Brianna learns the truth about William Ransom in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 116
While we have known the truth for a long time, we see Bree learn that William is her brother in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 116. We’re also a step closer to seeing Stephen Bonnet gone for good.
The chapter starts off with Bree and Roger looking for the best vantage point to watch Bonnet’s execution. However, it’s clear that Bree has something up her sleeve. This is the foreshadowing in the chapter. Roger knows that she is up to something, but not what it is. We’ll have to wait to see what that is. I’ll get to that in the foreshadowing section of this post.
Most of the chapter is focused on Lord John Grey and William Ransom. Bree immediately realizes that William is somehow related to Jamie. The resemblance is too striking. I think deep down William also realizes something in this moment, although it’s not until An Echo in the Bone that he fully learns the truth. It’s more foreshadowing.
The chapter itself sees Bree finally learn the truth about William. She isn’t going to let John not tell her the truth about him, even if Claire and Jamie clearly don’t want to share that information.
I don’t think we’re going to see much of this chapter in the series. I’ll get to my thoughts on why that is in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 116.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Bree and Roger looking for the best place to watch Bonnet’s execution. This is important for Bree. She wants to see Bonnet gone for good. It has been almost 10 years since Jamie let Bonnet go free, so it’s about time he’s gone.
However, Bree spots Lord John Grey with a man who looks a lot like Jamie. When she goes to see John and is introduced to William Ransom, William asks if they’ve met. There is a sense that she looks familiar but he can’t place it, because who would think they’re looking in a mirror? William looks a lot like Jamie, while Bree looks a lot like Ellen Fraser.
Bree eventually gets the truth out of John. She finds out that William is her half-brother and that John married Isobel to make sure he could raise the boy. Why have Jamie and John not talked about John’s decision to marry just to raise Jamie’s illegitimate boy? It is a question that needs to be asked.
At this point, John also learns that Bree wasn’t raised in France as he assumed. She makes it clear that she was raised in Boston by another man. I’m really surprised that this never came up before considering the two are good friends.
One thing I love is that Bree doesn’t fully understand what William’s true paternity coming out will mean to the boy. After all, Bree is from 20th century America where this sort of heritage means very little. To an Englishman in the 18th century, it means everything. While she would likely know that, she hasn’t had the opportunity to fully comprehend that until now.
I also like that we see Bree has grown a lot in the last 10 years or so. When she learned Frank wasn’t her father, she lashed out. Now that she’s learned she’s not an only child after all, she’s just mostly accepted it and considered what it means. Age and wisdom bring maturity that she would have never had 10 years ago, but it’s important to show in the books.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
There is certainly some foreshadowing in this chapter. The first is when Roger knows that Bree is up to something when it comes to Bonnet’s execution. We don’t know what it is at this point, but she does have a plan. I do think she doesn’t fully know if she’s going to go through with it at this point or not.
In the end, she rows out and shoots Bonnet so he doesn’t die by drowning—his greatest fear. We see a touch of mercy to her, although maybe it is also to make sure he’s dead!
The other element of foreshadowing is William feeling like he knows Bree from somewhere. We know that she has some resemblance to Jamie, so it’s not surprising that William feels like he knows her. He just doesn’t realize that it’s because she looks so much like him. Eventually, he is going to find out, and it’s all due to the striking resemblance to Jamie Fraser.
Adapting A Breath of Snow and Ashes chapter
There’s no need for most of this chapter to be used. For one, Stephen Bonnet is already dead. We don’t need to see the MacKenzies look for a vantage point.
Secondly, Bree already knows about William in the series. I love that the show slightly changed things and had Jamie tell Bree. This shows the trust that Jamie has in his daughter, and it showed how their bond has changed over the years. I did feel disappointed that Bree had to find out about her brother from another person and not from her parents in the book.
I think the only part of this chapter we could get is William and Brianna meeting. There can still be a comment of his resemblance, and William can still feel like he’s met Bree before. However, I suspect a lot of this part of A Breath of Snow and Ashes is going to be skipped over in Outlander Season 7.
What did you spot while reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 116? Let us know in the comments below.
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