Outlander 2.09: “Je Suis Prest”

Previously: Claire and Jamie con Lord Lovat out of some fighting men.

The titles card is a series of wheels rolling through a puddle.

Claire and Jamie are riding with the men from Lovat, Claire telling us that they started with 100 and the numbers dwindled along the way to meet up with Murtagh and the Lallybroch men. Young Simon was sent off to bring them back with the promise of land when it was over.

MURTAGH! He says that he would have danced a jig to see Jamie and Claire again, and that he planned to do it five days ago. Jamie takes the teasing good-naturedly – they got delayed through Corrieyairack. “Made me long for the days of raiding cattle.” Murtagh notes that the Fraser men aren’t much to look at. Jamie fills Murtagh in on Lovat’s plan to play both sides and avoid getting his head cut off, and Murtagh’s like yeah, that story checks out.

Fergus pokes his head out of a building, and yells happily at seeing his milady and milord again. But it’s Claire he runs to for a hug, and she happily hugs him back. Jamie says that it looks like Murtagh has been looking after him well, and Fergus is like NO IT HAS BEEN HORRIBLE. “He forced me to mend his socks and to fetch his meals!” Murtagh says he’s just been trying to educate the kid. Claire calls them all children and goes off with Fergus to get the lay of the land.

Pan over the camp at night while a man sings. In the morning, Claire and Jamie emerge from a cottage, with Claire saying that she’ll try to get the ladies to make as many bannocks as possible. A very familiar voice calls out, “Mistress Claire! I washed my mouth out with whiskey in preparation for a big buss from you, eh?” IT’S THING ONE AND THING TWO AND I MISSED THOSE TWO IDIOTS. HI BOYS! Claire grabs Angus’ face and kisses his cheek, and asks where Willie is. The boys look sad, and admit that he went, got himself married, and left with his wife and her family to America (In other words, the actor did not return for season 2). “We’ll not mention that traitorous bastard’s name again,” says Thing One, dourly, and another voice calls out “Have you no welcome for your beloved uncle?” Dougal!

It’s Old Home week. Dougal says he looks well, despite all the misfortunes. Dougal also says that Claire looks well, and she’s like, thanks Dougal. Jamie asks if Colum has changed his mind, and he has not. “Colum’s mind is his own, and no concern of mine.” No, he’s there, along with Thing One and Thing Two, and that should be enough. Claire doubts the efficacy of the numbers, and Dougal points out that they only had one other when they stormed Wentworth Prison. The situation is a bit different, D.

Dougal is so proud of Jamie for joining the cause, “’twas as if my own lad were taking his first steps as a man.” (Claire and Murtagh look VERY uncomfortable.) Dougal is stoked to be fighting on the same side with Jamie. “For glory, and for Scotland.” Jamie cool cool, great, you can help me in training these men. D: They’re awesome just for joining up; it should be simple. “Their hearts are larger and stronger than ten redcoats.” Jamie: They don’t know shit, though. D: Teach them on the march. Jamie: See, they don’t march. “They walk, they stroll, they caper about, but they dinna march.” So they need to be trained. So they’re gonna stay there and train the new kids until they’re…well, ready seems a strong word, but readier. Dougal: Then we’ll do it, and there’s no time to waste.

Murtagh has taken on the role of drill sergeant, and tells his motley crew that they will learn the drills. They’re kind of standing about. Murtagh tells them to form two line when they hear a certain tune on the bagpipes. The line concept is difficult, and one of the men asks when they’ll get proper weapons. He’s got a pitchfork. Murtagh says first they learn to stand, then they’ll learn how to move, and then MAYBE THEN they’ll get a sword.

Claire walks by while Murtagh is barking orders, and has brief a flashback (…forward?) to another war, another camp, another drill sergeant. She shakes her head and moves on to find Fergus learning how to play shinty with other young men. He’s having fun, but all she can see is another set of young men playing cricket. Her face goes tight, and she grabs Fergus and firmly reminds him that he was sent to bring water for Jamie. Claire is uninterested in protestations of innocence.

MONTAGE: Jamie reminds the recruits that there are well-trained soldiers they’ll be fighting, while Murtagh teaches marching and Dougal explains swords. And how to take down a cavalry horse.

