Secrets were revealed, this week and at least one relationship looked like it might not recover.
Brianna blames herself for her attack. She was stupid. She could have avoided her rape. She should have fought harder. Jamie, practical person that he his, quickly gives up telling her she didn’t fail; that she was in a fight she could not win.
When Brianna asks about Jack Randall, Jamie answers her questions honestly. Especially when she asks if killing Black Jack Randall fixed anything. He can honestly, and from personal experience, tell her that she won’t ever forget, but she can heal.
This seemed to have lifted some of the weight from Bree’s shoulders as the family goes about their daily lives. Though she still has some major decisions to make, and quickly.
Given that her mother is a surgeon, abortion is an option. If she decides, given that ‘the withdrawal method’ isn’t 100% effective and the baby could be Roger's, to keep it, she doesn’t have much time to decide whether to stay with her parents or return to the 20th century.
I have enjoyed watching Sophie Skelton mature Brianna over the last few episodes. Brianna has become more grounded over these episodes. When Jamie talks about Brianna’s strength I believe it.
When Jamie points out that Ian is smitten with Brianna, I loved her diplomatic description of the 20th century’s thoughts on cousins being smitten with each other. “It’s not encouraged.”
I love the daily life montages here. I think this approach would have made me much happier with, for example, the Lallybroch section of season one. It’s nice to see the family growing closer.
When Lizzie explains how she was able to identify her attacker to Jamie and Ian, Brianna realizes that Lizzie saw Roger, not Stephen Bonnet.
As everyone’s secrets are revealed, the idyllic world on Fraser's Ridge is blown apart. Jamie lost all ground he’d gained with his daughter when he voiced his confusion.
Still thinking there is only one man in this situation, Jamie basically calls Brianna a slut who falsely cried rape. Brianna says the most hurtful thing possible to Jamie. She declares the her father (Frank Randall) would never have said anything like that to her.
It’s obvious that Ian and Jamie would do anything to earn Brianna’s forgiveness. She’s too angry.
Jamie and Ian decide to embark on a 700 mile journey to get Roger back from the Mohawk that Ian sold Roger to. It’s too long a journey for a pregnant woman, and Brianna realizes that, given what’s happened, Roger won’t see the men as rescuers. So, she asks Claire to go with them.
Brianna and Lizzie are sent to River Run.
Roger is forced to walk those 700 miles. Ian reveals that the Mohawk bought Roger to replace someone in their community who has died or been killed. It wasn’t obvious to me how that would work.
In contrast to those dealing with African slaves, the Mohawk men didn’t come across as unnecessarily cruel, or as though they considered Roger less than human. If Roger is destined to become a part of the tribe, it won’t be voluntary. I suppose I’ll just have to wait and see how that plays out.
I did appreciate the opportunity to hear the Mohawk Creation story.
He is counting the days, so he’ll have some idea about how far his journey back to his wife, Brianna, will be.
When he gets his chance, he takes off. He stumbles across another group of standing stones. (I suppose these are the stones we saw in the season premiere.)
As the episode fades to black, Roger reaches for the stone that will lead him back to the 20th Century. He has rubies in his pocket. He can go. Will he?
This was another successful episode for me. The revelation and fallout of these secrets and mis-understandings was very satisfying.
I'm happy to see Jocasta again. I'm looking forward to learning more about her.
What did you think of the episode?
