Outlander Review Episode 2×12- “The Hail Mary”

The Outlander requiem for a supporting cast continues, and we don’t know how we’re getting through it

Last week on Outlander we had a huge dramatic buildup to one absolutely crazy ending (we’re not sure we’re ever going to forget dead eyes Mary as she shanked that valet, or Murtagh taking that axe to Sandringham). This week the deaths keep coming, only they’re more quiet. Culloden approaches, with Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) are getting increasingly desperate to stop it (though Jamie still has a few tricks up his sleeve). We’re also running across some old friends (and some old enemies too). So maybe it wasn’t as action-packed as last week, but with some great performances by some of our favorite supporting cast members, this week’s episode was still highly enjoyable. Time to roll!

Outlander is a few miles from Culloden, and how did we get here?

The first shot after the credits showing the lines of soldiers being arranged around Culloden Moor like toys, except they’re chillingly not toys. It’s been difficult for Outlander to build tension this season because they set up Jacobite rebellion from episode one as a disaster they’re heading towards, but you couldn’t help at least partly rooting for Jamie and Claire because at least Jamie seemed kind of hopeful. By now the whole thing seems terribly fatalistic. More Claire voiceover basically telling us we’ve got another time jump. Rupert (Grant O’Rourke) & Ross (Scott Kyle) just doesn’t have the same ring as Rupert and Angus, and they don’t even bother trying to be funny. The duo would rather just stand and fight. We wish you wouldn’t, guys, it’s not gonna be pretty! Murtagh, Jamie, and Claire talk history and fate because Culloden is three days away. Claire seems to think that everything they’ve been doing has been for nothing (yeah, we kind of feel that way too sometimes, Claire), but don’t worry, because Jamie has a plan. That’s a relief, Jamie!

“All that work. All that plotting. How the bloody hell did we end up here?” -Claire

Claire heads away for medical supplies, and this being a TV show and all, surprise! She runs into Mary Hawkins (Rosie Day) who is busily buying supplies for Alex Randall (Laurence Dobiesz) who evidently needs quite a lot of laudanum. It isn’t super surprising to us, given that we saw Mary at the end of last episode, though Claire is surprised because she dumped Mary off somewhere to go home months ago (that whole time jump thing again). Mary isn’t quite the same girl we met. It looks like the days of, “Oh, Claire, help me!” are long gone. So too is Mary’s stutter, apparently, and you know she’s totally strong now because her voice is pitched about an octave lower. (We’re pretty sure that’s not how that works, Mary, but… you do you.) She’s found out what Claire did during her “mean girl” period trying to save Frank back in episode 5 or 6 and tried to keep Alex and Mary apart and she’s not pleased. Claire tries to apologize and offers to pop in and check on Alex. It’s kind of fun watching Claire reduced to the the weak one (is that wrong of us??), and watching her squirm uncomfortably because someone called her out on her heinous behavior kind of gives us a little smile inside (but don’t tell anyone).

Prince Charles of the Bad Decisions

“I am a man. And I am a solider. And I will comport myself as one.” -Charles Stuart

Oh, no. War council stuff. We’ll sum up- Everyone wants to fight on Culloden Moor except Jamie. Charles is looking rather dashing in that plaid number that looks like Scotland threw up on him (kudos to you as always, Terry Dresbach, the prince’s costumes have been totally on point this season) but doesn’t say anything at first. Jamie suggests waiting for some French gold that’s supposedly coming and splitting the army up into pieces, making it harder to find (please note: This might be important later! :wink:nudge:hint:). Great idea, Jamie! Everyone should do that. Charles strokes Jamie’s face in the most awkward and creepy of ways (plant one on Jamie, Charles… that would liven things up a bit here) and doesn’t listen to a word he says because he’s a man and a solider. Really, Charles? Is that what you are? Because you’re not doing a particularly credible impression of one. FYI, God really won’t provide for you on this one. The look Sam Heughan puts on Jamie’s face when Charles announces they’ll fight at Culloden makes the whole scene worth it, that mixture of crushing despair plus an almost manic look of desperation as he gets another idea- poor Jamie.

