BWW Recap: 'By the Pricking of My Thumbs,' Something Witchy This Way Comes on OUTLANDER
By: Kara McCoy Apr. 11, 2015
A lot went down on tonight's episode of OUTLANDER. And I mean a lot. So much, in fact, that it felt like the type of episode that would pave the way for one heck of a season finale. But guess what, folks? We still have six episodes to go! So if this is Ronald D. Moore's idea of a typical filler episode, well then my goodness, color me impressed.
The Duke of Sandringham is in town, which means two things. One, we finally get to meet the guy after hearing his name get tossed around about a million times. Two, Jamie can finally try to get the price lifted of his head. Just to backtrack: Jamie was accused of killing a sergeant the day he escaped from Fort William some time back. Anywho! Jamie seems pretty convinced that the Duke can be his ticket to a pardon, but Claire's not so sure. Don't ask how she knows, she tells him, but she's pretty darn sure the Duke is tight with Black Jack Randall. Welp, worth a try anyway, Jamie decides, hoping after all of this to bring is wife back home to Lallybroch--and just as a side note, every time Jamie says "Lallybroch," I'm so sure he's going to say "lollipop," I'm actually genuinely disappointed when he doesn't. Ned Gowan, ever the beacon of avuncular positivity, advises Jamie to draft a document accusing Randall of crimes against the Scots to present to the Duke, with any luck getting Black Jack court martialed. Seems as good a plan as any!
Meanwhile, Laoghaire is rapidly spiraling down the lovelorn rabbit hole, throwing some serious shade Claire's way. Of course she's the one who out the plant under Jamie and Claire's bed. Jamie is hers, after all, and only married Claire because he had to. Eesh. You kinda can't blame Claire for slapping her. Oh, and speaking of that weird plant, turns out Laoghaire got it from Geillis Duncan. Interesting. So off Claire goes to have some words with her ginger BFF. She finds her in the woods, engaged in some, er, ritual. Reminiscent of that scene Claire and Frank witnessed at Craigh na Dun in the pilot, you may recall. And wait, hold up, Geillis is pregnant? And Dougal's the baby daddy? There's a bit of a plot twist for you. And I have to say, I really enjoy the scenes with Geillis. She's, like, a little weird, y'know? Not in your face weird; there's just something off about her. But she's still fun, in her own way, like a little splash of color. She's sneaky too, and a total witch, apparently (I mean that literally, not as a euphemism). First Dougal's wife randomly drops dead-just when we all found out he even had a wife; what shame-then Geillis' husband chokes to death, in front of everyone. Dougal's seems pretty upset about his wife, but when Arthur Duncan croaks, he and Geillis practically high-five each other across the room. C'mon, kids. Y'all couldn't be more obvious if you tried.
Finally, we get introduced to the Duke of Sandringham, and he's possibly everything you wanted him to be and more. A total fop with a blatant crush on Jamie--although who can blame him, am I right? Claire meets up with him first, and she's all calm, cool, collected sass. So exactly how much Jacobite gold has Dougal given you, she asks, and the Duke's like, um, excuse me, I don't know what you're talking about. Check yourself, before you wreck yourself, Mrs. Fraser, but he ultimately agrees to help Jamie. Well, to an extent. Turns out the Duke's been challenged to a duel, because when you wear a wig like that all the time, that sort of thing's just inevitable, isn't it? He wants Jamie to be his second, and suddenly its Mackenzies vs Macdonalds. The duel itself ends up being pretty underwhelming: the Duke apologizes for wronging the Macdonald clan, and they're pretty cool with it. Then the trash-talking starts, and then before you know it, there's an all out brawl, ending with Jamie wounded on the ground while the Duke just skedaddles (never has a verb been more perfect).
Claire stitches her hubby up, something she can probably do with her eyes closed at this point, and not two seconds after securing the last stitch, Colum demands to see him. And surprise surprise, he's not happy. But is he ever? He's angry at Dougal, again--this time about the whole Geillis/baby drama. He's decided to exile Dougal, and wants Jamie to go with him, y'know, just to keep an eye on him. So, Jamie begrudgingly bids his wife a temporary farewell, and Claire's pretty sad too, but she gets a decent distraction out of nowhere in a note from Geillis. Help me, Claire, you're my only hope. When Claire arrives at her abode, however, Geillis has no idea what she's talking about. Claire seizes the opportunity to warn her friend anyway. Clearly she poisoned her husband, everyone knows it, so it'd probably be a good idea to leave. Right on cue, some wardens come banging on Geillis' door, arresting her for witchcraft. Just so she doesn't feel left out, they take Claire too. Um. Why? LAOGHAIRE. OH MY GOSH, YOU'RE SUCH A BAD SEED.
Now that Jamie's out of town, how will Claire get out of this one? What will happen to her and Geillis when they get put on trial? And will Laoghaire finally get her comeuppance?
Photo Credit: Starz
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