Outlander finale recap: Is Claire arrested for murder?
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Fraser's Ridge may look like a peaceful place to live on a surface level, but there comes a time when the wheat separates from the chaff, and you're left with a bunch of angry people shaking flaming pitchforks in your direction. So how did we get here?
It's those pesky fisherfolk. Trust me when I say they are the true villains of Outlander season 6.
Huddled behind the armed Committee of Safety men who have surrounded Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire's (Caitriona Balfe) home, they cry for the witch to be arrested. Thanks to an arsenal of weapons at their disposal, the Frasers have held their own. Among the frayed bits of fractured wood, broken glass, and dozens of smoking rifles sit a very tired and strangely calm married couple who wonder if the angry mob outside will burn the house down.
The good news is that both Lizzie (Caitlin O'Ryan) and Mrs. Bug (Sarah Collier) escaped before the siege. The bad news is that that was hours ago. When Hiram Crombie (Antony Byrne) requests an audience with Jamie, Jamie concedes. Perhaps he can reason with the unreasonable people who want to stone his wife?
Richard Brown (Chris Larkin) has the audacity to suggest that Jamie shouldn't refuse to hand her over if Claire is innocent. Allan Christie (Alexander Vlahos) reminds the crowd that Jamie slept with someone who wasn't his wife, and she ended up dead with her baby outside of her womb. Jamie should be arrested, too.
When I think things are getting way out of hand, a handful of Scots show up to defend Jamie. But it's no match for the annoying Committee of Safety brigade. Jamie tells Claire that they must go together. Suddenly, Tom Christie (Mark Lewis Jones) emerges from the shadows and vows that he will travel with the pair. Indeed, if anyone is entitled to justice, it's him.
Tom's expression is one of sadness and pain. He grants Jamie and Claire one last night in their home together before they leave in the morning. Claire is scared out of her mind, but thankful she will not be separated from her husband. Jamie is determined never to let her go. They seal the deal by making passionate love.
Although Bri (Sophie Skelton) and Roger (Richard Rankin) have no idea what's going on at the Ridge, they too have a night of passionate lovemaking in a tent on their way to Edenton. They discuss the timing of telling Jemmy the truth about his history. Bri has a lot of experience in this area and doesn't want to lie to her son his entire life. They decide to explain to Jemmy that he's a time traveler when he's old enough to understand how to keep a secret.
A wooden car Roger whittled leads to a racy interlude. Many race car metaphors led up to the tryst, but my mind couldn't get past the fact that these jokers have full-sized pillows in their tent. I salute this commitment to comfort and applaud Bri for packing them.
The next day, Bri notices that Jemmy has lice. I blame the fisherfolk. Bri insists they cut Jemmy's hair off, and they notice a mark on Jemmy's skull. Roger immediately identifies it as a "nevus," which is harmless. He was born with one. They are hereditary.
The phrase "like father, like son" hits Roger like a ton of bricks. Jemmy is his boy! The proof is in the nevus. Oh, happy day!
Meanwhile, Claire and Jamie are carted from town to town in the back of a covered wagon. Once in Salisbury, Richard Brown's plans are thwarted, thanks to the local sheriff quitting. Ergo, there is no court to hold a "fair" trial for Claire. They must move on to Wilmington.
This news does not sit well with the safety boys. They didn't sign up for this. Brown is slowly losing control of his men, and Jamie notices. Just as Claire wonders why Tom is posing as a friend versus a foe, we hear Brown remind the townsfolk that Claire is a murderer. He wants rumors to spread about her character.
The people begin to throw objects and stones at the wagon in an instant. Claire straight up punches a guy who tries to wiggle his way in, only to be slammed to the ground by Jamie's muscular body, shielding her from debris. Brown realizes things have escalated beyond his control, and he commands his team to get moving.
It's a long journey to Wilmington. The committee loosens their grip when their party arrives at a "meat camp." Think Brad Pitt in Fight Club, but in a dense forest. One of the guys escorts Jamie into a nearby tree line to relieve himself, and that's when a man peers through the foliage, nearly scaring his uncle to death. Young Ian to the rescue!
My boy is ready to roll. And he's not alone. Say the word, and Ian will let it fly.
Jamie warns his nephew that if he and Claire run right now, it would be an admission of guilt. They've come this far. They might as well continue to Wilmington. But he asks Ian to stay close, just in case.
Naturally, this is when Brown decides to separate our time-traveling soulmates. It wouldn't be a season finale if Claire and Jamie were together at the end, right? About twelve men, because it would take a dozen, grab Jamie when he leaves the wagon to get a drink of water. The others haul Claire off in the wagon. Tom looks panicked and decides to stay with Claire. He later tells her that Jamie will not be harmed. They are simply taking him back home.
Right.
As the wagon stumbles through Wilmington, Claire notices that the town is clearly in distress. Signs of the pending war are everywhere. Yet, there are two things she can cling to as Brown leads her into a disgusting jail cell. First, maybe the news of her trial will reach Roger and Bri. And two, Tom Christie seems to be her only hope. He presses a bag of money into her hand and promises that he will not leave town.
Does that mean until she's rescued? Or until she hangs on the gallows?
I'm going with rescued, because of course Young Ian once again saves the day. We find Jamie tied to a pole by the sea. Instead of killing Jamie, the committee has decided to send him back to Scotland, which is super odd. Do they think that will keep him from ever seeing Claire again? Please.
Out of the blue, the men standing around Jamie are struck down, one by one. Arrows find their marks deep in chests. Young Ian did not rally the Scottish troops loyal to Mac Dubh. He rallied the Cherokee.
Jamie is reluctant for his new band of brothers to take out the last man standing. He may know where Claire is located. Young Ian looks squarely in Jamie's face and confirms, "So do we, Uncle."
The man's hand raises in protest, and the viewing audience is treated to a bullet through the palm that lands directly in the man's eye socket, courtesy of Chief Bird (Glen Gould).
To the pending Revolution. And to the pending emancipation of Claire Fraser.
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