Recap of Outlander
Season 4, Episode 1:
America, the Beautiful
"A dream for some can be a nightmare for others."
Four months after unintentionally arriving in America, Jamie and Claire work to figure out the best path for their future. When a member of their group runs afoul of the law, the Frasers cross paths with Stephen Bonnet. They grant his request for aid only to learn that the Land of Opportunity means a land full of dangerous opportunist.
Tropes
- A Deadly Affair: Hayes is hanged after killing the husband of a woman he slept with. Hayes claims he was unaware that he woman was married and killed the man in self-defense, but accepts that he would not have gotten in trouble had he not slept with a woman he was not married to.
- The American Dream: Claire tells Jamie about American history, such as Westward Expansion and immigration, and how it is a dream for many to live in what will become the United States of America. Jamie mentions how the American Dream is only a dream to some and a nightmare to others after Claire mentions what happens to Native Americans.
- Anachronistic Soundtrack: "America, the Beautiful" by Ray Charles plays as the Frasers are attacked and robbed. The scene is set in the 1770s while the song will not penned until the 1890s and the specific rendition will not be recorded until the 1970s.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Stephen Bonnet convinces the Frasers that he's a decent guy who accidentally ran afoul the crown on trumped up charges. He just wants to go and live a peaceful life. In reality, he's much worse than the Crown believes him to be and only gets worse as his lucky escape emboldens him.
- Bodybag Trick: Claire and Jamie sneak Bonnet past the soldiers by putting him in a body shroud and pretending he's the corpse of a hanged man being returned to his family for burial.
- Character Catchphrase: Governor Tryon is very fond of the phrase "There is the law and there is what is done."
- Continuity Nod: Jamie tells Young Ian that he has also been forced to sleep with someone against his will and that there's no shame in doing what you must to survive. This nods back to both his encounter with Black Jack Randall and Geneva Dunsany.
- Deadpan Snarker: Jamie and Claire discuss why Governor Tryon is offering Jamie a huge tract of land at no cost.Jamie: He's no offering me land for the sake of my bonny blue eyes. Bees that have honey in their mouth have a sting in their tail.
- Deal with the Devil: Jamie agrees to settle 10,000 acres of land in North Carolina. Governor Tryon hopes that a charismatic Scotsman will draw in others and quell the unquiet amongst the Scottish immigrants. Claire makes sure Jamie knows that accepting the land would likely require them to be Crown Loyalist in the upcoming American Revolution which is only a few years away, but Jamie decides that they will figure out an alternative later.
- Dishonored Dead: Gavin Hayes is not allowed to be buried in the cemetery because of his crime of murder. Jamie, Claire, Young Ian, and Lesley decide to bury him in another cemetery outside of town.
- Due to the Dead: The Fraser party gathers in a tavern to tell stories of Hayes and have a drink to his memory. Lesley, Hayes' best friend, leads the tavern in singing a proper mourning caithris for the man. Later, they sneak and dig a grave for Hayes in the church's graveyard so that he'll be properly buried on consecrated ground.
- Every Man Has His Price: The priest is very clear that he will not have a convicted man buried in his graveyard... unless, of course, the church receives a proper "donation" to look the other way.
- Evil All Along: Stephen Bonnet fools the Frasers, having convinced them he was a decent guy who'd fallen on hard luck. Instead, he's a capricious bad guy who feels he's entitled to prey on others.
- Evolving Credits: The credits have changed to reflect the Frasers' arrival in what will eventually be the American South. The music is a bluegrass country style with the singer accompanied by a choir.
- Exact Eavesdropping: While hiding in their wagon, Bonnet is able to overhear the Frasers discussing the jewels they have and where they're headed, enabling him to comeback later and rob them, knowing exactly what to look for.
- False Friend: Bonnet thanks Jamie effusively and warns him to be safe in his travels. Later, he ambushes the group, beats up Jamie, steals all their valuables, and kills Jamie's friend, Lesley.
- A Friend in Need: Jamie is fully prepared to attempt a jail break for Hayes, despite the fact that this is one of the few stretches in his life in which he is not a wanted man, thanks to a pardon arranged by Lord John. However, Jamie feels responsible for Hayes, since Hayes only came on the trip to help Jamie and Claire recover Young Ian. Hayes refuses the rescue because he doesn't want Jamie to get in trouble and considers the situation his karmic due for sleeping with a woman to whom he was not married.
- Internal Reveal: Young Ian reveals to Jamie that he was sexually assaulted by Geillis. When Ian asks Jamie if he's ever been forced to sleep with someone against his will, Jamie confirms that he has.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Stephen Bonnet attacks the Frasers after they helped him escape hanging by the Redcoats, treated his wounds, and refused to accept payment for risking their lives to help him. He robs them of all their valuables, steals Claire's wedding ring, beats up Jamie, kills Leslie, all with a gleeful, plucky attitude.
- Last Request: Hayes' final request is a final drink of whisky and that Jamie attend his execution so that the last thing he'll see before dying in a foreign country far from home will be the face of a friend.
- A Man Is Always Eager: Averted. Young Ian talks about how he didn't want to have sex with Geillis and was even disgusted by it despite having a physical reaction. Jamie explains that a physical reaction is not equal to wanting or consenting to something.
- Mistaken for Undead: When Bonnet first reveals his presence, he does so by moaning and standing up while covered by a sheet. Jamie, Lesley, and Young Ian who were digging a grave for their dead friend are startled, thinking the man is a reanimated corpse. Lesley takes his shovel and sets about attempting to set that to rights.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: After being aided safely out of town by Jamie and Claire, Stephen Bonnet returns to attack Claire, Jamie, Young Ian, Lesley, and others. He takes their money and jewelry, including Claire's wedding ring from Jamie, assaults Jamie, and kills Lesley.
- Plagued by Nightmares: Stephen Bonnet has had nightmares of drowning since he was a child. In season 5, he will be sentenced to death by drowning. He will be tied to a pole, on the edge of drowning for hours before finally being mercy killed by Brianna.
- Portal to the Past: The opener shows a group of indigenous in North America building a stone circle and completing a ritualistic dance similar to the druids in Scotland and the escaped slaves in Jamaica.
- Post-Support Regret: Helping Stephen Bonnet escape custody will turn out to be one of the worst decisions Jamie and Claire have ever made, the misguided kindness having a butterfly effect throughout the rest of season four and well into season five, as they learn first-hand that he'd been condemned to hang for very good reason.
- Public Execution: Gavin Hayes is sentenced to death by hanging after he killed the husband of a woman he slept with. Hangings take place in the center of town as a warning against crime.
- Retroactive Precognition: Claire uses her knowledge of history to tell Jamie what America will eventually become. She also uses it when discussing Governor Tryon's offer, warning him that a war is coming, the British will lose, and Loyalist will be forced to flee the country.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Jamie and Ian sneak in under the cover of darkness to dig a grave for Hayes so he can be buried on consecrated ground even though by canon law, a convicted murderer can not be buried on holy ground.
- Serial Spouse: Jamie tells Claire about his Aunt Jocasta and her three late Cameron husbands.
- Soundtrack Dissonance: The song "America the Beautiful" by Ray Charles plays over the river attack. The lyrics celebrate the idyllic beauty of America as the Frasers are beaten and robbed and their friend is killed.
- Surprise Pregnancy: Fergus and Marsali are expecting a child just four months after marrying. While unexpected, they're ecstatic.
- Swallow the Key: In this case, rings. Claire tries to swallow her weddings so Stephen Bonnet cannot steal them. Unfortunately, he was able to forcefully take Jamie's ring out of Claire's mouth. Claire later coughs up Frank's wedding ring.
- Tearful Smile: Jamie chokes back tears to smile at Hayes so that his friend can have a final moment of peace and reassurance before hanging.
- Trauma Button: As Young Ian is digging Hayes's grave, he has a panic attack, remembering his time with Geilis Duncan. Jamie consoles Young Ian and Young Ian opens up about being sexually assaulted.
- You Did What You Had To Do: Invoked by Jamie when Young Ian expresses shame over having responded sexually to Geillis, even though he didn't want to.
