Outlander Season 7, Episode 14 Recap: Famous Faces
Spoilers below.
It never gets old seeing Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) attempt to hide a giddy, starstruck reaction to one of the headline names of the American Revolutionary War in Outlander. But Claire is only equipped with a 20th-century understanding of this conflict, meaning some key figures are more familiar than others. The Frasers know who will be the ultimate victors; however, there are no guarantees who in their immediate circle will live to see an independent United States. There is an emphasis in “Ye Diana Get Used to It” that Claire doesn’t have encyclopedic knowledge, so there is still plenty left to chance—or fate.
A flashback to London in 1775 gives insight into Lord John’s (David Berry) relationship with his older brother, Lord Harold “Hal” Grey (Sam Hoare), the Duke of Pardloe. Lord John is more optimistic about peace and the Continental Army reconciling with “Mother England.” They are aligned on never accepting “the notion of American independency.” Lord John breaks his vow three years later, swearing allegiance to the enemy. But in Lord John’s defense, this oath is to avoid the noose.
Lord John’s Philadelphia home has also become the venue for a dinner with George Washington (Gary Fannin) and a small group of influential military men. Jamie gets an automatic invite in his new rank as general, as does Claire as his impressive wife. With little time to prep for the feast, Claire heads to the market, where she (literally) bumps into one of the guests. The young man introduces himself as Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (Charles Crehange), and Claire immediately knows this is the Lafayette. The Frenchman apologizes and promises to bring her some cheese from his stash to make up for his clumsiness.
At the dinner, Lafayette also ensures Claire gets a taste of another French delicacy: eels. Claire politely pretends to enjoy this dish but undoubtedly craves the cheese instead. Dinner conversation bounces between General Charles Lee’s (Chris Porter) attempts to flex his prowess and talk of military tactics. Claire also meets a French officer, Percy Beauchamp (Michael Lindall), who shares her maiden name. Beauchamp is overly keen to note they can’t be relatives, which seems like an overreaction to Claire’s polite joke but this interaction makes more sense later in the episode.
Michael Lindall as Percy Beauchamp.
Washington has excellent dinner etiquette, gifting the Frasers a Betsy Ross flag as a “keepsake.” Claire casually brings up the six-pointed star design that she’s heard about, and Washington explains that Betsy thought a five-pointed star would be easier to sew. With the battle so close, the mood turns to how a flag stands for something, and together, they toast for victory.
By the time Jamie makes it to bed, Claire appears incredibly content, sitting by the fire eating cheese. Jamie is drained by a post-dinner meeting with General Lee, in which Lee aired grievances about Washington getting the commander-in-chief role despite having less military experience. Claire mentions that she has never heard of Lee (if only Claire had the chance to see Hamilton), so he can’t be that special. Of course, Claire knows of Lafayette’s history-making contribution, telling Jamie of the decisive final battle in Yorktown. Jamie doesn’t seem too bothered by this historical spoiler because he is preoccupied with the responsibility he is undertaking. In the past, Jamie has led no more than 50 men;, the concept of having “300 souls in my hands” is something he doesn’t take lightly.
On the other side of the fight is William (Charles Vandervaart), whose woes continue when his commanding officer critiques his sloppy dress. When William begins to undress in his tent, he is interrupted by Jane (Silvia Presente) and her little sister Fanny (Florrie May Wilkinson). “Fortune favors the bold,” Jane says to him in Latin. The sisters have fled the brothel in Philadelphia and need William’s protection. Jane explains that Captain Harkness—the officer who William outbid—has returned. Rather than endure his sadistic sexual punishment, Jane grabbed her little sister and immediately set out to find William. Jane is adamant that pre-teen Fanny should follow a different path from hers.
Charles Vandervaart as William Ransom, Florrie May Wilkinson as Fanny Pocock, and Silvia Presente as Arabella/ Jane.
Meanwhile, Brianna (Sophie Skelton) tries to get the upper hand against Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton) and his accomplices, but her plans hit an early snag as the locksmith has left a note at Lallybroch to reschedule. Seeing the light on upstairs is unnerving, indicating that whoever is after the Jacobite gold is inside. Later, Bree returns, hiding in the bushes with a shotgun to stake out the kidnappers. As she is about to give up, Ernie (Ciaron Kelly) and Fiona Buchan (Iona Claire) arrive in their van with the kids, and Bree fires at the masked men to aid their getaway. Like Bree, I can’t understand why they would return to Lallybroch, but it isn’t for a forgotten toothbrush or teddy bear. Instead, Rob was waiting at the Buchan home. Bree must think fast as she runs out of places to keep her two children safe.
William’s privilege is a recurring obstacle in his quest to help Jane. Suggesting she become his laundress is a solid plan to keep her near without drawing attention. However, Jane doesn’t have the necessary equipment and has zero experience with using physical currency. Jane only knows the monetary value of her body. Even though she has worked at the brothel since she was 10 (a truly horrifying part of her work history), she doesn’t get a weekly paycheck. Jane is not ashamed of her past, but William insists she is not going to partake in this profession. “You are not a whore. You’re certainly not my whore,” he emphasizes later. It’s giving “white knight” over listening to Jane’s voice or agency.
Communication is an area in which William and Jane continue to struggle. That night, Jane stops by William’s tent to say thank you, immediately climbing on top of him. Unlike their previous encounter, it doesn’t go further after William has said no. They do kiss, but that is it. “How do you know what I want?” Jane asks.
Everyone is learning about their current surroundings, and Jamie is keen to give his men all the tools they need to achieve victory. Jamie proves his value as a commanding officer because he doesn’t see his men as numbers or canon fodder. Together, the Frasers are a formidable team (even without the benefit of knowing how this war plays out), as Claire is aiding her husband by ensuring the men are healthy so that the ones with consumption don’t end up on the battlefield. Claire is shocked to see a man in an eyepatch, who she immediately recognizes as Lord John.
Claire (Caitríona Balfe) treats Lord John’s (David Berry) eye.
Rather than keep up his Continental act, Lord John surrenders to Jamie and is taken in irons back to his home in Philadelphia. He is horrified to see the Frasers have hung the flag gift from Washington on the wall. Claire diagnoses that his eyeball cannot move because he fractured his orbit, and one of the muscles is “trapped in the crack.” Thankfully, we don’t see Claire fixing this issue because the description of having to grasp his eyeball and twist it free is more than enough. Claire has honey on hand to soothe the injury, but we all need something more substantial.
Ian (John Bell) is thinking about the forthcoming battle and talking out loud to his dead dad. When Rachel (Izzy Meikle-Small) interrupts, Ian believes it is a good sign that he will survive. The newlyweds quickly settle into intimacy in and out of the bedroom. Ian explains what the Mohawk war paint means, including the white dove over his heart, which signifies Rachel, whom he will carry into battle.
Izzy Meikle-Small as Rachel Hunter and John Bell as Young Ian.
In 1980, Bree isn’t going to war, but she does have an enemy. Ernie thinks Bree should go to Roger (Richard Rankin) in Boston for safety, and while he isn’t this century or country, Bree agrees. She can’t go to the cops or contact Roger, so going to him is perhaps her best play. However, Bree doesn’t know he has traveled to 1739, and who is to say there aren’t dangers awaiting?
Jane and Fanny faced plenty of dangers themselves. After convincing Jane not to leave, William wants to know if she left out any details about her escape. Outlander has never shied away from the horrifying realities of the era, but I am glad flashback visuals do not accompany this particular anecdote. Jane explains that Captain Harkness returned for her, but the brothel madam Marge had been saving Fanny’s “maidenhead” to sell for £10. Harkness said he would pay £20 for Fanny’s virginity, and Jane convinced Marge to send her up to the room to calm her sister. Before Harkness could do anything, Jane stabbed him, and the sisters fled. “Will you give me over to a magistrate?” she asks William, who replies that he won’t. Jane has nothing to give him, but William is not interested in any form of payment—or becoming a snitch.
William has other military business to attend to as Captain Richardson (Ben Lambert) needs him to deliver a vital correspondence to Oberst Von Schnell (Martin Oelbermann), a Hessian currently encamped at Spotswood near Monmouth. While William is eager, warning bells go off in my head that something is afoot, as Richardson is the spy who asked Claire to spill dirt on Lord John and his brother. Luckily, Lord John learns of this plot against William from the French Beauchamp that Claire sat next to at dinner. His cagey reaction to Claire’s earlier “maybe we’re related” joke is that Beauchamp is actually an Englishman called Percival “Percy” Wainwright who needs a private word with Lord John. Wainwright owes Lord John a favor because he helped him fake his death years ago. Lord John says Percy was his step-brother, but the one-on-one conversation reveals they are also ex-lovers.
Ben Lambert as Captain Richardson.
Wainwright describes how Richardson plans to use William to discredit the Grey family, particularly Lord John’s brother, for his inflammatory speeches about reconciliation. The coded message William is to deliver is instruction for William’s own kidnapping. Cooperation in the current conflict from the Greys is the price for William’s life, and he is a political pawn thanks to his name—the irony of his current identity crisis is not lost on me.
Claire reveals that she knew Richardson was a spy but had promised not to say anything as they are on the same side. Time is of the essence, and Jamie is needed in battle, so he cannot ditch his 300 men to save William. Lord John points out he has 299 men and one prisoner, so Lord John is sent to find William before it is too late. “Go save our son,” says Jamie. Suddenly, it is very My Two Dads. Unfortunately, William has already reached the Hessian camp and has agreed to stay for supper. Little does he know who is about to be cooked.