t you.

3. Tissue count 4 by the end of this scene. Claire is in bed, a few days later. She is demanding to know where the baby is, and by demanding, I mean causing a fit of epic proportions. Mother Hildegarde tells her not to worry, that her child has “Joined the angels.” This is not what Mama Claire wants to hear at all.

She goes through about seven stages of grief in less than a minute, and I gotta hand it to Caitriona here. To all of those who say she’s not a good actor, let me tell you, she hit the nail on this one. Wow! If she doesn’t get any kind of noms or awards for this show, I think we as fans will riot. I mean, look at this face

And tell me that’s not actual real grief, panic, and tragedy. She keeps yelling, “Where is my baby, I want my baby!” while Mother Hildegarde is trying to calm her down. Sister Angelique (nice name there) says, “The Virgin Mary had a child who died as well.” I’m thinking, “You’re not helping, sister.”

In the ensuing struggle, the Virgin Mary statue falls to the ground, and breaks apart like so many pieces of Claire’s heart at the realization her child is gone. Along with a piece of her soul as well.

3. Tissue Count: 5. Claire is still sick from the operation, but lucid enough to have a few questions for Mother Hildegarde. I will say this: If I were ever in a hospital, I would want Mother Hildegarde to be my nurse. She shows such a marvelous quality of love and caring in this episode, I almost want to join the Catholic Church.

She tells Claire that the baby is buried in the church grounds, and that she gave the baby a name and baptized her. “Faith.” she says. Claire asks about Jamie, and Mother Hildegarde says “We can’t find him, there’s been no word. And then a priest comes in and Mother Hildy explains that She needs to confess her sins to the man. “My sins are all I have left,” Claire says, staring into the sky, with a bleak expression on her face.

4. Master Raymond. I love him. Even when I first read the book, I thought he was cool. When Herself said she was going to write a big novel about him I was ecstatic. I’m one of those people who loves to read about all the background characters in a series, just to know what their story is. And his is the most interesting of all the secondary PCs in the book. And yes, I’ve read “The Space Between” but dammit, I want more! And if you haven’t read that novella, do so. It explains a lot.

Master Raymond comes in and shoos Bouton away for a moment. This has got to be the smartest dog in TV history. Excepting Lassie of course. That fucker was smart! I mean, how he found Timmy in the well and told people about it all the time was amazing. Raymond puts his hands on her and asks her what she sees.

In a voiceover, we find out that part of her placenta has been left in the womb, and that she is feverish because of the bacteria. She feels the color blue of healing blaze a white hot trail through her body, and he finishes what the good doctor started, while Claire yells out the only name she can think of, “Jamie!” and then collapses back, the relief of being made whole evident on her face.

Raymond hides because Sister Angelique shows up, sees that Claire is alright, and runs to fetch Mother Hildegarde. Raymond explains that he has to go, “The king wants blood now, and I gotta get out of town.” Claire’s all, “You shouldn’t have come here then. It’s very dangerous.” and Raymond’s all, “It’s what you do for your friends, ain’t nuttin’ but a thang baby girl. We’ll catch each other on the flip side.”

“Why are you talking Jive?” she asks. “I gotta go to the 70’s, I’m practicing my slang.” he winks, before running away prior to Mother Hildy’s entrance.

5. Mother Hildegarde finally gets to explain what happened to Jamie and Jack Randall. “Basically, Jamie got arrested because Duelling is a serious crime apparently. Jack Randall is alive, but badly wounded in the groin area. He’s back in England. Jamie’s in the Bastille, for an indeterminate amount of time, Murtagh is out doing his Murtagh thing, and you‘re here. Pretty much a low point in the story, yeah?”

“So the cat with nine lives is alive. Figured. Will nothing kill this guy?” Claire says. And the rest of the audience is like, Duh, yeah!

SIDE NOTE: It was at this point in the books I kept asking my sister “Does this guy ever die? I mean, how long is this guy going to keep going and trying to destroy every fucking aspect of these people’s lives? Tell me he gets thrown into a volcano or something, that Jamie cracks his neck, or pummels him to death or something! I WANT BLOODY REVENGE! AND AFTER ALL THIS PAIN HE’S CAUSED I WANT TO READ IT IN GORY DETAIL! All she would say is, “Keep reading, you’ll see. He gets his, don’t worry.”

And I did keep reading, because when you pick up an Outlander novel, how can you stop, am I right?

