NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Outlander season 7 episode 11, "A Hundredweight of Stones".
After the news of Jamie’s demise, Claire rushes to marry Lord John to avoid being arrested in this new episode of Outlander season 7. Back in 1739, Roger is on the lookout for two people named Jeremiah, and in 1980, Brianna faces a threat.
But that’s not all! Let’s recap what happened to the other members of the Fraser clan on this new episode of the show.
A third marriage
Following the events of “Brotherly Love,” this new episode of Outlander opens on the most depressing wedding seen on TV this year. Indeed, Claire has agreed to marry Lord John so he can protect her from the British, but the whole ceremony happens in a daze. She is hardly paying attention to what is going on or what the priest is saying, and is only doing what she must to survive and protect her family. All in all, it’s a rather heartbreaking scene as we can see in Claire’s eyes that she is thinking about Jamie.
After the ceremony, Claire goes back to mourning, and takes off the ring John just put on her finger. William, who witnessed the not-so-joyful wedding, asks his father why he married Claire, confused about why he would do such a thing when she is a rebel and could compromise his reputation. John explains Jamie was his friend and loved Claire more than anything, and that he owes it to him to protect her, but William doesn't fully grasp why his father would be willing to put himself at risk for the Frasers.
Later on, Claire is in her bed, sad and angry. Getting up, full of rage and frustration, she goes through her medical supplies and considers hurting herself. She grabs a scalpel and readies to join Jamie in the afterlife but thinking of him, and of what he would say if he saw her, stops her from going too far. Instead, she resorts to screaming and drinking while downstairs, John hears her pain and shares it. After pouring himself a drink, he eventually goes to her room and they mourn Jamie together through tears, fights and… sex, as we find them both naked in bed the next morning.
Pillow talk
Realizing she did not dream what happened between her and Lord John the previous night, Claire pulls the bedsheets up over herself and asks him how long it had been since he last was with a woman. The answer is 15 years, at least. John goes on to apologize for being ungentlemanly with her through their interaction, but they agree neither of them were acting like themselves, nor were they actually making love to each other.
Recalling that Jamie offered himself to him once, John explains he both regrets not taking him up on his offer and cherishes the fact that he didn’t. To him, if he had been intimate with Jamie, then they would never have had the precious friendship that they shared.
When Claire asks him if he has been on his own since the end of his previous marriage, John confesses he has been enjoying a liaison with an Indian cook on his plantation, a man named Manoke. He likes that they have a relationship that remains free of commitment. Claire wonders if Manoke feels the same, and John says they’ve never talked about it, and points out it has actually been a while since he last shared such intimate information about himself with anyone.
Ian and Rachel, sitting in a tree…
While Claire and Lord John sort out the new dynamic in their relationship, Ian is also mourning Jamie and builds a cairn for his uncle, who was like a second father to him. Rachel is with him and they talk about heaven and Quaker beliefs. Ian likes the idea that Jamie is in heaven with his father now and when she asks if he ever told Old Ian about her, the young man says his dad would have loved her.
But there is more Ian needs to discuss with Rachel and, as they walk around the woods, he tells her he used to be married. His emphasis being on the past tense, Rachel needs him to elaborate and becomes a little upset when she realizes that Ian’s previous marriage did not end because his ex-wife died. What worries her is the fact that Ian could still be in love with Emily.
Ian needs to give Rachel a bit more context, he explains how he got involved with Emily in the first place, how they had children that they lost and how that turned out to be the reason their relationship ended. He then tells Rachel that Emily chose him and that he was grateful for it, but that he now chooses Rachel and hopes she will choose him. Luckily for him, she does and tells Ian she loves him.
Later on, Ian visits Claire and explains he is going to Valley Forge with Rachel and wants to say goodbye in case Claire decides to go back to her own time now that Jamie is gone. She reassures him by saying the future is not her place anymore and that she wants to be a part of building America, not only for themselves but also for Jamie and Bree.
Meanwhile in Scotland…
In 1739, Roger tells Buck what happened to his father during the war, and they wonder if finding him will lead them to Jemmy. They go about the countryside, inquiring about the “fairy man” and buying gemstones in the process. Eventually, they come across Jeremiah's military jacket but the man who now has it is not inclined to tell them where the one he got it from is and menacingly turns them away.
Some time later, Roger tells Buck a soldier would not give up his uniform without a fight, implying he is concerned Jeremiah might have been harmed but Buck says that is not necessarily the case. He then wonders if they should keep looking for him or turn their focus back on searching for Rob Cameron and Jemmy, but Roger says he wants to believe both matters are connected.
Back in 1980, Brianna is holding the fort at Lallybroch, even though being able to do nothing besides looking after Mandy seems to be quite frustrating for her. But when she least expects it, the table turns when Brianna finds Rob Cameron in her kitchen.
He reveals that leaving Jemmy’s scarf at the stones was a distraction and that her son is not in the past. However, Cameron has not managed to convince the wee lad to tell him where the hidden gold is, so he wants Brianna to help him. Of course, she is not particularly inclined to do his bidding and they have a fight where Rob seems to first have the upper hand until Bree knocks him out with a pan. Looks like those mama bear claws came out.
Forbidden love
Checking up on how Henry is doing post surgery, Claire and John find out that he and Mercy have developed feelings for each other and want to be married. John is very much upset about it and tells his nephew he must go back to England soon because he has a duty to his name and his title. Not to mention interracial relationships are not quite legal at this time.
Surprised he could be “such a bigot,” Claire later asks John why he opposes Mercy and Henry’s union. He tells her he is protecting Henry from making a mistake and risking losing his title and property.
Claire doesn't understand how he can think like that and stand in the way of people in love, but the thing is that John knows exactly what it's like for one’s love to be a crime and he will not risk Henry or Mercy's life for it.
Lady Grey
Back at the house, Lord John gives Claire a brand new gown and explains they will be hosting a supper in a few days to help raise funds for the loyalist cause. He understands that as a rebel it will be painful for her but adds that they must do it in order to keep face. Of course, Claire throws a fit about it but John insists that if they want to “survive” (not only in general but also meaning survive Jamie’s death), they need to be there for each other.
When the evening of the party comes, Captain Richardson shows up and tells John he must have made a mistake about Claire. She arrives in the dress John had made for her, wearing the ring he gave her, and Lord John sees she is ready to do her part. Richardson then asks Claire to dance and as they go around the room, he confesses to her that he is a rebel himself and explains he wants her to spy on Lord John and his family. Claire refuses but says she will, however, keep his secret.
The following day, John comes to see Claire with more invitations for social engagements when all of a sudden their chat about which dinner they should go to next is interrupted by none other than James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, King of Men, who barges in very much alive.
Overcome with joy and relief, Claire rushes to his arms while Lord John asks how on earth he is not dead. Jamie explains he was never on board the Utopia, and therefore was never lost at sea. However, he doesn't have time to elaborate as some British soldiers are on his tail, and John explains he must go as “his son” will be home soon. But then guess who turns out to be in the hallway and just heard Lord John referring to him as Jamie’s son? William!
When Claire, Jamie and John walk out, William is there fuming. He damns Jamie, saying he wants nothing to do with him, then he damns John for lying to him all these years. They don’t have time to hash out their family drama though, as soldiers burst into the house to arrest Jamie. To escape, the latter takes John hostage and runs out.
Can things be mended between William and his fathers? What will Jamie do when he finds out Claire and John slept together? Tune in next week for a whole new episode of Outlander on Starz and MGM+ to find out.
