Previously: Team Salt Frog got hitched. They made it to Jamaica. Claire talked to a coconut.
Pre-credits, we see Ian’s kidnapping from his point of view. The pirates were there for the box of jewels (“Is this what The Bakra seeks?”) and intended to kill Ian, but after he bites one of the pirates, they’re like, well then, The Bakra likes young boys, so let’s keep him.
In Kingston, Ian is tossed into a cell with two other boys – one White, and one Black. They tell Ian that there had been six boys, but they get taken away one by one to see The Bakra, and never come back. Ian asks what a Bakra is, and the scene cuts to a large, Caribbean plantation house- long and low, with a wrap around porch (for the heat).
Ian is brought into a room with a bed and he looks around fearfully. A foot, covered in blood, lifts into frame, and a female voice says “I’m told you are Scottish. So am I.”
(From Elyse: “Soooo Elizabeth Bathory is in this?”)
Ian asks if she’s the Bakra, and she gets out of the tub full of blood, and stands with her back to him (It’s a striking shot), and she turns. “You can call me Geillis.”
(Elyse: FUCKING GEILLIS.
Me: AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA)
Geillis explains that the blood (which she says is goat’s blood) (which is a total lie, I’m sure) helps keep her skin young, and she rinses it off her. Ian stares at her with a perfect mix of fear and arousal (he’s 15 after all). She puts on a robe when one of her slaves (because be real, they’re slaves) brings a tray of tea and cakes. Ian, after some prodding, shoves cake in his mouth and drinks the tea.
Geillis begins: she knows where he was picked up, and she’s missing a sapphire from her wee box. Ian doesn’t have it (and she gets him to drink more tea). Ian gets a weird look on his face, and he says thinks that maybe his uncle took the jewel (then he claps his hand over his mouth). The tea is basically a truth serum, and Ian spills everything – his uncle is one James Fraser, he needed the treasure to pay a debt, and Jamie was shouting from the hill. “He’ll be coming for me.” “Oh, I’m counting on it.”
Ian asks what she does with the boys. She fucks them, and then kills them (“virgins have such power inside”). Ian isn’t a virgin, and she shrugs and opens her robe. “You’ll know what to do then.”
The title card is manicured hands digging through the box of jewels, looking for the third sapphire.
In Kingston, the Artemis lands, and Jamie sets Team Salt Frog to taking the Artemis to a cove to hide once she’s unloaded. (Marsali wonders if maybe the Porpoise has already come and gone, and Jamie’s like, nah, they wouldn’t have had time to do everything he needs to do.)
Another Scotsman approaches, Kenneth McIvers, one of Jared’s employees, so there’s someone who knows the lay of the land. McIvers tells them that there’s a reception for the new Governor of Jamaica, but Claire and Jamie don’t want to hobnob with people just then. As they walk, Claire asks if he knows if the Bruja sold any slaves, and he doesn’t know, but they can check the slave market.
Claire, Jamie, and the New Thing One head to the slave market, and it’s hard. People in cages, in chains, being branded, called savages and goods. Jamie and New Thing One ask around, and one of the people who sells human beings for money tells them that the Bruja only deals in Black slaves, and the governor bought all of those. Jamie: the governor having the fancy party tonight? That one? (The New Things offer to break in, and Jamie’s like, nah. I’ve been invited.) Guess we’re going to a fancy party, and we’ll see if any of his new slaves know anything. They notice that Claire’s wandered off.
Claire’s found her way to an auction block, where a man is being sold as…well, as stud. He’s got an injured leg, so he can’t work. One of the crowd demands assurances of his virility, and to prove it to the crowd, the auctioneer gropes the slave to arouse him. Claire is so appalled by this that she starts beating people off with her parasol, and Jamie, in an effort to prevent chaos…buys the slave (whose name is Temeraire) in Claire’s name. So there’s a historical record of one Claire Fraser owning a slave. So that’ll be fun for Bree and Roger to find.
Claire says they HAVE to free Temeraire, and Jamie’s like, look, we do, but we can’t do it right now and right here. We have to get him to a place where he’ll be safe and no one will just recapture and resale him. Plus, they can ask Temeraire if he’d talk to the slaves in the Governor’s household about Young Ian.
Claire goes to talk to Temeraire, who is definitely in the place of “what fresh hell is this?” and Claire carefully explains that they will free him, once they’ve found a place he’s safe and wants to go. Temeraire: You’re some weird ass white people, but okay. Jamie asks if Temeraire will help them with talking with the slaves, please? Temeraire agrees.
