[This is not a spoiler-free review of the episode. If you have not seen the episode yet, read it at your own spoiler risk.]
“War is inevitable, and death is too.”
Episode 715: “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood”
Written by Danielle Berrow, Directed by Joss Agnew
The episode begins with a montage of death and war from the past seasons and episodes of Outlander with a narration by Claire (Caitriona Balfe). If you did not think this episode would be particularly poignant, this montage and words from Claire clues the audience into what this episode may be about.
The opening title card caused a little yelp of glee as we see the backs of Frank and young Brianna in a museum gazing at a painting of the Revolutionary War with Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire surreptitiously appearing in the art. We are back to questioning what Frank knew…Diana Gabaldon, we need that book!
It is the morning of the Battle of Monmouth in 1778, and Claire and Jamie are still in their tent. Jamie and Claire lovingly talk to each other; Jamie speaks of seeing his mother’s body and his newborn brother in a casket and his father grief-stricken. His mother died at 38 with no grey hair, and he contrasts that with Claire’s half-grey hair, grateful for the years they have had together. When they part later that morning, the “I love you” between them seems more important, even though Jamie says he will not die today.
There are flashbacks in this episode that I believe are from the night before based on Jamie and Claire’s dress. Claire speaks of a feeling of emptiness and feeling different. This discussion is perhaps shown as a foreshadowing of what is coming—it is possible that Claire knew something bad would transpire the next day.
Claire stays behind at a church not far away from the upcoming battle, where the wounded will come. Claire has to fight for her place in the surgery area with Dr. Leckie (Ben Cura), who does not believe Claire is a surgeon or a doctor because where would she have trained? Fair point, Dr. Leckie. Even Denzell (Joey Phillips) pleads her case. Claire gives up and places herself in the triage area outside. It is only after Dr. Leckie sees her reinflate a collapsed lung on a patient that he allows her to stay involved.
Roger (Richard Rankin) and Buck (Diarmaid Murtagh) are still in the most past of all the characters. Buck thinks about how time-traveling may be passed down from person to person in his family. Unfortunately, Roger had to open his big mouth and say that Buck’s father is not a time traveler, but his mother is, which leads Roger to tell him who his parents are. When Roger denies him the opportunity to return to Cranesmuir to revisit Geillis, Buck is right to bring up Roger’s hypocrisy, considering he rescued his own father. Buck is smarter than Roger thinks he is.
When they return to Lallybroch, he leaves a message for Bree in the secret drawer in the Fraser desk. Bree finds it in the future. Not quite sure how that works…is it like the mailbox in The Lake House? Bree is determined to find Roger and takes the kids with her to the Stones. Unfortunately, Mandy (Rosa Morris) runs at the Stones before Brianna and Jemmy (Blake Johnston Miller). Ah, kids.
Lord John (David Berry) and Ian (John Bell) are out to rescue William (Charles Vandervaart) from the Hessians who are holding him captive for Captain Richardson. After some respectful bartering, the situation devolves into killing and maiming, but William is rescued. Ian initially lets the head Hessian go, but later on in the forest, he returns to complete the task. Earlier in the episode, Rachel (Izzy Meilke-Small) agonizingly wonders if Ian will fail to defend himself because of her viewpoints on murder and war. Let’s just say it should really be Ian wondering if he can live up to Rachel’s standards and not the other way around. Ian is not a Quaker, and it looks like he will never be one.
When William and Lord John arrive back at the British camp, they have a small heart-to-heart about William’s parentage, with Lord John assuring him that Jamie is a man of worth and that William is so much like him. William is no doubt still processing who his true father is, and I am sure that will not be wrapped up and settled by the end of the season.
Back at the camp, an upset Fanny (Florrie May Wilkinson) finds William. Through her tears, she tells William that Jane was arrested for the murder of Captain Harkness and taken away.
Claire is determined to stay with her patients as the Redcoats start approaching the Church. Denzell and Rachel leave. Dr. Leckie stays in the church. Claire spots an injured Lieutenant Bixby (Hyoie O’Grady) coming toward her, and he informs her that the Redcoats are retreating, not winning. As the Rebels return to the Church, including Jamie, there are all manner of badmouthing from both sides. It gets heated, and they start firing at each other from both sides. Claire is caught in the crossfire, is shot in the abdomen, and collapses. Jamie realizes what has happened, and the amount of blood means it is not good. Claire is moved to the church for Dr. Leckie to help, but he is not of any help considering the limited skills of doctors at this time. Denzell and Rachel are sent to help. Denzell helped Claire with such an injury a few episodes ago, and here’s hoping he has muscle memory.
In the chaos of Claire being shot, for some reason, General Lee is adamant that Jamie come to him. With his wife shot, he writes his resignation on the soldier’s back in Claire’s blood. This act could mean he is tried for desertion, or worse, by the army. Here’s hoping Washington loves his wife as much as Jamie does. The episode ends with Claire going under for surgery.
When there is a significant book plot point or heavy upheaval in the Fraser family, the episodes that include them are the best of the season or series. “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood” is up there with episode 702, “The Happiest Place on Earth,” as the best of the season, save for maybe the finale airing in a couple of weeks. This episode keeps up the tension and foreshadowing and climaxes at the point Claire is shot, and then it all dwindles into chaos rightly. Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan displayed gut-wrenching (no pun intended) emotions and despair as Sam’s Jamie realized that he was not the one in danger, but Claire, and he might lose her due to his involvement in this war.
The writing and directing of this episode allowed for beats to be taken when necessary for emotions to grow and be noted. It is evident in Ian’s contemplation of killing the Hessian and allowing space for Jamie to devolve into grief and anger with Claire. This episode did not suffer like others when too much content is stuffed into one. It felt better timed and did not include any superfluous conversations.
A lot is happening this season, and the characters are more often than not in imminent danger or assumed to be dead. While I love a good fake-out, it’s like Diana Gabaldon wrote these books with an evil cackle, typing out such chaos and throwing away any caution with her beloved characters. These crisis moments, like Claire being shot, infuse the story with some much-needed heightened anxiety because we know this is not the end, but it still makes us worry for these characters, especially Claire, right now.
IN TWO WEEKS ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 17TH, AT 8 PM ET: EPISODE 716: “A HUNDRED THOUSAND ANGELS”
Synopsis: “Denzell must perform a dangerous operation with the skills he’s learned from Claire. William asks for help from an unexpected source in his mission to save Jane.”
