‘Outlander’ Season 7 Episode 2 Recap: “The Happiest Place on Earth”

Outlander Season 7 Episode 2
Caitriona Balfe and John Bell in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Jamie and Claire have returned to Fraser’s Ridge as Starz’s Outlander season seven episode two begins. Claire (Caitriona Balfe) spots Allan Christie in the small cemetery and tries to comfort him, but Allan has a story to share. He reveals that he impregnated Malva and killed her, which earns him a fatal arrow in the back courtesy of Ian (John Bell) who overhears the story.

Mrs. Bug (Sarah Collier) joins Claire and Ian as they’re digging a grave for Allan and confesses she never trusted the boy. She pitches in to help bury Allan.

Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and Roger (Richard Rankin) have also returned to Fraser’s Ridge, and Claire and Jamie (Sam Heughan) are there for their daughter as she gives birth to Amanda Claire Hope MacKenzie.

Not long after the birth, Fergus publishes a notice of Mandy’s arrival in his paper and Lizzie (Caitlin O’Ryan) reads the article out loud as the family relaxes on the big house’s porch. Mandy’s not among those listening to Lizzie, and Claire announces Jamie’s taken his granddaughter for a stroll.

Jamie cradles his new granddaughter and introduces her to the foal that she’ll grow up with and that she’ll ride when she’s old enough. He promises to teach her to be a horsewoman.

Claire’s the next to take Mandy for a tour and she shows off her lab, assuring the infant that she can be a surgeon when she’s older – if that’s what she wants. As Claire tenderly holds Mandy, she’s shocked to discover the baby’s fingernails are blue.

It turns out Mandy has a life-threatening heart defect that’s common in newborns born early. Roger and Bree absorb the news as Claire explains that Mandy has a blood vessel that didn’t close correctly, and excess blood is flowing into her lungs. She’s not getting enough oxygenated blood.

Claire doesn’t mince words and says it doesn’t look good. Mandy will probably die soon without surgery. Unfortunately, Claire can’t fix it. However, she knows someone who can.

Roger and Bree aren’t sure they’re even capable of traveling, but going through the stones to the 1900s is the only way to save Mandy. Although Bree wants to go alone with the baby, Roger insists they’ll travel as a family – if the stones in Ocracoke allow them to.

Jamie comforts Claire who’s feeling helpless and extremely guilty that she can’t perform the surgery. Jamie prays to Saint Eligius, the patron saint of horsemen, and Claire doesn’t understand his choice of saints. Jamie explains it’s between him and Amanda, and Claire joins him in prayer since it can’t hurt.

The following day Bree, Roger, Claire, and Jamie dangle a gem in front of Mandy, testing to see if she reacts as if she hears its hum. They’re stunned to discover that not only can Jemmy hear the gem, but his baby sister can too. Apparently, she telepathically told him so!

They need more gems for the family to time travel, and Claire suggests the silversmith in Wilmington.

Outlander Season 7 Episode 2 Sam and Lord John
Sam Heughan (“Jamie Fraser”) and David Berry (“Lord John Grey”) in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Off the Frasers and MacKenzies go to Wilmington and once they arrive, Bree visits the bakery while Roger heads to the silversmith. Bree’s just stepping out of the shop when suddenly she says, “Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!” Lord John Grey (David Berry) is standing right across the street!

Lord John’s equally surprised to run into Bree, and he introduces her to his son, William Ransom (Charles Vandervaart). This is Briana’s first face-to-face with the now-adult William, and William recalls meeting her father, Jamie, when he was a groom at Helwater. (And, of course, William doesn’t know his own parentage and Brianna doesn’t tell him the truth.)

Lord John returned from England to be with his son who’s anxious to quell the rebellion. Bree and William debate the best way to settle differences, and although they disagree, the discussion’s civil and they part friends. After William walks off, Lord John thanks Bree for her discretion. She wonders if it would be better for William to know the truth, but Lord John’s dead set against that. He’s the only father William’s ever known.

Bree talks about her relationship with her other father, Frank, and how meeting her real father, Jamie, didn’t make her stop loving Frank.

Later, Lord John and Jamie meet privately in Lord John’s room and discuss being on opposite sides of the war. Lord John explains that William’s determined to fight and has Jamie’s stubbornness. Jamie confesses it’s enough for him to have seen Bree and William together even once; now, he’ll have that picture in his mind forever.

Jamie explains he’s only in Wilmington long enough to get a jewel for Brianna.

They have a friendly chat and Lord John admits Bree wants him to tell William the truth. Jamie’s fine with Lord John keeping it a secret, and they laugh about Bree’s independence and that she always speaks her mind – just like Claire.

Lord John tries to convince Jamie to fight alongside William, but Jamie refuses. Jamie will never fight alongside the British and, sadly, he believes they need to sever their connection now as it’s a danger to them both. Lord John’s momentarily struck silent by this but then replies, “Damn this war.”

Lord John returns the blue sapphire that he’s kept for 20 years, reminding Jamie that he said it might be of use to him one day. “Perhaps this is that day,” says Lord John.

Jamie pauses at the door and meets Lord John’s eyes. Lord John’s eyes fill with tears as he nods goodbye.

Outlander Season 7 Episode 2 Jamie and Bree
Sam Heughan and Sophie Skelton in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Jamie reunites with Bree, Roger, and Claire, and they go over the gemstones they’ve collected. Roger’s added a garnet and a small diamond, so they’re up to three. Jamie shows them the fourth from Lord John and declares they’ll head off to Ocracore tomorrow. But now, he wishes to take a walk with his daughter.

