Ten Must See Moments, Episode 308, First Wife

One of the most memorable passages from the book is what I believe may be coming in Episode 308, First Wife.  We’ve just experienced this wonderful reunion we’ve been longing for. Now, Jamie and Claire are on the way back to Lallybroch with Young Ian in tow.  All is bliss, all is wonderful, all will live happily ever after, all is …. what the freaking heck just happened?!?! Yes, as I sailed along happily into that next passage in the book, my whole world got turned upside down and backwards. How could this happen?  How could Jamie be so stupid? How could he?!?! I think I probably threw the book on the floor again.  If you’re a book reader, you know what I mean. If you’re not a book reader, I think you will have the same reaction to the adaption of this passage if it’s done somewhat according to the book.  So, for me, this has been an episode I’ve been looking forward to for a lot of different reasons.  There should be a lot, I say a lot, of emotions all over the place in this episode and I can’t wait to see it play out onscreen.  Here are my Ten MUST SEE moments for Episode 308, First Wife.

Number 1: The Reception (or Lack of One) at Lallybroch.

I caught a quick glance passing between Ian and Jenny; and a longer stare, unreadable, exchanged between Jenny and Jamie. A stranger here in more ways than one, I kept my own eyes cast down, observing under the shelter of my lashes.  Jamie sat to my left; I could feel the tiny movement between us as the two stiff fingers of his right hand drummed their small tattoo against his thigh.

The conversation, what there was of it, petered out, and the room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Yeah, Jamie, you should be worried.  And, Jenny, this whole mess is your fault so don’t take it out on Claire.

Number 2: The Thrashing (Part One) and The Thrashing (Part Two).

“Well,” said Ian slowly, “as I’ve told the lad he’s going to be thrashed, and he kens verra well he’s earned it.  I can’t just go back on my word. But as for me doing it – no, I dinna think I will.” A faint gleam of humor showed in the soft brown eyes. He reached into a drawer of the sideboard, drew out a thick leather strap, and thrust it into Jamie’s hand. “You do it.”

Well, Jamie, I must say that kind of serves you right.

 “Finally Jamie dropped his arm, and wiped his brow. He held out a hand to Ian, slumped over the fence. “All right, lad?” Young Ian straightened up, with a little difficulty this time, and pulled up his breeks. “Aye, Uncle. Thank ye.” The boy’s voice was a little thick, but calm and steady. He took Jamie’s outstretched hand. To my surprise, though, instead of leading the boy back to the house, Jamie thrust the strap into Ian’s other hand.

“Your turn,” he announced, striding over to the gate and bending over.

Will Jamie drop his britches again? This could prove to be interesting! (Diana writes breeches in the book. Britches, on the other hand, is what we call breeches here in North Carolina, i.e., Boy, you’re gettin’ too big for your britches!)

Number 3: The Retelling of the Story of the Frenchman’s Gold.

“Well, it was and it wasn’t, Sassenach.” He answered, neatly sucking in his stomach. “I’d been expecting gold bullion; that’s what the rumor said that Louis would send. And thirty thousand pounds’ worth of gold bullion would make a good-sized hoard. But all there was in the hollow was a box, less than a foot long, and a small leather pouch. The box did have gold in it, though – and silver, too.”

All season long I’ve been wondering what happened to that little clip from the Season 3 trailer where Jamie is calling out for Claire.

When I saw that clipped, it tore my guts out (sorry, another Jamie-ism) and then when I thought it would happen in Episode 303, All Debts Paid, it didn’t. Could this be the episode when we see it as Jamie recounts the event to Claire and his search for the gold . . . and for her?  P.S.  How does one neatly suck in their stomach? Enquiring minds really need to know.

Number 4: The BIG Reveal.

“He was interrupted by a sudden bang as the door flew open and rebounded from the wall.  Startled, we turned to look. In the doorway stood a young girl I had never seen before. She was perhaps fifteen or sixteen, with long flaxen hair and big blue eyes. The eyes were somewhat bigger than normal, and filled with an expression of horrified shock as she stared at me. Her gaze moved slowly from my tangled hair to my bare breasts, and down the slopes of my naked body, until it encountered Jamie, lying prone between my thighs, white-faced with a shock equal to hers.”

“Daddy!” She said in tones of total outrage. “Who is that woman!”

See why my stomach got all in an uproar when I got to this part!  Oh good grief, Jamie!

Number 5: The ONE We Shall Not Speak Of.

He had barely pulled them on when another female figure burst into the room skidded to a halt, and stood staring, bug-eyed, at the bed.

“It’s true!” She whirled toward Jamie, fists clenched against the cloak she still wore. “It’s true! It’s the Sassenach witch! How could you do such a thing to me, Jamie Fraser?”

Holy Moly, Good Golly, Geez Louise and Katie, bar the door! That’ll jerk the rug right out from under your feet. At this point, I was ready to kill myself one very handsome James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser! This was not working out at all as I had planned!

Number 6: The BIG Knock-Down, Drag-Out.

