Recap of Outlander
Season 4, Episode 12
Providence
Roger befriends a fellow captive in the Mohawk village and plans to escape. With Lord John's support, Brianna returns to Wilmington to confront her past in hopes of healing from her trauma. Fergus and Marsali embark on a dangerous mission to help Murtagh.
Tropes
- Against My Religion: Father Alexandre refuses to perform a baptism for his child, because he is in a fallen state of grace. He refuses to pretend to baptize the child because it would be dishonest and he believes it would damn the child's soul. He refuses to confess his sins to Roger and accept absolution so he can truthfully baptize the child because he believes he deserves to be punished for breaking his Vow of Celibacy.
- Artistic License – Religion:
- Father Alexandre Ferigault, a French Catholic priest is held captive by the Mohawk because he offended them in not performing a baptism on the son he fathered with a Mohawk woman. He tells Roger that he can't do it under Catholic doctrine because he's not in a state of grace, due to violating his vows by conceiving the boy. This is wrong, though. Catholic doctrine is that a sacrament stays valid regardless of the spiritual state of the person who performs it, because in their belief it's God not the human being who has done it. The opposite view, called Donatism, is actually condemned as a heresy by the Church.
- The Mohawk people in the show are depicted as being unfamiliar with Christianity and the doctrine of the religion. In reality the Haudenosaunee as a whole had known of Christianity for well over 100 years by this point, and had had many dealings with missionaries already. A significant number would already have converted.
- Bait-and-Switch: When Marsali comes across Fergus attempting to plan a jailbreak for Murtagh, it appears she's going to scold him for getting involved, as she has complained about Murtagh's continued presence in their home. Instead, she approves of his intentions, believing Murtagh does not deserve to be hanged, and only rebukes Fergus for not having enough faith in his ability to pull it off without Jamie's help.
- Big Brother Instinct: When they realize that their jailbreak has placed Brianna and her unborn child in danger, all of the men are eager to get her to safety. Murtagh resists allowing her to go with Lord John as he is the one who brought her to the jail in the first place, but he relents when both Fergus and Lord John point out that Lord John and anyone with him is under the Governor's protection while being caught with Murtagh post-escape would risk Brianna being hanged along side the rest of the Regulators.
- Breaking Out the Boss: Fergus and the Regulators formulate a plan to free Murtagh, their leader, from prison.
- Conscience Makes You Go Back: Roger could have escaped but Father Alexandre's anguished screams makes him return so that he can give the man a quick death rather than allowing him to be tortured for hours first.
- Continuity Nod: As they plan a jail break for Murtagh, Fergus and Marsali mention how Claire helped break Jamie out of Wentworth back in season 1.
- Corporal Punishment: Father Alexandre is stripped naked and tortured for not baptizing his baby.
- Cruel and Unusual Death: As his final punishment, Father Alexandre is burned alive slowly on a pyre until Roger throws alcohol on the flames to give him a quick death.
- Culture Clash: Roger unintentionally offends Kaheroton by interrupting him when he is speaking.
- Day in the Limelight: Besides the Voiceover Letter scene with Jamie, the episode focuses on Brianna, Roger, Fergus and Marsali.
- Defiled Forever: Brianna wants rape charges to be added to Bonnet's list of crimes. Lord John kindly reminds her that Bonnet would receive no additional punishment and doing so would only serve to shame Brianna and her family, harming their reputation irreparably.
- Driven to Suicide: Johiehon realizes she cannot live a life without her love, Father Alexandre, and walks right into the pyre to join him, leaving their baby daughter behind.
- Fake Relationship: Brianna and Lord John announce their engagement and behave as a couple soon to be wed. Their status allows Brianna a greater freedom to move about than she had as an unwed woman and combines with Lord John's titled status to grant him a greater ability to act on her behalf.
- Feeling the Baby Kick: Lord John is delighted to feel Brianna's baby kick. As William was six years old by the time Lord John married Isobel, it's possible Lord John's never felt a baby kick in utero before.
- Florence Nightingale Effect: When Father Alexandre became ill, Johiehon brought him back to health. He claims her touch made him fall in love with her. The two fell in love and had a baby together.
- Foreshadowing: In his letter, Jamie tells Brianna not to fear Bonnet escaping justice because his scheming nature dooms him to a short life and a painful end. Sure enough, Bonnet's attempts to claim Brianna and baby Jemmy by trickery and then by force leads to him being sentenced to death by drowning.
- Friendship Moment: Since they met, Brianna and Lord John have been passive aggressively butting heads as Lord John tries to do what he thinks Jamie would want and Brianna bristles at any mention of her father. However, when they arrive in Wilmington, Brianna freezes at the reminder of her attack. Lord John helps her recenter, assuring her that her reaction is to be expected and that she can trust that her parents are working their hardest to rectify the situation. He then offers her his arm and his emotional support for dealing with Bonnet.Brianna: You are impossible not to like.
- Gang Initiation Fight: Roger fails the running the gauntlet and remains captive.
- Getaway Driver: Marsali mans the getaway wagon while Fergus and Murtagh hide under a tarp in the back. Even after a jailbreak and an explosion, a woman on her own is less likely to be stopped by authorities.
- Great Escape: Fergus, Marsali, and the Regulators free Murtagh from prison.
