Outlander Recap and Reflection #113! Childbirth! Betrayal! Blackmail! Final Outlander Contest of the Season!

The final half of the second half of the first season of Outlander! (Translation: Big action ahead!) This week we learn that life is anything but simple in lovely Lallybroch and we also kick off our final Outlander swag giveaway of the season!

Recap – Episode #113 “The Watch”

Jamie returns home to Lallybroch with his name about to be cleared and a new bride. And they lived happily ever after, right? Ha ha ha! Not so fast!

When last we left off, a strange dude had a gun at Jamie’s face. The dude is Taran MacQuarrie, a member of the Watch who mistakes Jamie for a (rather well-dressed) thief. Jenny interrupts the scene and claims Jamie is her cousin in for a visit. See, the Watch is the unofficial law enforcement for Scotland – for a fee. Jenny and Ian have been paying the Watch for their “protection.” But these rough guys aren’t local lads so they can’t be trusted to keep Jamie’s location secret. These guys would love to turn Jamie in for the reward – they’re all about the money.

OUT_113-The Watch

The Watch is sticking around for a few days so Lallybroch and their “visiting cousin Jamie” will play the host. It’s not easy as the Watch is poking at their cover story and, well, they aren’t very nice guests. One of them ‘accidentally’ starts a fire in some hay, while his buddies just laugh at Jamie’s panic. That starts a wee strohmash and Jamie bests the three guys. Taran sees the end of this brouhaha and is impressed with Jamie’s fighting skills.

OUT_113-Jamie fighting

But then the final member of the Watch arrives and it’s the deserter Horrocks! You remember him? He’s the only one who witnessed Black Jack Randall killing the guy Jamie is accused of murdering. So guess who knows Jamie’s true identity…eep!

OUT_113-Horrocks

Claire and Jenny start to bond while they work on the laundry. During their ‘girl talk’ Jenny tells Claire more about Ian and Jamie growing up together and being as close as brothers, especially after Jamie’s older brother(Willie) died young. In the middle of all that back-breaking work, a very pregnant Jenny is about to be pregnant no more– her water breaks.

OUT_113-Claire and Jenny

Claire takes Jenny upstairs and, after a quick examination, she discovers the baby hasn’t turned so there’s a chance this will be a breech birth. Ouch! Jenny allows Claire to inform Ian that the baby is on his way (Jenny knows it’s a boy), but she doesn’t want Ian to know about any difficulties.

Speaking of difficulties, Jamie gets alone time with Horrocks who acknowledges he knows Jamie’s real name and is impressed with his crib. He also has a thing for Jenny which just makes him creepy for lusting after a woman about to give birth. Horrocks blackmails Jamie with the promise to disappear — for the right price.

Clearly Jamie wants the Watch to leave, but Ian sees them as needed protection so someone like Black Jack can’t come back and try to, oh, rape Jenny again or something. Jamie lets Ian know that he’s being blackmailed and Ian insists that Jamie use the last of the money from his Da. Jamie sees the rainy-day-fund money as a legacy for his kids since he wants a bushel of them running around Lallybroch. Unfortunately, Claire has a confession to make: she’s believes she’s barren since she and Frank never had kids. No bushel of kids after all.

Out 113 Jamie and Ian

Jamie heads out to his secluded blackmail exchange with Horrocks who, in true blackmailer fashion, asks for more money. Jamie has no more money to give so Horrocks threatens Jamie’s family. Smart move, Horrocks! Before Jamie can draw on him, Ian stabs Horrocks from behind. Brothers to the end!

Claire and Jenny continue to bond since there isn’t much else to do but wait for the baby to be born. (The local midwife isn’t around so it’s all up to Claire.) Jenny recently found a carving that her dead brother Willie once made for Jamie. It’s a carved snake with Jamie’s nickname, “Sawny” on the side. Jenny reminisces and we learn that Willie is buried next to their mother who died in childbirth. Gulp. A bad thought since this baby isn’t coming easy.

Speaking of uneasy, Taran wonders where Horrocks has gone off to…

The next day, Jenny is still in labor and Horrocks still hasn’t shown up even though his horse is still around. Taran pretty much knows Jamie did something to Horrocks. Jamie confesses that he’s a wanted man and Horrocks was threatening him. Jamie confesses to killing Horrocks (neatly taking the blame instead of Ian) and Taran is cool with that since Horrocks was such a douche. But, in return, Taran wants Jamie to ride with them since they need another bonny fighter in the group. Jamie agrees to go and Ian insists on going as well.

OUT_113-Jamie and Ian courtyard

Claire isn’t thrilled with the idea of them heading out, but Jenny, still in labor, is cool with it. (We personally would have chained Ian to the bed and insist he hear every scream, but whatever.) Claire reluctantly lets Jamie go with the promise of coming after him if he doesn’t return to her.

Jamie and Ian head out with the Watch. As thieving as the Watch may be, Taran has some morals since he’s seen the inside of an English prison and would never send anyone back there. Ergo, Jamie is safe from Taran turning him in. The Watch (with Jamie and Ian) head out to a meeting that Horrocks arranged which should’ve been a sign that this wasn’t going to be a good meeting. Jamie realizes they have been lead into a trap and a fight break outs.

