Outlander Recap: “Surrender”

The second episode of the third season of Outlander showed how both Claire and Jamie are moving on with their separate lives with Claire in Boston in 1949 and Jamie in Scotland in 1752 (six years after the Battle of Culloden and Claire’s abrupt departure to her own time).

A Wanted Man

Six years after the Jacobite Rebellion, Jamie is still very much a wanted man by the British with a new broadsheet being posted, looking for a long-haired bearded man that the locals have come to refer to as the “Dunbonnet” because of the brown hat he wears. His sister Jenny, her husband Ian and their family [which includes Jamie and Claire’s adopted son Fergus and little Rabbie McNab, who isn’t so little anymore] have been repeatedly accosted by British soldiers, who are relentlessly on the hunt for Red Jamie, one of his other “monikers.”

After being questioned by the latest officer in charge, Ian is arrested again [it seems this has happened numerous times before] and taken to the local garrison, as a lone figure watches from the woods. Naturally that figure is none other than Jamie, who is not the man he was six years ago; in more ways than one. He is dis-shelved, with long, ungroomed hair and a fuzzy beard, walking with a limp from the wound afflicted upon him by the long dead Black Jack Randall.

Felling a buck and then bringing it to the grounds of Lallybroch for his family to feast upon, Jamie is meet by the image of his beloved Claire, but – much like the fevered hallucination of his long-departed wife after the Battle of Culloden – this time it is his sister Jenny, who actually greets him at his ancestral home.

Lost in Dreams

Meanwhile in Boston 1949, Claire is lost in her dreams of the love of her life all the while having her current husband Frank lying right next to her. In her dreams she sees a shirtless and smiling Jamie lying next to her in bed as well as a very naked Jamie walking toward the hearth in their bedroom at Lallybroch, turning to her with a smolder and smile on his handsome face.

How is anyone supposed to life up to that, right?!

Later in the episode Claire seduces her husband Frank into making love to her while she says, “I’ve missed my husband,” but which husband did she really have on her mind while making love? Then by the fireside – after the dinner ‘party’ with their neighbors The Nelsons – Claire attempts to seduce her husband yet again, but this frolic was less than successful, as Claire would not open her eyes to look at Frank.

Probably the hardest words for Frank to say after their failed love-making: “When I’m with you, I’m with you, but you’re with him.” – Yep, she may not deliberately be doing that, but yet she is.

Back in 1752, Jamie succumbs to the calm advances of Mary McNab, who suggests they need “something to keep (them) whole as (they) move forward in this life.” He, too, keeps his eyes closed while kissing her.

I, for one, could have done without the love scenes between Claire and Frank because all I could see was Black Jack Randall and I’m thankful the love making between Mary and Jamie faded to black, as I don’t think I could have handled seeing him with anyone other than Claire [although, I know what is ahead for Jamie since I’ve read the book “Voyager” – but you won’t get any spoilers from me.]

Symbolism is Alive and Well

While Jamie was clinging to life after the Battle of Culloden, he saw a small rabbit feasting on grass on the battlefield; and in Boston 1949, his baby daughter Brianna has a favored stuffed bunny in the crib where her mother places her. And later in the episode, Jamie was preparing to deal with his recent kill: a small rabbit.

Also, there was that raven that landed on the top of Lallybroch, as Jenny was giving birth to yet another baby [this time new, little Ian, who will play a much bigger role in the latter part of this season, as that is the case in the book on which the third season is based upon.] and there was the bird that Claire stared at outside the window of their new Boston home. Again, I’m sure we will be seeing more symbolism with birds too.

Surrendering

After poor young Fergus is slaughtered by that Scottish Redcoat buffoon, Jamie has had enough! He tells Jenny and Ian they need to turn him into the Redcoats, take the reward that is on his head so they will finally be left in peace. Jenny and Ian agree, albeit very reluctantly, and Jamie is ready to face his fate: either to be hanged [which Ian claims the Redcoats don’t do anymore] or to be imprisoned.

Moving On

Claire attempts to adjust to her domesticated life in Boston, but her need to be part of something greater – the way her life was in the 18th Century alongside Jamie. In order to fill that void, she enters medical school much to the chagrin of Dr. Simms and all the other male students except for new student Joe Abernathy [who, as readers of the book know, will become an important person in Claire’s life]

And, her home life with Frank has altered too; instead of sharing a bed as they once did they now have separate beds; and so starts the separate lives they will assuredly be living [especially in light of the clips for upcoming episodes.]

Memorable Lines

“You scared the bowels out me.” – Jenny to Jamie [when he brings a felled buck to Lallybroch]

“James Frazer hasna been here for a long, long time.” – Jenny to Jamie [in reference to the British soldiers consistently on the hunt for him]

“Have you not seen enough prisons in your lifetime?” – Jenny to Jamie
“Little difference to the prison I’m living in now.” – Jamie to Jenny [when they talk about his surrendering himself]

“I won’t marry. Never again.” – Jamie to Jenny [as she “drills” him on how long it has been since he has lain with a woman.]

“A woman and a negro. How very modern of us.” – Dr. Simms to Claire [on her first day at medical school] [NOTE: So fitting to the era and the bigotry of the time, but still very hard to hear let alone accept.]

“You gave me no choice, brother, and I’ll never forgive ye.” – Jenny to Jamie [as he is led off by the Redcoats]

Please share your thoughts on this latest episode in our comments section below, and make sure to watch the next episode of Outlander on Starz next Sunday, September 24 at 8/7c.

You can re-read my recap of the third season premiere of Outlander here.