Recap of Outlander
Season 3, Episode 13:
Eye of the Storm
As Jamie faces an uncertain fate at the hands of Lieutenant Leonard, Claire continues to search for Young Ian only to discover that she's been deeply fooled and betrayed. Jamie and Claire have to marshal all their resources to protect their family both present and future.
Tropes
- Always a Bigger Fish: A heroic example. Lieutenant Leonard has grown to enjoy his unfettered power as acting Captain in His Majesty's Navy. Lord John is more than happy to remind him that Naval authority is only valid while at sea and they happen to be standing on dry land. Jamie wisely stays quiet and lets John work.
- Anti-Interference Lock Up: After discovering that Claire has a daughter who lives in the 20th century fathered by Jamie in the 18th century, Geillis locks Claire in a room so she can't stop Geillis from completely the ritual sacrifice to return to the 20th century and murder the "200 year old baby."
- Asshole Victim:
- Archie Campbell who has been drugging his sister for years and using her prophecy skills to make money. When she tries to rebel he threatens to beat her. When he tries to take her back after she runs away to be with Willoughby, she refuses and he hits her with a stick, setting off Willoughby who snaps Archie's neck to protect the woman he loves.
- Geillis is in the middle of an attempted homicide and planning another one (after a long string of suspicious husband deaths) when she's finally Killed Off for Real.
- Badass Bureaucrat: Lord John Grey lands a pretty good one on Lieutenant Leonard.Lord John: Your authority ends at the water's edge which is precisely where my authority begins. And until such time that I am satisfied as to the validity of this alleged warrant, this man will retain his liberty.
- Bothering by the Book: Lord John is able to save Jamie simply by insisting that Lieutenant Leonard follow the law and produce a warrant or sworn affidavit prior to arresting Jamie and shipping him across the ocean to stand trial for a crime he may or may not have committed.
- Break the Haughty: It is immensely satisfying to watch Lord John Grey dress Lieutenant Leonard down for overstepping his boundaries. Not only has Lieutenant Leonard overstepped his authority by arresting Lord John's guest while outside of the Navy's jurisdiction, he did so even though it means condemning the husband of the woman who risked her life to save his men mere days ago. Additionally, he attempts to pull rank on Lord John who is having absolutely none of it. By the end of it, Lieutenant Leonard can do nothing but salute and accept that Jamie will not be arrested.
- Call-Back:
- Ian chides Jamie about his rescue being a bit late. It's reminiscent of Jamie's response to Muratgh after he was rescued from Wentworth.
- Claire's reaction to killing Geillis is similar to Ian Sr's when he had to kill Harrocks. They're both non-combatant who had to complete a violent killing to keep their family safe. Most would consider it justified but they are very shaken by the act, particularly Claire who has sworn an oath to do no harm.
- Claire sitting in a racing carriage, distressed, hoping to save the life of a loved one is very similar to the circumstances at the end of "Best Laid Schemes."
- Cooldown Hug: After the intensity of fighting for their lives and having to kill Geillis, Jamie requests a group hug with Claire and Young Ian.
- Contrived Coincidence: Lord John uses his influence to clear Jamie's murder, treason, and smuggling warrants so that Jamie is free to return to Scotland.
- Creepy Cave: Abandawe. People are known to disappear there and the natives are afraid of it, believing it to be evil.
- Designated Girl Fight: Hercules seems to exist solely so that Jamie is occupied and Claire is forced to be the one who deals with Geillis. After Geillis is killed, Hercules literally just walks away without any further explanation or resistance.
- Didn't Think This Through: Lieutenant Leonard assumed he would snatch Jamie and be off to England. He didn't count on Jamie being best friends with the governor of the island, the highest possible local authority in the 18th century. Leonard didn't bother with minor things like warrants or affidavits and is comically unprepared when pressed to prove that Jamie actually committed a crime.
- Exotic Backdrop Setting: Jamie and Claire travel to Jamaica, but their most significant interactions are with Lord John, Geillis, and the Campbells, all of whom they know from Scotland.
- Flashback: After killing Geillis, Claire has a flashback memory of looking at the bones of a person she inexplicably knew was a murder victim and realizes that she somehow knew because she was the killer.
- Gentleman Snarker: Lord John is quite good at insulting people without saying anything objectively rude.
- Hostile Weather: The Artemis is caught in a sudden storm that destroys the ship and strands them on the coast of Georgia in the American colonies.
