Sadly, the mid-season finale of Outlander is here which means there won’t be any new episodes until 2015. In this episode, “Both Sides Now”, Frank desperately searches for his missing wife while Jamie and Claire adjust to married life. Claire is presented with an opportunity that forces her to make a decision about who she wants to be.
Previously on Outlander, Jamie and Claire were forced marry to protect Claire from Black Jack Randall. Jamie and Claire forge a new beginning and an emotional bond as they spend time with one another Claire is left torn between her two husbands, Jamie in 1743 and Frank in 1945.
Despite being forced into marriage to protect Claire, Jamie and Claire have been adjusting well to married life and getting lost in one another. Jamie’s promise to protect Claire, even with his body if needed, is tested several times in this episode. Claire and Jamie both are forced to realize that Jamie may not always be able to protect Claire which was the main reason she married him. Claire becomes angry with herself when she realizes that she has nearly forgotten about her goal of returning to Craig na Dun and Frank. Claire realizes that she is within reach of achieving her goal when she is left alone.
Much like Claire, it is very easy to get swept up in Jamie and Claire’s story and almost forget that there is another side to it which is Claire’s husband in 1945. While there isn’t any mention of Frank in 1945 in the book, this episode takes the opportunity to show Frank’s side after Claire is transported back in time. He is desperate to find the wife that he loves who has disappeared without a trace. Unfortunately he isn’t having much luck and hears several theories to explain Claire’s disappearance. We also get to see what life is like for Frank without Claire. A couple of weeks ago, I read an interview with Tobias Menzies who portrays both Frank and Black Jack. He described Frank and Black Jack as being men both shaped by their experience in war, but the difference being that Frank had the love of a good woman to save him. Claire really is Frank’s light, and with her missing, he could very easily slip into the darkness that would make him resemble his distant ancestor all the more.
I appreciated that the show decided to stray from the book a bit by giving us Frank’s POV. I wondered how he was handling his wife’s disappearance. It keeps things in perspective and reminds the audience that there is another side to things. Claire had a loving husband in 1945. They had a good marriage. Frank is torn up over the fact that he can’t find his wife. There is a big part of him missing and having a huge effect on him. And in contrast, we also get to see the effect that Claire is having on Jamie as they are getting closer. He is clearly falling for her and realizing just what it means to be married. It isn’t all fun, and there are responsibilities that come with having a wife. Seeing Frank’s side of things actually makes me appreciate Jamie and Claire’s relationship all the more. Claire is stuck in the middle at the moment.
So far the show has done the book justice and I’m going to miss it during this hiatus. Thankfully there is still the book to read so I can enjoy Claire’s journey until the show returns in 2015.
Here are a few teasers from this episode:
-Claire learns what a sgian-dubn is and how to use it.
-Claire and Jamie meet a beggar who has news for Jamie.
-Frank hears various theories on what happened to Claire, but only one provides hope.
-Claire and Jamie have a run in with two desserters.
-Claire’s plan is ruined when she is caught in a lie.
-The episode leaves us with quite the cliffhanger.
Watch the mid-season finale of Outlander this Saturday at 9PM on Starz.