At night, Dougal is pleased with the progress of one montage, and says they ought to make haste to meet up with the Prince. Murtagh scoffs and shakes his head while Dougal’s like, uh we need to show our allegiance. Murtagh: Don’t know what men you’re watching, but it ain’t these. Dougal asks for Jamie to confirm that he knows the Prince, and Jamie’s like yeah. Dougal: More people are joining up, and leaders are jockeying for position with his inner council, and if you want to be there, we need to BE THERE. Jamie: I ain’t sending anyone into battle until they’re well-trained and disciplined.

In another building, Claire walks into to see Thing One spitting out the food, but she hears an AMerican GI doing the same thing, saying “Jesus H. roosevelt Christ.” Two AMericans got separated from their unit during D-Day, and Nurse Randall is amused at their disgust. “It’s not exactly Delmonico steak, is it?” The Brits think that the Yanks have giant steaks for chow every day, along with ice cream. No, Corporal Grant tells her, they get k-rations, and they call it shit on a shingle (true fact: I discovered that my grandfather knew how to swear when he told me about shit on a shingle. The other GI, Private Lucas, holds up a lump and asks what it is. It’s Black Pudding. This leads to the most common discussion between Brits and Americans of sorting out what words mean what-sausage, pudding, and pudding. “The British and the Americans: two people separated by a common language.” Lucas recognizes it as Shaw- his mom is Irish, and she says that Shaw is one of the greatest Irish writers of all time. “Pop says he’s a communist.”

Back in Scotland, Claire walks away from the mess hall, and Jamie finds her later, rubbing her hands through her hair before the fire. He asks if she’s alright, noting that she’s been rather quiet. She says she’s fine – there’s just so much to do. Jamie kisses her on the head, and lets it go. He puts his stag brooch down, and Claire picks it up it says “je suis prest” on it, and there’s a flash of an american Airborne patch in headlights. Claire mutters, “I am ready.” and Jamie looks back. “Sorry…sorry for bringing you here.” He assures her that no matter what happens, he will keep her safe. She smiles and says that she’s fine. He knows she’s not.

Morning again, and Murtagh is still working on marching, Jamie watches, then starts in on a St. Crispin’s Day type speech explaining why this drilling nonsense is important. He’s seen what a modern, well-trained army can do – sure they look pretty before the battle, but once things got serious, that well-trained army “…fired the first volley. You see the flash of metal in the sun. Together, as one, an entire line of men raised their musket, aim, and let loose. The musket balls come tearing across the field like a sheet of metal rain. Tearing apart anything that is in front of them, and by the time the sounds fades from the first, the second volley is on it’s way, and in order to fight that army, soldiers need to be well-trained, and if they can do that – fight together – they will win together.”

At the end of this touching moment, Dougal, Thing One, Thing Two, and two other dudes come tearing at the trainees in just their kilts, screaming like banshees. (Yes, they should have been either in their shirts or nekkid, but the nekkid wasn’t going to fly, not even on Starz, and everyone on set agreed that in their shirts it looked like they were fighting in nightgowns, which wasn’t scary and just looked silly. One must appease the audience.) Anyway, the trainees scatter, and Jamie and Murtagh yells for them to stand. They do not.

Dougal claims that THAT is how one beats the redcoats – with a Highland charge, and by surprise. Murtagh yells for them all to get back in line while Thing One smirks that there was only five of them. “Imagine 1000 of us charging the redcoats!” Jamie: You’d need surprise, and we won’t be that lucky. Murtagh dismisses the kids, and Jamie asks for a wee word with Dougal (I gotta say, Graham McTavish is looking FINE not like, Stanley Webber fine – who is – but finer that he has any right to be.)

Dougal’s like, I’ve been fighting longer than you’ve been alive, so you should listen to me. Jamie: No, see, I’ve fought an army and you haven’t so shut up. Dougal: What now. Jamie: I’ve been putting up with your shit because I respect you and you’re my uncle. But if you’re fighting with Clan Fraser, you’ll be taking orders from me, so either shape up or ship out. Dougal: “As you say.”