The return of a villain

Claire brings us over to Alex, who is still hanging on despite two facts: 1- That Mary is feeding him arsenic (great job, girl), and 2- He’s now finally coughing up blood and sounds like he can barely drag a breath. Great job to makeup and hair department, because he looks like straight up garbage. We knew he had the consumption (that’s tuberculosis to all you non-nerds that insist on calling diseases by their boring 20th century names). Wait, why are we talking about this??? Because BOMBSHELL- JACK RANDALL is here too, and according to Mary he’s been helping them for weeks. Claire looks as though she swallowed some of Mary’s arsenic tea and goes to leave, but Mary prevents her and asks when Alex will be able to work again. Oh, Mary. Claire explains a bit how life works, and Mary’s stutter comes back and reveals she’s pregnant before going back to Alex, leaving Jack and Claire to make tense eye contact before Claire walks out. But wait! Jack’s running after her! Tobias Menzies is exactly what we needed here. Just the look on his face alone is enough to bring goosebumps on your arm. The malevolence Jack feels for Claire is basically rolling off of him in waves, but underneath it all the desperation as he asks Claire to heal his brother almost makes you feel badly for him (relax, everyone, we said almost). Claire uses the opportunity to blackmail Jack for information about the British army. Ooo, yes. Turn Jack into a spy! He gives Claire enough information that Jamie now has a plan to maybe circumvent Culloden, though to say he’s angry about Jack’s appearance in Inverness is an understatement.

“My. You would barter over an innocent man’s suffering? Madam Fraser. You impress me.” -Black Jack Randall

More surprise visitors as Colum Mackenzie (Gary Lewis) now shows up in Inverness. First Jack, now Colum… who else is going to be joining this party? Speaking of people who look bad, Colum appears to be on his last legs too (no pun intended). After a brief conversation with Jamie in which he affords him some respect for being smart in regards to his relationship with Dougal, he asks to speak with Claire. Well this is a twist. We weren’t quite expecting that, and we certainly weren’t expecting him to ask her to help him die. While Claire ponders this, Colum drops the fact that Geillis and Dougal’s baby is still alive and that she didn’t burn until after the baby was born. Is everyone just going to show up in this episode and just melt us down with crazy revelations??? Holy cow, it’s just one after the other. Maybe they could’ve spread these truth bombs out over a few… less exciting episodes? The Fox’s Lair wasn’t great and Colum was there- maybe they could’ve moved this little tidbit back a bit? Claire gives Colum some painless poison to kill himself with later, though she seems slightly reluctant to hasten his suicide. Colum’s talk of sin is slightly reminiscent of episode 207, when Claire claims her sins are all she has left.

“What’s one more sin to a sinner?” -Colum Mackenzie

Claire goes from nursing Colum to nursing Alex, who is hacking up both his lungs. She wants him to smoke thorn apple to ease the pain (throwback to season 1!) it works, but Alex is gonna die any day and everyone knows it, which makes Jack a little testy (especially with Claire). In a last ditch effort to help Mary, Alex asks that Jack marry Mary to give his child the Randall name, and to take care of her. Well it’s all revealed, then! There is some fine dialogue here from Alex. This scene is beautifully written, beautifully shot, and though Alex is talking here it’s all about about Jack and watching the myriad emotions flicker across his face. Tobias Menzies was taking every bloody scene he’s in and elevating it to a level you didn’t really know was possible. We’d love to ask him who he enjoys playing more, Black Jack or Frank, but if we had to guess, based on this episode alone we’d say Black Jack. There’s some fascinating choices of words here as Alex talks about the density of the dark walls Jack has built around his himself- odd, strikingly similar and yet the complete reverse of the fortress Jamie spoke of earlier this season. Unfortunately Jack doesn’t agree and walks out.