They stroll amid the fireflies and talk about William, and Bree confirms she’s worried he’s marching off to war. Jamie’s worried for both his children but lightens the mood by catching a firefly in mid-air. Bree says what all Disney fans are thinking when she reveals that the fireflies remind her of Disneyland. She has to explain what she means to her dad, describing it as a magical place where stories come to life. And now we know why this episode’s titled “The Happiest Place on Earth,” as Bree describes what visiting the park feels like, including a description of Mickey Mouse that strikes Jamie as funny.

Jamie wonders if it’s disappointing to be here, and Bree assures him he’s magical to her. Jamie also confesses he’d like to know what it would be like to be in her time. He asks if the America she knows will be worth the fearful price to be paid for it, and Bree says that while nothing would be worth losing him – her America would come close.

Outlander Season 7 Episode 2 Claire and Jamie
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)

When Jamie returns to his bedroom with Claire, he confesses he’s seen her in her proper time. He knew it was her time because of the electric lights shining on her face and hair. Claire wonders how he can recognize something in a dream he’s never seen, and Jamie assures her that if he can dream of the past, he can also dream of the future.

Jamie seems wistful and appears truly interested in visiting Claire’s time.

Jamie places a jewel in Claire’s hand and confesses he’s been saving it. But if Lord John hadn’t given him the sapphire, he would have given this jewel to Mandy. Jamie tells Claire that he kept it to give to her if he dies so she can travel through the stones. But now he wonders if she might want to go with Bree and Roger. Claire responds by walking to the window and throwing out the gemstone!

She tells Jamie she loves him, and Jamie confesses he’s not as brave as he was before she came. He’s not brave enough to live without her anymore. After they kiss, he suggests they fetch the gemstone.

They laugh while staring into each other’s eyes.

The following day, the group makes it to the Ocracoke stones. Claire reminds Bree, who looks like she’s been crying all day, that she traveled through the stones to save her. Now it’s Bree’s turn to save her own daughter.

Bree’s devastated that they’re saying goodbye, and Claire says that every time they part, they think it’s for the last time. Yet here they are.

Outlander Season 7 Episode 2 Roger and Jamie
Richard Rankin and Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Claire says goodbye to Jemmy next and tells him to look after Mandy. They hug and exchange I love yous, as Jamie and Roger say their goodbyes too. Jamie’s proud of the honorable man that Roger has become, and he’s the only man Jamie would ever trust with his daughter. Roger promises to tell the children stories of Jamie and Claire.

Claire and Roger also spend a minute saying goodbye, and then Jamie hugs Jemmy and says, “If one day you should ever meet a very large mouse named Michael, tell him your grandsire sends his regards.”

Jemmy delivers the cutest little chuckle in response.

Finally, it’s Jamie’s turn to say goodbye to his daughter and granddaughter. He doesn’t have the words to express what saying goodbye to Bree means to him, and he and Bree are both crying as they tell each other how they feel about their relationship.

“I will carry you in my heart and soul always,” says Bree. “You’ll always have me as well. Nothing is lost – only changed.”

The MacKenzies each hold a jewel as they walk toward the stones. They look back one final time at Claire and Jamie and then step through the stones.

All four make it through the stones and see that Claire and Jamie are gone. They confirm they’ve made it back to their time when a jet flies overhead.

Outlander Season 7 Episode 2
Caitríona Balfe (“Claire Fraser”), Paul Gorman (“Josiah/Kezzie) Beardsley”), and Caitlin O’Ryan (“Lizzie”) in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Claire and Jamie arrive back at Fraser’s Ridge, and that night in bed neither can sleep. They seek comfort in each other’s arms, and then Claire confesses that when she closes her eyes, she’s reminded they’ve lost half their family. They’ll never see them again since they’re 200 years away.

Jamie confesses he thinks of the people they’ve lost, but they haven’t lost each other. Claire sobs and Jamie pulls her in close.

In a voice-over, Claire tells us that in the weeks that follow, she’s taken comfort in the fact that Bree and Roger aren’t dead – just elsewhere. Lizzie delivered her son and that brought some joy back into their lives. But still, Claire can see Jemmy’s face smeared in honey, hear Bree’s laughter, and imagine Roger carving toy cars. However, the memories haven’t cast a shadow over their lives, and Fraser’s Ridge really is the happiest place on earth.

That is until one night when Claire walks toward the big house and notices the door is ajar.

She steps inside and Wendigo Donner (Brennan Martin) has made himself at home and is seated in a chair. He asks for her help, which Claire has no intention of giving. Wendigo reveals he went to travel through the stones but got drunk on whiskey first and then touched the stone. He blacked out and woke up in the same place he was before. He needs to know what he did wrong, and Claire assures him no one knows how it works for sure. But she does know that you can’t drink and must concentrate on someone you love or someplace that you want to go. Focus is crucial to get through the stones.

Claire orders Wendigo out of her house, but he refuses to leave. He pulls out a gun and explains that he needs more gemstones. His friends suddenly appear with Jamie held at gunpoint, and Wendigo orders his men to search the house. Wendigo grabs Claire and demands that Jamie tell him where the gemstones are hidden. Jamie plays dumb and says Claire hid them and wouldn’t tell him their location.

When Claire says Wendigo’s name, Jamie is enraged and tries to attack but is held back by Wendigo’s men.

Wendigo’s men find Mr. and Mrs. Bug, and Jamie’s shocked to see Mr. Bug has been hiding gold. The men rip apart Claire’s lab at Wendigo’s instruction, and in the process, they break bottles of ether while searching for the hidden jewels. The men insist it’s too dark to locate anything and Wendigo strikes a match as Claire shouts at him not to.

The episode ends with a massive explosion and the big house engulfed in flames!