In one of the buildings, Claire is cooking something over the fire, when Dougal walks in and sits down. “I’ve been giving some thought to Jamie’s situation. He’s struggling. Needs help. But you know Jamie. He’s too proud to ask.” Claire is mostly ignoring this line of bullshit. Dougal: You could speak to him, though. Claire: But why. Dougal reminds her of the agreement they made in the cave before they rescued Jamie from Wentworth – that Claire would marry Dougal “for protection” should Jamie die. Dougal says he bets that she never told Jamie about it, but she did – she and Jamie tell each other everything. Dougal: “And he took no issue with it?” Nope. “He’s a better man than I.” Claire can’t resist that opening and she smirks. “Truer words have never been spoken.” Dougal: I see you’re still holding a grudge. Claire: No, because I don’t think about you. Like, ever. She calls him a narcissist, and then explains how that works in detail. “You want King James restored to throne, but not for Scotland. But for your own selfishness.” Then she tells him to “Fuck yourself.” Dougal admits that he does love his reflection, but he loves Scotland more, and he will give everything to see a Stuart back on the throne.

Training montage two! They’re getting better! They’ve gotten guns! They are not great at reloading at speed, which is a problem, Jamie tells us, because a British trooper can get off three shots a minute.”We must teach ‘em to be better.” Jamie hollers for them to go again, and asks, in an aside to Murtagh, if he’s noticed that Claire’s been out of sorts. “One minute she’s fine and the next there’s barely any life in her.” Murtagh’s also noticed that Claire isn’t herself, as normally she’ll tell you all of her thoughts. Jamie: I asked, she said she’s fine. Murtagh: It’s gonna take more than a simple ask. Sometime Murtagh is right. The men fire another volley.

That night, Thing One is looking at his toes, and Thing Two notes that something is growing (ew). Thing One claims it’s ordinary dirt, and Claire comes over and diagnoses incipient trench foot. It’s gross (props to makeup). She tells him to take better care of his stupid feet, and Thing One says that he’ll bear it. Claire loses her SHIT: “Trench foot can lead to gangrene, which can lead to amputation. I’ve seen it happen. Are you completely idiotic? Is that what you want?” She starts to angrily scrub his foot. “It’s a rhetorical question.” She demands that he take off his other boot, and he starts laughing, which triggers another flash to another lecture on the prevention of trench foot to another set of men who don’t care about their stupid feet. One of them is patently not listening, and there’s an amazing shot when the GI is sitting next to Thing Two, who is looking at her worriedly. Claire throws Thing One’s boot back in face and snaps “Did you hear what I fucking said?” and it’s Thing One again, and she blinks and leaves.

Outside, the camera spins around as she tries to reorient herself, and there are echoes of mortars and explosions. She’s really not okay.

At night, men are sitting around a fire making dirty jokes while Jamie reads a message. Dougal strides in with a bunch of random men, and everyone stands up to see what is up, and Dougal claims he found a pack of new recruits. Jamie eyes them, and asks how ten men walked into camp without even a challenge from the sentries. Dougal says they just smiled and waved, so that’s comforting. Jamie asks Murtagh to bring the men on watch, and to set up new sentries. Dougal’s like, hey, I brought new kids! Volunteers! Jamie: Are y’all here of your own free will? They do not answer, at all. He points out that this is treason, so they are all risking their necks for this cause. They still don’t answer, so Dougal does for them. They’re prepared to fight and die for their true king. Sure. Jamie says that if they wish to return to their homes, they may, and no one will chase after them. They all leave.

Dougal grumps, and Jamie reminds him that he did agree to follow orders. “When did you order me not to recruit new men? We must conscript as we travel.” Um. Jamie says he won’t snake another clan’s men, or make men fight for something they don’t believe in – after all, men that are fighting for something they believe in are “…worth ten that are forced to fight for someone else’s.” (Wasn’t that a line in Braveheart? Or The Patriot? I think I remembered hearing Mel Gibson’s voice saying that.) Dougal is tired of talk and talk and talk and no action. Jamie: They need more training. Dougal: Your training sucks, I just led ten men into your camp. Jamie: Point. So you and your boys are gonna do sentry duty from now on.

