Outlander recap: Everyone fights to save Jamie from the snake bite

If you thought the Battle of Alamance and Roger’s recovery was the worst of the pain, wait until Outlander Season 5, Episode 9.

We’ve lost Murtagh and we’ve watched Roger deal with the trauma of being hanged, but Outlander Season 5, Episode 9 made us more scared than ever. Here’s a look back at the episode, which saw everyone fight for Jamie’s life after the snake bite.

The snake bite came early in the episode. Jamie takes Roger and a few other men into the woods for hunting. They split up, with Jamie and Roger heading to the boundary of Roger’s land. That’s where Jamie is bitten by a venomous snake.

They spend a night out in the wilderness, which is where Jamie shares that Bonnet is alive (Roger admit that he already knows) and that Bonnet could claim Jemmy as his own. Roger needs to kill Bonnet when the time comes, but Roger isn’t sure he can do that. The conversation is temporarily forgotten about as Roger gets Jamie back home (with the help of the other men who realize that Jamie and Roger should have been back already).

A fight to save Jamie

Claire is scared. She doesn’t have the tools she needs to save Jamie. While he may be able to fight the venom, his leg is infected and Claire can’t inject penicillin. She lost her only syringe at the Battle of Alamance. While Jamie can drink the penicillin, it’s not going to be as potent.

One thing Jamie knows is that he’d rather die than lose a leg. He makes Claire give her word that she won’t amputate.

Naturally, Claire is in two minds. She can’t lose her husband, but at the same time, she can’t go against Jamie’s wishes—the word that she gave. Jamie would have a constant reminder that she broke her word.

Young Ian brings up some fair points

Having Young Ian back for this was beautiful. We get to see him call Jamie out on a few things—mostly that losing a limb is fine for Ian and Fergus but not for Jamie. Sharing that he’s ashamed of Jamie, he walks away and it gives Jamie time to think.

Young Ian also has the chance to speak to Fergus, sharing that Jamie is stubborn. He fears that Jamie’s words about amputation will hurt Fergus’s feelings. However, Fergus brings up the story of when he lost his hand and saying that he was now a “man of leisure.” Fergus and Marsali don’t have some things, but they focus on everything they do have. That’s what he hopes Jamie can do.

After almost dying in bed from the infection and Claire bringing him back in a most unconventional but effective way, Jamie tells Claire that she can amputate his leg. It’s just what she needs to hear.

Engineer Brianna is here

After a full season of wondering about it, Engineer Brianna stepped up to the plate. Roger had taken the head of the snake that had bitten Jamie and is just about to throw it into the fire. However, Brianna stops him, realizing that there’s something she can use.

She makes a syringe out of the fang of the snake. It’s just in the nick of time, as Claire and Young Ian are about to amputate Jamie’s leg. The fang works as a syringe and Jamie is able to keep both his life and his leg.

I’ve got to say, though; it’s about time Engineer Brianna showed up. What I am glad for is the conversation during the episode about finding a way to make her skill work for the time. Brianna can’t be an engineer in the past, but Claire encourages her to find a way to do it. Brianna certainly does just that with this invention.

Marsali gives birth

While all this is going on, Marsali goes into labor. She’s in the middle of the wood with Fergus and their children. It’s certainly not the way she planned to give birth, wanting Claire by her side as her “Ma,” but the baby isn’t waiting. And so, Fergus is the one who has to deliver his own baby.

It’s a healthy girl, called Felicite. Those who wondered whether Felicite would be skipped over for Henri-Christian already don’t need to worry. There’s time for Henri-Christian on Outlander Season 6.

We end another episode with some happy moments. Jamie and Claire have a chance to talk, with Claire finding out that her unconventional way to bring Jamie back from the brink of death was something he suspected would happen. He knew if anyone could save him from wanting to die (because fighting to live was harder) it would be Claire. They’ve still got it!

Outlander Season 5 continues on Sundays on STARZ.