It’s hard to think of a traumatic episode of Outlander having best moments, but the Season 1 finale certainly does. Here are my five favorite moments of Outlander Season 1, Episode 16.
Outlander Season 1, Episode 16 isn’t an easy episode to watch. With each rewatch, things get harder. There are moments that stand out more in our minds or lines that cut just a little deeper.
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I had to take a break from rewatching Season 1 of the series to mentally prepare for this episode. It’s hard to say that there are “best moments” in such a traumatic episode, but I didn’t find there were some that made me smile or there were moments that stood out because of the acting.
Here are my five favorite moments from the Outlander Season 1 finale and the reason I love rewatching it.
5. Willie’s story about his uncle
One thing that the writers do many to offer is some comedic relief in such a dramatic and tense episode. Willie, Angus, and Rupert offer most of that comedic relief. It’s Willie that stands out with his story about his uncle.
He tries to offer some positivity to the group. As Murtagh explains that Jamie is struggling mentally, Willie brings up a story of how his uncle struggled after having his arm amputated.
We have this hope that he’ll offer the way the family helped the uncle. Instead, he pointed out that the uncle killed himself. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It wasn’t even a funny moment but it was one of those absurd moments that makes you laugh out of discomfort.
4. Seeing the guys save Jamie
The very start of the episode is awesome. I love the music as the guys rush into Wentworth Prison with the cattle and manage to save Jamie. It’s like a real heist, but with humor mixed in. The music is just so fitting or the four who have rushed through the doors to get their kinsman back.
Sadly, Jamie couldn’t be saved before he went through his ordeal. However, they managed to get in before he was killed.
One thing I really enjoyed was the buildup to the cattle rushing in. Black Jack Randall could hear the noise the cattle made. It felt like things around them were shaking. I’m not sure I’d be the one heading to the door to see what was going on, though!
3. Getting the scene between Murtagh and Jamie
There is one scene that always stands out for me when it comes to Outlander Season 1, Episode 16. Murtagh and Jamie get a chance to talk.
We don’t get to understand what they’re saying. Everything is done in Gaelic, showing how the two want to keep this private from Claire. However, there’s no need for the subtitles. Just from the body language and everything Jamie has gone through, we know exactly what they’re talking about.
Out of all the people, Jamie turning to Murtagh with his confession is important. It shows just how much Jamie trusts and loves his godfather. This moment helps to solidify the need for Murtagh to remain part of the TV show, and we get to understand why Murtagh is so angry about Jamie and Claire no trusting him with the truth in Season 2.
2. Telling the story through flashbacks
Outlander could have shown us everything that happened in chronological order. We could have seen everything in Wentworth Prison long before the guys managed to save him. Instead, the writers opted for the use of flashbacks.
This form of storytelling was much better. It gave us some relief from some of the traumatic scenes. There was a chance to step out of the setting for just a short while before being thrown into the next part of the story.
Slowly, things got worst for Jamie. It took time to understand why his mind was where it was. We continued to learn along with Claire, which had been the way we learned from the beginning of the season.
This wouldn’t be the last time we’d see traumatic events told through flashbacks. The writers continued it with “Faith” and we got something similar for the Outlander Season 3 premiere. Both of these episodes stand out because of this form of storytelling.
1. Claire getting the chance to open up
The burden of being from the future was weighing Claire down. It was only a matter of time before she’d need to open up about her trip through the past. She had that chance in the Outlander Season 1 finale.
This was a moment adapted from the book. I love that she found a monk who wouldn’t pass judgment. You could see in his face that he struggled with some of what Claire was telling him, but he didn’t say anything out loud. He just listened, believing that God would understand everything even if he couldn’t.
Claire had the chance to just explain the full story to someone who wasn’t Jamie. It helped give her the strength needed to do the next step to help her husband, and it was just what the two of them needed.
Which moments stood out for you in Outlander Season 1, Episode 16? What did you like about the episode, whether the comedic relief or the way it was told? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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