Outlander fans have been playing “What’s Next” about season two ever since the last credit rolled on season one. What will happen when Jamie and Claire arrive in Paris? Will they be able to change history and save Highland culture from decimation by the Brits? And, more importantly — at least to the diehard romantics among us — will Jamie and Claire the couple really be able to recover (aka have glorious sex again) after Jamie’s torture by Black Jack Randall?
It’s a game where book readers, in theory anyway, have the upper hand. We know what Diana Gabaldon actually wrote. But as we all know from having watched season one, TV is a different medium and executive producer Ron Moore is a tricky guy. He played a little loose (to some book purists anyway) with the facts fiction Gabaldon created. It all worked out, of course. The Starz show and its stars have won numerous awards and viewers, finally making it onto the mainstream media’s radar with daytime talk shows, Saks windows etc.
But now, thanks to Outlander Italy’s Tumblr announcement, we have access to the full season two titles and the real conjecture can begin. TV-only Outlander fans who don’t want to know another thing about what might be coming should probably go read any one of our blog’s other posts right now. And book people who would prefer to be surprised should click somewhere else, too.
But if you’ve been mapping out Dragonfly in Amber in your head in the shower for the last 9 months — an entirely theoretical example — wondering what parts will make it to TV and what parts won’t, then this post is for you. We’re going to play What’s in a Name? and try to guesstimate what will happen in each of these episodes. All theories — conspiracy or otherwise — are welcome, but consider yourself warned. Once you click, there’s no going back. You can’t unread this.
Spoiler Alert……Spoiler Alert…….Spoiler Alert……Spoiler Alert
Here are the episode titles, according to Outlander Italy, and my two cents on what I think might happen. My only credentials are that I’ve read Dragonfly in Amber three times. So my guess is certainly as good as yours, and I hope you’ll share your thoughts in the comments below. As you will quickly see, I don’t have all the answers.
Without further ado….
2.01 “Through a Glass, Darkly”: I think the first episode is going to open — and potentially stay — in the 1940s. While a substantive departure from the book, which opens in 1968, the original trailer that Starz ultimately tweaked before releasing its official trailer showed Claire clearly in the 1940s with Frank. The title suggests the angst and despair Claire is going to go through because she’s had to leave Jamie in order to save the child she carries. It could end with the hand bit shown in the trailer, where Frank’s hand in the 20th century is reaching for Claire’s as she steps off the plane but it then morphs into Jamie’s hand. That could transition us/leave TV-only fans hanging at the end of that first episode and also plays nicely off the hand imagery that was so much a part of season one key art (DVD/poster covers etc).
2.02 “Not in Scotland Anymore”: My guess is this episode takes us back to the 18th century with Jamie and Claire arriving in Paris to begin their attempt to stave off Culloden. We’ll probably meet Jamie’s Uncle Jared, Fergus!, and some of the other cast of characters in Paris. The episode could show Claire and Jamie inveigling themselves into the king’s court and the business of spying. Oh and Claire will alienate/makes an enemy for life of the Comte de St. Germain by announcing his ship of booze is full of sailors with the plague, forcing it to be burned.
2.03 “Useful Occupations and Deceptions”: This episode might be devoted to Claire and Jamie’s daily Parisian life. The useful occupation part is likely Claire’s entry into working at L’Hopital des Anges and meeting Mother Hildegarde, who is Mother Superior, and her wonderful dog Bouton! Maybe we see more dinner parties? Meet Mary Hawkins and Alex Randall? Get to know Monsieur Raymond? See Jamie dealing with the Prince and his wanton ways, which likely (in the TV version anyway) creates more tension for Jamie and Claire?
2.04 “La Dame Blanche”: As book readers know, this is a nickname given Claire, ironically by Jamie, who wanted people to perhaps be a little afraid of her. This turns out to have some unexpected results, some good, some bad. Is this the episode where Mary Hawkins and Claire get set upon by masked men and Mary gets raped?
2.05 “Untimely Resurrection”: Black Jack is not dead….and this is the episode where we all learn that. It also could be the one where Claire and Jamie have that big argument in which she tells him he can’t kill Black Jack yet because that would mean Frank never gets born etc.
