[This is not a spoiler-free review of the episode. If you have not seen the episode yet, read it at your own spoiler risk.]
Episode 804: “Muskets, Liberty, and Sauerkraut”
Written by Evan McGahey, Directed by Metin Hüseyin
What would it take for Outlander to be exciting again? Apparently, it is four episodes and multiple plot points and reveals squished expertly in one hour of television. It finally feels like the season is starting to gain momentum and become more interesting for viewers. Borrowing from past seasons and introducing new elements, the line is being drawn in the sand, where there is no going back, and the momentum of this episode ramps up right before the halfway point of the final season.
Following the meeting between Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Cunningham (Kieran Bew), both men are now more spurred on towards a goal. Jamie is now determined to covertly begin recruiting for a Rebel militia, while continuing to string Cunningham along with Jamie’s final answer about joining the Loyalist militia. Cunningham and his fellow Loyalists have not done their homework about Jamie. Perhaps they are relying on Jamie’s abandonment of his post last season to save his wife as a clue that he might have Loyalist leanings. (I have to throw in a Clueless reference—As if!) It is apparent to Jamie and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) that Cunningham could be dangerous to the family. Still, it is the restraint from doing anything negative towards Cunningham that seems out of character.
When Claire tends to and repairs Elspeth Cunningham’s (Frances Tomelty) dislocated shoulder, Cunningham shows up the following day to retrieve her. He uses the opportunity to intimidate Claire while she is alone. Elspeth had nothing to say about the situation that unfolded in front of her, which means that either she is subordinate to her son or has no manners and passed none on to her son. Considering how Elspeth reacted to being talked back to by Mandy in the first episode, the woman has considerable restraint in chastising her son in a worse situation.
While Ian (John Bell), Josiah (Paul Gorman), and Jamie are in the area recruiting secretively for their militia, they hear of a Scottish man looking for Roger (Richard Rankin) and Brianna (Sophie Skelton). The thought of it being Rob Cameron jumps into their minds, and they go to confront the man aggressively. Turns out it is Buck (Diarmaid Murtagh)! We do not know what happened when Buck parted ways with MacKenzie’s in the past, but Buck makes it clear that Rob Cameron will no longer be a threat. Buck has a happy moment being reunited with the MacKenzie children back on the Ridge.
Rachel (Izzy Meilke-Small) finds word of assaults on the Native Americans by the Europeans in a local newspaper. The area is of concern because of Ian’s former wife and child. Ian, Rachel, and Oggy set out to find out whether they are still alive or need help. Ian promises Jamie that they will be back before the future battle Frank foretold in his book.
The MacKenzies are with the other Frasers in Savannah. They stop in with family before Brianna goes off to Lord John’s, and Roger goes to try to buy guns from the Continental Army. While at the print shop, someone throws a rock through the window, and we come to see what the war is doing in town, even though Fergus’ (César Domboy) shop tries to appear impartial outwardly. Coming off the last episode, Fergus meets with Percival Beauchamp (Michael Lindall) and learns of his supposed parentage. Bringing the viewer all the way back to season two, Fergus is apparently the son of Le Comte St Germain and a noble woman from the Beauchamp family, wedded in secret. So not only is Fergus not a bastard, but he may also be very rich. His statement to Marsali (Lauren Lyle) that he is already the son of a great man really pulls at the heartstrings.
Brianna makes it to Lord John’s (David Berry) house and meets William (Charles Vandervaart) again, but this time, he knows Brianna is his sister. William’s attitude toward Jamie has significantly cooled enough that he is receptive to his sister and hearing about her and her (his) family. One person who is not so fond of Brianna is Amaranthus (Carla Woodcock), who views her as a rival before learning that she is William’s sister. Lord John (David Berry) continues to comment on Fraser stubbornness and remains cool to the canons going off in the distance, not knowing what Roger is up to. Amaranthus’ attitude toward William remains off-putting and forward, but given what women were not able to do for themselves back then, her forwardness may be less calculated and more practical. What is a bit troubling is the relationship-building, yet William still has qualms about his cousin actually being dead.
Roger entered a Continental Army camp outside of Savannah to buy arms for the militia, but he appears to be there at a horrible time. He also thought Jamie Fraser’s name would still carry weight in the ranks, but Roger forgot that he had deserted his post, which other officers might not appreciate. Somehow, Roger has gotten himself stuck in a camp and cannot leave, and he has also volunteered for some sword combat with the British. JHRC!
And with that, we have probably the best episode of the season so far. Every main character is now dealing with some dramatic issue or coming to a precipice, but seeing as this is Outlander, things will probably only get worse. The addition of Buck to the season, along with Frank’s book, makes the time travel element still very much present in the storyline, and it still presents an escape route for those who can use it.
NEXT WEEK ON FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD, AT 8 PM ET: EPISODE 805: “SEND FOR THE DEVIL.”
Synopsis: “With the Siege of Savannah raging outside the city walls, Brianna and Roger find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict; Jamie confronts his demons at Lodge Night.”
