You may ask, then why did we go through all of that angst last week? Also, for book enthusiasts, the MacKenzies don’t travel to the future in The Fiery Cross, Diana Gabaldon’s fifth book in the Outlander series. Both Roger and Bree were thinking about ‘home’ as they stepped through the stones, which means, they ended up precisely where they wanted to be–home! I did like that this was a lovely way to fasten these characters to the 1770s. Home is where the heart is, and for Roger and Bree, it means being with Claire and Jamie.
Eighteenth-century Carolina is Roger and Bree’s time (and home).
Since Young Ian was at the stones, the MacKenzies join him in the wagon for the return trip to Frasers Ridge.
Oh, I thought there was a timing gaff. The trip took two weeks in Journeycake but seemed to take only a day to return to Frasers Ridge, but I won’t quibble.
Roger does arrive in time to join Jamie’s band of men.
Saving Claire
Jamie finds the Brown camp much sooner than I expected–and I was pleased. No way did I want to spend an entire episode searching for Claire (and having her further brutalized on the screen).
There was an interesting choice by the camera team (likely the director). The battle at the camp is filmed from Claire’s perspective. She lies on the ground, gagged and tied, and peers at her rescuers, the camera angle a tilted scene that was effective. The world is askew to Claire, and even being saved is not something she can focus on.
In this sequence, Roger kills a man. He hesitates, but he had sworn to avenge Claire, and he is in the battle to do what is necessary.
After Claire is found, some of Mr. Brown’s men are still alive (including Mr. Brown). Ian and Fergus ask Jamie, who is holding the beaten Claire in his arms, ask Claire if she wants to kill them. Jamie answers on her behalf and explains she can’t or won’t because she’s taken an oath (to save lives, not take them). But he will do the killing for her. Ian and Fergus also pledge to kill for Claire.
Then they line the men up, on their knees, and dispatch them. Of course, one of them lives. That would be Mr. Brown himself, but he is severely injured.
Later, Claire says she thought she saw Roger. Jamie tells her they are back. She is broken and beaten and barely reacts.
Marsali’s Big Scene and the End of Mr. Brown
There are some time lapses, but Mr. Brown is in Claire’s infirmary. She and Marsali are treating him. This is extremely difficult for Claire, and Mr. Brown doesn’t make it any easier. He keeps running his filthy mouth, degrading women, and saying all the worst possible things, making clear (in my mind) that he deserves to be dead.
But Claire can’t do it. She is pledged to do no harm. Brown’s scathing tongue is too much for her, and she leaves Marsali to administer the shot of penicillin. And here is where I fell deeper in love with Marsali. She doesn’t put penicillin in the needle. Nope. Some poison. She then administers the fatal injection, a shot in the neck, to Mr. Brown, and I cheered. I stood and cheered!