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Recap / Outlander S 1 E 9 The Reckoning

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Recap of Outlander
Season 1, Episode 9:

The Reckoning

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Jamie and the Highlanders rescue Claire from Black Jack Randall. Sparks fly as Jamie confronts Claire about her trip to the stones. Back at the castle, politics threaten to tear Clan MacKenzie apart and Laoghaire attempts to win Jamie away from Claire.

Tropes

  • A Man Is Always Eager: Averted. Jamie is tempted by Laoghaire's offer, particularly since he's on the outs with Claire, but he ultimately decides it's more important to be a man of his word and uphold the marital vows he made with his wife.
  • Anger Born of Worry: After an intense screaming argument, Jamie abruptly collapses and begins crying, telling Claire how terrified going back to Fort Williams made him feel but he'd gone anyway, completely unarmed, because he was even more terrified of what might happen to her.
  • Corporal Punishment: Jamie uses his belt to whip Claire across the buttocks in hopes of correcting her behavior.
  • Culture Clash: A man of the 1740s, Jamie believes it is his right to use corporal punishment to correct his wife's behavior. A progressive woman of the 1940s, Claire very much disagrees. Jamie's attempts to do so nearly descends into an all out brawl before Jamie is able to physically subdue her.
  • Flames of Love: Jamie and Claire's makeup sex is on the floor in front of the fireplace.
  • Formula-Breaking Episode: This episode is narrated by Jamie and told from his POV as opposed to Claire.
  • Future Slang: Once they've reconciled, Jamie asks Claire to explain some of the words she used during their argument including "fucking" and "sadist."
  • Heroic Vow: Determined to mend fences with Claire, Jamie vows fealty to her (something he'd previously refused to do for anyone, even upon pain of death) and swore that he would never again attempt corporal punishment on her on pain of death. Very Serious Business in a time and place where breaking an oath can cost you your life.
  • The Reveal:
    • Colum knows about the traveling party collecting a separate pot of money for the Jacobite cause.
    • Jamie reveals that Claire's ring is made from his key to the gates of Lallybroch, to represent that his lands are just as much hers as his.
  • Internal Reveal: While arguing his loyalty to Colum, Dougal confirms that he is Hamish's father, done to assure Colum has an heir. The look on Jamie and Ned's faces say that this is definitely not a known fact around the castle.
  • Interplay of Sex and Violence: While having makeup sex with Jamie, Claire pulls his blade and puts it to his throat, threatening to cut his heart out and eat it for breakfast if he ever raises a hand to her again. She doesn't stop having sex as she's making this threat or while he's stuttering out a promise of agreement. Once he promises, she throws the blade to the side and they continue on to completion.
  • The Mole: Willie was appointed by Colum to be the Laird's eyes and ears during the rent collections. He's the reason Colum knows of all the things that happened while they were away.
  • No Equal-Opportunity Time Travel: Claire is appalled that the men think the fact that Jamie whipped her is funny and a matter to tease about.
  • No Escape but Down: Jamie and Claire are forced to jump over the wall of the garrison to get away from the pursuing Redcoats. The jump is so high, Claire asks Jamie if he's sure there's water at the bottom. He reassures her that he's almost positive.
  • Politically Correct History: Averted. Jamie is often presented as an unusually progressive man of his time and it appeared that he would be content to forgive Claire's behavior and the way she spoke to him after they talked it out and she apologized. However, he is unwilling to forgive her for endangering his men. In his mind, the proper justice for that is to belt her until she can't sit down and he does just that.
  • Pre Ass Kicking One Liner: Jamie to Black Jack
    Jamie: I'll thank ye to take yer hands off my wife.
  • Ready for Lovemaking: Laoghaire approaches Jamie dressed in a very skimpy outfit, declaring her love and offering him her virginity to prove that she wants to be with him.
  • Roaring Rampage of Rescue: The men ride at full speed to rescue Claire a) because she's Jamie's wife and b) she knows sensitive information that could get them all killed. When they arrive at Fort Williams, they have no patience for soldiers pretending not to know what they're talking about when they ask after the English woman recently brought in. Jamie threatens that one soldier's next words will be in soprano if he doesn't start talking. They knock out several soldiers including Captain Randall and blow a hole through the wall of the Fort in their desperate attempt to save Claire.
  • Romantic Runner-Up: There's nothing wrong with Laoghaire other than she's a bit too intense and Jamie's more interested in Claire.
  • Shipper with an Agenda: After returning from their rent collection trip, Jamie is surprised to find Collum giving him the cold shoulder. Eventually Collum reveals the source of his irritation. Dugal may have presented Jamie and Claire's arranged marriage as though he'd become fond of Claire and wanted her to be safe, but in reality, he specifically proposed that she marry Jamie because marrying an English woman would remove the extremely charismatic, well-liked Jamie from contention for Laird of Clan MacKenzie, the opposite of Colum's wishes.
  • Soft Water: Claire and Jamie from a height so high they couldn't even see the water they were to land in, but neither is injured upon landing.
  • Volleying Insults: After their escape from Fort Williams, Jamie and Claire scream mean things at each other at increasing volumes, culminating in Claire calling Jamie a sadistic fucking bastard and Jamie calling her a foul-mouthed bitch.
  • Voodoo Doll: Claire finds a black magic totem under their bed. Jamie says it's supposed to bring pain, harm, or death to the recipient and he strongly suspects Laoghaire placed it.
  • With Us or Against Us: When Colum and Dougal are on the outs, the men begin to take sides with Willie, Murtaugh, and Jamie on one side and Angus and Rupert on the other. Angus and Rupert begin to question Jamie's loyalties and whether Clan Fraser should be so active in the matters of Clan MacKenzie without an oath of fealty.

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