“Do you think I am unaware of the density of the dark wall you have built to protect yourself from the world?” -Alex Randall

Murtagh: Voice of reason

“Well, by all means then, let us hand over a lamb to be a plaything for a twisted, blackhearted wolf.” -Murtagh

After Dougal returns, confirms the “army at Nairn” story and hears about Colum, we’re back to Murtagh and Claire as they walk. In what is maybe one of the more crazy awesome book changes to this show, after arguing with Claire about just how wrong it is that the despicable Black Jack marry Mary, who is annoying but essentially a nice girl, Murtagh offers to marry Mary himself! First things first: THANK GOD, Murtagh, for saying exactly what we were thinking but couldn’t articulate. Does Claire have a soul?! After knowing what Black Jack is like, that she could willingly go along with this madcap plan of Alex’s is absolutely insane. What are you thinking, Claire! Second: What? Say YES (Don’t judge us, Duncan Lacroix is just so sexy)!!! Murtagh gets a lovely speech about Mary not being the kind of woman he ever envisioned himself with, and vice versa, but that they could get along. This little speech was so touching we had a bit of a tear in our eye and we’re not ashamed to admit it. Duncan was great in this scene, there was the strong Murtagh we know and love, but underneath it all a hesitancy and shyness just made us want to leap into the screen and accept his proposal. Then Claire goes and ruins it all by listing what might as well have been a million reasons Black Jack is a better choice. Buzzkill Claire. Buzzkill.

“Did he never tell you the things I did to him in that room?” -Black Jack Randall

Claire goes inside to find a drunk Black Jack having an existential crisis (there’s always time for a good existential crisis from one of the best actors on your show). The scenes between Claire and Black Jack have always been favorites of ours and this is no exception. Black Jack wants out of marrying Mary and he wants Claire’s help, as he could take care of Mary if she were Alex’s widow just the same. But when Claire helpfully points out Jack will be dead by then, and Black Jack reveals the date that Claire told him last season for his death- the Battle of Culloden- the exchange between the two of them gets dark. Very dark, from Claire reveling in the warning of Jack’s death date to Jack baiting her with his rape of Jamie. On the surface bringing this up can merely be taken as a way for Jack to repulse Claire enough that she’ll help him convince Alex to marry Mary himself, but you can clearly see the twisted pleasure he takes in wounding Claire. What a magnificent onion Black Jack is. So many layers, yet still despicable all the same. After this scene it makes us feel even more gross that Claire is willing to give Mary to Black Jack, but it seems she’s set herself on a course. What other reasons could she possibly have? Does she really care about Mary’s future well-being that much? Also, why has nobody said anything about the fact that Jamie sword-sliced little Jack back in episode six? Surely that has to play into this. This scene would’ve been a fantastic time to mention that Jack may or may not be a eunuch at this point. Is that why Claire doesn’t seem to care about him marrying Mary?

Who’s your Jacobite guardian daddy?

Back with Colum, and there’s still no love lost between the brother’s Mackenzie. Colum is wrapping up his affairs, and wants to make provisions for his son. Hamish will lead clan Mackenzie on his death, and instead of Dougal guiding him until he comes of age, Colum wants Jamie to be his guardian. To say that Dougal is pissed is an understatement, and Colum takes almost every opportunity to dig into his brother, after all, Hamish is Dougal’s own son. It’s quite the bombshell that Colum would rather Jamie in charge than Dougal. It’s almost cruel, given that they’re both Jacobites, and Colum even tells Dougal he isn’t sure the clan would even follow him. Ouch. When Dougal points out that Jamie would have the clan join the Jacobites as much as Dougal would, Colum gives a… warning of sorts, perhaps just a fleeting idea to Jamie, that should the cause be lost, he’d pull his men out and get them to safety. Colum is a bright, bright man. Jamie is as well, point of fact, but Colum saying this to Jamie leaves us lingering for a while on Jamie’s face, and it’s almost as if Colum has given Jamie permission to lead his men out of the battle and away to safety, honor be damned. It’s a great acting moment for both Heughan, Lewis, and McTavish, and they rise to the challenge admirably.

“My poor brother. I have lived my life crippled in body… and he has lived his crippled in mind.” -Colum Mackenzie

The next we see is a reluctant Mary and an even more reluctant Jack marrying in front of a dying Alex (bonus points to Murtagh for being completely dour about it, and for the change that doesn’t make it necessary that Jamie be there, which really would be sick) before we jump to Jamie trying to convince Prince Charles to lead a surprise attack against the British at Nairn during the Duke of Cumberland’s 25th birthday celebration (side note: we had no idea he was that young at the battle of Culloden, and we think if you were familiar with the history of this particular battle and period in history, you probably would’ve enjoyed this episode more). Though the advisors make one fatal change to the plan at the last minute, we do get to hear Charles say “mark me” one more time. Well thank goodness, couldn’t have lived without that.

