Brianna Finally Reunites with Claire (and Meets Jamie!) on 'Outlander'
So much happened during Sunday's episode of Outlander, and I'm not just talking about the soaring bald eagle that majestically flew through the episode-nor am I just talking about Roger's new hair, which was clearly inspired by Meghan Markle's wedding day tendrils!
But before we get to the biggest reveals of the episode, Outlander deserves a moment of praise for how it handled the aftermath of Brianna's rape. Even though most of this episode didn't directly focus on the assault, the emotional and physical ramifications of it underlined every scene Brianna was in. It's clear that Claire's daughter is dealing with PTSD, and the show isn't shying away from depicting her struggles in a realistic way. With that in mind, let's get to some of the larger moments in a truly quality episode. Plus, read an interview with Caitriona Balfe about this episode.
Brianna Reunites with Her Parents
Thanks to poor, under-appreciated Lizzie running into a Scottish settler in the streets of Wilmington, Brianna learns that her mom and dad are conveniently around the corner from her! Love it when that happens! And within a few minutes, Brianna manages to find Jamie casually peeing on the side of building. Naturally, he assumes she's yet another random woman thirsting over him, but their meeting ends up being highly sweet and emotional-though nothing compared to Brianna's reunion with Claire, whom she basically plows down with a hug.
Claire and Jamie Find Out They're Going to Die
Brianna wastes no time telling Claire and Jamie about their obituary, and honestly it's sort of anti-climactic? Yeah, they're low-key worried about their impending doom, but this is a couple who have cheated death across space and time. An obit has nothing on them.
And speaking of this ominous piece of paper, Brianna tells Claire that Frank had also found the obit, and knew she'd eventually return to Jamie. Again, the moment is slightly anti-climactic and Claire's reaction can best be described as this:
Young Ian and Lizzie Are End Game
Those of you who are desperately wondering when Young Ian will find love in a hopeless place, great news: Lizzie is clearly obsessed with him. And while sure, Young Ian is too clueless to notice, bless his poor sweet heart, they are 100 percent destined for each other.
On that note, CAN I PLEASE TAKE AN ALL-CAPS MINUTE to say that Lizzie literally has malaria throughout this entire episode and barely anyone notices except for Claire, though frankly I've seen her hustle harder over a sprained ankle. #JusticeForLizzie
^Exclusive footage of me, hurling cow dung around, upset about Lizzie.
Brianna and Jamie Go on a Father-Daughter Hunting Trip
And by "hunting trip" I mean they look around for some bees. And honestly, nothing has ever been more wholesome. Yeah, things are a little awkward between the pair thanks to Brianna understandably feeling disloyal to Frank, and Jamie being slightly jealous-but they work through their tension and bond up a storm.
And speaking of things being wholesome, much of this episode features montages of Claire, Brianna, and Jamie churning butter, fishing, petting goats, and engaging in other gentle activities, which was A) delightfully pure and chill, and B) a nuanced way of highlighting Brianna's PTSD. Against the pastoral backdrop of life at Fraser's Ridge, Brianna's inner struggle is all the more apparent-a true testament to Sophie Skelton's acting.
Brianna Is Pregnant
...With Stephen Bonnet's baby. This turn of events is revealed when Brianna finally tells Claire about being raped towards the end of the episode-and, FYI, she seems pretty sure the baby isn't Roger's due to the fact that he pulled out when they had sex. (Though there's really no way of knowing, since the pull-out method certainly isn't a fool-proof way of avoiding pregnancy.)
Claire and Jamie are understandably distraught, and again, Outlander deserves praise for how it depicts the conversation Bree has with Claire–who emphasizes that the sexual assault is not Brianna's fault.
Jamie Mistakenly Thinks Roger Is Brianna's Rapist
This is a little convoluted, but basically poor Lizzie thinks Roger raped Brianna because she saw them arguing in the street and then witnessed Bree coming home with blood on her undergarments. So, when Lizzie sees Roger lurking around Fraser's Ridge, she understandably freaks out and tells Jamie that Brianna's rapist has come for her.
The thing is, Brianna decides not to tell Claire and Jamie that her rapist is Bonnet because she's worried they'll blame themselves due to their part in freeing him. And while Claire eventually gets the truth out of Bree, Jamie's none the wiser. This results in him taking Lizzie at her word, walking up to Roger, and repeatedly punching him in the face.
The good news? It looks like Roger's still alive. The bad news? The episode ends with Young Ian being tasked with getting rid of him....
('You Might Also Like',)