- Roger digs himself out of the Mohawk prison hut to freedom.
- Honor Before Reason: Double Subverted. When Father Alexandre couldn't baptize the baby due to his conflicting religious beliefs, the Mohawk imprisoned him. At first, Roger talks him out of sacrificing his life, and Father Alexandre helps dig the hole to escape with Johiehon and their baby. But once the morning comes, Father Alexandre decides he cannot live a life of sin and chooses to die on the pyre.
- Idiot Ball: Brianna's insistence on going to see Stephen Bonnet and telling him that she's pregnant with his child, something she's not even sure is true, leads to a variety of troubles throughout season 5 that would have otherwise been avoided.
- Jade-Colored Glasses: Roger tries to tell Father Alexandre how love is pointless, and he should only look after himself. These beliefs come after arguing with and leaving Brianna, being brutally beaten by Jamie, and being sold to the Mohawk without knowing why. Father Alexandre does not understand Roger's cynicism toward love.
- Ultimately, this becomes subverted when Roger shows he does care for others; Roger returns from escaping the Mohawk to give Father Alexandre a Mercy Kill when Roger knew the Mohawk could recapture him.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: As Fergus and Marsali plan the jail break to free Murtagh, they actually discuss the fact that Jamie and Claire are normally the big heroes of the story and they wistfully wish the duo was here to take charge.
- Love Makes You Dumb: Roger's conclusion after he hears Father Alexandre's story and thinks on his own. Roger's reflects on all the times he could have turned back to safety and instead continued doggedly into the face of danger because of his love for Brianna. Now, he's stranded in the 18th century, held in slavery because he couldn't accept no as an answer.
- Love Triangle: Johiehon and Father Alexandre are in love, but Kaheroton is in love with Johiehon.
- Meaningful Name: Roger is named Ehhaokonsah, Dogface, in Mohawk. Father Alexandre tells Roger it is an appropriate nickname, as the Mohawk are fond of dogs and do not keep their facial hair.
- The Medic: Johiehon is the Mohawk healer of Shadow Lake. She gives Roger herbs for his pain and healed Father Alexandre when he was sick.
- Mercy Kill: Roger throws alcohol on the fire under Father Alexandre to kill him faster.
- The Missionary: Father Alexandre went to the Mohawk community to spread the word of God.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: One of the Regulators accidentally lets the prison keys fall out of the door onto the floor in front of Stephen Bonnet's open prison cell. Bonnet reaches the keys with his foot right before the jail explodes. Since Brianna thought that Bonnet would be executed, she told Bonnet that he was the father of her baby. But even she is not sure if he is the father. Regardless, Bonnet is now presumably free and believes he's the father of Bree's child, which means he could come after her and the baby in the future.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Rescuing Murtagh also frees Bonnet, releasing him to continue terrorizing the populace in general and the Frasers in particular.
- Not So Above It All: Invoked by Father Alexander. He feels he has also committed the sin of pride for thinking he was immune to sexual temptation and not being more careful when interacting with the women of the tribe.
- Not So Stoic: Kaheroton is a tough and honorable warrior, but when he is around Johiehon, he softens. He is completely devastated when he witnesses Johiehon walk into the pyre to join Father Alexandre. Afterwards, he is in tears holding her baby.
- Oh, Crap!: Fergus' reaction when he realizes that Lord John, one of Jamie's best friends, has been caught up in their jailbreak attempt. Fergus commands the men to detain Lord John but not to harm him while they look for Murtagh. The Oh Crap factor ratchets higher when they realize Brianna, Jamie's only daughter, is also in the jail.
- One Dialogue, Two Conversations: Kaheroton asks Roger where his loyalties lie and how he became an outcast. Roger responds that his loyalties were to a woman, but Kaheroton interprets it as Roger being unfaithful to another woman and liking Johiehon.
- Pet the Dog: Bonnet finally shows a scrap of decency by giving Bree a gemstone to help support his child, although at this point he believes he's going to die soon and has nothing to lose.
- Powder Trail: Fergus lays a powder trail to an explosive keg to give them to break Murtagh out and then create a diversionary explosion to cover their getaway.
- Prayer Is a Last Resort: After Father Alexandre is tortured, Roger prays a Protestant prayer of healing over the Catholic priest.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Brianna confronts Bonnet in prison to heal from her trauma. There, she tells him that his child will never know about him, and she will raise them to be a better person than he ever was.
- Sacred Scripture: Father Alexandre's requirement for baptism is that both parents are Christian and in a state of grace. Since he believes he was not in a state of grace after breaking his vow of celibacy, he refuses to baptize his child, causing strife with the Mohawk.
- Together in Death: Father Alexandre and Johiehon die on the pyre together, leaving their baby daughter behind.
- Treasure Chest Cavity: After Brianna tells Bonnet of her pregnancy, he gives her a gemstone to support the baby. He was hiding it in his mouth.
- Voiceover Letter: In Jamie's letter to Brianna, Jamie apologizes and tells her not to seek revenge and find the grace to forgive.
- Vow of Celibacy: Father Alexandre broke his vow of celibacy when he slept with Johiehon.
- We Need a Distraction: After Fergus and the Regulators free Murtagh, they blow up the jail as a distraction.