RIP, Chief

Dougal is back, alone with Colum. Douglas state doesn’t seem great and we’re incredibly suspicious about why he’s here. This episode should’ve been called something about onions. What’s with the supporting characters and their brilliance? Graham McTavish gets this fantastic monologue about his feelings towards his Colum, the years of resentment and the jealousy, and he’s just so good. Alas, by the time his speech is over, Colum is dead, Claire’s bottle of poison in his hand. Confession: Some people probably spotted that Colum had actually taken the poison already, especially when he tells him he’s beyond any injury he could do him, but we were totally fooled. Just when you think Graham McTavish cannot get any better, he does, going from bitter anger, hurt, and resentment to regret, pain, and loss, all the words between them left unsaid. Three cheers, Mr. McTavish, the scene was exquisite.

“Oh, brother. So you turn your back on me one final time, eh? And you leave me in the dark.” -Dougal Mackenzie

From his death we go right to Alex Randall and watch him draw his last breath, and we anticipate the tears from Mary, but we’re actually sad watching Black Jack lose his brother. Until he loses control, that is, and literally starts beating his dead brother’s body. We’d hide our eyes too, Mary, what is he doing? Given that Jack doesn’t really have any sort of mechanism for expressing his feelings in any sort of way that’s normal or functional, this really shouldn’t have surprised anyone. Black Jack is a twisted soul and his coping skills probably don’t benefit a lot from that. It’s probably the only way he even knows how to express that much grief and rage at his brother for his death. On another note, using Dougal’s last words (which we’ve truncated and quoted above) to segue into the scene with Alex’s death was a master stroke- from one death of a brother to another. Looking at the opposing reactions of these characters was great, because Dougal was able to articulate his pain at being proverbially “left in the dark” by his brother, whereas Jack is clearly not. Alex was the only light in Jack’s life, and his beating of his brother’s body shows just how incapable of dealing with that light being extinguised.

Jamie finds out that Claire’s been a party to Mary marrying Black Jack, and to his credit he’s just about as horrified as we are. Though Claire assures him Jack will die tomorrow (which is kind of odd, as Jamie seems to be trying to prevent Culloden as hard as he can but Claire seems perfectly willing to accept that it’s going to happen as long as it eliminates Randall) and she promises that if Black Jack doesn’t die at Culloden she’ll help Jamie bleed Black Jack herself before bidding him to be careful.

Get a Garmin, Charlie

Of course at the end of the episode, Jamie’s sneak attack plan is a total failure, because that idiot Prince Charles has screwed everything up by getting lost at night and simply turning around and going back. Seriously, Charles? Way to read your situation. The fact that this man doesn’t see the dismal state his army is in is mind boggling. The Highlanders have marched twelve miles all night with no food for absolutely nothing- Which brings us to Culloden moor. We all know how that’s going to turn out.

Conclusion: When the supporting cast are stars

This episode is all about the supporting cast, and what a job they did. Sure, we could’ve used more excitement: A massive war is coming after all. There were, however, some really remarkable performances by Tobias Menzies, Graham McTavish, Gary Lewis and Duncan Lacroix. The award for best coughing can also be tossed at Laurence Dobiesz, it must’ve been painful doing that over and over. Great work from costuming, hair and makeup on Alex Randall and Colum Mackenzie as well. So, Outlander fans, what did you think? Are you ready for the supersize finale in two weeks? Will Outlander continue to kill off their supporting cast (and possibly their leads)? We’re not sure we’re going to survive!

Comments/Concerns

• If Claire really wanted to see if the future could be changed, why didn’t she simply not have Black Jack marry Randall? She’s awful fickle about fate. It’s not as if Black Jack wasn’t willing to let his brother’s pregnant girlfriend down.
• Why are you so stupid, Prince Charles.
• Who else wants to accept Murtagh’s proposal? Hands in the air.
• Murtagh covering Fergus with the blanket at the beginning of the episode was so sweet, did anyone else notice it?
• Why did we completely skip over the fact that Jack may have been gelded a few episodes ago? Surely someone recalls that?
• We’re loathing the next episode- how many more of our favorites will we have to watch die?