I am not enthusiastic about writing this post about Episode 208. I had a hard time following it after the first twenty minutes. Sincerely, I was falling asleep, something that has never happened to me while watching Outlander. Of course, there are some enjoyable scenes, especially the ones that take place at Lallybroch. However, there are some deviations in the adaptation that most readers would have liked not to see them on screen (and that includes me). I decided to discuss them to understand their inclusion.
Claire and Laoghaire
One of the changes is the addition of Laoghaire to this episode, a character that is just mentioned in book 2. First, she is asking Claire for forgiveness for setting up her arrest and possible execution in the witch trial at Cranesmuir. Claire reveals that she does not hate her but pities her. However, Claire finds it hard to forgive her, and Jamie does not even speak to her. Of course, there is a difference between book Laoghaire and TV Laoghaire. In Outlander, Laoghaire does not have an active role in the witch trial against Claire in Cranesmuir. She just set up Claire for arrest. In the adaptation, she testifies against Claire and even tells her that she will dance upon her ashes before her whipping. Of course, these actions are hard to forgive. Furthermore, Jamie is aware of Laoghaire’s wrongdoing and that she wanted Claire burned. Based on the events in Voyager, I cannot wait to see the reason the adaptation will use for Jamie subsequently marrying Laoghaire. However, the option of not having Jamie married to Laoghaire could be a possibility in the adaptation.
Of note is the fact that Claire is using Laoghaire to achieve her goals. She has realized that young Simon is infatuated with Laoghaire. Claire’s plan relies on Laoghaire persuading Young Simon in defying his father and bringing the support of Clan Fraser to Prince Charles. If Laoghaire agrees to do what Claire is asking, she might be forgiven for her actions. However, forgiveness has to come from the heart and not through manipulations. Claire’s request resembles the conversation she had with Alex Randall in Episode 205 – “Untimely Resurrection.” Claire’s comment about a man in love looking for his beloved’s approval and that physical contact is not a requirement to convince him is golden. Furthermore, Claire and Laoghaire working together might be an indication that they might join again to reach another goal in the future.
Of note is the scene in which Jamie thanks Laoghaire for doing the favor of talking to young Simon. She is not only hopeful of earning his forgiveness but his love. Of course, she omits telling him the last detail since he has no interest in pleasing her. The implication is that Laoghaire will strive in getting Jamie’s attention. She does not realize that the love she feels for Jamie is and will always be unrequited. It is a pity that she will come to this realization at old age. Like Claire, I pity her.
The Seer’s Curse
The interaction between Claire and Maisri was worthy of watching. TV Maisri is afflicted not only by visions of the future but also by mistreatment on behalf of Lord Lovat. She confesses that Lord Lovat beats her if she says something that displeases him. She fears for her life, the main reason why she restrains herself in telling Jamie’s grandfather about his death. She tells Claire that most of her visions come to pass. However, sometimes an action can change what might happen, which makes Claire hopeful. However, book Maisri’s real affliction is the seer’s curse, a dilemma that characters who know future events face often. There is no much about it in this episode. Maisri knows what will happen but sometimes she is not able to transmit this information. In book 2, Lord Lovat beats her for hiding information from him, his death. The seer’s curse affects time travelers, especially Claire and Roger MacKenzie. In book 8, Roger and Brian Fraser become friends. Roger is tempted to tell Brian about Black Jack and the impending disaster that will be affecting his family soon. However, he opts not to do it. Of course, Maisri has an advantage at her disposal. She is a well-known seer. However, other characters such as Claire and Roger do not have the reputation of being seers. Therefore, it does not make sense to warn people in the past about what is going to happen. Furthermore, the TV adaptation emphasizes the fact that tenants do not like Maisri’s presence in the chapel, which implies that being a seer is not a popular title.
Claire, the Seer
“. . . An infallible judge of truth, of purity of heart.”
“La Dame Blanche cannot lie; she sees the heart and soul of a man, and may turn the truth to good . . . or to destruction” (Dragonfly in Amber, ch. 27).
There is a trend this season of Claire saving the day. It works marvelously in Episode 207 – “Faith.” Claire accuses St. Germain of having darkness in his soul. However, she tries to save him even though he is a dangerous enemy by giving him bitter cascara instead of poison. Of course, she has a more active role in this scene as opposed to the book version, in which Raymond aids Claire. The scene overall portrays Claire’s nature of healing and saving other people, including enemies. It also reflects Claire knowledge of herbs.
Claire feigning the role of a seer is not believable, and it has a certain level of inconsistency with the definition of “La Dame Blanche.” First, she is not a good liar, and her face reveals everything. Of course, she prevents her husband from signing the deed of sasine granting Lallybroch to his grandfather, which is something that book Jamie would never do. She even puts her life at risk. However, as La Dame Blanche, she should not be able to feign a vision efficiently. Of course, Colum sees it as a pretense, which supports the notion of Claire not being able to lie. However, the feigning successfully works on Lord Lovat for the following reasons:
- Claire is telling the truth even though she is not the one having the vision
- Lord Lovat has a superstitious mindset. He is scared of white ladies and has a seer at his service.
Overall, this deviation of “La Dame Blanche” feigning a vision is still acceptable even though I would have preferred not to have it happened. The trend of Claire saving the day is becoming repetitive.
On the bright side . . .
Some scenes are enjoyable to watch.
- The tenants at Lallybroch will have potatoes to eat in the next few years of famine. They are wondering what to do with them, and it was fun to watch the different suggestions of how potatoes are cooked.
- A beautiful scene is Jamie holding and talking to his niece. The conversation that Jenny and Claire are having during this scene is straight from the books.
- Colum MacKenzie continues to impress me. He is a cautious man, and he cares for the clan. Based on the past attempts against the British, he knows that they will not be getting external support and that the only way to survive is to remain neutral. I liked hearing when he tells Jamie about him being headstrong but not reckless with the lives of others. He recommends Jamie not to make a bargain with his grandfather for the benefit of everything that he holds dear.
- The portrayal of Lord Lovat is golden. He is a man with no scruples, superstitious and a womanizer. He also belittles his son in public.
- Young Simon makes finally a stand to protect Claire, emphasizing his desire to fight for Prince Charles and his country. I like it when he says, “I am ready,” to Jamie before leaving Beauly.
Sources
Gabaldon, Diana. Dragonfly in Amber. New York: Bantam Dell, 1993. Print.