While Outlander is Claire’s story of Jamie, Season 3 saw more focus on Jamie alone. Episode 2 was certainly one of the best for pushing his story forward. Meanwhile, Claire found a career.
Outlander has always been Claire’s story about Jamie. At least, that’s the description novel author Diana Gabaldon gives. Outlander Season 3 saw a slight change in the story. More side stories developed and we got five episodes of Claire and Jamie as two completely separate entities.
Throughout the second episode, titled “Surrender,” we watched Jamie’s story develop over the period of six years. As he hid in a cave, we watched the sacrifices his family made to keep him safe. That also led to the sacrifice that he would need to make to protect those close to him.
Meanwhile, Claire had to decide on the steps to take moving forward. After finding nothing in the life of being a housewife, she decided it was finally time to become the doctor she had dreamed of becoming. It was time to face the expectations and stereotypes and become one of America’s first surgeons.
If you want the recap of Outlander Season 3, Episode 2 at the time of watching, you can find it here. This recap looks back at the episode after having the chance of watching it again.
As before, I’ll split this recap into two stories: Claire’s and Jamie’s. While they both run concurrently and seem to touch on each other’s in ways, they are both very different paths in, literally, different times.
Claire takes on the stereotypes of the 1950s
After already being talked down on in 1949, Claire Randall was done living the stereotype of the 1950s housewife. Now a mother, she was ready to set up the life she wanted her daughter to have and ready to be an inspiration for a young woman of a new generation.
It isn’t all roses, though. At first, Claire has to find her way in the 1950s and figure out if there’s anything left in her marriage. It seems she does want to connect with Frank again, at least sexually. She and Frank attempt to rekindle something that they had, but Frank sees that Claire isn’t quite there.
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What this episode really does is show the differences between men and women. While men are more visual, women naturally rely on other senses, especially touch. Claire closes her eyes and whether it’s to fantasize about Jamie or not isn’t overly clear, but Frank is sure that Claire is with “him.”
My bet is that she needs to get the look of Black Jack Randall out of her head. She wants to be with Frank, but everything that Black Jack Randall is still in her mind. I do have to wonder if she ever told Frank everything that happened with his ancestor–and whether she told him that Black Jack isn’t his direct ancestor. Unfortunately, this isn’t something that’s touched on in the show and it lacks some depth and emotion because of that.
Regardless, Frank decides that he’ll only be with Claire if she’s willing to give herself completely over to him. How does that go?
Far from your average Joe. #Outlander #Dunbonnet pic.twitter.com/9QHDcjPOHr
— Outlander (@Outlander_STARZ) September 18, 2017
Before we get an answer to that question, we learn that Claire has decided to go to school to become a doctor. She’s the only woman in a class with boys–oh and one “Negro,” who happens to become close friends with Claire. I’d have loved to spend more time on their relationship and their time in med school. Seeing how they built the respect of the others as they proved their abilities would have been a perfect addition, but sadly there wasn’t enough time. Oh well, there’s always “Voyager” for that.
In the end, we finally learn that Claire and Frank haven’t been able to connect. They’ve opted to sleep in separate beds like so many other unhappy marriages in that time.
Jamie makes a sacrifice
As for the 18th century, we pick up six years after the Battle of Culloden. In all this time, Jamie has been living in a cave close to Lallybroch and is known as the Dun Bonnet.
Fun fact: The Dun Bonnet was a real person, also known as James Fraser.
Our Jamie doesn’t talk much, but he comes by Lallybroch now and then to make sure his family is looked after. He’s a skilled hunter and keeps bringing them food. Oh, and the potatoes that Claire told Jenny to plant have certainly helped get through the famine and the Redcoats coming by to take as much of their reserves as possible.
Things aren’t easy for the family. The Redcoats know Red Jamie is on the loose and suspect the Murrays have him. Ian is routinely placed in jail and mistreated to force him to talk, but nobody is willing to give Jamie’s location up.
We get to see some of the family life. The children are growing up and Jenny has another baby. Jamie has the chance to hold the baby and it’s clear that he’s thinking about the children that he has lost. And yes, I say children. He’s thinking of Faith and Brianna (who he thinks is Brian at this point). Also, we learn that Jamie has never told the family the truth about what happened to Claire, just that she’s “gone.”
All she can do is hold him close. #Outlander #Dunbonnet pic.twitter.com/jRswFpdCQs
— Outlander (@Outlander_STARZ) September 18, 2017
Jenny knows that it’s time for her brother to move on, so sets him up with the maid, a widow. Before anything can come of that, we skip a few days to Fergus taking supplies to Jamie’s cave. He comes across some Redcoats and taunts them to make sure they can’t find Jamie. Of course, Jamie hears the commotion (who wouldn’t!) and just watches from above as the Redcoats catch Fergus and chop off his hand.
Poor Fergus screams out and just looks at his armless hand in shock. Once the Redcoats have gone, Jamie goes to Fergus and uses everything Claire has taught him to make sure Fergus doesn’t lose too much blood. He gets Fergus back to the house, where Fergus can be tended to. Then comes a beautiful moment, as Fergus worries that he’s now no use to anyone in the house. He reminds Jamie of a promise made long ago and you can see the shock and surprise in Jamie’s eyes at the fact that Fergus worries about this.
Fergus wants to know that he’ll be treated like kin after this. Of course, he will. There is no way that Jamie would just turf him out after sacrificing a hand to keep Jamie’s location secret. That does make Jamie realize that he can’t stay hidden for any longer. He needs to give himself over to the Redcoats, but this can be for the good of his family. Jenny can turn him in and get the reward money to help the family.
Jenny, of course, isn’t happy with the idea but she goes through with it. Jamie makes a show at returning and the Redcoats are there waiting. As Jamie is being led away, Jenny makes it clear that she will never forgive him and we all know what she really won’t forgive him for.
Next: Outlander Season 3 premiere recap: The start of 20 years separation
What did you think about Outlander Season 3, Episode 2? Did it tell the stories that you wanted to see? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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