- If I Do Not Return: Before they enter the cave, Jamie and Claire have to pause and have a quick conversation about what to do if one or the other is incapacitated. Claire can hear the hum of a portal and fears she may be pulled back to the future with no way to return. Jamie asks that if anything happens to him, Claire must follow Geillis to make sure that Brianna is safe.
- Internal Reveal: Claire learns that Geillis is the one who has been holding Young Ian and she plans to sacrifice him so she can travel to the future and kill Brianna in hopes of restoring a Stuart King to the British throne.
- Interservice Rivalry: An officer of the British Army, Lord John takes several jabs at Lieutenant Leonard, implying that the Navy has inferior training, traditions, and personnel.
- I Owe You My Life: Jamie thanks John for helping him out, saying that he's indebted to John for saving his life. John acknowledges that this is something they do back and forth and it looks forward to seeing him the next time one of them needs the other.
- Given how viciously seasick Jamie gets, this can be taken literally. In the Lord John Grey novels, John has witnessed how desperately ill Jamie gets on boat trips. A trip back to England where he's being held as prisoner with little to no medical care literally might be the death of him.
- Last Kiss: Averted. Jamie and Claire kiss before entering the caves as they're not sure that both will survive the ordeal and with the understanding that Claire might be pulled back to her own time period. Luckily, they both survive and remain in the 18th century together.
- Mad Oracle: Margaret Campbell is able to give Jamie a prophesy with details vivid enough to invoke a Flashback Cut to when he was dying on Culloden Moore, causing Jamie visible fright. She then gives Claire a prophesy reminding her of loving to watch birds sing because they always made her think of Jamie. She then gives them a combined prophesy speaking as those she is their daughter, warning them that Brianna is in danger.
- Malicious Misnaming: Lord John Grey intentionally keeps fumbling Lieutenant Leonard's official title and his acting title.Lord John: "What do you have Lieutenant Leonard? Forgive me. Captain Leonard. You must excuse my unfamiliarity with the somewhat liberal practices of the naval service insofar as conferring rank is concerned. I'm afraid the army takes a somewhat more traditional stance in these matters, preferring to grant a title of command only when it has been earned."
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Geillis didn't know the identity of the 200 year old baby until Claire showed her pictures of Brianna who is living in the 20th century. This makes Geillis determined to travel to the future and kill Brianna in hopes of fulfilling the prophecy.
- No-Sell: Lieutenant Leonard first appeals to reason, then attempts to pull rank, and then begins to bluster as to why he should be allowed to arrest Jamie. All the while, Lord John Grey stares at him, stone faced and completely unimpressed.
- Off With Her Head: Claire decapitates Geillis mid-air to keep her from jumping through the portal where she might harm Brianna.
- Pretender Diss: Lord John, who actually has been the commanding officer of a military, mocks Lieutenant Leonard who has let his Acting Captaincy go to his head.
- Sanity Slippage: Geillis goes on a rant about how she was ordained by God to travel back in time and fulfill a prophecy about killing a two hundred year old baby in order to return a Scottish king to the throne and free the Scottish people from tyrannical English rule. She decides that Claire is a saboteur who has been working against her all alone.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Lieutenant Leonard argues that he should be able to forego a warrant or affidavit as he is honor bound to take Jamie back to England for a trial. Lord John informs him he'll be doing no such thing.
- Smash Cut: Lieutenant Leonard and his men are halted on their way to the boat. Local soldiers inform him they are taking Jamie into their custody. Leonard demands to know on whose authority. Cut to Lord John Grey as he stares Lieutenant Leonard down.
- Smug Snake: Lieutenant Leonard is inordinately pleased with himself for capturing Jamie. As they march Jamie back to the ship, Leonard congratulates himself and talks about what he plans to do next.
- These Hands Have Killed: Breaking her oath to do no harm and killing Geillis who she formerly considered a close friend really does a number on Claire. When she, Ian, and Jamie escape the cave, she's stares at the bloody machete, shaking, until Jamie realizes she's in shock and talks her down.
- Time-Travelers Are Spies: Geillis becomes convinced that Claire, an English woman, is in Jamaica to keep Geillis from completing the prophecy that will return a Stuart King to the throne.
- You Owe Me: Geillis believes that she is entitled to kill Brianna because she saved Claire's life during the witch trials in Cranesmuir.
