5 thoughts while rewatching Outlander Season 1, Episode 11

4. They wouldn’t have been taken straight to execution

Geillis was carried out at the end of the episode to be burned as a witch. This struck me the first time, but the more I rewatch, the more this part irritates me. Women weren’t taken straight from trial to their execution. They would have needed time to get the executioner in and get the site ready.

The judges would have never said to take both Geillis and Claire to be executed for witchcraft. It wouldn’t have been plausible and was clearly said for dramatic effect. Sure, there were some accounts of women being burned right away but then many of these accounts weren’t complete with even names possibly incorrect, so the timing may have been off.

In the majority of cases, Claire and Geillis would have been sent to the thieves’ hole.

3. I really wished Geillis had said something in the thieves’ hole

Claire says “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” It was the giveaway for Geillis that Claire was definitely from the past. And in this moment, I wished that Geillis had said something. They were both in the thieves’ hole at this point with only themselves to rely on and yet Geillis didn’t trust Claire one bit.

The line was the perfect time to bring things up. It would have avoided rushing everything as the crowd shouted at them in the courtroom.

One thing I did love at the start of the episode though was the fear in both Claire and Geillis. Geillis immediately started blaming Claire because it was the easiest thing to do. That was a natural reaction when stuck in the thieves’ hole.