#outlander 03x08

[gotham-ruaidh]

mirroring

Laoghaire shoots Jamie and injures his left arm.

As she runs to find Jamie, Claire injures her right arm.

Injuries that are mirror images of each other. And also bring Jamie and Claire closer together.

[gotham-ruaidh]

between the lines

One of the best (of many stellar) adaptive choices in 03x08 “First Wife” is this non-canon exchange between Claire and Jenny, where they use so few words to say so much:

Claire: I had another husband, in America. And it was a matter of survival. Now it wasn’t easy, but I *had* to put my past behind me. So that I could make that marriage work.

Jenny: Does Jamie know?

Claire: Yes

Jenny: Did ye have any bairns?

Claire: No - I never had children with him. But when he died, I decided to come back…

You left him. You broke him. He moved on - I helped him move on - and now you’re undoing all of that.

Yes, I know it’s terrible that Jamie didn’t tell me about Laoghaire - but he knows all my secrets, and embraces them.

I loved you, and you left me.

Yes, I may be a terrible sister-in-law for cutting all ties - but I had a damn good reason. I had to do something I didn’t want to do, in order to survive. Surely you of all people will understand that.

Maybe - but just how bonded are you to that man? Did you leave anyone else behind, to come here?

No, I don’t share that special bond of a child with any other man. And I even know about Jamie’s son - a secret he never shared with you, but told me about right away - and I don’t begrudge him for that child.

I have a bond with him you will never have.

I have a bond with him you will never have.

[gotham-ruaidh]

when Claire shoved Laoghaire away from an injured Jamie in 03x08, my mind flashed to a very similar scene in Book 7...

(gif credit to @lulu-tan79)

--

She crouched over Jamie‘s body, knife in hand, as she measured me, trying to make up her mind whether I meant it. I did... I had picked up Jamie‘s sword before. It was a cavalry sword, larger and heavier than the usual, but I didn‘t notice now.

I snatched it up and swung it in a two-handed arc that ripped the air and left the metal ringing in my hands.

Mother and son jumped back, identical looks of ludicrous surprise on their round, grimy faces.

“Get away!” I said.

Her mouth opened, but she didn‘t say anything.

“I‘m sorry for your man,” I said. “But my man lies here. Get away, I said!” I raised the sword, and the woman stepped back hastily, dragging the boy by the arm.

-- An Echo In The Bone

[gotham-ruaidh]

I was filled with joy and loneliness at the same time

-- Jamie Fraser, Outlander 03x08 "First Wife"

[gotham-ruaidh]

Technically Jamie didn't lie to Claire did he? He avoided the topic but she never blatantly asked if he was married so he didn't deny it.

But it was a lie of omission. He *could* have told her - and we saw him struggle in several moments, debating whether to tell her - but ultimately, he didn’t.

I compare this to Claire holding back the secret of her time travel - and 20th century husband - in Season 1. It’s true when she tells Jamie that Frank is not alive - because he isn’t, in that time, even though (since time runs parallel) he is most certainly alive at that point in time.

Claire is hurt because she believes Jamie is better than needing to be asked a direct question in order to provide an answer.