Outlander season 7, episode 5 continued to intrigue audiences as they saw some rivalries and friendships from An Echo in the Bone’s being created.
Reaching the midpoint of Outlander season 7a, episode 5 continued to hook viewers in as it included reunions and separations and also set up the scene for the height of the battle in the Revolutionary War struggle. The episode contained as much military strategy as it did wholesome heart-to-hearts, while also frustratingly highlighting the struggles some women faced in the workplace (in both the 18th and 20th century) as Claire and Brianna were both discriminated by their collegues. Introducing Jemmy’s problems at school due to the use of Gaelic, Outlander season 7, episode 5 reiterated how things didn’t become simpler for the MacKenzies purely because they traveled to the future.
Outlander season 7, episode 5 contained shocking developments in Denny, Rachel, and William’s northbound journey, and pleasant yet unexpected surprises for young Ian, even if he only welcomed them because he begrudgingly traveled to his ex-wife Emily’s village as a messenger due to the Revolutionary War. Moreover, Jemmy’s Nuckelavee stories continued in Outlander season 7, episode 5, even if Roger began wondering whether there was some kind of truth to it, given the garbage on the side of the road and Mandy’s fear. All in all, Outlander season 7, episode 5 furthered multiple storylines with potentially major consequences in the future.
Jamie Being Right About Ticonderoga Showed How The Future Couldn’t Always Change
Unlike the Battle of Culloden and the Jacobite rebellion, which inspired Jamie and Claire to work towards preventing it so they could change history, Fort Ticonderoga’s fall in Outlander wasn’t advanced by Claire’s knowledge of the future. Indeed, Jamie’s realization that what he calls “Sugar Loaf Hill” would be the higher ground advantage the English would need to expunge Fort Ticonderoga eerily predicts how that battle really unraveled in history, but that was only due to his knowledge about war strategy rather than Claire’s knowledge about the future. Nevertheless, despite his certainty, Jamie couldn’t convince Fermoy of his idea (even if he was right).
Although this case didn’t involve knowledge from the future, it still highlighted how even if Jamie showed things as clearly as he could to some higher-ups, there was no guarantee he’d been heard. Indeed, Outlander season 7, episode 5’ ending showed Jamie predicted the outcome almost perfectly as well as how he did his best to avoid what he feared. Yet, just like the Jacobite rebellion and the Battle of Culloden, Jamie couldn’t have avoided the outcome he knew would have happened.
Brianna’s Tunnel Portal Discovery Hints At A Time Travel Book Story Happening Soon
Brianna’s new job started terribly as her subordinates decided to lock her in a tunnel, but the knowledge she garnered in Loch Errochty’s tunnels hinted at a book time travel story potentially happening soon in future Outlander season 7 episodes. Indeed, worry about the tunnel portal was central in An Echo in the Bone once Rob Cameron kidnapped Jemmy to force them to reveal the Jacobite gold’s location, because knowing about it being a portal, the MacKenzies were deeply worried Cameron tried to bring Jemmy back to the past. While the tunnel portal discovery hasn’t set up the kidnapping yet, Outlander season 7, episode 5 left multiple clues about the book story.
William’s Morals And His Attitude Towards War Changes After Killing Mr Johnson
William’s belief in the English’s righteousness in the war wavered in Outlander season 7, episode 4 when he saw the redcoats killing a sex worker just because they could, but killing Mr. Johnson only brought him more doubts. As his conversation with Rachel revealed, having killed someone in self-defense and not during a war as he would have expected left him shocked. His strong beliefs about what penance should murderers suffer were made clear to the Hunters just before Mr. Johnson tried to kill them, and yet William found himself doing something he expected to happen differently (on a battlefield where he would have seen everything in black and white).
His wish to quash the “rebellion” firmly motivated William in Outlander season 7, episode 2, (even if Lord John and Brianna were left puzzled by his wish to fight, especially given he didn’t need to). However, meeting the Hunters showed him that the goodhearted people that saved him could have chosen to fight in that war, as they didn’t see it as a rebellion, but as a fight for liberty. William’s morals thus turned even grayer in Outlander season 7, episode 5, as killing Mr. Johnson didn’t exactly sit right with him, because he killed someone and that tarnished his black-and-white perspective even more.
Simon Fraser’s Introduction Expedites Jamie & Claire Scotland Trip
Jamie learning about his relative Simon Fraser fighting in the Revolutionary War for the British introduced an interesting development to Outlander season 7, as his death is the only reason Jamie and Claire are left to go to Scotland in An Echo in the Bone. Indeed, with Cornelius Harnett conscripting Jamie at Fort Ticonderoga, Jamie, Claire, and young Ian’s plans were paused as they were pulled to the frontline of the war. Mentioning Simon Fraser not only motivated Jamie’s opinion of the English being able to attack the fort, with Simon thinking as a Highlander but also hinted at a book story.
Claire & Denny’s Connection Hints At A Major Future Book Story
Claire’s struggles with Lieutenant Stactoe were already mentioned in Outlander season 7, episode 5’s beginning, but their open confrontation also made possible her first meeting with Denny Hunter. While Outlander season 7, episode 4 subtly highlighted young Ian and Rachel Hunter’s possibly romantic connection, episode 5 connected even the rest of the Frasers to the Hunters, thanks to Claire and Denny’s work as doctors at Fort Ticonderoga. However, their meeting happening now subtly hinted at a major book story that could happen soon in Outlander season 7.
Outlander’s eighth book, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, included the long-awaited marriage between Ian and Rachel, but that isn’t the first time Frasers and Hunters are so deeply involved. Indeed, An Echo in the Bone saw Denny eventually sent to hang, but Jamie and young Ian rescued him, cementing the friendship between the two families. Denny and Claire’s immediate friendship due to both opposing Lieutenant Stactoe perfectly hinted at what’s to come in the relationship between Frasers and Hunters.
Brianna’s Reaction To Rob Cameron’s Hazing Sets Up Their Future Confrontation
Brianna handled being “hazed” her subordinates perfectly in Outlander season 7, episode 5 when she confronted them all in the pub. However, confronting Rob Cameron possibly foreshadowed his antagonistic turn (which is a core part of An Echo in the Bone story). Indeed, Cameron eventually spies on Lallybroch, learning about time travel and the Jacobite gold. With that being the whole reason behind his kidnapping of Jemmy, Cameron not only reintroduced time travel in the MacKenzies’ lives in the future, but it also sets up his fight against Brianna, which could soon happen in season 7 (and possibly into some of Outlander season 8’s storylines).