Murtagh leads the former sentries to Jamie, and they say, in their defense, that they do need more men to fight. Jamie says that they will be punished in the morning, and will be guarded over the night. In the morning, Jamie sentences them both to six lashes apiece, and has Murtagh carry it out (with a belt). Claire watches for two lashes before leaving.

Later, the new kids are working on their shooting again as Claire crosses behind them, and each shot makes her flinch – Jamie watches her duck behind a wagon, and suddenly we are on a road, at night, in France – Claire is being driven somewhere, and the two American GIs are hitching a ride in an attempt to find their unit. Suddenly there’s gunfire, and the jeep crashes. The screen goes black, and we hear Private Lucas screaming, “Oh Lord, help me!” and Claire comes to, face visible in flickering firelight. Lucas is screaming for help on the other side of the road, and Corporal Fox is with Claire in a ditch. There’s a jeep with Germans shouting at each other clearly looking for the rest of the occupants of the jeep, and Fox keeps Claire from running out to Lucas. “I’m a woman, they won’t be able to stop me.” “You won’t get five yards.”

Fox waits until the Germans drive by, and says that he’s going to try to circle around to find Lucas, and tells Claire to stay put. She nods, and makes a run for it, but he’s seen and cut down in about five yards. The jeep blows up, and Lucas screams again, please, please. Claire cowers in the fetal position, hands over her ears as he screams for his mother. Claire whimpers, “Please, please, shut up.” Then it’s daylight, and she’s still in the fetal position, hands over her ears, as an American voice asks, “Ma’am, are you okay?” He asks what she was doing all alone, and then it’s Jamie’s voice, in Gaelic. Claire, in Scotland, is on the ground, hands over her ears, shaking and whimpering. Jamie pulls her up and holds her.

Later, Claire’s told him everything, and he tells her that there’s nothing she could have done – if she’d tried, she’d be dead. Just like the corporal. She knows that, and “I just closed the door on that night, and walked away. I haven’t looked back ever since.” And now there’s all of these kids and it’s all happening again, and all she can hear is Max Lucas, screaming for his mother. “For two years, I’ve tried to stop this war from coming. I’m not sure I’m ready to go to war again.” Jamie tells her that she can go home to Lallybroch and they can fight this war without her.

Claire says no. If she goes back to Lallybroch, and just ends up waiting to hear news, it’ll be like being back in the ditch, powerless, and that won’t help. But it’ll be worse, because the people dying with be people she knows and people she loves. “I can’t be helpless and alone, not ever again. Do you hear me?” “I hear ye. I promise, whatever happens, you’ll never be alone again.” Claire tells him that she will hold him to that. She has his word.

That night, Jamie is attacked by a young English puppy who tries to cut Jamie’s throat. Jamie tosses him aside and breaks his arm, and Murtagh runs up and scoffs, “It’s just a bairn!” “I’M SIXTEEN.” Well, he did just try to cut Jamie’s throat, and the kiddo will not give his name. Murtagh finds a letter addressed to a British officer, and proclaims kiddo to be a spy. “I’M NO SPY.” He saw the fires, and then recognized Red Jamie (according to the broadsheets, an unprincipled and traitorous rebel). Jamie demands to know who he marches with, and when the kid won’t answer, Jamie twists the broken arm slightly. The kid puts up his chin and says that he is quite prepared to die, thank you, but Jamie is not prepared to kill him. Not yet. The kid is trying real hard, while Jamie holds his dirk blade in the fire. He asks again who the kid marches with, what direction they’re going, and how many there are. “There is nothing you can do that will make me talk.” Jamie holds the hot blade to the kid’s face while everyone looks a little discomfited by the whole situation.

Claire walks in at this point, and takes very quick stock of everything: “Scottish barbarian! Leave him alone you… you saidst! I resisted your advances earlier, but if you let the boy go, I’ll surrender myself to you… you… pig!” (Murtagh is delighted by this turn of events.) Jamie: …pig? YEAH PIG. If you don’t care about your own life, maybe you’ll care about her honor! Jamie strides over and grabs Claire, who puts up a credible show of struggling which becomes less show-y as Jamie gets a little method with his acting, while Jamie describes what he could do to her “right before your eyes!” while Murtagh and the bros try not to laugh out LOUD. The kid is just aghast at all of this. Jamie kisses Claire neck and she knees him in the balls (“Sassenach!”) and has a hand up her skirt before the kid yells “FINE I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I KNOW!” Jamie’s like GOOD, and he and Claire exchange a very complicated conversation with their eyes which clearly includes a “Oh I will have SOME THINGS to say to YOU, SIR.” Jamie kisses her.

