Having had a few days to process “Freedom & Whisky’s” ending, we take stock of Outlander’s non-romantic storylines and speculate on where season 3 will go from here.
**Warning: This post contains spoilers from season 3 of Outlander, including Sunday night’s “Freedom & Whisky.”**
The last scene of “Freedom & Whisky” saw Claire find Jamie at long last but, since Jamie fainted at the sight of his beloved, we won’t get to see their real, extended reunion until this weekend. Like all sane people, I’m really, really looking forward to it. However, now that our heroes are back together (where they should be), I think it’s fair to ask: what exactly is Outlander‘s season 3 endgame?
Since next week seems pretty much dedicated to Claire and Jamie getting to know each other again, season 3 will be almost evenly split story-wise. The first half of this season was all about Claire and Jamie learning to let each other go and realizing that would be impossible. So the second half will most likely see them back to their old, adventure-chasing tricks. There has been plenty of table-setting throughout the past five episodes, so the rest of season 3 is rife with possibility.
With that in mind, here are five potential plot threads Outlander could pick back up this season:
Murtagh’s whereabouts
We last saw Murtagh in “All Debts Paid” as he and the rest of the Ardsmuir Prison inmates (minus Jamie) were shipped off to the colonies for 14 years of indentured servitude. We know that part of season 3 was shot in South Africa and that Claire and Jamie will soon travel somewhere via ship. I’m guessing that that somewhere will be the West Indies. Perhaps the Couple Whose Love Transcends Time and Space will set off to solve some mysteries (we’ll get to that in a sec), find Murtagh, and bring him home.
The bones found in the Caribbean
Part of that trip will likely concern the skeleton Claire and Joe were examining in “Freedom & Whisky.” Discovered in the Caribbean, the bones belonged to a 40-something woman who was murdered by decapitation circa the 1760s. The episode didn’t spend too much time on CSI: Outlander but did hint that Claire already knows something about the dead woman. We aren’t privy to how she knows quite yet; it could be residual ESP acquired from time travel, Frank’s history books, or something else entirely. It’s possible she and Jamie will travel to the Caribbean to solve the crime or even prevent the murder from happening.
The green-eyed monster
Claire and Jamie have a very honest, modern marriage, even by 2017 standards. They love and trust each other more than anyone else and tell each other everything. But they are only human and jealousy happens. Once their reunion afterglow fades, it wouldn’t surprise me if Claire and Jamie have a conversation or two about who they slept with during their separation. It won’t even necessarily be tense–neither of them ever really expected to see each other again and it has been 20 years–but I doubt that they’ll be 100 percent fine about the other liaisons, either.
I predict Claire and Jamie’s airing of the past lovers will look a little something like this scene from The Americans:
Claire and Jamie’s children (and Roger)
Here’s a quick recap of the Outlander kids: Claire and Jamie took in the French pickpocket/wee fool Fergus when they were living in Paris in season 2. Claire and Jamie conceived Brianna in 1746, and Claire raised her with Poor Frank back in the 20th century. While Claire was away, Jamie was coerced into a one-time encounter with his employer’s daughter, Lady Geneva Dunsany, with whom he conceived his son Willie. Willie is being raised as an earl and doesn’t know Jamie is his father. And there’s also Roger, adopted son of Claire and Frank’s friend Reverend Wakefield. In 1968 the now-grown Bree and Roger have a thing going on. Got that?
With so many biological and surrogate children running around, the third season of Outlander is bound to give at least one of the kids their own stories. I expect we’ll check in with Bree and Roger in 1968 Boston fairly regularly and know we’ll be catching up with Fergus as an adult. However, I would also like to see Jamie grapple with his decision to leave Willie at Helwater–and I’m betting Claire will want to meet Jamie’s son for herself and tell him the truth about his parentage.
Joe Abernathy and John Grey’s backstories
I just really enjoy Joe and Grey and would love to see more of them. It’s likely Grey will pop up in future Outlander installments, as he is Willie’s guardian and Jamie’s chess buddy. I’m not so sure about Joe. From my perspective, Bree and Roger’s subplots would actually be worth watching if they let Joe in on Claire’s time travel secret. As I’ve mentioned before, I think Wil Johnson’s performance is doing a whole lot with a little. So I would greatly appreciate a few flashbacks to the early days of Claire and Joe’s friendship and their medical practice.
Same goes for Grey. I want to learn more about his life in the intervening years between Culloden and Ardsmuir, especially in regards to his tense relationship with his brother Lord Melton (aka the redcoat we met in the season premiere). I’m also curious to see if the significant other Grey lost in battle is someone we’ve met before.
Next: Outlander season 3, episode 5 recap: ‘Freedom & Whisky’
What are your predictions for the rest of season 3? Let us know in the comments!