Outlander: “By the Pricking of My Thumbs” — April 11, 2015
Returning to 1945 and her husband Frank Randall isn’t the priority it once was for Claire whose unintentional time travel landed her into the arms of 18th century heartthrob Jamie Fraser. Jamie’s hobbies include being handsome, repeatedly getting injured so that he has to take off his shirt, battling the sadistic redcoat Captain Black Jack Randall and working to have his name cleared of trumped-up murder charges so he can come out of hiding and assume his position as laird of his family estate, Lallybroch. Jamie and Claire’s sudden marriage dashed the hopes of Laoghaire MacKenzie, who believes that she would have Jamie were it not for Claire. The petulant pest hopes hocus-pocus will turn Jamie against his new wife. Oh Honey, there’s not enough magic in the world. On the other hand, Claire’s mysterious friend Geillis Duncan knows how to take out her own competition.
Let’s go!
Remember how you spent the entire week thinking about the final ten minutes of the last episode and all that straddling and thrusting that was going on? Maybe you thought, “Wow, I can’t wait until Outlander shows another fantasy-fuel scene like that!” The wait wasn’t long. This episode opened with more of the same. For the sake of propriety let’s just say that Jamie is fluent in Latin and Claire is one lucky lady. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it looks like Jamie read a few Esquire articles on the topic because he really knows what he’s doing. They are interrupted by some persistent knocking at the door, but Jamie pretty much ignores it because Jamie is back to being perfect.
Jamie finally opens the door to Murtagh, who reports that the Duke of Sandringham is visiting Colum MacKenzie, Castle Leoch’s laird. This is good news because the Duke, who has a crush on Jamie, can wield his influence to lift the bounty on Jamie’s head. While the court won’t take much interest in a Scotsman’s complaint against an officer, Captain Black Jack Randall’s repeated assaults on a highborn Englishwoman would lead to his downfall and make it easier to have the case against Jamie dismissed. Claire knows that the Duke is not to be trusted, but she signs a document and also pays the Duke a visit without her husband’s knowledge. It goes like this:
Claire: My 20th century husband, Frank, was a history buff and told me that you’re shady because you take Dougal’s gold to supposedly fund a Jacobite army, but you’re also Black Jack’s ally.
Duke: Am not.
Claire: Are too, don’t make me tattle on you.
Duke: Well, I guess there’s no harm in hearing Jamie out.
When Jamie meets with the Duke, the nobleman agrees to consider Fraser’s complaint in exchange for Jamie being his second in a gun duel. It’s one of those weird duels where it’s understood that nobody will get hurt and it’s just a face-saving measure to prove courage. It’s a perplexing male ritual, don’t get involved.
Claire also has business with Laoghaire. It’s come to my attention that she’s known as Leg Hair in the fandom, she totally deserves unflattering nicknames. It goes like this:
Claire: Jamie told me that you tried to use a hex to get rid of me. It’s totally understandable that you’re jealous because my husband is a hottie who has no interest in you.
Laoghaire: You stole him from me and I bet he has to be drunk to get it on with an elegant, educated, talented and gorgeous sex goddess when he could be with a dull, bratty and charmless girl like me.
Claire: I know I just slapped your face. Sorry, not sorry.
Later on Claire finds her crafty friend Geillis Duncan performing a pagan ceremony that looks a bit like the one Claire and Frank spied on right before Claire was pulled out of 1945. Geillis twirls around with a torch and basically look like she’s having ecstatic sex with the earth, wind and fire. (Sorry!) Geillis tells Claire she can stop obviously lurking and shows off her baby bump. Geillis has been keeping her pregnancy a secret — even from her flatulent husband, Arthur. The baby was sired by Dougal MacKenzie! Who knew? According to Geillis, Dougal is married to Maura, a homely woman who lives far away. As usual Geillis slyly subtexts that she and Dougal will be free to marry soon. Obviously Geillis’ subtext and superstition won’t work. What a silly idea.
Oh, wow, Dougal’s wife just died and he is having a meltdown. Colum, who I’ve come to detest, just stands by looking bored as his brother wails and charges around waving his sword so much that everyone is afraid to go near him. Claire’s nursing skills come into play and she surreptitiously slips an herbal remedy in his drink so he’ll pass out. Despite his grief, Dougal attends a feast honoring the Duke. The Duncans are there and Geillis’ husband stumbles about, falls to the ground and foams at the mouth. Claire rushes to help, but it’s too late. A whiff of bitter almonds indicates that Arthur died from cyanide poisoning. Geillis eventually remembers she should look sad about ridding herself of a grotesque and gassy husband, so she makes an unconvincing show of crying out in anguish. As Dougal stares at her, Colum stares at his brother and puts two and two together.
On the day of the duel, Jamie serves as second to the Duke during combat with a member of the MacDonald clan. The MacDonalds have to pretend that the Duke’s life is in jeopardy because he weasles on a bet. Given the political climate, could Scots get away with killing an English aristocrat? Too bad Frank Randall isn’t around to answer that. Everything goes off without a hitch but then Jamie unnecessarily engages in some post-duel trash talk with the MacDonalds who are MacKenzie enemies. Swords are drawn, the sissyish Duke skips away and Jamie assumes he’ll uphold his part of the bargain. This wouldn’t be an episode of Outlander if Jamie didn’t sustain some sort of injury that Claire has to patch up. This time she’s so annoyed by his shenanigans that his attempts to shirtlessly handsome all over his wife fall flat.
Jamie is summoned by his Uncle Colum who has the nerve to berate Dougal. This is stunning because we’re so used to seeing Dougal Alpha-male all over the place, but the war chief just listens with his tail between his legs as Colum orders that after going home to bury Maura, Dougal should stay away and is banished. Oh, please! Colum knows good and well that he’s ineffectual and needs his brother to keep everyone in line. Even the Duke could take Colum down in a brawl. Colum also forbids Dougal to have anything to do with Geillis or the child she’s carrying. Obviously he’s still not over that time Dougal mentioned that he’s the one who has to do all the heavy lifting and sired Colum’s son, Hammish. The laird seems to think that this cavorting with Geillis is improper, yet doing things like imprisoning Claire and overseeing barbaric beatings are A-okay. The year 1743 is an asshole. Colum’s also angry with Jamie for an unsanctioned fight with the MacDonalds and orders him to accompany Dougal — without Claire. Colum wants her to stay behind so Jamie will remain focused on his assignment and not Latin all over the place.
Of course, Jamie gives Claire a warning on how to keep safe. With Arthur dead, there’s no one to protect Geillis from her reputation as a witch who subtexts all over the place and Dougal won’t be around to spare her from Colum’s, wrath so Claire should steer clear of her. Of course, Claire never learns her lesson and forgets all about what Jamie said when she gets a note summoning her to the merry widow’s home. Of course, Geillis isn’t the one who wrote the note. Of course, when the authorities come to arrest Geillis, they take Claire, too. Of course, the whole thing was set in motion by Leg Hair.
Please note that comments don’t appear immediately. If you’ve read the books, please don’t share any spoilers for those of us who have only watched the TV show. Thanks!!!