Back at Geillis’ plantation, guess who she has staying with her? The Campbells, where Archie and Geillis are planning to use Margaret’s psychic skills to get a prophecy, but (but) she needs all three sapphires. Two will not do. (Geillis is wearing a fantastic sacque-back gown and really pissed.)
“It’s the only way I’ll ken when the new Scottish king will arise.” (Archie: what if it’s in 500 years? Geillis: DON’T ASK QUESTIONS.) Margaret mutters about blood and death, but like, you’re on a Caribbean plantation. The ground is soaked in blood and death.
Archie asks where Geillis found out about the jewels. Dougal, of course, they were passed down from father to son until Dougal got them, and he hid them on Selkie Island. “He died a hero in the Battle of Culloden.” Archie: So…. you don’t need the rest of the treasure, then? Geillis: YOU GET PAID WHEN SERVICES ARE RENDERED.
FANCY PARTY TIME.
Everyone is dressed up, and Marsali has been busy making over Claire and Jamie’s fancy duds. Even Yi Tien Cho has fancy clothes, and Temeraire has appropriate livery. (Marsali: You look like a dandy. Fergus: He looks like a Frenchman. Yi Tien Cho: Same thing.) Jamie is in a WIG, for heaven’s sake, and it’s an A+ hard front wig. Jamie sends Temeraire to the slave quarters to ask about Young Ian, and everyone else troops inside.
The first person they see is Mr. Campbell, who knows Claire as Mistress Malcolm. It’s awkward. Inside, Team Fraser and Team Salt Frog wait in the receiving line. Claire looks at all of the slaves around the room – in fancy livery, but still slaves, and tightens her mouth. Jamie asks when it ends, and she tells him not for 70 years in the British Empire and 100 in America. A woman asks if Yi Tien Cho is “genuine” (Jamie and Yi Tien Cho exchange a look, and Tien Cho sort of nods like, “Yeah, okay, I’ll play this part”). He charms them with such skills as “speaking English.” He also notices Margaret telling one of the slaves that one day his son will be “free of the chains that bind him” and then Archie yanking her away for wasting her talent on someone who can’t pay for it.
Team Salt Frog can’t keep their hands from each other, and Claire reminds Jamie of when they were that obvious. They are differently obvious, as they very thoroughly eye-bang in the middle of the room.
But it gets cut short when Jamie sees the new Governor of Jamaica…. One Lord John Grey. “Perhaps it’s your coming through the stones…the ghosts are drawn to our lives…” Jamie bows to John, who has a talent of showing every single emotion cross his face all at the same time. John is like WHAT THE ACTUAL WHAT NOW and then Jamie introduces Claire, who of course John recognizes, and is surprised by her not being, you know, dead. (Aren’t we all.)
John yanks them out of the receiving line into a private room (guests be damned), and Jamie asks about WIllie. WIllie and Isobel will be joining John later, and Willie is well grown and still rides like a champ. John tells Jamie that Willie still remembers him “…um, from time to time.” John stares at Jamie, until Claire’s like SO WHY ARE YOU IN JAMAICA? John’s diplomatic career has been rather truncated, and he wants to know just what in the blue blazes Jamie and Claire are doing in Jamaica.
Jamie tells him about Ian, and John offers to help, whatever he can do. Jamie notices a fob on John’s waistcoat- it’s made from the sapphire Jamie gave him. “I wear it to….remember our friendship.” John goes back to his guests, and Claire eyes Jamie like “I do not think you have told me all the things.” Claire and Jamie also head back to the party, where Jamie pops off to talk to Freemasons, and Claire makes her own inquiries.
In the garden, Margaret sits near fountains, and Yi Tien Cho finds her. He gently says that he doesn’t think that her brother treats her well. She takes his hand and calls him a rare soul, and he calls her a flower from heaven. It’s a sweet moment.
John finds Claire, and they drink. He reminds her about when they met when he was 16. She smiles and tells him that yes, he defended her virtue. He confirms that Jamie told her about Willie, and she’s like, yeah, I know lots of things. She asks about the sapphire, and he allows that Jamie surrendered it. “He went searching for you… he thought you might have come back to him. And now you have.” “Yes. I have.” “Well, it is a pleasure to finally meet the love that was his every heartbeat.” Claire smiles, and looks away…. And sees Geillis. “You’ll have to excuse me, I believe I’ve seen a ghost.”
Outside, Geillis finds Claire. “Of all the gin joints, in all the towns…” Claire asks how Geillis escaped getting burned. Since she was pregnant, they couldn’t execute her until she gave birth. Once she had (she tells Claire that the baby was “As warm as his father’s balls”). Dougal came to take the baby, and then Geillis asks a very Geillis question: “Why are men such fools? You can lead them anywhere by the cock for a while. Give them a bairn, and you have them by the balls again.” Dougal bribed the locksman, and made sure the body that was burned at the stake was an old woman who died three days before. Geillis, of course, watched the whole thing.