This is where we see Angry Claire. “He promised me one year, but his thrist for revenge made him break his promise and it cost him his freedom, my love, and his baby. One fucking year, and he couldn’t keep from trying to stick a sword in the guy’s face?” Mother Hildegarde says, “Tread your sins underfoot and hurl iniquities into the sea.”

“I don’t think this is sea deep enough,” Claire answers. And she has a right to be pissed off. She asked him to keep away from Randall for a year, and in her mind he couldn’t keep that promise so he may as well stabbed her in the heart too.

6. Tissue count: 8. This next scene really did it for me, and it’s probably one of the most beautiful scenes in the whole episode. Fergus comes with blue flowers (I’m noticing a trend here) to bring Claire home to Chateau Fraser. Claire has been in the hospital for weeks, just sitting there doing nothing apparently. Stewing in her anger with Jamie perhaps?

She gets out of the carriage, and there’s this excellent sad music going on. That’s part of why I’ve got tears rolling down my cheeks. And when Suzette comes up to her with tears in her eyes, and they look at each other without saying any words. We see how sorry suzette is for Claire and how the two have bonded. Because you know, Suzette wanted to see a baby around the house. She would have been the best baby sitter ever!

Then we get to Magnus, and it’s about this point I’m lost. He is so stoic. And she looks at him and he tries to bow, but she stops him. She bows to him, because this is the guy who saved her life so many weeks ago by taking her to the Hospitale. And they don’t need any words because everything is said with the eyes. The unbearable sadness, once again, permeates this scene. Just writing this makes me think back and I get choked up.

7. Fergus is beautiful. This. So much this.

 

They’re sitting in front of the fireplace, and Fergus brushing her hair is just an unbelievable gift of kindness. Roman Pollux just kills it in this series. They found the perfect Fergus. And once again, Kudos to the Casting people because this kid just jumps off the page for me. God, he’s so cute, and charming, and good. Sure, he’s a pickpocket, but he absolutely adores Claire and you can see it in every scene, how much he looks up to her and loves her. And how could you not, am I right?

She stops him, says she’s tired and as he goes to leave he walks by a cabinet where he looks down and sees perfume bottles arrayed. I thought at first it was poison and he looked up at her with such foreboding I’m thinking, “Uh oh, please tell me this isn’t the ‘Jump the Shark’ moment and Claire poisons herself. Because that would piss off the entire audience and we would all lose faith in the show.”

But it’s okay, because we see a few minutes later how it all works out. She gets up, goes over to the box with the Apostle Spoons in it. Then she picks one up, puts it don again, gets pissed all over again and kicks the whole box under the bed. She still can’t get over the whole “Jamie Betrayed Me” thing. Then storms out of the room and down the hall crying.

That’s when she hears crying coming from down the hall, and goes to investigate. She finds Fergus curled up in a ball, dreaming about something horrible that has happened. And she calms him down enough to find out what he’s upset about. And this is when we as an audience are about to get seething white hot with anger. Because what follows would piss off anyone who possesses a smidgen of compassion for children. Except Jack Randall, of course, because that guy’s a rapey douchebag.

8. Wherein we find out what really happened that day Jamie tried to kill Randall in a duel. I’m not going to go into graphic detail here, because the show already did that. Basically, the day of the duel, Fergus went around looking for things to give Claire, as a present because, you know, Lurve. He wandered into Jack Randall’s room and saw the perfume, which he was happily in the middle of purloining, when the door shut behind him and Randall proceeded to do things I don’t even want to mention to poor Fergus.

In the ensuing traumatic event, Jamie heard Fergus crying for help and came running. That’s when eh found Randall doing unmentionable things to the kid.

Well, as we all know by now, there’s no stopping a red headed Scot who is angered beyond belief and goes full steam ahead with an E ticket on the Revenge Train. Of course he’s going to challenge the man to a duel. He isn’t thinking about anything other than killing this guy, and I don’t say I blame him. And neither does Claire at this point. Fergus is ashamed and sorry his actions led to this point, but she forgives the endearing little scamp and says, “Okay, I get it now.”

9. So it’s off to Mother Hildegarde to ask for the King’s pardon. Mother Hildegarde has an in with the king, and asks “What prompted the change?” So Claire goes on to say that she understood why Jamie did what he did, and she was wrong for being mad before finding out all the details. “So you finally found your deep enough sea, yeah?” and Claire says, “He’s my baby daddy, I’ll get over it eventually.”