Out 113 MacQuarrie

Back at the ranch, an exhausted Jenny gets to hold her lovely baby girl. Surprise! Not a boy! The adorable little one is named Margaret Ellen Murray aka Maggie. She’s named after Jenny’s grandmother and mother.

A few, quiet days pass at Lallybroch and Claire and the dogs keep watch for Jamie and Ian’s return. Jenny’s confident that Jamie will be back sometime. She hands Claire a pair of boar tusk bracelets that belonged to her mother and should, therefore, belong to the Lady of the manor. (They were a wedding gift from some admirer of her mother’s.)

OUT_113-Claire

The dogs start barking! Ian has returned with one of the Watch members, but minus his wooden leg. Ian explains that it was a set up since Horrocks was getting his freedom in exchange for setting up this ambush. Too bad Horrocks won’t be using that freedom! Ahem! Unfortunately, Taran was injured and Jamie wouldn’t leave him behind. Instead the pair of them were taken by the English.

Nooooo!!!!!!

Reflection – what did we think?

Erica: Well, this was different! As a transition episode, I guess they need to add in something for more tension and to lead up for the next big storybeat. Life is not quiet in idyllic Lallybroch so we have brawling, fires, traitors, blackmail and a wee bit of murder. This reappearance of Horrocks and the Watch at Lallybroch is different from the books.

Alicia: Can I just ask…is Jamie incapable of staying out of trouble with the English?!?!?!? Seriously! They’re definitely not giving us time to breathe between things. How about a nice episode where they just tend the estate and lay around all day…LOL!

OUT_113-Jamie

Erica: This is not a glamorous look at childbirth. While the men may be off defending the homestead, it’s not exactly chocolate and bon bons for the womenfolk!

Alicia:Shudder. No drugs, no modern hospitals, just some straw on the floor…no, not glamorous at all. I do love that moment when Jenny explains what childbirth is like. I don’t believe a word of it, especially later when she’s screaming in agony 😉

Erica: Jenny is such a strong, stubborn character that I think it’s hard to like her at first. I’m glad we got to see more sides of her in this episode. Steven Cree is great as Ian though. A quietly, warm presence which mixes nicely with the strength of Jenny.

Alicia: He is exactly how I saw Ian in the books, sometimes Jamie and Claire are a bit too similar, but Ian was always the perfect balance for Jenny. He’s such a lovely man, you completely understand why she basically told him they were getting married. I liked the scene where he’s having an evident PTSD attack. Really fascinating.

Outlander+Season+1B_Jenny+Ian+Murray+

Alicia:I really liked the way they incorporated The Watch. It was great to see how differently people could feel toward them. Respect that they kept the English away but disgust at how barbaric they could be.

Erica: I can’t believe there are only a few more episodes left!!

—–BOOK READERS DISCUSSION – (Spoiler Alert!!)———————————

Erica: Sawny is much bigger than I pictured. Jamie must wear a sizable sporran! [Cough!]

Alicia: LOL…true. Little odd to have Jenny tell the story, but I’m glad they got that in there. It’s such a touching moment in the books. Interesting how they chose to use The Watch to get Jamie arrested again, but not because they turned him over. Also the whole killing Horrocks…I guess to establish how close Jamie and Ian are?

Erica: Yes, but I think to make it clear that Jamie is still not going to be unwanted for some time to come. That hope of getting exonerated is definitely gone.

Alicia: I’m very interested to see how these next 3 episodes go. So much ground to cover and, of course…well, we all know what’s coming. I hate to say I’m looking forward to seeing what they do, but I kind of am.

Erica: It’s a big moment for the story and the books. It’s also going to be waaaayyyy intense. Knowing the story so well and for so long, sometimes you can take for granted the daring nature of what’s going to happen. As Ron said, they were going to do it “Straight up” so this is going to be brutal. It’ll be interesting to see how non-readers react to it!

—–END OF BOOK READER DISCUSSION ——————————————————

You’ve read what we think, but how did you like this episode? What was your favorite part?

This week, we kick off our FINAL Outlander giveaway of the season! To make this one extra special, we’re including an autographed poster from Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall Fraser aka Caitriona Balfe! She was kind enough to sign a poster at this year’s Screen Actor’s Guild Awards (that’s the poster in the picture below).

SAG Awards 2015 signing autographs for fans 50
This swag pack also includes a 2XL Outlander t-shirt with “Real Men Wear Kilts” written on the back along with a tartan bandana and a Summer of Sassenach pin. Good stuff, right?

Outlander swag pack 4
Just use the rafflecopter below! This giveaway runs until the first of June and is open to US residents only. Remember you can tweet (daily if you really want to!) and comment on each week’s re-cap for extra entries!

Stay tuned!

Comment below or email us at Erica@MikeTheFanboy.com or thenovelstrumpet@gmail.com
For more adventures (and live tweeting!), follow us on twitter: @Cambear and @NovelStrumpet
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