Geillis left Scotland after Culloden, married a plantation owner, who did not fare well in the tropics, since it’s such an unhealthy atmosphere for Englishmen. She is now Mrs. Abernathy, of Rose Hall. Claire thanks Geillis for saving her life back in Season 1, and tells her that they’re in Jamaica looking for Young Ian. Geillis gasps at the thought of a young Scotsman being sold into slavery, and offers any help she can OF COURSE. “What are friends for?”
Geillis remarks on Claire’s necklace, and they go to find Jamie. Jamie is quite shocked to see Geillis there, but before he can say anything John wanders up and Geillis notices the sapphire. John blithely says that it was found on an island off Scotland, and Geillis is like OH REALLY WAS IT NOW. She buzzes off, and John’s like, “your friend is weird.”
Geillis finds Archie and tells him to have Margaret to do readings for the crowd. He can get as much money as he wants from the crowd, she just wants a fortune told for John. She pulls him in to have a reading done (Margaret is very unhappy at being used like this – she wants to help people, not bring death, and Yi Tien Cho is very concerned). Geillis encourages John to hand his sapphire to Margaret (who is holding the other two stones that Archie pushed in her hand, I guess he was carrying them around on spec?).
John grudgingly does, and Margaret inhales sharply: “When twice 1200 moons have coursed ‘tween man’s attack and woman’s curse, and when the issue is cut down, then will a Scotsman wear a crown.”
John: this has fuck all to do with me, and also you people are weird. Geillis grabs Archie to process the prophecy. Geillis does the math: 2,400 moons is 200 years (….eh….) and Archie claims the woman’s curse is childbirth and a “man’s attack” is sex, so they’re looking for kid who was born 200 years after conception. Geillis: that’s ridiculous and impossible. Shut up, we’re leaving.
Out front, Fergus and Marsali are canoodling (adorably), but before they can start banging on a tree, Babby Captain rides up. Fergus takes his boner inside to warn Jamie, and everyone sneaks out the back door. They find Temeraire, who did get the information they wanted – slaves on Bruja did see a white boy, and he was sent to Mrs. Abernathy’s place. Rose Hall. Claire: shit, Geiles lied to me! AGAIN! Temeraire asks if they’ll keep their bargain and that there’s a place escaped slaves live in the mountains. They drive off just as Babby Captain comes out.
On the road, Temeraire sees the mark that’ll lead him to his freedom, and they stop so he can go. Before they can head to Rose Hall, they are found by Babby Captain and his Marines. Jamie shoves the pictures of Brianna and Willie in Claire’s hands, as Babby Captain proclaims him under arrest for the murder of that one dude in the Creme de Menthe cask, and sedition and treason and all the other shit. Claire: I SAVED YOUR FUCKING LIFE AND EVERYONE ELSE’S ON THAT SHIP. Babby Captain does not care.
Jamie is hauled away and tells Claire to go and find Young Ian.
Elyse: WHAT.
WHY.
FUCKING GEILLIS?
JOHN GREY?
IS FUCKING DOUGAL THERE TOO?
FUCK.
So I have no words because my brain is still processing FUCKING GEILLIS other than how is this almost the end of the season?
We finally get Jamie and Claire and Fergus having adventures and then FUCKING GEILLIS and it’s almost over?!
RHG: While Elyse is up there processing her feelings (and I have been delightedly looking forward to JUST THIS MOMENT FOR TWO YEARS AND ELYSE DID NOT DISAPPOINT)….
I want to talk about COSTUME! Terry Dresbach has been talking about how they remade a bunch of the fancy clothes from Paris – in story, Marsali did it. She took a bunch for her trousseau. Fergus’ fancy clothes are an old suit of Jamie’s, as, I think, as Yi Tien Cho’s. Both Claire and Marsali’s gowns are old ones of Claire’s that have been altered and made over. It was very very common- especially in the 18th century before steam power made weaving mills much faster, and cloth much less expensive.
— Terry Dresbach (Outlander Costume) (@OutlanderCostum) December 3, 2017
More notes on reconstruction pic.twitter.com/VwH9g6ZFxD
— Terry Dresbach (Outlander Costume) (@OutlanderCostum) November 10, 2017
Geillis is back. Lord John is back. Young Ian is alive, for now. There’s a prophecy. Yi Tien Cho and Margaret Campbell are adorable.
One more episode for the season!
