Is there anything Outlander Season 2 didn’t have?
From stunning fashions to the most brutal scenes of vengeance, the Starz series ran the gamut of visual elegance and emotional turmoil.
We’re taking time to revisit some of the most memorable moments from the Scottish Highlands and the streets of Paris.
Worry not, if you’re missing the beautiful and sassy romantic pairing of Jamie and Claire, you can sign up for a FREE AMAZON PRIME TRIAL and catch up on Outlander now…
Back to the Future
The premiere of Outlander was a surprise. Even more of one if you read the books, apparently, because it didn’t start at the appropriate place in the future. The season itself was bookended in the future, and I think you either loved it or hated it. I love how it was done.
Frank’s Reaction
Getting to know Frank and what he thought about Claire being back, being pregnant and having a time travel adventure was far more satisfying than I would have expected. Tobias Menzies brought Frank to life with as much vigor as he did Black Jack Randall, and even hinted at the anger that was felt in his family line. It was only one episode, but it was very important for the story.
The Plan(s)
Claire and Jamie were in Paris to stop the Jacobite rising from a different angle, by cutting off the funding. They had a lot of different plans along the way, including a faux-pestilence that would mean the ruin of a lot of good wine (don’t fret, it would still be poured and savored eventually). They inadvertently made a lot of enemies along the way, but going in, they thought they were on top of the world and looked at things humorously.
Louise
Claire made a new friend in Louise de Rohan. She’s fearless, outspoken and with friends in high, and low, places. She knows all the fashion trends and introduces Claire and Mary to things far out of their realm of thinking. I (regretfully) was ready to write her off as a superficial friend, but she proved herself beyond measure.
Fergus
While Claire and Jamie were actively trying to have a child of their own blood, they also stumbled upon the adorable Fergus. He had no family of his own, and even if Jamie sort of brought him home to spite Claire (maybe I’m wrong, but it seemed that way), by the end of the season, they loved him as much as if Claire had given birth to him herself.
L’Hôpital des Anges (And the Little Dog, Too)
Claire needed something to do with her free time in Paris, and discovered a local charity hospital was the perfect outlet. She worked side by side with Mother Hildegarde, not only learning their ways, but sharing hers to cure the sick. She was amazed at what a little dog could do to detect infections, and he even came to her aid when she most needed the help.
The Fashions
The fashions in Paris were nothing like what we had gotten used to in the Scottish Highlands on Outlander Season 1, and when Louise said she would ensure Claire had a dress fit for a queen, she meant not only stunning, but risque. The times were as different as they were visually brilliant.
Only in Versailles
Part of the plan to keep funding from the Jacobites included getting an ear with King Louis XV. Jamie and Murtagh never believed that would lead to a session that included watching the man take a dump. Yes, that was their illustrious first meeting, one in which Jamie essentially saved the day with a lesson on eating your fiber. Um…only in Versailles?
Le Comte St. Germain
Le Comte St. Germain was a jerk. He was the first person Jamie and Claire ran into when they landed in Paris, and Claire was the last person St. Germain saw when he took his last gasp. He appeared to be everywhere and be the ultimate evil. Well, he was a arse, and a pretty awful one, at that, but not the ultimate arse, after all. Probably more bark than bite even though his bite was darn hard. He was a fun evil rather than one who deserved to die by Claire’s hand. And she knew that, which is why Master Raymond took the choice out of hers so she could free Jamie.
Sexy Surprise!!
Speaking of “only in Versailles,” Jamie took a trip under the covers to find out what glorious things Louise was teaching Claire about life in Versailles, and he discovered the dresses weren’t the only risque thing in Paris. Humor, romance, tête–à–tête…what’s not to love?
Black Jack Randall Returns!
Yep, that’s right. The blackhearted one was alive, and he had a brother on the scene, too. It really messed with Claire and the plans. She lost her head (not like someone else, mind), and began putting Frank’s life before the plan, her baby and her present in Scotland. To say it got her in trouble would be an understatement.
The Promise
Claire and Jamie fought a lot during Outlander Season 2, and one of their arguments lead to Claire making a promise to Jamie she would ultimately keep. When she asked him to wait one year to fight and kill Black Jack Randall, in return, Jamie asked that she promise that if anything ever happened to him that she would return through the stones to the only other man who could care for her and his child and well as him.
The Pregnancies
The pregnancies were both beautiful, sorrowful and incredibly moving. The first pregnancy ended in sorrow, and throughout Jamie and Claire were troubled. They had moments when they were totally in sync and then at odds. The second pregnancy was shared for only a moment before Claire was kept to her promise. The fruits of it will be explored in Season 3.
Jamie
There is never enough love for Jamie and Sam Heughan. That look he gets in his eyes when the love for Claire plays through is all we need to be satisfied through their snits and snivels. Go head. Look some more.
Bonnie Prince Charlie
Charles Edward Stewart was leading the charge to get the throne back for his father and was key to stopping the Jacobite rebellion. Jamie nearly had him turned around so many times, but Stewart’s need to prove his manhood seemed to be what propelled him into war. Jamie’s words were the wisest he’d received, otherwise. Why couldn’t Outlander have been alternative history and a different king of happy endng?
Claire’s Loss
I say Claire’s loss here, because the suffering we witnessed and felt was most dear with Claire. Jamie wasn’t there. Claire was in and out of consciousness after giving birth to her baby, and her pain was so raw and palpable it was impossible not to connect to it. The hospital staff let her hold her lost child, and only Louise could draw her back to reality. Of course, we only learned of this later, as Claire recounted the horror of it to Jamie. Master Raymond cured her. We don’t know how. We are only happy he did. Despite the earnest portrayal, Emmy voters did not take notice.
Goodbye Sandringham
Sandringham’s antics started in Season 1, and his activities only grew worse. His partnership with Le Comte St. Germain didn’t win him any favors, and planning the rape of his ward and niece Mary, intended for Claire, was the last straw. Murtagh felt as though he allowed it to happen and promised vengeance. Don’t cross Murtagh.
More Goodbyes
Jamie said goodbye to his uncles Colum and Dougal, but both in very different ways. Colum decided to end his life a little early to spare himself the pain and suffering that was a part of his disease, and Dougal was killed at the hands of Claire and Jamie after he threatened Claire’s life. Dougal did have time to make some sort of amends to his dying/deceased brother before his arc ended, and that was satisfying, at least.
Keeping Her Word
As the Battle of Culloden neared, Jamie realized Claire was pregnant. When she realized it as well, he made her keep her promise of safety, returning through the stones, going home. The scene was changed from the books, making Dragonfly in Amber more significant than a last minute scars they carried through time from the book, but Jamie walking Claire to the stones was beautifully done nonetheless.
Brianna and Roger
The finale cut between the past and 1960s by introducing us to Jamie’s adult daughter, Brianna, as she and Claire went to Scotland for the first time. Again, this was met with a lot of trepidation by viewers, but this one loved it. I even liked Brianna. As the sole “American” represented in a cast of elegant foreigners, she was supposed to be different. There was a lot of beauty to what transpired and the introduction of the future.
Onward to the Past
Claire found peace while in Scotland, visiting Jamie’s mass Culloden grave, sharing her adventures and Brianna’s true roots with her daughter only to discover one of the miraculous survivors of the Battle of Culloden was her husband, James Fraser. As the sun came up, and with her understanding daughter at her side, Claire knew she did not belong in 1960. Her eyes glittered. She had to go back.
