Ma Memoire est sans faille {My memory never fails}. There is something about the events of this episode that would not let you forget even if you wanted to. Several things come to light during the fifth episode of Starz’s Outlander’s season two, ‘Untimely Resurrection.’ The books are so context-rich, how they squash it down into episodes is astonishing to me. Have you ever sat to watch a show and when the credits rolled you shouted at the TV that it was lying to you? I seem to be doing that a lot with this show, but this one really took me by surprise when it ended. I was just so engrossed I could NOT believe it. Promise me you will watch for yourself, and tell me if it didn’t happen for you too. So, on to the recap…
We open with the Fraser home in complete disarray after the infamous dinner party. Furniture broke, glass and decor scattered about. The servants doing their best to set things right as quickly as possible. Again, can I get a few of those to run behind my teenagers? Just playing… Only Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Fergus (Romann Berrux) are left to await Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) return after being taken away to the Bastille, along with the rest of the dinner guests who were still there when the police arrived. When Jamie comes in during the early morning hours he finds Claire, and a passed-out Fergus, awaiting his return.
Jamie scoops exhausted Fergus up and takes him to bed, then Claire and Jamie discuss the events of the night in their bedchamber. Alex Randall (Laurence Dobiesz) was kept in jail and charged with the rape of Mary Hawkins (Rosie Day). We all know that the nasty and dastardly deed was done by a gang of men, and our Sassenach scared them off, but not before Mary’s assault was realized. The Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow) was so kind as to relieve Alex from his employment to allow him more time to contemplate his plight in the French Bastille {said in all sarcasm}. The Duke is the perfect politician in military clothing, sheesh!
The couple circled around to the topic of the attack and Claire mentions that they screamed that she was La Dame Blanche, and this is what saved her. See, you didn’t have to wait long to find out what that meant. La Dame Blanche is a mythical creature that is considered the ‘white witch’ in French stories. So you can see how Claire might react given her almost burning at the stake in Scotland after a witch trial. Jamie actually started this rumor though, much to Claire’s utter surprise. The rumor might be a good thing since it saved Claire, and because he knows where it originated. Jamie said it to Prince Charles (Andrew Gower) at the brothel where they usually meet. This gives them a starting place to investigate the men who did the crime. Events might lead to Le Comte St. Germain’s (Stanley Weber) involvement in the recent attacks on Claire, in the street and the poisoning event at Versailles.
Our poor gallant Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix) is kicking himself most profoundly for the events in the last episode. He and Jamie end up in the office down near the docks while Jamie conducts business as usual. Murtagh cannae forgive himself for the rape of Mary and the possible terrible events that could have harmed Claire and the bairn had the men not run off in fear of her reputation. Murtagh had been tracking St. Germain and also inquired after the clue from the brothel. St. Germain wasn’t presenting any curious evidence, but Murtagh did find out that an underground gang was formed by aristocrats from many of the noblest families in Paris.
The way into the gang was to take a woman’s virginity. This explains why the assailant screamed out in glee when he discovered that Mary was one. WAS being the operative word, devil take him for such a terrible thing {the character, not the real actor}. Murtagh is so downcast about the entire situation, Jamie knows the best way to make him feel like he was redeemed in his eyes would be to lay justice at Jamie’s feet by finding the criminals and evidence of St. Germain’s involvement. Murtagh vows that he will deliver no less than justice or his own life for the balance owed.
Claire goes to see Mary. She takes her medicine box and wants to see how she is doing. Mary asks her to deliver a letter to the jail explaining the attack and explaining how Alex could not have done the rape. Claire promises to deliver the letter but this is before she realizes that Mary and Alex are hoping to be married. Claire is forever troubled by the connection to Frank in the future through the direct line of Black Jack Randall and Mary being married. She considered not taking the letter to free Alex so that he cannot marry her. But as any good person would do, she cannot let an innocent man rot in the Bastille for a crime he did not commit.
Still at the docks and dealing with inventory, Jamie is surprised by the Prince’s arrival. The Prince looks in good spirits to have taken a sharp loss after the disastrous dinner party. A new scheme has been hatched by the Prince, and he is overjoyed to share it with Jamie. Le Comte St. Germain has agreed to be a business partner to the Prince in a shipment of fine brandy from Portugal.
Jamie looks happy for the news when the Prince is looking at him, but his face turns to frowning concern once the Prince looks away. Two reasons of course; the Prince wants Jamie to assist with the shipment which means he will have to work with St. Germain, AND the shipment would bring the Prince much-needed funds for the rebellion that Jamie and Claire hope to stop. Double disaster indeed! The Prince has arranged for Jamie and St. Germain to meet at the brothel to sort out the details. That should be fun! Look out Madam Elise (Michele Belgrand), you might need to take precautions.
Claire did get Alex released from jail but does her best to make him think about Mary’s future before running off to marry her. He is without an income, is of a sickly nature, and it would reduce Mary to a difficult existence as a consequence of all this. Alex takes the comments from Claire as her watching out for Mary, but Claire does have additional motives in the form of Frank that Alex knows nothing about. She feels bad about the attempt to talk him out of things, she knows that they feel deeply for each other.
And back to the lovely brothel we go. The supercharged meeting between Jamie and St. Germain could not be pricklier. Of course, the Le Comte has to get mouthy about Claire. He mentions his memory is long {the French note I started on} and has not forgotten about what Claire cost him by his ship having to be burned, along with the cargo, due to the Small Pox that she diagnosed. Jamie mentions that his memory is also long and enumerates all the recent events that Claire has endured with the attack, the poisoning, and Mary’s rape. They conclude the arrangements about the shipment and get the visit over quickly.
