Faith is, hands-down, the best episode of Outlander Season 2. It may even be the best episode of the series for me. Just why is that the case?
Outlander Season 2 pushed everything when it came to “Faith” to create a beautiful masterpiece. While the most heartbreaking episode of the season (and I think one of the most heartbreaking of the series so far), Episode 7 really captured the emotion, the raw pain, and the aftermath of losing a child. The fact that Caitriona Balfe didn’t win an Emmy or Golden Globe for this performance alone is an outrage.
For many, “Faith” is an episode that is skipped after the first watch. It’s too hard to watch; too emotional and devastating. There are few Outlander episodes like this. The only other one I can think off is “Wentworth Prison” for similar reasons as “Faith.” The episode was filmed in a way to stir so many uncomfortable emotions that people don’t want to live through again. It’s understandable, but it’s this that makes the episode the best of the season and, possibly, the best of the whole series.
The emotions within Claire’s story
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After following Claire’s story for a season and a half, we learn that her baby is stillborn. Balfe transforms not just into a grieving mother, but someone who shows most steps of grief clearly. We see the denial, the pain, the sadness, the anger, and, eventually, the acceptance. The only one that isn’t there is bargaining, but that’s possibly because there’s something more important to focus on: childbed fever.
It’s soon clear that Claire may not only lose her baby but her own life. All the while, Jamie is locked in the Bastille and she has no idea why he broke her promise. At this point, she believes that he just couldn’t let his vengeance go for a year–whatever side of the argument you are on that topic isn’t the point here.
Claire’s whole world is crumbling and it’s almost like she’s open to death at this point; willing it to happen. If you weren’t already a mess, just thinking of that will leave you broken as you realize this strong, independent, stubborn woman has given up on everything. The grief and pain is too much that she’s done with life and everything that has been thrown her way. There is nothing to live for anymore
Direction, lighting, music, and more in “Faith”
Then there is everything on top of the story and acting. There’s the direction, the lighting, the music, and extras, and so much more within the episode that draws you in. Every element of this episode was on point, focusing on all the right parts to bring out the most important feelings.
Nobody dropped the ball in this. Whether it was Mother Hildegarde’s selfless actions to ensure Faith could be buried on hallowed ground or Louise’s heartbreak seeing her friend a broken woman, whether it was the blue light that shone through or the soft music playing throughout, these elements all came together to create an episode that will go down as one of the hardest to watch on TV in modern years.
“Faith” didn’t just promise the world. It delivered on every aspect and it will always be the best episode of Outlander Season 2 and possibly of the whole series.
The aftermath of the loss
If the loss of Faith wasn’t enough, Claire then had to go through the pain, shock, and anger of the aftermath. She faced the (understandable) pity from the French servants, learned the horrific truths of what happened to Fergus, and made dark decisions to get her husband released from the Bastille.
Just after losing her daughter, she was forced to give up her virtue to the king. She was forced to choose between two men accused of witchcraft and put her own neck on the line as she was named La Dame Blanche by the king. I mentioned it in the important lines of the episode that there’s a line that sums it all up, as Claire talks to Mother Hildegarde about her time in Paris before getting Jamie released from the Bastille.
There’s a deleted scene that I believe should have been in the episode. It added so much more to her feelings and Jamie’s feelings after he was released and learned the full truth of the events that had happened. But even without the deleted scene, “Faith” remains the best episode of the whole season.
Next: Outlander Season 2 episodes ranked from worst to best of the season
What did you think of “Faith” the first time you watched it? Can you watch it again? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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