Outlander recap: What happens when Lord John and Brianna see Bonnet?

Outlander Season 4, Episode 12 delivered a powerful and emotional storyline. As we saw Roger make a difficult decision, Brianna faced her rapist.

Out of all the episodes in Outlander Season 4, the penultimate has delivered the most powerful and emotional one. Focused on Roger, Brianna, and Fergus’ storyline, this was one of those where you’re left feeling nothing but sympathy and shock.

After Murtagh’s arrest, we all wondered how he’d be rescued and whether this would be the end of Stephen Bonnet’s storyline. Meanwhile, we needed to know if Claire and Jamie would reach Roger.

More from Recaps

• Outlander Season 7, Episode 8 recap: Is Rachel in love with Young Ian?
• Outlander Season 7, Episode 7 recap: The First Battle of Saratoga
• Outlander Season 7, Episode 6 recap: Roger finds something to do
• Outlander Season 7, Episode 5 recap: Bree is trapped in a tunnel
• Outlander Season 7, Episode 4 recap: William and Young Ian meet (again)

This episode didn’t involve Claire and Jamie, except for a whole 20 seconds of them trekking through the forest. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t even realize that until watching the trailer for next Sunday’s episode. I was so engrossed in Roger’s and Brianna’s storylines that I didn’t feel like I’d missed anything from the trek. But that’s for another article.

I’ll split this into two parts, Brianna’s and Fergus’ storyline together and then Roger’s difficult decision.

Brianna visits her rapist

After hearing that Bonnet has been arrested, she asks for Lord John Grey to take her to him. She won’t attempt to kill Bonnet because Jamie, in the letter, asks her not to lose her soul. However, she does want to talk to Bonnet. She needs the chance to see him before he dies.

And with Lord John Grey, they head off to Wilmington. It doesn’t take long for her to see Bonnet and tell him that she is pregnant with his child. There’s no doubt in her face that this is Bonnet’s rather than Roger’s, suggesting that she’s sure it’s her rapists’.

Bonnet initially doesn’t believe her but agrees she has no reason to lie. He’s glad he’s not going to be forgotten but you see the despair when Brianna makes it clear that his child won’t even know his name. As a dying wish, Bonnet gives Brianna a gem and they part ways.

Marsali stands by her man

As for Fergus, he turns to the Regulators for help. He can’t let Murtagh die and they all know that Murtagh won’t get a fair trial. However, there’s the problem of Marsali.

Somewhat surprisingly (considering the stance the two took on the ship in Outlander Season 3 when Jamie wanted Fergus to commit mutiny), Marsali stands by Fergus. It’s also time that the family moves out of Wilmington and to Fraser’s Ridge.

So, with that, the Regulators with Fergus and Marsali set up a plan to save Murtagh from prison. It just so happens that the plan goes ahead while John and Brianna are there. Lord John initially wants to stop them, but Brianna steps in. Murtagh wants to get Brianna away, but Lord John Grey continues to look out for her.

With all the Regulators (plus Fergus, Murtagh, and Marsali) out of the prison and Lord John and Brianna back out, the prison is blown up. John and Brianna cover for their friends when asked by officials, making it clear where their loyalties lie.

Roger meets a priest

In the Mohawk village, we pick up with Roger going through the gauntlet. When he fails and dislocates his shoulder (or maybe breaks his collarbone, it’s never specifically mentioned), he’s told he’s still a captive.

At first, he’s given tasks to do around the village, but he doesn’t take too kindly to being a slave. He does make friends with one of the women, who has a baby. She tries to protect him, but Roger’s attitude gets him put in the hut with a priest.

This priest is the father of the child. He’s been locked away because he refuses to baptise the baby. The Mohawks in the village have converted but after falling in love and fathering a child, the priest believes he is no longer worthy of baptising.

Both men share their stories and Roger attempts to convince the priest to pretend to baptise the child. The priest refuses to do it and is tortured by the Mohawks, with his ear being cut off, and they will burn him to death if he doesn’t agree. Again, Roger tries to convince the priest and even suggests that they escape through the hole that Roger is starting to dig.

They dig overnight but by the time the day comes, they realize they need at least another hour to get out. The priest sacrifices himself, allowing Roger to get away.

Roger makes a difficult decision

While the priest burns (which could take three days), Roger manages to get out. There’s even a chance for him to get away and head back to somewhere to get through stones to his own time. It turns out he chose not to go through the stones before but now he wants to look out for himself.

Yet, he realizes he can’t do that. Even though he wants to look out for himself, he needs to go back to make the priest’s death more merciful. So, as the Mohawks watch, Roger manages to grab a gunpowder barrel and throw it at the priest, killing him much quicker.

The mother of the priest’s child puts her baby down and then walks into the flame to die with her man. It’s a heartbreaking moment, made all the more intense and emotional with the music playing. While the exposition of the music over the imagery didn’t work for me in the premiere episode, it was perfectly managed in this one.

We end with Roger being taken back to his prisoner hut by some of the Mohawks, reserved to the idea of dying for his actions.

What did you think of Fergus and Marsali working together to save Murtagh? Did you enjoy seeing Brianna’s storyline most like the book? What did you think of Roger’s time in the hut? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Outlander Season 4 finale airs Sunday on STARZ.