Outlander 7X10: Brotherly Love

Okay, I knew there was zero chance of Jamie actually showing up in this episode, but I did not expect this to be why! I mean, I agree with Claire. I'm sure he's fine, she'd know if something happened, but still, watching her was heartbreaking.

So, we start with Claire and Ian already in Philadelphia. It's been maybe five weeks or so since they left Lallybroch (as least as far as I can tell). Claire heads right over to fix up Lord John's nephew and that seems to go pretty well. She knows she'll need to make some ether, but John is way ahead of her. Then she enlists another doctor (this is Rachael's brother, right?) to help, and Mercy (the woman of the house, who I think is in some kind of relationship with John's nephew) and surgery ends up going just fine.

Shortly after the surgery, we get word from Jamie that Ian has passed (he died, like, as soon as the episode started), he went to see Joanie at the nunnery, and got passage on a ship. As the letter was dated about six weeks prior, we assume he'll get there any day. (I mean, I didn't I knew there was zero chance they were getting them back together that easily).

Then we find out that Mercy is a spy and a rebel. She's got a message to deliver to George Washington, but she's afraid that she's been made and there are a bunch of eyes on her now. Claire offers to drop off the letter, as the soldiers don't tend to pay much heed to her. Except on this outing, of course. But, she manages to drop the letters into the aforementioned spot and be on her way.

However, when she gets back from this errand, we find out that the ship Jamie was on was lost at sea. They've looked for survivors but have found none. Claire refuses to believe this (I don't either), but that doesn't stop her from grieving. I mean, even if he lived, who knows where he is or when she'll find him.

And, to make matters worse, a couple days later, a soldier shows up to arrest her for being a spy. They tell John that due to her being his houseguest, they will give him a day before they come back. He rushes upstairs as soon as they leave and tells Claire that she has to marry him, it's the only way to save herself. She questions whether she even wants to be saved without Jamie (that was my first thought too), but John assures her it's also to protect everyone else in the house.

I think it's fine. I'm sure once Jamie finds her, all will be forgiven and they can just pick up where they left off. He's not going to be upset, I don't think, if she marries John out of self preservation.

While all this is going on, Ian is trying to find Rachel, who has been spending a lot of time with William. Although, it seems like she's made it clear to him that her heart is with Ian. And then, Rollo takes off, and Rachael knows it can only be for Ian, but they end up missing each other. But with Rollo nearby, Ian knows Rachel must be too.

But Bug has kidnapped her after following her to the stables. Thankfully, Ian was informed of where she would be, so he manages to save her from him. The two of them end up fighting and Ian gets a good slash from Bug's ax. During the melee, Bug somehow ends up on top of Ian about to deliver a final blow with his ax, when William shows up and shoots him dead. At least that's one less thing to worry about now.

Then Ian and Rachael have a bizarre conversation that I do not understand. He tells her he loves her and would being a Quaker for her even though he doesn't feel like he is one in his heart. But she probably doesn't want him to do that, right? She agrees with that, but then compares him to a wolf who goes out hunting, but comes back home at night. And Ian seems to really like this analogy. I guess she's saying, don't be a Quaker, you can still be with me? Maybe?

And then we've got the Roger and Buck stuff. And my head hurts from the wibbly wobbly timelines of it all. While they are talking to Gellis, Dougal Mackenzie walks in looking for Roger (I don't think Dougal knows that Roger knows who he is- and Gellis doesn't know who Buck is- it's all timeline confusion) as he has some information on the faery man who took his son. Which turns out, is actually Roger's father. WTF. How am I going to keep all this straight? What happened to Rob Cameron? Does he no longer exist? What is happening?!?