by Cookie N Screen
Before I begin, let’s talk about Jamie Fraser. It feels as though Outlander has been very clever to use last week’s episode as a halfway point between the two characters. The focus on Claire, up until her decision to stay with Jamie, left her newly appointed husband in a bit of a cliché quandary. Apart from his belt beating, Jamie was a Knight in Shining Armour who could do no wrong. He took lashings for women, protected Claire from everyone and defended his family’s honour. So the focus away from the time travelling heroine and filling Jamie with a more in depth look at this character in episode twelve - Lallybroch
Before I begin, let’s talk about Jamie Fraser. It feels as though Outlander has been very clever to use last week’s episode as a halfway point between the two characters. The focus on Claire, up until her decision to stay with Jamie, left her newly appointed husband in a bit of a cliché quandary. Apart from his belt beating, Jamie was a Knight in Shining Armour who could do no wrong. He took lashings for women, protected Claire from everyone and defended his family’s honour. So the focus away from the time travelling heroine and filling Jamie with a more in depth look at this character in episode twelve - Lallybroch
So Claire has abandoned going back home to her husband Frank (a fact that might drive him insane and go on a time travelling rampage) and chosen to stay with her Scottish husband Jamie. For the first time in five years, after being pushed out by Colm, Jamie heads to the titular place where he is Laird. Returning to his sister Jenny, who he took the initial whipping from Black Jack Randall, things are tense when he believes the rumours that she was raped and birthed Randall’s child. All the while, his presence ruffles feathers as he tries to balance the man he was and the man he is - upsetting the estate of Lallybroch.
It’s nice to see Jamie acting a little bit more of a petulant child, struggling to find his place back home. Whilst he has seamlessly held it together, not just for him but for Claire, the stresses seem to come out when he sees his sister for the first time since his brutal involvement with Randall. The reunion is bittersweet and the writer’s implement Jamie’s distressing memories so well that he becomes weaker than what we know but in an evocative and depth filled way. Jenny’s realisation at the pain that Jamie suffered was handled with sensitivity despite their headstrong ways and as Jamie romps around, trying to be a fair Laird but struggle with the balance of power and his sister’s seeming duty to him.
It’s nice to see Jamie acting a little bit more of a petulant child, struggling to find his place back home. Whilst he has seamlessly held it together, not just for him but for Claire, the stresses seem to come out when he sees his sister for the first time since his brutal involvement with Randall. The reunion is bittersweet and the writer’s implement Jamie’s distressing memories so well that he becomes weaker than what we know but in an evocative and depth filled way. Jenny’s realisation at the pain that Jamie suffered was handled with sensitivity despite their headstrong ways and as Jamie romps around, trying to be a fair Laird but struggle with the balance of power and his sister’s seeming duty to him.
The pivotal part of Lallybroch was not the tensions between the siblings but the seeded Captain Randalls true intention’s with Jamie. First of all, bravo again to Tobias Menzes for making Randall a ruthless yet intricate villain. But more applause for him to bare all in the name of character progress. See Randall is clearly obsessed with Jamie, in much more of a predator hunting out his prey. He has sexual desires for him and this is clear when he asks Jamie to submit his body for him or struggles to gain an erection when attempting to rape Jenny. Don’t get it wrong, this isn’t the stereotypical “all homosexuals are predators” character. But it’s this underlying thread of Jamie defying Randall and contrasting his evil with purity that it consumes Randall in a similar way to Hunchback of Notre Dame’s Frollo. Randall is an enthralling sadistic villain. You don’t enjoy his presence and it twists in your gut when he appears. But it scintillates the show with his realistically awful character that is a testament to Menzes and the writing, threading the complex emotions burning underneath his scowl.
Outlander is a must see and lifted off into excellence. Where this next position and land will take Claire and Jamie is tentative. But it is burning with unbridled promise.
Outlander is a must see and lifted off into excellence. Where this next position and land will take Claire and Jamie is tentative. But it is burning with unbridled promise.
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