Outlander Recap: “Sticks and Stones”

Last week’s episode of Outlander opened with a flashback to Malva speaking to the fisherfolk at the meeting hall (aka the church on the Ridge), affirming her claim that she was tricked by Jamie, although she never actually used his name.

Then after the opening credits, a devastated Claire is shown with Jamie by her side along with Tom and Allan Christie, who were both clearly heartbroken about Malva. And while they may have been heartbroken about her and the baby’s death, Tom was clear that he wanted “the whore and her bastard” buried in the woods. Jamie, however, would not hear of it and declared his rule over the Ridge, telling them she would be buried on consecrated ground.

As the episode played out, it was clear that Claire was worried that the dream she experienced with Malva during her ether sleep was perhaps real, and even worse she was not only haunted – repeatedly – by the ghost of Lionel Brown, but also blurred images and voices of past villains. She eventually admitted to Jamie what was happening to her, and he told her to allow him to take on her pain – just as she had done for him all those decades earlier after his brutal treatment at Wentworth Prison.

RELATED: Outlander

Elsewhere, Ian revealed to Jamie and Claire in private that Lizzie admitted to him that she is pregnant. That led Claire to having a talk with Lizzie about who the father of the child was, with the young woman admitting that she had relations with both of the Beardsley twins (more than once). Lizzie later told Jamie that “their one soul in two bodies,” that she couldn’t pick one over the other so Jamie made the twins draw straws. That led to Kezzie and Lizzie being hanfast inside the barn with Josiah, Claire and Jamie as witnesses. A short time later, Lizzie and Josiah went to Roger, begging for him to handfast them. What a dilemma!!

Also featured in the episode was a talk not only between Jamie and Roger but also Roger and Brianna about Roger’s interest in becoming an ordained preacher. In fact, Roger, Bree and Jemmy were set to leave for the Presbytery in Edenton the morning after Lizzie and Kezzie came to him to be handfast. And a short time after their departure, there came a rumble on the Ridge that turned out to be Richard Brown and his committee of safety. They were there to arrest Claire for the murder of Malva Christie.

The season finale of Outlander will air tonight (Sunday, May 1) on Starz at 9/8c.

Here is a trailer for what will assuredly be a stunning finale: