Synopsis:

After a heated meeting, Lord John’s circumstances take a turn. An extraordinary deed merits an offer from Gen. George Washington.

This episode felt awkward to me. The pacing didn’t quite work, and there were too many switches between different storylines. Nonetheless, I appreciated William’s journey as he learned about his background and how he dealt with this new information.

Jamie:

Jamie’s anger flared up again, and it seems like this is becoming a pattern for him. He has now hurt someone badly for the second time. First, he hurt Roger. Now, he is putting John in danger because of his jealousy. I understand he was shocked to find out about John and Claire. Still, he didn’t want to comprehend the reasons behind it. At that moment, he wasn’t open to hearing anything from his friend.

In a sudden change of topic, Jamie wanted to talk about some correspondence he received related to the war. Coincidentally, he was in the same area as George Washington. Since they had met before and Jamie had been supportive of the cause, Washington offered him a battalion. It seemed too easy. Just because Jamie helps occasionally doesn’t mean he’s the best choice for the role. It felt unrealistic; he was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

Later, Jamie happened to be nearby when he saw Ian tied up and being taken by the Red Coats. He confronted William, demanding that Ian be released. I was surprised when William backed down. They hadn’t resolved their issues, so I expected him to refuse out of spite.

Back at home, Jamie confronted Claire about her relationship with John. He wanted to hear her side of the story, but he struggled to control his anger. Claire tried to make him understand her pain. She shared the agony she felt when she thought he was dead. This sharing softened his anger a bit. Still, it went too far when Jamie asked if John had forced her to sleep with him. Claire had every right to slap him for that comment. Jamie only worsened the situation by suggesting that Claire gets touchy when she’s drunk, revealing his jealousy. Claire responded by reminding him that she forgave him for his actions after Culloden, where he had a different life. Just because she slept with John, even if unintentionally, didn’t mean her actions were worse. It came down to gender. What Jamie did was considered acceptable. Even though Claire felt hurt, she still excused Jamie respectfully. But for Claire, the same rules didn’t apply. John had only intended to support her during her grief, and it didn’t mean anything romantic. Jamie couldn’t grasp that. They were mourning him. I was relieved when he finally told Claire what had happened to John. However, he had no idea what John was facing with the rebels and how dangerous things had become for him. Jamie and Claire made up, and their relationship was strong again.

William:

William had a difficult time in this episode. His life felt chaotic, and he was lost about what to do. I didn’t realize that Claire was his stepmother. It was nice that she at least tried to explain things to him. She talked about Geneva, but as he learned more, his dislike for her grew. He discovered he was a bastard child, something Jamie understands well. 

While walking through town, William encounters a prostitute, but it doesn’t go well. She tries to calm him, but he is too agitated. He ends up causing a scene, and she kicks him out. 

Things get worse when William learns that Ian and Rachel are planning to marry. He is shocked and, like his father, loses his temper and punches Ian. They fight because Ian, like others, has lost William’s trust and now has the girl he desired. In retaliation, William ties Ian up for hitting an officer. Rachel slaps William, and unexpectedly, he kisses her. He seems attracted to her breaking her vow against violence. This scene felt awkward.

Later, William pays a lot to spend the night with Arabella at the brothel. He doesn’t intend to sleep with her; he just needs someone to lean on and an escape for a while. I thought he was being respectful by wanting to know her better. Yet, his intentions seemed spoiled when she wanted to be intimate. Still, they found some comfort in each other.

John:

I really felt for John during this whole situation. He’s just trying to live his life and do the right thing, but the Frasers keep ruining it. Jamie abandoned him with the rebels, and then he got captured as a spy. This happened partly because he wasn’t in uniform. Another reason was that a relative of his had killed a group of Americans before he was caught. To make things even worse, he’s set to be hanged, and not even for something he did. Luckily, Denzell is working at the camp and helps John with his injuries. It’s interesting how our main characters keep running into each other by chance. If Denzell hadn’t been there, John could have died. Denzell hears about the hanging and advises John to escape at night. After his advice, John frees himself from his restraints and flees into the woods. Rebels chase after him, and we hear gunfire. I doubt John was killed, but if he survived, he will likely want revenge on Jamie. Their relationship is definitely damaged.