Outlander –“Lallybroch” Review. Welcome Home.

Season 1, Episode 12

Air Date: Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 9PM ET/PT on Starz

Rating: ★★★★★

“There’s a devil in that man that no one can influence.” – Jamie Fraser

Jamie and Claire make the long journey home but will it be worth it?

“Lallybroch” is an episode you might only want to watch once. It’s heavy hitting in the emotion department and doesn’t let go of your heartstrings. It just tugs, pulls, and yanks until you feel so overwhelmed, you might weep for these fictional characters. The experiences they go through are shown in flashback sequences that almost come to life in the telling. This is certainly one place where writer Anne Kinney excels at bringing the Outlander literary tale to life. There is no doubt where your loyalties should lie. The trip to Lallybroch isn’t without obstacles. As Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and his wife Claire (Caitriona Balfe) return to his childhood home, the ghosts of his past and why he had to leave home in the first place rear their ugly heads. Here we uncover a bit more about our favorite kilted Scot, and just who he is underneath the blue and green tartan.

The Feels…

I can’t help feeling compassion for Jamie in his plight. He’s been introduced to a hellish man who hates a part of himself so much he takes his pain out on everyone around him. That’s right, I’m talking about “Black Jack” Randall (Tobias Menzies). The man is battling with his feelings. He’s a bit of a psychopath on top of that because he wants something but can’t have it. The reason he looks to torture the shit out of Jamie is because he’s a challenge to him. The flogging Jamie recounts to Claire is a point in both Jamie and Randall’s lives that cements them together. It created this monstrous link that doesn’t seem to be able to be severed. No matter if (or when) Jamie gets his pardon, will Randall leave him be? As far as he is concerned, Jamie is his white whale; he’s the unattainable goal.

Jenny certainly takes some getting used to. She doesna hold her tongue.

I had to turn away from my TV a few times while watching Jenny (Laura Donnelly) recount her run in with Randall. I could feel her terror and sense the dread in her retelling. Watching Randall with Jenny proves just how evil he is. He tries to use his power and presence in a way men have exercised their control over those deemed weaker than them throughout the ages. Funny how Randall can’t follow through with his threats though *cough* limp noodle *cough*. You have to admit, his ‘failure’ sure explains a lot, doesn’t it? Randall is fighting against his true self; he can’t live his life as he wants being a captain of the Garrison Command so he acts out on those weaker than him. He threatens and frightens women with the only thing he can.

Random Tidbits

Did you think Claire wouldn’t run back to her husband? I often wonder what pushes her toward a particular man. Is it that she wants to continue her adventure, having been “raised by an archaeologist,” or because she is afraid to leave the new love in her life? I hope we’ll find out because I honestly can’t remember if it is ever explained in the novel.

The only fault I can find with “Lallybroch” is the casting for Jamie’s father. Brian Fraser (Andrew Whipp) looks nothing like the man I imagined from reading the Outlander novel. Now, I realize not everyone will match my ideal but this guy looks too soft and polished for the man Black Brian is supposed to be. I wasn’t impressed with the very short portrayal and feel a bit is lost during the scene between Jamie and his father because of it.

Although Jenny might come across as a bitchy sister, she is anything but. “I never thought you’d be so trusting of the English.” Awkward, much? One of the strongest female characters in the Outlander world, Jenny is a much needed piece in the Jamie Fraser puzzle. You want to know why he is the way he is, just look at his sister. They are their father’s children, which takes me back to my comments above. But I digress. Jenny will become an intricate part of Jamie and Claire’s lives and they’ll love her all the more for it.

Memorable Lines

Claire: “It’s yours now, Jamie.”

Jamie: “Ours.”

Claire: “Ours.”

Randall to Jamie in an attempt to make him an offer he can’t refuse: “It’s quite simple—give over to me, make free of your body, and there will be no second flogging.”

Oh yeah, that’s real simple.

Jamie to Claire, recounting his father’s death: “I didn’t see him; I didn’t see him die, I didn’t see him taken away, and I didn’t see him buried.”

Regret is a hell of a thing. Jamie has to learn to forgive himself for things he has no control over.

Overall

Being an outsider, Claire has more to prove than anyone.

“Lallybroch” is a game changing episode. It keeps Jamie and Claire’s story moving, while throwing in some tidbits you may not have guessed—propriety in society, family squabbles, and a wife’s place in front of the servants. Yeah, Claire is way out of her league here. She needs to remember she’s in 18^th century Scotland and not the 20^th century where her “sharp tongue” won’t get her into trouble. Balfe and Heughan light up the screen with their intense chemistry and the amazing way they bring these characters to life. I can’t say enough about how wonderfully done each scene between them is. Drop me a line in the comments section or tweet me @ellemoe to discuss “Lallybroch.” 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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Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle