Claire learns her new nickname, as Jamie learns his arch-nemesis is still alive in Outlander.
Outlander Season 2 started slow. As Jamie dealt with his PTSD and the Jacobite rising, Claire tried to find a way to use her time. However, she was certainly making a name for herself and by Episode 4 she would learn what that name was.
Meanwhile, Master Raymond became more integral to Claire’s life in Paris. As he became more of a friend, many fans started to wonder about all his secrets.
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Claire’s life threatened
The episode opens with Jamie playing chess against Duverney, as they discuss Bonnie Prince Charlie, finances and the Jacobite cause. As Claire realizes she’s no longer needed for the conversation, she moves around the room and finds a glass of wine. However, she starts coughing and choking and Jamie instantly worries about his wife and unborn child. The Comte just watches and it’s clear he has something to do with it.
Claire knows that there was something in her wine. The aftertaste tells her it was bitter cascara, which Master Raymond had already told her was used when his customers would ask for poison. There is only one person who really wants her dead right now, which means the Comte has attempted to poison Claire.
There isn’t much time to focus on that, though. They need to cause problems for Charles and that means a dinner at their house. They can use that to make Charles look foolish, so nobody wants to back him. But there’s a problem with this, as it would mean Alex Randall needs to come and that means Jamie will learn the truth about Black Jack. Rather than the news coming from the wrong person, Claire decides to tell Jamie the truth.
Jamie doesn’t take it the way anyone expects him to. He’s actually happy about the news. It means that he now has the chance to kill Black Jack himself.
Master Raymond helps Claire
As Jamie goes off to ponder his next moves, Claire pays Master Raymond a visit to find out why he would sell the Comte something. However, the Comte wasn’t the one who bought it; it was a servant Master Raymond didn’t recognize.
Master Raymond leads Claire into the back, where he holds plenty of treasures and beautiful items. While there, Claire is able to turn to him for advise because she’s worried about Frank now that Jamie knows Black Jack is alive. Master Raymond uses bones to get answers, where he sees that Claire will meet Frank again. Claire is shocked by this news, but the conversation quickly moves on.
Master Raymond has a gift for Claire: a necklace. The gem is said to change color when poison is nearby.
Jamie recovers from his PTSD too quickly
After a visit with Master Raymond, Claire goes to see her friend Louise. Louise has her own medical issue to deal with: pregnancy. If only it was good news. She and her husband haven’t been intimate in months, so it has to be her lover’s child.
When Jamie returns home, he has a renewed sense of energy and passion. Just as the two are getting intimate, she sees bite marks on his thighs. While he says he didn’t go any further in the brothel, he says that hearing Black Jack is alive has renewed his energy and passion. He now has something to live for in life, and he’s the man he was once before again.
Claire is understandably angry. She has gone through this pregnancy alone and it’s taken Black Jack being alive to bring her husband back. Jamie decides to sleep in another room, but it’s not for long. The two finally reunite, even if Jamie’s recovery from PTSD is a little questionably.
Their blissful reconciliation doesn’t remain that way for long. There’s a bump on the roof and the two investigate. Charles, in disguise, jumps through the window after a fight with his lover, who has pushed him away. During the conversation, Claire notices a monkey bite on Charles and knows exactly who his lover is. It’s Louise! Louise’s child is Charles’ child!
It’s perfect for the Frasers. They have a way to embarrass Charles, but they will need to invite Louise and her husband to the dinner party.
Claire and Mary are attacked
In the lead-up to the party, Claire is at the hospital to get a little work done and Mary is with her. Murtagh and young Fergus escort them, but things don’t completely go to plan. Claire is caught up in difficult procedures, so she and Mary are delayed in leaving. On top of that, the carriage has a broken wheel, so they need to walk at nightfall in Paris.
Along the way, Mary shares her romantic feelings for Alex Randall. They’re cut off by attackers, who knockout Murtagh (Fergus isn’t with them at this point) and grab the women. Mary is raped and they’re about to attack Claire afterwards. She gets a glimpse of a birthmark on one of the hands, but not the faces. It looks like our heroine will be raped too, until they realize they are dealing with “La Dame Blanche.” The attackers run away, leaving Claire and Murtagh to deal with a scared and violated Mary.
They get Mary back to Claire and Jamie’s home, where the party is already taking place. Jamie offers the chance to cancel when he hears about Mary, but Claire says the show must go on. Mary can rest upstairs.
Of course, as the party goes on (and Charles finds out that Louise is pregnant and she’s managed to convince her husband that it’s his) things don’t quite work out the way the Frasers wanted. A scream from upstairs alerts everyone to an attack.
You see, Alex has found Mary hurt. She woke from fainting to find him over her and thought he was an attacker. All Alex tried to do was protect Mary, as she ran through the house, but it does look like he’s trying to rape her when the dinner guests walk into the room. Jamie tries to protect the two, as a fight breaks out in the home. The Comte ends the episode, telling his wife to alert the police. Things are not looking good for anyone.
Next: Outlander Season 2, Episode 3 recap
Did you fear for Claire’s life in the episode? Did you worry about Jamie at the end? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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