2.06 “Best Laid Schemes”: Hmmmm. Is this where Claire gets poisoned? Maybe Moore plays with timing here. Perhaps this is the disastrous dinner party where Mary stands at the top of the stairs screaming after her rape and Alex Randall is with her? Or…?
2.07 “Faith”: Well, this is the name Mother Hildegard gives the baby that Jamie and Claire lose, after an untimely miscarriage that occurs at the precise moment Jamie is dueling Randall despite having promised Claire he would let him live for one year so that she could, under time travel theory, ensure Frank’s ultimate birth. (proving that she is a far better person than I would have been like “Frank? Frank who?”) This episode could include losing the baby, Claire almost dying and being saved by Monsieur Raymond’s mystical powers, Jamie being taken to the Bastille without knowing if Claire or the baby is alive, Claire doing what she has to with King Louis XV to rescue Jamie and the ensuing poisoning of the Comte, and Claire and Jamie finally making up. Seems like a lot but this much is sure: I predict a total sobfest. Just the Faith part alone would be enough.
2.08 “The Fox’s Lair”: Part of the deal with the king is that Jamie must immediately return to Scotland after he’s released from the Bastille. This episode might, then, be the first one in which Jamie and Claire are back in Scotland. They return to Lallybroch but then Jamie is forced to openly support Prince Charlie because the prince kindly has signed his name to a document of rebellion. He also asks Jamie to visit his grandfather, Lord Simon Lovat aka the Fox, to ask him to support the doomed cause. I hope we see the scene with the wooden false teeth and the fire.
2.09 “Je Suis Prest”: Jamie realizes he’s got nowhere to turn. He has to follow through with the doomed Culloden plan and he works to ensure that he can save the men of Lallybroch. Could this be where we meet William Grey?
2.10 ” Prestonpans”: I’m anticipating a lot of bloody battling here as the Highlanders take on the Brits and have a surprise win — which then sadly makes Bonnie Prince Charlie, surely one of the dumbest and vainest potential kings to grace history, to think he can win the whole shebang, despite not having any real troops or money. I think this could feature the kirk where Claire is sent to hide, only to be joined by Dougal, Rupert (sniff), and eventually Jamie as they seek sanctuary there from the Redcoats. If I’m right, then this could be the episode where Claire is handed over to the Redcoats to save the men in the kirk with the idea that Jamie will come rescue her. Cliffhanger ending could be Claire walking into the room of the house where she’s eventually taken (not the one she and Jamie think she’ll be in) only to realize it’s the Duke of Sandringham holding her captive and that it was he who originally tried to have her killed in Paris.
2.11 “Vengeance is Mine”: If I’m right about episode 10, this episode could be the rescue by Jamie, the sad murder of Hugh Monroe, and the delightful vengeance by Murtagh on the Duke.
2.12 “The Hail Mary”: Even people who don’t follow sports probably know that a Hail Mary is a last ditch, you’ve-got-no-other-options move. And in what could be another total tearjerker, this episode could be the one in which Jamie sends Claire back through the stones to save her and their child, a move to give what he otherwise knows to be a doomed cause some meaning. If I’m right, the episode could include Colum’s death, which then leads to the fight-to-the death with Dougal, who misinterprets Claire’s involvement with that death and believes her to be a witch.
2.13 “Dragonfly in Amber”: How will this season end? We know Laoghaire has done some filming, which raises the very ugly idea that this episode steals a bit from Voyager and perhaps shows Jamie’s cave years, followed by his ridiculous marriage of pity to Laoghaire (I will never forgive you, Jenny). We might also see Claire back with Frank but perhaps in the 1960s because we know Roger and Brianna have done some filming, too. Doing that would set up the absolutely gut-wrenching ending in which Roger announces to Claire that Jamie, in fact, did not die at Culloden. So we could end the season with Jamie married to Laoghaire and Claire realizing he didn’t die. It makes me hyperventilate just to type that.
I know I didn’t get everything. Where might Claire helping Black Jack with his sick brother in exchange for information fit? And what about Mary and Alex’s shot-gun wedding? What episode might that be in? What do you think certain episode titles might suggest? Let’s share and then see how right/wrong we are. Here’s to a wonderful season two!
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