Claire’s Return to the Hospital is a Welcome Change on Outlander Episode 10
I’ve written a lot about how Outlander has struggled with growing pains. The pacing has seemed off this season and the writers have struggled with Claire and Jamie’s evolving relationship. In some ways, it seemed hackneyed to make the couple star-crossed lovers again, but I can’t fault Outlander for doing what it does best.
This week doubles last week’s drama by having a two-ship storyline! This episode opens on the Artemis where Jamie discovers the Porpoise is setting sail with his wife! He can even see Claire arguing with the ship’s captain in his telescope. Jamie’s red-head temper flares and he demands the captain chase a British man-of-war. The Captain attempts to explain the physics of tiny ship versus big ship to Jamie, but ends up imprisoning Jamie instead.
Back on the Porpoise, Claire accepts her fate and gets to work tending to the dying men. She struggles to explain a twentieth century understanding of germs to the crew, particularly a taciturn cook. But luckily, she has the trust of the captain and an ally in Mr. Elias Porter. They blindly trust her and follow her crazy sounding rules about hand washing! Claire is the Porpoise’s only hope and savior from the typhoid plague. Claire even identifies their “typhoid Mary” and has him imprisoned.
While last week’s episode worked through every possible sea based plotline, this week shows a very realistic and moving portrayal of life in the British navy. The “men” at sea are little more than children. Elias is a mere 14 and takes on a major role in fighting the ship’s plague. He forms a fast friendship with Claire, they trust and care for one another. He even gifts her a lucky rabbit’s foot. The Captain is barely out of his teenage years and also must take on the duties of leading the ship in a time of crisis.
The burial at sea on the ship’s deck is the most moving part of the episode. While the Artemis is ruled by superstition, the British man-of-war is kept in check by military protocol. The bodies are weighted and sewed up in canvas. It’s traditional for a friend of the deceased to put the final stitch through the deceased’s nose, “to make sure they’re dead” as Elias explains. The captain reads a passage sending the bodies to sea. The deceased are sent overboard from underneath British flags. And the crew says the Lord’s prayer together.
Back on the Artemis, Jamie attempts to convince Fergus to steal the keys and set him free. Jamie wants to lead a mutiny and chase after Claire. This whole plot line made my eyes roll at the television. Jamie is smart. This is a dumb plan. He also tries to manipulate Fergus by saying he will only give the marriage blessing if Fergus does this. After a steamy scene with Marsali, Fergus decides he can’t help Jamie because his duty is now to Marsali. He cannot leave her unprotected in a ship full of men. Marsali ends up getting Jamie out because the ship needs more hands on deck. Jamie gives his consent to the marriage and is way less grumpy once he’s out from behind bars.
Once Claire gets the disease under control on the Porpoise, there’s time for drama to ensue. She discovers that the Captain of the Porpoise learned from one of the men from the crew that Jamie is a wanted criminal. The captain plans to turn him over when they get to Jamaica. Claire finds the man holding this information and it’s the guy who set the print shop afire! He also discovered that guy Claire sort of murdered and Jamie put in creme de menthe (who drinks that anyways?). Claire gets him put in the ship’s prison.
Elias is a sweet character and destined to die. He follows Claire, he tells her about his life at sea, his deceased mother, and then he contracts typhoid and dies at sea. The Captain tries to raise Claire’s spirits by pointing out he was the only death that day. But Claire is devastated and now can think only of saving Jamie. Her friend, who keeps the ship’s goats, conspires to help Claire escape. The goats need grass, so they will make for land. Claire makes an unsuccessful run for it. The Captain catches her and tells her it’s his duty to turn in her husband and have him hanged for his crimes. Then Claire’s friend convinces her to jump off the ship — which is one of the craziest things Claire’s ever done.
Rating: I give this episode 4 out of 5 Ruth Bader Ginsbergs. I love how Claire takes charge on the ship!
Stray Observations:
- Some major hair improvements in this episode for Claire and Jamie. And check out that headband!
- The scene with the violin and the men singing on the Porpoise is very beautiful.
- At this point in the books, Claire encountered a very important character on board the Porpoise. But they don’t have them meet in the show…I wonder where this is going!
- Next week, Claire’s chilling on an island! And has major freckle/sunburn action.
- Jamie says that if you love someone you would move “heaven and earth” for them.
- RIP Elias. You were clearly written to die, but I will miss you nonetheless.
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