Recap of Outlander
Season 7, Episode 6:
Where the Waters Meet
Tropes
- All for Nothing: All the effort that Claire and Denny put into saving Walter's life is for not because the British soldiers moved him before he was ready, causing him to throw a clot and die of a lung embolism.
- Arrows on Fire: Jamie uses this to create a distraction so Ian can help Claire escape British custody.
- Call-Back: William recalls his visit to Fraser's Ridge and Claire treating Lord John for measles back in season 4.
- Challenge Seeker: William is anxious to be allowed to take part in battle and prove his worth as a soldier.
- Comfort the Dying: As Walter is dying, Claire talks to him about the good memories he has with his wife.
- Dies Wide Open: Walter dies staring up at the sky.
- Driven to Suicide: Mrs. Raven would rather die than be captured by natives.
- Historical Domain Character:
- Colonel Daniel Morgan. He was later promoted to Brigadier General and led a brigade of Continental Regulars and state militia men into the Battle of Cow Pens against Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton (the real life inspiration for Colonel Tavington). Morgan's decisive victory against Tarleton and subsequent masterful evasion of General Cornwallis is considered to have strongly contributed to the British's eventual loss at Yorktown which effectively ended the American Revolutionary War.
- Simon Fraser was a real life Brigadier General in the British army.
- Hysterical Woman: Mrs. Raven is still extremely panicked about the idea of falling into an ambush by Indians. She even freaks out at the presence of Ian, who dresses like a native but speaks with a distinct Scottish accent. Rachel tries to calm her fears, but she ends up running off in a panic and then shooting herself to avoid capture by a threat that's not even real.
- Incurable Cough of Death: Walter is short of breath and begins coughing up blood, confirming Claire's suspicion that he's developing a lung embolism.
- I Need a Freaking Drink: Walter tries to drink the tea Claire has prepared but asks if she has anything stronger. As she realizes he is most likely dying, she gives him some of the alcohol William had delivered.
- Instant Death Stab: Jamie kills a redcoat by throwing an axe into his chest.
- Internal Reveal: William finds out that the Frasers, Lord John's friends, are part of the rebel faction.
- I Owe You My Life: William thanks Ian for saving his life and tells him that he owes Ian a great debt. Ian immediately cashes in on that debt to rescue Claire.
- Iron Lady: When Claire is penned in with the other captives, she immediately begins making demands to improve their care. She speaks with such authority that the guard with the gun seems intimidated and leaves his assigned post to do as she asked (as opposed to staying in place as ordered by his commanding officer.) Highlighted by William's friend.Claire: May I ask, how did you know who I was?Lt. Hammond: He said you'd be the curly-wig giving orders like a sergeant-major.
- Like Father, Like Son: Simon Fraser compliments William on his military perceptiveness, adding that he would expect no less from the son of Lord John Grey. Of course, his biological father is also a strong military leader.
- Makes Us Even: William agrees to let Ian abscond with Claire but makes it clear that as far as he's concerned he and Ian are even and Ian should expect no more kindness from him.
- One-Steve Limit: One of the British generals is Simon Fraser, a second cousin of Jamie's who has the same name as Jamie's grandfather Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat (and like the other Simon Fraser, was a real person).
- Politically Motivated Teacher: Jemmy's teacher punishes him for speaking Gaelic (in Scotland!). The principal explains that it was an overreaction, but based on many parents wanting their children to speak unaccented English to better integrate with British society and have better job opportunities. Suppressing the native language in schools is a common practice in colonialism and was mentioned as far back as season 2 as a way of preventing another Rising.
- POW Camp: Claire and the patients who had to be left behind at the fort are confined to an outdoor pen. Jamie and Ian discuss whether or not the British might hang them. Jamie points out that the British don't consider them prisoners of war because that would require acknowledging America's sovereignty as a separate nation. Instead, they consider them traitors to the Crown, engaged in acts of treason.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Headmaster Menzies explains that he acted to support his teacher's authority to maintain discipline at the school, but also wholeheartedly supports Roger's assertion that it's important to protect the Gaelic language as a sacred part of their culture. He even convinces Roger to teach a class to help nurture the language in more people.
- Retroactive Precognition: Claire recognizes the upcoming Battle of Saratoga as being a pivotal battle that turns the war in favor of the Continental Army by drawing the French into contest.
- The Reveal: The "nuckelavee" that Jemmy has been seeing has actually been Buck MacKenzie all along.
- The Savage Indian:
- Mrs. Raven is deathly afraid of encountering this. The redcoats imitate war cries in hopes of causing the civilians to panic and reveal their location in their frenzy to avoid an ambush.
- Jamie uses Ian's bow and flaming arrows to imitate an attack. The redcoats are so panicked they aren't paying the slightest attention to their prisoners.
- Spot the Imposter: William is sharp enough to realize that Ian is only pretending to be a scout from the Mohawk who are allied with the British and that he's actually there to break out Claire.
- Too Dumb to Live: Mrs. Raven is extremely afraid of being captured and tortured to death by natives. But instead of staying with the group where she'd be safest, she runs off into the woods by herself.
- Unknown Relative: Claire and William meet again for the first time since he's reached adulthood. Claire is taken aback realizing she's seeing Jamie's son. Of course, William is unaware that Claire is his stepmother.
- Women Are Wiser: Discussed by Jamie and Claire, regarding why women aren't the ones who start wars. After hearing Jamie discuss his theory that women simply aren't made for the destruction of life, Claire agrees saying that perhaps having the ability to create life makes them much more hesitant to want to end one.
- You Owe Me: Invoked by both Claire and Ian to convince William to look the other way while they escape.
