Roger met his dad in Outlander season 7, episode 13. It was a huge episode for the character that ended in a bittersweet way. Here’s a look back with Roger’s best moments.
Since getting to 1739, Roger has slowly realized that it’s not Rob Cameron that he’s looking for. He’s there to find Jerry MacKenzie, his father, and now he’s coming to realize that maybe Jemmy isn’t in the past at all.
Realizing his dad is in the past brought some answers about what happened to him during World War II. It didn’t bring full closure, though, and that’s important in the topic of time travel.
Figuring out where the stones are
Outlander season 7, episode 13 did bring a change to the book storyline when it came to ley lines and the stone circles. It’s not in a bad way, though. The change works for the show to explain its own time travel within the constraints of the time it has. It’s funny how the topic of time travel doesn’t have enough time to get deeply into it!
Anyway, Roger realizes that they are close to the place where Pitlochry will end up sitting. That means they’re close to where the dam will be built, and he remembers the ley lines. It’s a sign that there used to be a stone circle, so Roger and Buck head in that direction to find it.
I love that Roger is able to think so calmly in a stressful situation. He is far more intrigued by time travel than Claire and Brianna ever have been, and it showed with the book he was writing. Now he has more information to put in that book if he wants.
Explaining the legend of his father
Roger and Buck talk about Jerry MacKenzie. The two men have a lot in common when it comes to parents. They were both raised by people who weren’t their biological parents, a common theme throughout Outlander when you start to really look at the series. Buck immediately understands Roger’s talk of how Jerry was a myth and a legend to him.
I love that we get to see this within Roger. He has grown up as the adopted son of Reverend Wakefield, and he took that name for most of his life. It’s only been in recent years that he’s reverted back to MacKenzie. Of course, he would be interested to learn more and more about his past, and finding out that his dad is in the past has brought that up more.
I did also love the look when Buck mentions that he has never met his own parents. Buck has, but he doesn’t know it. Full respect to Roger for not bringing anything up. I would have liked to hear his voiceover in this moment, though.
Saying goodbye to his dad
Roger and Buck find Jerry in the woods, and they’re able to explain to him about time travel and about getting back to his own time. They find out what he was doing, and the classified mission that had him go MIA in the first place. Jerry has no idea what this means to Roger, and it’s a beautiful moment.
The best part for me was the ending, though. Roger has these tears in his eyes as he whispers “I love you.” It sent shivers down my spine as he said words he has only thought up to this point. Sure, his dad is just a myth, but that didn’t stop Roger wanting to know his dad. And it looks like he is a good man.
Now if only we could know what happened to Jerry after he went through the stones. There’s a short story that tells us in the book universe, but I do wish the show would have shown us what Jerry did next to save Roger’s life—it shows us how time travel becomes a loop, even though Diana Gabaldon says it’s not a loop.
Outlander airs on Fridays on STARZ.
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