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The American Revolution is far from done with the Fraser family in the final season of Outlander. While Jamie (Sam Heughan) is preparing for war on the Ridge, Roger (Richard Rankin) gets sucked into another Revolutionary War battle.
Jamie’s had a change of heart when it comes to Brianna and Roger gathering guns for the upcoming battle at King’s Mountain. He sends them to Fergus and Marasli’s with gold and whiskey hidden in barrels of sauerkraut (so that sauerkraut Claire had been making for Rachel was put to good use). Roger will then head to the Continental Army camp to convince Lieutenant Colonel Francis Marion to help them arm their militia with muskets. Bree encourages Roger to hit the road immediately since they know the battle to end the siege of Savannah will take place on Oct. 9. But Roger’s unhurried and thinks he’s got some time for a dram of whiskey. Oh, buddy, how wrong you are.
At the Ridge, Jamie needs to go further afield to recruit men for his Rebel militia. As Captain Cunningham told him last episode, most of the residents of Fraser’s Ridge are Loyalists… or at least not willing to join the Patriots. Though Claire is still dubious about Frank’s motives with his book predicting Jamie’s death, Jamie’s set on building a militia in anticipation of the vicious Major Ferguson’s attack. While enlisting men, Ian discovers a Scottish man who’s looking for Roger and Bree. Could it be the rotten Rob Cameron tracking them through time to get his hands on the Frenchman’s gold?! No! Turns out to be Buck MacKenzie, who says Rob won’t be bothering their family ever again (he doesn’t elaborate). Jamie recognizes him as Dougal’s son and is happy to welcome his cousin to the Ridge.
Jamie’s children’s reunion in Savannah is rudely interrupted when a rock is thrown through Fergus’ printshop window. Marsali is relatively unfazed since this isn’t the first time they’ve been attacked for their coverage of the American Revolution. As Brianna heads to Lord John Grey’s to paint Amaranthus and Trevor’s portrait, Fergus reveals Lord John has asked him to meet Percival Beauchamp. Though Percy is not to be trusted, Brianna makes the connection that he shares a last name with Claire.
Claire and Fanny are home alone in the big, creaking house on Fraser’s Ridge, leading to a conversation about ghosts. Claire encourages Fanny to talk about her sister Jane, where the young girl reveals Jane used to say “Good night, ma chérie” before bed. Claire is moved to discover that Jane spoke French, further proof that their mother Faith was her daughter. Mrs. Cunningham interrupts her moment with her granddaughter, seeking her medical help for a dislocated shoulder. Claire resets it with the aid of some whiskey. Elspeth curses up a storm, and Fanny says she hasn’t heard that language since the brothel. They share an amusing conversation about the vices, virtues, and skills of sex workers, and Elspeth indicates to Claire that she’ll keep Fanny’s past between them. Maybe this wicked witch isn’t so bad after all.
Brianna makes it to Lord John’s, where she has a reunion with her brother William. Turns out, helping process the fact that Jamie is his father is the real reason Lord John invited Brianna to Savannah. But not everyone is happy to see her since Amaranthus is threatened by William’s obvious affection for Brianna. Bree, in her usual blunt manner, acknowledges William’s bastard status and apologizes for not being able to tell him they were siblings the last time they met.
To put the jealous Amaranthus at ease, William tells her that Brianna is his sister and that he’s not actually the 9th Earl of Ellesmere. He wants to renounce the title, and Amaranthus doesn’t miss a beat, saying if William marries her, then he can abdicate, and their firstborn child can become the 10th Earl of Ellesmere. Although it’s sweet that she says he’s more than a title, isn’t it rather shady that this bookseller’s daughter is already scheming to marry another Grey family member?
Speaking of secret family ties, Fergus goes to meet Percy, who claims that Fergus is the son of Le Comte St. Germain. This is yet another throwback to the French characters in Outlander Season 2. (Quick refresher: Master Raymond poisoned the Comte when King Louis XV called Claire in to declare one of them a sorcerer, after the Comte spent the first half of the season antagonizing Claire and Jamie.) According to Percy, the Comte had sold his sister-in-law, Amélie LeVinge Beauchamp, to a brothel after he impregnated her. But Amélie had made the Comte marry her before they had sex, making Fergus the Comte’s legitimate heir.
So why is Percy telling Fergus all this? Percy has associates in Paris who want to establish a French colony on land in the Old Northwest owned by the Comte’s estate. Although the Comte’s solicitor refuses to sell it, a legitimate heir — Fergus (if Percy’s story is to be believed) — could claim it and sell it. Percy’s scheming will be for naught since historically, the Northwest Territory will be ceded to the newly-formed United States during the Treaty of Paris in 1783. But it gives a skeptical Fergus a lot to think about. Yet, while Percy told him what every orphan dreams about, the title and money do not sway Fergus. As he tells Marsali, “I’m already the son of a great man.”
At the Ridge, Captain Cunningham comes to retrieve his mother and is rather threatening to Claire. He wants Jamie to commit to the side of his Loyalist militia, and he’s growing suspicious that Jamie has other plans. Elspeth doesn’t seem to like the way her son is talking to Claire, so another tick in the good witch column for her.
Jamie and Young Ian return home, but Ian won’t be staying at the Ridge for long. Rachel has read that 40 Native American villages were raided by the Continental army, including the Mohawk village where Ian’s former wife Wahionhaweh and son Tehiokas neh To’Tis (Swiftest of Lizards) live. He wants to go north to discover what happened to them and Rachel says she and their son Oggy, will go with him. As she tells Claire, she wants to be present for when he encounters his former wife and child to remind him of the family he has now.
Before Ian sets off, he promises he’ll be back in time to serve in his father’s stead during the Battle of King’s Mountain by fighting alongside and protecting his Uncle Jamie. Jamie recites a prayer from St. Columba of Iona, wishing the young family a safe journey.
Someone else who could use a prayer right now is Roger. At the American encampment, Marion denies his request for muskets since Jamie deserted the Continental Army to care for Claire. And then, he’s not allowed to leave since the Siege of Savannah is impending. Roger initially refuses to join in the fight, but gives in and says he’ll fight alongside them if given a sword.
With that, Roger has entered the Revolutionary War. The silver lining? He may earn Marion’s respect and get some firepower for the battle near the Ridge… that is, as long as he can survive this doomed battle.
Caitlin Gallagher is a New Jersey-raised, NYC-based entertainment writer. When not writing about or watching TV, she can be found planning her next Halloween costume, crying over rescue animals, or praising Season 2 of The Leftovers.
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