I told the bff that there are advantages to having not read the books, and Gellis rising from her bloody bath was case in point. She knew it was coming, but I got the pleasure of being almost completely surprised. I don’t know about Elyse, but my reaction was something along the line of: Yes, yes, YES!!! I did have my suspicions after the E3 white witch ramble, but still, a gobsmacking re-entry to the story.
Mr. Willoughby and Margaret, while not part of the books, was epically romantic. Swoon.
Oh the eye fucking!! I’ll just say I have never seen it done do well. So hot it was almost embarrassing to watch. Kudos.
Fergus and Marsali continue to be adorable. They have a lovely chemistry. I attribute it to their off camera friendship. Cesar joined us on my Outlander vacation last summer, where he proved to be pillar of strength (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) when it came to spoilers, but did share pictures of them playing on the beach. He called her his best friend. So cute.
So sad that Droughlander is on the horizon. No Claire, no Jaime, no Outlander recaps to read with my morning coffee. Sigh.
The one problem I had with this episode was the whitewashed slavery, it was a poor plot device and narrative. It was there to make Jamie and Claire look even more saintly, and this trope of “white man’s burden” has been a lot in both historical and modern romance novels, just to make the white protagonist couple seem even more good.
Even in my own time-travel romance story, the characters of color don’t need white people (even the white characters they are friends with) to come to rescue them in a White Savior kind of way, they can stand on their own.
@donnamarie Not looking forward to droughtlander either!
I liked this episode quite a bit. I follow Terry Dresbach (probably murdering her last name) and she showed several examples of 18c and 19c re-done dresses and the remakings, creases, trim hiding holes, etc. So interesting!
So this Geillis is the White Witch of Rose Hall? From the novel by HG de Lisser, if I recall correctly. And bakra/buckra was a Jamaican word (originally from some African language, I assume) for a white person.
Lovely costumes!
Bakra also white white slavemaster
Geillis was kind of serpent-like in this episode, and predatory, like a reverse Harvey Weinstein.
Sure guys would be like “she’s sexy and no man could resist, so its not really rape” to which I call bullshite on that, just because you come or are hard when you are raped, doesn’t mean you enjoyed it. That’s a bodily reaction to sex, consensual or not, that’s how the body reacts.
Sorry, I mean that Bakra also means white slavemaster
@Hazel It also ties with the white witch that Jamie thought could be Claire back in the Ardsmuir episodes. And the Mackenzie the half dead guy was talking about was Dugal, of course.
Rose Hall exists – when I lived In Jamaica in the 60’s, it was a very spooky place. I understand it’s been totally renovated now tho. There was also an area in the Blue Mountains (I think) that slaves escaped to – “me no send, you no come” -in the 60’s, it was still considered an area to avoid.
I haven’t watched up to this episode yet but I do recall being kind of confused when I read the book when it was revealed that the White Witch (who was teased a bit more in the book – it was a bigger mystery that took longer to be revealed) was Geillis, and what exactly the Campbells were doing there. I kind of like that the show is laying it out a bit more explicitly.
I also love the details you shared about the costume reworking! That sort of thing is really fascinating to me – I highly recommend the Recycled Movie Costumes blog for more (not sure if they have Outlander specifically). http://www.recycledmoviecostumes.com/
One thing that did stand out for me for this book (while the show reminds me what a mess it is in terms of pacing!) is Claire’s powerlessness in the face of industrial slavery. Her first reaction is to rail against it and in doing so makes herself complicit (more so than she was before, eating sugar and chocolate and coffee, which I don’t think the book really does confront). She can’t stand the reality of slavery, but she knows it’s out of her power to end it. Her interactions with Jamie’s aunt in the next book, who wants to leave them slaves in her will, really digs into the cognitive dissonance of a modern person faced with slavery as opposed to an C18th abolitionist. She knows it’s going to end, and she knows it’s going to be a very long time before it does.
” Sam Victors says:
December 9, 2017 at 11:59 am
5+
The one problem I had with this episode was the whitewashed slavery, it was a poor plot device and narrative. It was there to make Jamie and Claire look even more saintly, and this trope of “white man’s burden” has been a lot in both historical and modern romance novels, just to make the white protagonist couple seem even more good. ”
The problem here for a storyteller is, how do you make your main characters react to this? I mean, Jamie and Claire are good people so they are of course horrified… I feel like that doesn’t make them “Even more good” it’s more like the baseline of human decency. It’s not exactly a high moral test. And that doesn’t make it less awkward that they basically have to suck it up and do nothing except free one slave, but I feel like as a setup there’s not a lot of ways you can go with “good guy main characters” + slave market.