“This is the end….hold your breath and count to ten…” That might be Adele’s Skyfall from the James Bond movie but it felt like it matched here. I loved this episode from beginning to end. I loved how the cold open is Claire saving Jamie from the scavengers. It’s a creepy scene in the books, and the show does a wonderful job bringing it to life. Sadly, this post-battle scavengers happened quite often with camp followers on both sides. War brings out the worst in people. Adding to the creep factor is the title card. It’s great for seeing the battle through Jamie’s side after seeing it through William.
In contrast to the depravity of the battle scavengers, we see Denny confiding in Claire. I love how we see her taking on the role of mentor with Denny. After giving Jamie a piece of her mind, she has one zinger left for Denny. Denny says how hard it is for someone like him to see all the death and injury. Claire replies, “a human being?” It shifts everything into perspective that war and humans purposefully killing other human to resolve conflict is not easy or normal.
Claire finally cares for Jamie’s hand and discovers how he stopped the British charge. However, I love how Claire has a Rollo chasing rabbits analogy right before the scene transitions to Bree. Often rabbits have been a symbol for Bree in the show, and she even had a stuffed animal rabbit as a child. We also know Jamie can sometimes see Bree and the kids in his dreams. It’s a great transition to the future scenes.
After seeing that Roger & Buck are to go to the past in search of Jem & Rob, we transition back to the 1770s. Rollo the rabbit chaser is sitting by a table while Claire, Jamie, and Ian discuss Jamie’s healing progress and upcoming battles. Rollo, who’s also the little matchmaker, steals Auntie Claire’s goose grease. Ian is more than willing to visit Rachel to get more. Claire gives a knowing smile at Ian’s eagerness. Rollo is the ultimate wingman, buttering up Rachel before Ian comes through. Who knew goose grease for a patient’s arsehole could bring on such angst between the two? Sparks fly with a stolen kiss and a promise to take Rachel right then and there if she touches him again. Yet fear settles in for Ian, fear if Arch Bug is still following and fear if getting together with Rachel would eventually bring death for their future children (since Ian thinks it’s his fault). Ian’s warning makes Rachel look like a child that’s been scolded for trying to touch a hot stove. Claire mirrors that look when she discovers the charming man she traded medicines with is none other than the infamous American traitor, Benedict Arnold. And here Jamie thought his biggest worry was quoting a poem from the future. I love how Diana Gabaldon likes to subvert our expectation of what we think famous characters should be, especially the villains of history. We often don’t hear how Benedict Arnold was likeable and a good soldier until he soured on the American cause.
What doesn’t sour is Rachel’s feelings for Ian. I love how Hunter’s knowing smile about Rachel’s pleas for prayer matches Claire’s smile that she just shared with Ian just a few moments ago. Thy brother knows Rachel’s in love. In many ways, the Hunters are Outlanders by being Quakers but marrying Ian would make Rachel and Outlander amongst the Quakers.
Since Jamie doesn’t know what happened to William, discovering what happened to Fort Ticonderoga puts Jamie ill at ease. However, Daniel Morgan showing his own scars from being whipped by the English is a great throwback to Season 1, as well as perfectly shows the inner conflict for Jamie fighting in this war, all the while reminding the viewers how the American Revolution was very much a civil war. (Daniel Morgan’s story of being whipped is also historically accurate.) We see further evidence of civil war when Jamie recognizes his cousin, Brigadier General Fraser during the second battle Saratoga. He tries to miss shooting his cousin and almost takes out Williams instead. It starts to get to Jamie, and he looks for William as he leads the charge. It almost gets him killed, and thankfully Ian is there to save him. Claire and Jamie each witness in their own experiences the turning point for Benedict Arnold to start down the path towards being a traitor.
We get a beautiful moment between the Fraser cousins before the general passes. Claire gives similar advice to William as she did to Denny. War is terrible for all, win or lose. Love how Jamie is the “rebel whoreson” that deprived Williams of his hat and then gives William his, as an excuse to talk to William just once as a man. I also love the bit about keeping the tent open for the soul to have an exit. It’s lovely to see a highland tradition observed. Williams is promoted to Captain, only to be benched by the terms of surrender. While this makes Jamie glad that William’s safe, the terms of surrender make Jamie safe, as he has to take the general’s body home to Scotland.
Rollo the matchmaker takes one for the team and watches over Rachel while Ian departs. I know it’s the other way around technically but who are we kidding? Rollo is definitely watching over Rachel.
It’s ironical that just as Claire and Jamie are making it home to Scotland to see family, Roger and Buck are traveling back in time and leaving theirs. I love Claire and Ian’s banter about Jamie’s seasickness. It’s a great nod to season 3, and I enjoy any time they throw humor into the show. It’s a beautiful wrap-up seeing land and hearing Griogair song, “Tha mi Sgìth ‘n Fhògar Seo” to end 7a.
It’s a beautiful ending to 7a. It leaves such high hope for 7b.
Songs: Skyfall & Tha mi Sgìth ‘n Fhògar Seo
Food: I really wanted to use one of my favorite childhood recipes that when I smell it, it always reminds me of home. It’s peppernuts, a German/Ukrainian small spice cookie. However, my recipes books are in the box somewhere in storage while I wait to move into my new house. So I went with something delicious but maybe too on the nose, Eggs Benedict Casserole, in honor of seeing Benedict Arnold.
Dram: Highland Park 12 – it’s one of my favorites, and perfect for returning home
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Rewatch thoughts: In retrospect, Season 7a was pretty strong. It gave us high hope for 7b. Then we had to wait so long it might have been Season 8. 7b really suffered from being renewed for a Season 8 half-ways through filming Season 7. The Season 7 DVD is out with all the “extra” scenes that were cut. Some storylines would have really improved the continuity if they had left them in. Rewatching all of season 7, you can see where they spent the budget on battle scenes. Monmouth is barely a battle in the show in comparison to the battles of Saratoga. It is also too bad we don’t see Benedict Arnold again in Philadelphia like in the books. Episode 708 is also the beginning of the MacKenzie storyline getting the short end of the stick. Overall, Season 7 as a whole was really great, but fell short due to too much story and not enough screen time. As Benedict Arnold says in the GIF at the top of the page, did the producers know their limits or were they too bold to try to include too much? As I was writing this, Linkin Park’s “In The End” came to mind as the producers’ season 7 song. And yet, like Claire tells Jamie he will always be enough as they are leaving the Ridge, Outlander will always be enough for me. I’ve been reading some books on Kindle Unlimited as I unwind from the school year. They are like frosting…delicious but no substance. Outlander and Diana’s writings has substance. And even when the show has to scrape all the frosting off the cake for time sake (curse you Starz Executives for not knowing what us premium women really want), it’s still some of the best tv out there. I know other people might not agree. But I can’t help but come back and rewatch or reread, especially with the Prequel show, Blood of My Blood coming out in August. It’s like coming home to Scotland.