I lurched toward the door, but he caught me by the waist, yanking me back.

He whirled me toward himself and kissed me again, hard enough to leave a quicksilver taste of blood in my mouth.  It was neither affection nor desire, but a blind passion, a determination to possess me.  He was through talking.

So was I. I pulled my mouth away and slapped him hard across the face, fingers curved to rake his flesh.

He jerked back, cheek scraped raw, then twisted his fingers tight in my hair, bent and took my mouth again, deliberate and savage, ignoring the kicks and blows I rained on him.

And this….

We were doing our level best to kill each other, fueled by the rage of years apart – mine for his sending me away, his for my going, mine for (the one we shall not speak of), his for Frank.

Remember in Season 1, The Reckoning, when Jamie & Claire have that wee stramash down by the river?

I think it will pale in comparison to the one in this Episode 308. I can’t look! Just let me know when it’s is over!

Number 7: The Betrayal by Jenny

I didn’t ask. Jenny had found a dress for me – one of the elder girls’ – and there was no conversation beyond the necessary as she helped me into it.

When I was dressed and shod, my hair combed and put up, I turned to her.

“I want to go “ I said. “Now.”

She didn’t argue, but only looked me over, to see that I was strong enough.  She nodded then, dark lashes covering the slanted blue eyes so like her brother’s.

“I think that’s best,” she said quietly.

Jenny, this is the moment I began hating you. Dang, girl!  To love your brother so much, you could have at least found him a better match. And then, to so quickly dismiss the love of his life right out of his life? Are you serious?  Did you forget what the two of you went through together?  You’ll be glad to know, Jenny, that I started to like you better later in your life.  Like only five books later!

Number 8: The Shot Heard Round the World.

“Let go!”

“But Auntie Claire, it’s not that!”

“What’s not that?” Caught by his tone of desperation, I glanced up.  His long, narrow face was tight with the anguished need to make me understand.

“Uncle Jamie didna stay to tend (the one we shall not speak of)!”

“Then why did he send you?”

He took a deep breath, renewing his grip on my reins.

“She shot him. He sent me to find ye, because he’s dying.”

I know, Claire.  What he did was unforgivable but get your butt on back to Lallybroch. Jamie needs you! You’ll thank me later!

The Explanation.

“I was here,” he said softly, “but not home.”

I could feel the pull of it around me – the house, the family, the place itself. I, who couldn’t remember a childhood home, felt the urge to sit down here and stay forever, enmeshed in the thousand strands of daily life, bound securely to this bit of earth. What would it have meant to him, who had lived all his life in the strength of that bond, endured his exile in the hope of coming back to it, and then arrived to find himself still rootless?

“And I suppose I was lonely,” he said quietly.  He lay still on the pillow, eyes closed.

Break, please. Sob!!! He missed Claire so much! Continuing on…

“So…there she was, a widow wi’ two bairns. She needed a man, that was plain enough. I needed . . . something.” He gazed into the fire, where the low flame glimmered through the red mass of the peat; heat without much light. “I supposed that we might help each other.”

That’s honorable, Jamie, but her? What were you thinking?  By the way, did you know if you leave out that comma in the line “She needed a man, that was plain enough.”, you get this “She needed a man that was plain enough.”  I read it that way the first time and thought, “Hey, there ain’t nothing plain about Jamie Fraser!”

Number Ten: The Man with No Name.

“For so many years,” he said, “for so long. I have been so many things, so many different men.” I felt him swallow, and he shifted slightly, the linen of his nightshirt rustling with starch.

“I was Uncle to Jenny’s children, and Brother to her and Ian. ‘Milord’ to Fergus and ‘Sir’ to my tenants. ‘Mac Dubh’ to the men of Ardsmuir and ‘MacKenzie’ to the other servants at Helwater. ‘Malcolm the printer’, then ‘Jamie Roy’ at the docks.” The hand stroked my hair, slowly, with a whispering sound like the wind outside. “But here,” he said, so softly I could barely hear him, “here in the dark, with you . . . I have no name.”

I lifted my face toward his, and took the warm breath of him between my own lips.

“I love you,” I said, and did not need to tell him how much I meant it.

Swoon!!! Jamie Fraser, you say the most hopelessly, gloriously, wonderful romantic things. Can we clone you?  Gosh, I love this story – the love shared and the relationship between Jamie & Claire just stirs my heart!!! I am hopelessly addicted!

There you have my ten moments of Outlander Must See TV for Episode 308. If you are book reader, what are the moments you most want to see?  If you’re not a book reader, I hope I haven’t spoiled too much for you plus I’d love to know what you expect?  And regardless of how you have come to love Outlander, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

As always, thanks for reading Outlander North Carolina where suffering from obsession to Outlander is a daily thing. By the way, if you haven’t joined the Outlander North Carolina Facebook group, you’re missing out! Being a resident of North Carolina is not a requirement and we’d love to have you! Click here to join:  Outlander North Carolina Facebook Group.

Until next week, Je Suis Prest! Are you?