Outlander recap: An old face returns in the Frasers’ lives

A special someone was back with a dangerous role in Outlander Season 4, Episode 5. Meanwhile, Roger learned exactly where Brianna had gone.

Outlander Season 4, Episode 5 mostly focused on the past. “Savages” brought us a newborn baby, disease and death, revenge, stones, and the return of an old friend.

Set a few months (at least) after the previous episode, we got to see the cabin on Fraser’s Ridge fully built. As Jamie and Young Ian went in search for new settlers, Claire helped the delivery of a new baby but soon learned things weren’t all happy and cheery. Meanwhile, Roger learned exactly what Brianna had decided to do.

Roger learns the truth

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As this only took up about 10 minutes of the episode, it’s the easiest way to start. After the revelation that Brianna had come to Scotland to see her mom, Roger knew it meant she had gone to Inverness. More importantly, he knew it meant Craig na Dun.

After finding out the taxi took her there but it was only a one-way fare, Roger heads to the place she was staying. It was none other than Bairds’ B&B, now run by young Miss. Baird. When Roger went to see Miss. Baird, she said that Brianna had been there but hadn’t left anything. As Roger walked away, Miss. Baird changed her mind.

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Brianna had left a letter, with a request to mail it after a year. In the letter, it’s clear that Brianna wants to come back but right now she has found out something terrible (likely that they die in a fire) and wants to try to save them. Her thinking is that if she isn’t back in a year, she hasn’t been able to return.

Jamie tries to find settlers

Meanwhile, we watch Jamie and Young Ian in Wilmington search for settlers. In this moment, I wish that Fergus could have been part of this considering who Jamie and Young Ian actually see in the area.

After three meetings, they’ve still not found Scottish farmers. It’s clear that there’s something going on and it’s all to do with the taxes. The tax collectors are asking for too much and many have lost their land because of it.

Just as they’re on their way home, a bit on the horse reins breaks. Young Ian heads to the blacksmith, who we find out is our adorable Murtagh. Yes, Murtagh is back but Young Ian has no idea who this old guy is. All he sees him as is a grumpy blacksmith who’s fleecing him out of money.

Jamie goes to see the blacksmith and shouts at him for taking so much for a bit. And in that moment we get the most beautiful reunion we could ever ask for. Neither realized each other was still alive and Murtagh and Jamie hug in a way that proves they’ve played on each others’ minds for years.

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When Jamie offers land, Murtagh has all sorts of reasons not to come. Then he decides to invite Jamie to a meeting. Unsurprisingly, Murtagh is part of the regulators. While he says he’s not the leader, he’s certainly acting like it. After all, the “old codger,” as Young Ian called him, does know a thing or two about rebellions.

Jamie can’t join, but he does promise to not to get in Murtagh’s way. He’s in the middle, as he tries to keep his family safe. And yes, he tells Murtagh that Claire is back, Brianna is safe, and they’re happy.

Claire learns who the real savages are

As I suspected with the title, this was an episode to focus on who the real savages are. While it’s a term that was given by the white colonists for the Native Americans, it’s clear that the white colonists are deadly and unmoving.

After delivering the new baby in a German family on the Ridge, Claire has to handle tensions between the German settler and the Native Americans, who are simply stopping to water their horses. One of the Cherokees blesses the water, but the German settler is superstitious and believes the water has been cursed.

That belief continues when new mother and baby succumb to measles and die. Claire works out that the Germans have brought the disease with them as the parents had already suffered and recovered. The mother and baby were just so weak from the birth that their immune systems couldn’t fight the disease.

Of course, the superstitious settler couldn’t listen to reason. He’d already killed the “witch” he believed to be the cause of the curse, handing Claire the scalp of Adawehi. Just earlier in the episode, we’d seen Claire and Adawehi learning from each other, with Adawehi telling Claire that Brianna “is here.”

Claire is naturally angry and upset. Of course, this leads to an act of revenge. The Cherokees head to the Germans’ house and set it on fire. By the time the patriarch of the family returns, his wife has been killed by a fiery arrow to the back. Once he sees everything his savagery has done, the Cherokees kill him with arrows.

Claire is left placing the scalp of her friend in a box and burns it on a fire. Jamie returns the next day and all she wants is for him to hold her.

Fortunately, the episode can end on a good note for Claire. While she’s out feeding the animals (including the pig that is just going to be a Christmas pork chop), she hears whistling. It’s not just any whistling. Someone is whistling the “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”

There’s only one person in this time who would know that. Claire turns around, knowing that it’s Murtagh behind her. That reunion isn’t quite as good as Jamie’s but it’s a perfect way to end an otherwise devastating episode for Claire.

What did you think of Murtagh’s return? Are you excited to see Brianna in the past? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander continues Sundays at 8/7c on STARZ.