Outlander Season 4 finale recap: Did Roger return to Brianna?

The Outlander Season 4 finale was certainly intense and emotional. Did Roger return to Brianna and what was the cliffhanger not in the books?

Outlander Season 4 finale aired last night and it was definitely intense and emotional. Focused on Claire and Jamie’s rescue of Roger and Brianna’s birth, we got a lot of “Drums of Autumn” in one episode. The ending was nothing like the book, leaving us on an excellent cliffhanger for next season.

Just as a warning, there are spoilers in this post if you haven’t watched the finale yet.

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Claire and Jamie get to the Mohawk village

We’ll start with Claire and Jamie’s story. The two and Young Ian get to the Mohawk village, where they offer a trade for Roger. However, while talking to the people, Claire removes her scarf and shows off the stone she found back in Episode 3.

That immediately cuts off negotiations and the three outsiders are forced to leave emptyhanded. Later, some of the tribe people find them and demand Otter Tooth’s stone. That’s when we learn that Otter Tooth (the man whose skull Claire found) had come to warn the people that they would need to kill the white man. After a while, the Mohawk thought him mad and banished him, later killing him and taking his head (and stone) miles away.

That certainly explains how he ended up in North Carolina despite the Mohawk being in New York. However, the stone carry will bring the ghost back and it’s no surprise that the superstitious Mohawk are wary of it but do want it back — they didn’t explain why.

Claire offers a trade: the stone for Roger. That means rescuing Roger in the dead of night, and you know that it doesn’t quite go to plan.

A man for a man

After the rescue party is caught, the tribe woman who led the attempt is banished. Roger is sent back to the “idiot hut,” but Jamie offers himself as a trade. Young Ian, as the only one who speaks the language well enough, is sent to make the trade.

However, it turns out Young Ian offered something different: himself. This is the way he can become a “man of worth,” and so Roger is allowed to leave and Young Ian is put through the gauntlet. Needless to say, Young Ian succeeds at the gauntlet (likely helped by understanding what it was and what it meant).

Claire and Jamie get Roger out of the way, which does give Roger chance to beat up Jamie — who takes it all because of what he did.

Now it’s time for Roger to learn about what happened to Brianna, and Jamie certainly isn’t happy that Roger left her allowing the rape to happen. And just as Roger learns about the baby, he also realizes that Stephen Bonnet could be the father. Jamie wants him to make a quick decision, but Claire stops the men from fighting.

She realizes that Roger needs time, but she wants Roger to be sure. Either he leaves Brianna or he’s certain that he could possibly raise another man’s child as his own. What would he choose?

Brianna gives birth

While Claire and Jamie are away, Brianna gives birth to her son with Jocasta (who is now sleeping with Murtagh!), Phaedre, and Lizzy around. I know the books have Claire and Jamie by her side, but I found this a lot more realistic. Jamie had mentioned it would take at least four months to travel, which was why Brianna couldn’t go with them. It would be a little too convenient for them to get back in time.

In fact, it’s two months after the birth that Claire and Jamie return. Brianna is disappointed to see that Roger isn’t with them and she learns that Roger may not want to come after learning about the baby. However, Claire wants to get Brianna to the Ridge.

Just as she’s packing, Brianna sees a lone rider come up the path. It’s Roger and she runs into Roger’s arms. Yes, he’s back and he wants to see “his” son. He’s accepting that while this child may be Bonnet’s, he’s going to claim paternity.

We don’t get the chance to see father meet son, though, in a similar disappointing way that we don’t get to see Jamie hold his grandson. Just as Brianna is taking Roger into the house, Redcoats arrive with a letter for Jamie. Governor Tryon has ordered him to create a militia and go after Murtagh.

And this is where we’re left, the cliffhanger that wasn’t in the books. Well, ordering to form the militia was, but being ordered to capture and kill Murtagh wasn’t. How will he get around this?

What did you think of the Outlander Season 4 finale? Which moment was your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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