Air Date: Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 9PM ET/PT on Starz
Rating:
“She was beautiful. So small. I could cup her head in the palm of my hand.” — Claire Randall Fraser
What a touching moment.
What an emotional rollercoaster. There are tears, tears, and more tears during “Faith.” I almost couldn’t finish watching certain scenes because of the overwhelming melancholy that hit me. Conclusions to questions left unanswered are finally put into place. The fate of Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and her baby hits hard; Jamie (Sam Heughan) makes it home from the Bastille but not without consequences; and a friendly face makes good on his promise to return. Too bad I can’t see beyond the blurry vision my tears created to figure out what the hell is going on here. Outlander is making poor choices when it comes to some aspects of the main plot of season two. It seems the Jacobite rebellion has fallen to the wayside and rape is making itself a recurring plot device. I realize the writers of the series are following the Outlander novels but is there no way to take liberties with what we’re shown?
Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix) is needed more than ever during “Faith.” His absence is felt in every scene where Jamie is missing and Claire is alone. I know Murtagh is off in Portugal selling stolen wine but he couldn’t have been absent at a worse time. He could have prevented a couple of things that happen in Paris, and I wish he were capable of time-travel to save Jamie’s hide. Not only that, poor Fergus (Romann Berrux) is added to the list of folk attacked by one sadistic Englishman, in a scene that could have been handled with more class. We didn’t need to see “Black Jack” Randall (Tobias Menzies) attacking Fergus; and we didn’t need to have his assault be the catalyst for Jamie and Black Jack’s duel. Because guess what, things aren’t as easy as killing the villain with a swift blow to the crotch.
But enough of that. Kudos to the actors in “Faith” because they all kill it. I’ve never been so moved as I was during this hour of television. I would be remiss if I didn’t give Balfe her due for an excellent portrayal of a mother who’s just lost her child. Her emotions are palpable, heartfelt, and real. Claire’s tears were my own as I witnessed her grief, the way she comes to understand what has truly happened, and how she tries to move past it. I’m still deeply moved by her portrayal and will have “Faith” forever embedded in my mind.
Honorable Mentions
Claire slays in this dress. Gorgeous.
Master Raymond (Dominique Pinion) tells Claire to “have faith,” which I believe is the crux of the episode. The title might refer to the Fraser baby’s name but I can see it being more than that. Faith is tested when Master Raymond and the Comte St. Germaine (Stanley Weber) face King Louis (Lionel Lingelser) and his vendetta. While the content of this scene is important to the story in the novels, it probably could have been handled differently in the series. I don’t gain anything from this scene except its use as filler to pull people out of their somber moods. As an aside, I don’t think King Louis takes any pleasure in the “payment” he exacts from Claire for freeing Jamie. Does Claire consent to sex with Louis or does she give in because she can’t say no?
Claire’s costumes are fierce! The green dress takes my breath away; her purple mourning ensemble is simple but effecting; and the blue dress (which coincidentally matches Jamie’s clothes) made my jaw drop. The costumes have become a character in the story all on their own, and Claire’s outfits speak loud and clear. She is destined to be a lady next to her lord. She is intended for the fabulous life. And she is meant to wear the hell out of beautiful fabrics after suffering through homespun outfits back in Scotland. Speaking of which, the Frasers are about to set off on yet another voyage.
The Frasers will always come back to one another.
“Faith” leaves my heart in the lurch, wringing more tears from me than I care to admit. At least I can say I didn’t wallow too long as Master Raymond brings about some intrigue. King Louis is a character I’ve yet to figure out. Thank goodness the Frasers want the hell out of Paris. Maybe we can get back to the Outlander of old. Besides, I miss Scotland.
Drop me a line in the comments section or tweet me @ellemoe to discuss “Faith.”
Outlander airs Saturdays at 9PM ET/PT, only on Starz. For more on the show, visit the official site.
Follow Outlander on Twitter, using #Outlander and don’t forget the cast Sam Heughan – @SamHeughan, Caitriona Balfe – @caitrionambalfe, Tobias Menzies – @TobiasMenzies, Laura Donnelly – @donnellylaura1.
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Photo credit © 2016 Starz Entertainment, LLC. © 2016 Sony Pictures Television Inc. All rights reserved.
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