Jamie has one of the bros hold Claire until the kid answers all his questions (and to keep Claire from cutting HIS throat). The kid is William Grey, son of Viscount Melton, he’s with 200 infantry travelling to Dunbar. And they have heavy armament and cavalry. Jamie nods, and asks where the camp is – it’s 3 miles away. Jamie orders that they take William to where he says the camp is, and if the information is accurate, tie him to a tree one mile from camp in the direction of march. They’ll find him on their way. If he’s lying, though, kill him. “I give you your life. I hope you use it well.”

William puts up his chin and agrees that he does owe Jamie his life, and he must now regard it as a debt of honor. And once he’s discharged the debt, then he’s going to kill Jamie a lot and with glee. Jamie, very seriously accepts this. “Then I hope, sir, we do not meet again.” “A Grey does not forget an obligation.” They take him away.

Once he’s been taken off, the men are assembled, and Murtagh asks who was supposed be on watch. Dougal’s boys, of course. Jamie says that they can’t let carelessness go unpunished – and Dougal begins stripping off his coat – and Jamie says that includes himself. It was his unshielded fire that drew the kid to them, so that’s on Jamie. He has Murtagh give him 18 total lashes. And once Murtagh is done, they’ll go deal with the British troops. Jamie takes the whipping stoically.

Once it’s over, Dougal asks what the plan is, and Jamie’s like I’mma go fuck some shit up. Not you, though, you gotta guard the camp. Have fun with that. Murtagh enjoys all of this way too much.

At the British camp, the boys sneak in, and carefully remove the lynch pins from the wheels, then we see the burning wheels. Jamie crashes into the cottage where he and Claire sleeps, and Claire grumpily asks him how his back is. “Och, nae bother” and he tosses a collection of lynch pins on the bed, showing off his trophies. Claire’s like what did you do. Well, they swiped the pins that held the wheels on the cannons! Claire: They could make more, no?Jamie: Sure, if we left them the wheels. BUT WE DID NOT. Also he’s smeared grease on his face. “Commando raid. Commando? Is that the right word?” Adorbs.

Jamie tells her that it was her idea that made the night work – it’ll save a lot of lives. He tells her to get dressed, they need to pack up and go, since the British will know where they are in a few hours.

The men march, yes, march, to where Charles is gathering. Jamie has Dougal go announce their presence to His Royal Highness, Prince Charles Edward Stuart. Dougal is thrilled with the honor, and gallops off. Jamie turns to Claire, “No turning back now.” Claire: “I should say not. Je suis prest.” I am ready.

Elyse: This episode should have been titled, “Shut Up, Dougal.”

GODDAMNIT THERE WAS A MURTAGH AND FERGUS ROAD TRIP AND WE DIDNT SEE IT!

Also clearly I need to buy this soundtrack.

AHHHHHHH IT’S ANGUS AND RUPERT! Eh, it’s Dougal.

I’m surprised Claire’s PTSD waited until now to manifest especially given all the trauma she’s endured. That felt very forced to me.

Goddamnit Dougal, it takes more than mud and screaming to win a war. Also if we get half naked, filthy highlanders why can’t that highlander be Jamie?

Also, was I the only one humming Let’s Get Down to Business (“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” – RHG) from Mulan during the training montages?

RHG: So there are two major departures from the books here. The first is Claire’s PTSD, which is not a factor in the books at all, and in the post-show behind the scenes things on the Starz app, the director and RDM both talk about how in some people, the PTSD will lie dormant until something triggers it – like a yelling drill sergeant. I liked this development a lot.

The other major departure was in the book: it’s Jamie’s idea to use Claire to get William Grey to talk, and it’s WEIRD, because book!Claire has no idea what’s happening until it’s happening, and here it’s her idea (and also Show!Jamie doesn’t rip open her bodice and bare her breasts for everyone to see. GOOD CHANGES HAPPEN).