10. Thanks Outlander for my new desktop screen. The carriage ride to the palace court scene is cool. And I know it’s mostly CGI and special effects, but it’s still cool looking nonetheless. Claire is ushered through hall after hall of books. And it’s at this point I’m not even looking at her in the beautiful green boob enhancing dress. I’m enamored by shelf after shelf of marvelous book porn. I don’t care who you are, if you love books like me, you could get lost in this place the rest of your life.

She gets escorted into the king’s bedchamber and he’s all like, “Hey…” and she’s all, “Yeah, can we get this over with already? It’s been weeks since I’ve seen Jamie, and momma misses poppa if you know what I mean.” He offers her an orange from one of his twelve orchards, and hot chocolate from New Spain. And I’m thinking “Where is that? Is it like a New Mexico thing? I thought it was just Spain. But oh well, I digress. She takes his gifts, puts the orange down on the table, and he kisses her hands, noticing she is wearing both rings.

He’s all smarmy and doing his pretty boy thing and she isn’t buying any of it. She just wants to get this whole transaction over with. She asks about getting Jamie out of the Bastille, and he says, “Dueling is a serious offense. But perhaps you can do something for me first.” Claire’s all, “Well, I was warned, let’s get it on with, aye?” but he’s all, “No, I want you to go through the motions in a mock trial against a couple of practitioners of the dark arts.” Claire is all, “What am I Professor McGonagall all of a sudden?”

So they file into a secret passage and into what has been dubbed “The Star Chamber.” As she is going in, she sees the Royal Guards, and I have to say, these guys are killing it with the outfits.

11. Mister Forez, the royal Executioner is there, and they bring out the suspects in the case. Master Raymond and Le Comte St. Germaine. They have both been accused of practicing the dark arts of sorcery, and their home and business have been ransacked for evidence of their misdeeds, which is on display for her to see. The king asks La Dame Blanche to look into their hearts and see if they are guilty.

She shares a look with Raymond that says, “We’re cool, daddy-o. dinna fash it, you’re straight with me.” and then goes to the Comte. “You on the other hand…” then proceeds to give him up.

“I sense a shadow behind his eyes,” she says to the king. Then he proceeds to give himself up. Because let’s face it, he’s an arrogant wee smirt, and he’s not about to let this woman tell him what to do. She then goes on to say, “He poisoned me.” and he’s all, “The only reason I poisoned you is because you had my ship burned. That cost me a lot of money, of course I’m going to have my revenge!”

And that about sews it up for the good Comte. But the king isn’t done yet. He has his people bring out a snake and says, “I’ll have this snake bite the both of them and if they survive, I’ll let them go free.” But Claire says, “Wait, I’ll give you one better. I’ll make a poison from the ingredients here. Then give it to them, and if they survive you let them go.” and the king is all, “Works for me. Go for it.”

So Claire mixes up the bitter cascara potion and takes it to the men. First she gives it to Master Raymond. She still thinks she’s doing right by the two guys. She doesn’t want harm to come to either one of them. Yes, even Le Petrole is going to get a pardon from Mama Claire. She really doesn’t want any blood on her hands, and she knows he’s guilty of something, but not sorcery of all things. Poison, rape, murder, robbery, and any number of things, but practicing the dark arts? Innocent.

Well, Raymond takes the potion, and gags, and almost vomits, and goes through all the motions of making the king think he is dying, when all of a sudden he bends over, does a flick of the wrist, and then comes back up, all better now. But the same can’t be said for St. Germaine. Because her Necklace of Poison detection goes black. And he sees it.

So he hems and haws before taking the cup. He’s all, “Witch, you’re lying with the spawn of the devil, you’re a time traveling, future changing whore who sucks the”

So he drinks the cup and has an outrageous death scene that seems to be the only comic relief we have in this episode. It’s full of buggy eyes, gasping breath and a bit of spittle at the end followed by a “huuurgghhh” in his last breath. I’m not saying it’s over acting, but yeah, it kinda is in a way.

SIDE NOTE: So that’s it for Le Comte St. Germaine, huh? I don’t know, he kind of fell flat as a villain for me. I guess in the book he was worse, and there’s a part of me that wants to see him in a future season, or a future book, if it comes to that. Seems to me his potential as a supervillain was wasted with all the other plot details. When I first heard he had been cast, I was hoping for more. All he ever did was poison Claire that one time and look menacing at other times. What was promised was this behind the scenes Machiavellian bad guy and all we got was akin to a six grade school yard bully that stared at you all the time. Oh well, just a nitpick. I’ll miss the guy.

So that’s it. Trial’s over. Raymond is told by the King, “Now, you leave town tonight. And when you gone, you stay gone, or you be gone. You lost all your France privileges. Deal?”