Jamie explains the situation to Claire when he returns home. Claire thinks she can fake a ship’s contaminant of Small Pox by using some other herbs and maybe get the shipment destroyed. Then Jamie presents Claire with a christening gift for the bairn, and Claire voices her concerns about being a good mother. Just about every mother goes through that, and many never lose that concern as their children grow. Jamie tells her she would be a wonderful mother, and calls her Mo Nighean Donn again for the first time in far too long {sqeeee}.
The next day they are back at Versailles, at the King’s stables to be more precise. I cannot believe, nor do I care, how they found this garden, but WOW. I have no words to help you know what I mean. That is one you will have to watch the episode to see, but you will NOT be disappointed. Just stunning and incredible to see. Jamie is there to help Sandringham purchase some horses. Jamie doesn’t owe him anything but also voiced a desire not to provoke the man either. Claire gets a wave of morning sickness standing so close to the horses, so she takes her leave just after the Duke shows up.
As Jamie and the Duke take the measure of the horses, Claire is met at the food table by an old flame of Jamie’s, Annalise de Marillac (Margaux Chatelier). An oddity in pregnancy, you can have morning sickness and turn right around and be super hungry. Okay, gotta do this just once this recap. Claire’s gown is just amazing. I love that gown so much. Yellow Rose as my Twitter handle might have given that away… The yellow coloring and the flowers are just lovely. I need this entire wardrobe, seriously I do!
As Claire and Annalise are walking about the gardens, they chat about Jamie. The green-eyed monster arrives to be sure. As they are having a lively banter back and forth, Annalise spots a handsome man looking most intently at Claire from over her shoulder. As Claire turns to look and see this gentleman, she vaper-locks when she sees that it is none other than Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies) himself. I think we can all relate to a sharp increase of blood pounding in the ears, and an attempt to keep our feet under us right about now. And the demon son has the nerve to use her first name as his first word. Boy, I don’t know that I could restrain myself like Claire did. My hand would have ached to smack him, or my foot to kick vital parts of his anatomy.
BJR flinches when he tries to bestow a bow on the Ladies. GOOD! At least he is not over his crushing encounter with the cows. Oh MY GOSH, he had the NERVE to use Jamie’s name after Annalise left to find Jamie because Claire looked unwell. Can we blame her? Like I said last time, that poor child will be born just bouncing off the walls due to all the stress she is under.
BJR has such incredulously twisted ways to look at things. He gives Claire a speech on how it is destined for them to have their paths cross so many times. I certainly hope I never understand the man; I would fear for my own sanity. While Captain Randall has a grasp of Claire’s arm, and she demands to be let go, the King of France, Louise XV (Lionel Lingelser) arrives behind them. Being the good King that he is, and having a fondness for Claire’s beauty and Jamie’s assistance with the whole constipation issue, the King puts BJR through some humiliation. This part was not in the books, but I LOVED it so much and giggle-snorted the entire time. BJR had to take it all with a grin and in silence. The King made him get on his knee no less. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!
Jamie comes bounding up behind BJR and Claire, and into the King’s presence. Jamie and Claire get great enjoyment of the King putting BJR through his paces. The King noticed Claire’s discomfort and Jamie’s tense exchange with Black Jack. Everyone starts giggling at BJR as the King is messing with him. Claire asks to take her leave and the King allows her and Jamie to go. As they are walking away Jamie expresses concern for Claire and she says she is okay but wanted to get away.
Jamie walks, quick-paced, back to BJR and challenges him to a duel. Many things wrong with this concept, so more stress comes on Claire with this acknowledgment. They go back to the Fraser home, and Jamie jumps out all excited to prepare for the duel. He doesn’t even notice that Claire did not depart the coach. She went to the Bastille to swear out a statement that she and Mary were attacked by BJR so he could be arrested. She is trying to buy time so she can make Jamie understand that he cannot kill BJR yet.
Here comes the major blow up between Jamie and Claire. She begs him to reconsider the duel because of Frank. How can you beg your current husband not to kill the ancestor of your future husband, or is it the past husband? Jamie starts cussing in Gaelic, and tells Claire to choose between him and Frank. She is only asking that this devil be spared for one year. What could be wrong with that? He is only the demon spawn that tortured, raped, and mind warped our Jamie, that is all.
Claire’s only choice is to claim a life debt that Jamie owes her for saving his life from Wentworth. Jamie is disgusted by it, but he kisses his blade as a promise not to kill BJR for one year’s time. Every blasted time our dashing couple take one step toward each other they get shoved back two. How do they come back together from this ghastly rift? You will just have to watch next week. See, I told you this week’s episode passed quickly.
Outlander Season Two Recaps:
- Episode One – Through a Glass, Darkly
- Episode Two – Not in Scotland Anymore
- Episode Three – Useful Occupations and Deceptions
- Episode Four – La Dame Blanche
- Episode Six – Best Laid Schemes
- Episode Seven – Faith
- Episode Eight – The Fox’s Lair
- Episode Nine – Je Suis Prest
- Episode Ten – Prestopans
- Episode Eleven – Vengeance is Mine
- Episode Twelve – The Hail Mary
- Episode Thirteen – Dragonfly in Amber
