Recap of Outlander
Season 3, Episode 11:
Uncharted
After jumping overboard to escape British custody in hopes of warning Jamie of the ambush that awaits him in Jamaica, Claire instead finds herself washed ashore on an unfamiliar island. She must battle the elements as she searches for a way back to civilization and Jamie.
Tropes
- Above the Influence: Jamie tries to invoke this, noting that Claire is both feverish and drunk, but she's having none of it, literally grabbing him by the goods to induce him to drop his principled stance.
- Afraid of Needles: Subverted. Jamie is not afraid of needles, but he can't really stomach hurting Claire and he knows from personal experience that injections hurt. He's unable to work up the nerve to administer the shot and Claire has to do herself.
- Asshole Victim: Captain Raines perished when the Porpoise was damaged and temporarily disabled while trying to navigate a tough stretch of waters. Fergus even says at much, stating that there were several times during the journey that he'd wished Captain Raines dead.
- But Liquor Is Quicker: Alluded to by Jamie as he attempts to dissuade Claire from trying to have sex while feverish and inebriated. He claims it's untoward to engage in sex with a drunk woman. However, Claire refuses to be brushed off and takes Jamie in hand to sway him to see things her way.
- Chekhov's Gun: While Father Fogden and mamacita are arguing, Claire pockets a small, handheld mirror. She will later use it to signal Jamie's ship, alerting him to her presence on the island.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Father Fogden. He believes Claire was sent by God, believes all of his animals to be sentient friends, and keeps a coconut as his closes advisor. Claire is able to convince him to release her by pretending the coconut gave her permission to leave. And his commentary while officiating Fergus and Marsali's wedding is remarkably lewd for a man of the cloth.
- Coitus Uninterruptus: Claire and Jamie do not stop their activity even as Willoughby is talking to them through the door about the soup he made.
- Continuity Nod: Father Fogden says that mamacita is being rude because she can not move past the pain of losing her daughter. Claire, who has lost a child to stillbirth and left a child behind in the future, says she understands.
- Contrived Coincidence: Of all the islands in the Caribbean, the Porpoise manages to shipwreck on the same one Claire floated to after jumping from the Artemis. Also, the ship is only damaged enough to force them to make a temporary stop, but not so damaged that they can't continue on to Jamaica to look for Young Ian after making minor repairs.
- Deserted Island: Subverted. While the island Claire lands on seems like this at first, it becomes apparent later that she merely landed on the unpopulated side of the island. After a day or two, she passes out and is found by one of the island's inhabitants.
- Flashback Cut: Father Fogden mentions that his bugs are from a cave on Abandawe. This evokes a memory for Claire of Margaret Campbell warning her to stay clear of Abandawe, lest she be devoured.
- Innocently Insensitive: Father Fogden first tries to wed Marsali to a random sailor because he can't imagine she'd want to marry Fergus who is missing a hand. He then asks her if she's sure she wants to marry a man who's missing a hand. Then he questions if Fergus is also missing his penis. All of this in front of the wedding guest. Then he brings up the fact that Fergus does not have a last name (due to Fergus being born an orphaned bastard). Marsali has to push him back on track several times to get through the ceremony, at some points even finishing the Father's sentences for him.
- Intoxication Ensues: Claire feels decidedly frisky after eating some of Willoughby's turtle soup. She starts telling Jamie about how turtle is considered an aphrodisiac, but he informs her it's more likely that she's feeling the effect of all the sherry Willoughby used in the soup.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Leslie and Hayes note that Jamie's wife shows up in the most unlikely places and times.Leslie: Mac Dubh's wife turns up in the most unlikely of places, does she no'?Hayes: Aye. She just drops in out of nowhere.
- Lost at Sea: The episode begins with Claire floating semi-conscious in the ocean, clinging to the barrel that contains what little clothing and supplies she has. Since it was night when she jumped ship, she has clearly been adrift for hours.
- Lost Lenore: Ermenegilda is this for Father Fogden and Mamacita. Father Fogden felt so strongly for her, he broke his vows to the church and exile from England. They are both still heartbroken over her Ermenegilda's death, still keeping her clothes on hand.
- Meadow Run: Jamie and Claire sprint across the beach, through the waves, screaming each other's names until they can finally collapse into each other's arms. Justified somewhat in that they haven't seen each other in weeks and they spent the entire the time thinking the other was in imminent danger. Jamie feared for Claire on a ship with 300 Redcoat sailors, who he knows from personal experience cannot be trusted not to rape their captives. Claire believed Jamie was sailing determinedly to Jamaica and knew he would ignore any signs of an obvious trap in order to find her.
- Memento MacGuffin: Father Fogden keeps a beautiful formal gown by which to remember Ermenegilda
- The Missionary: Father Fogden initially came to the New World as a missionary seeking to spread the gospel to the inhabitants of Cuba.
- Nature Is Not Nice: Claire has trouble finding drinkable water, food, or shelter. She has trouble getting a fire started for warmth after the sun goes down. One day, she wakes up covered in fire ants and suffering from dehydration. The next day she wakes with a huge snake slithering across her torso and she begins to suffer from sun poisoning.
- Obnoxious In-Laws: Mamacita and Father Fogden have fallen into a routine but don't necessarily like each other. Their biggest point of connection seems to be their mutual love for and mourning of Ermenegilda.
- Outliving One's Offspring: This has happened to mamacita. She still mourns Ermenegilda and is very rude to Claire because she fears Father Fogden will fall for Claire and forget about Ermenegilda. She tears up at the mention of her daughter's name.
- Parental Substitute: Jamie is standing in as a father figure for both Fergus (adopted father) and Marsali (stepfather). He even allows Fergus to use his last name, Fraser, since Fergus has no last name of his own but needs one to be wed by the Church.
- Pet the Dog: As weird and unpleasant as mamacita and Father Fogden can be, Claire can closely identify with their major traumas. Mamacita is grieving the unexpected loss of her child and Father Fogden is grieving the loss of the woman he considers his soulmate. Claire and Father Fogden bond over having people they love enough to risk everything to be with them.
- Playing Doctor: Subverted since Claire actually is a doctor and they are actually performing a medical service. But most probably agree there has never been that much flirting and kissing around any injection they've received from their physician.
- Replacement Goldfish: Mamacita fears that Father Fogden will try to fill Ermenegilda's absence with Claire.
- The Reveal: Due to never being claimed by his birth parents and never having been formally adopted, Fergus was never assigned a last name. His birth name was Claudel, but he has gone by Fergus ever since meeting Jamie. As of his marriage to Marsali, he is now officially and legally Fergus Claudel Fraser, as wedding certificates count as official identification in the 18th century.
- Rule of Three: Invoked by Claire when considering the mandates of human survival. Humans can survive three minutes without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food.
- The Talk: Claire gives Marsali an abridged version, as Marsali is unsure what to expect on her wedding. Marsali has a lot of questions about contraception in particular.
- Terrifying Rescuer: Claire wakes up in an unfamiliar bedroom, tied to the bed. Her rescuers are an older woman who only speaks to her in Spanish and a priest of questionable mental stability who spends much of his time talking to his dog and a coconut.
- Unsuspectingly Soused: Willoughby's turtle soup has enough sherry in it to intoxicate anyone who eats it even after the cooking process. After a bowl, Claire is visibly tipsy.
- Wedding Episode: Fergus and Marsali finally get to marry this episode.
- Women Are Delicate: Father Fogden refuses to let Claire travel alone. When she insists that she wants to leave, he tells her she's not well enough. She points out that she is a doctor and can judge her own health. He tells her she's cranky because she's tired and traveling would only make it worse.