Raymond says, “Deal.” and is led away by the masked guards. Claire’s all, “So that’s it, yeah? We’re done?” and Louis says, “Well, there is one other thing.”

“Jesus H Roosevelt Christ, I thought you’d forget that part.” she says. “Well, best get it on with, aye?” So they go back into his chamber and he proceeds with the transaction. He puts her on the bed quickly, and she’s laying there and all of a sudden he is between her legs and one and two and done. She’s got that look many expectant women have when their partner finishes the act of coitus before them. Like “That’s it?” and I’m like, wait a minute, I’ve seen that look before.

So he gets up, says, “Thanks for that. I’ll arrange a pardon for you husband right away, for both his crimes here and in England. So he’s a free man.” and she’s cool with that. And as she’s leaving, she picks up the orange as a consolation prize. “I’ll be taking this fruit, thankyouverymuch!” then does the walk of shame through the book porn again.

12. Tissue count: 12 (Its safe to say that my eyes haven’t been dry this entire episode) Speaking of walk of shame, Jamie is seen walking up the steps to a waiting angry woman. And he’s taking his damn sweet time of it too, because every kid and more than a few husbands have come home from doing bad things to an angry woman at the top of the steps. And he knows it too, because the stern look she gives him that could turn a volcano to ice.

“I don’t even know if it was a boy or a girl,” he says. And I’m thinking, “Did no one get to him to tell him what’s happening during all this time? No note from Fergus? No idea from the king?” and she tells him it was a girl, and Mother Hildegarde named her Faith. Then she goes on to describe the moments after the birth, and how she was given a chance to hold her baby. And what it looked like, with whisps of copper hair, and how she sang to it.

And it’s at this point I’m totally fucking over it with this episode. She sings a whimsical song her mother used to sing and tears are draining out of her eyes, and you feel the loss and sadness and unimaginable grief all in that one moment. Caitriona Balfe, this is your Emmy Reel. And if you don’t get one, there’s going to be hell to pay from the Outlander Fandom because, girl, you rock this. I’ve known women who have lost babies and they can testify, when this happens you lose a piece of your soul and you never get it back.

Louise comes to see Claire in the hospital, and comforts her when she won’t give up the baby. “It’s okay, she’s in a better place now.” It’s such a beautiful scene with the two women, because Louise, despite her failings sometimes, knows what motherhood is now, and shows the true bonding of womanhood to Claire. It’s also the point where I know this is going to be the most talked about, best episode of the show’s run until season 3 with “A. Malcolm. Printer”.

So we’re back from the memory, and she goes on to explain, “So yes, I was angry with you, and I didn’t want to forgive you, but when I found out what happened I got angry with myself because everything is my fault. I put Frank before our Marriage, and I thought I was doing right, so please forgive me.”

And he says, “I’ve already forgiven you for everything you could have ever done.” and I’m thinking, “Fuck you Jamie Moony Eye Fraser! Why do you have to be the most perfect hero in fiction? Could you have one fucking flaw beside that mole on your cheek? Dammit!”

So at the end of it, they decide they’re going to go back to Scotland. “Yeah, we’ve fucked up the time stream well enough here, why not go back to the place it all began and try to mess it up there too. Oh, and speaking of fucking, I kind of did that to the King too. So there‘s that, yeah?” She says. And he’s cool with it here, which is a departure from the books because at this point the goes absolutely ape shit with that knowledge until he figures out why she did it and how there was no choice in the matter. It’s a burden they’re going to have to just live with. So he says, “Alright, we’ll go back to Scotland, but there’s something I have to do first.”

13. Tissue Count: The whole damn box already. A freshly shaved and manicured Jamie Fraser and Claire look down on the stone bearing the name of their baby. “Faith.” and I have no words. Mournful music is playing, and Jamie pulls out a spoon and says, “If we can’t take you home, we’ll leave a bit of Scotland with you.” and I am so done at this point, I don’t think I have any more tears to give this episode. I really don’t. I know it’s just a show, but Dammit, the feels! So he lays the spoon of St. Andrew on the grave, and then the camera pulls up with them holding hands, and thank God there’s the credits!

SIDE NOTE: the music in this episode was gorgeous. Bear Macreary does such a wonderful job drawing the emotion out of each scene. This dude is a virtuoso in any tv show he gets hired to score. Walking Dead, Black Sails, and now Outlander. He NEEDS some kind of award for this episode alone.

Now here it is, your Jamie Mooney eye pic of the week.