I enjoyed watching Episode 204, La Dame Blanche. Jamie and Claire stop keeping secrets from each other, giving rise to the unexpected. Of course, there are different events taking place, but I guess this happens with every adaptation from long books. This post will concentrate mainly on the healing that Claire does on Jamie. I will also include some details about St. Germain and other highlights at the end. My first post about this episode is about bone divination: Outlander TV: Bone Reading in Episode 204, La Dame Blanche.
The Healing
Jamie and Claire decide to host a dinner to introduce both the Duke of Sandringham and Prince Charles. They hope to stop the Jacobite Rising by trying to show Sandringham how delusional and petulant Charles is. Since she is not good at hiding her feelings, a characteristic of La Dame Blanche, Claire does not have a choice but to tell Jamie that Black Jack is alive. Jamie’s reaction to this news is unexpected. In my post concerning episode 203, I speculated that hiding information from him might not turn out to be the best choice in the long run and that he would become upset with both Claire and Murtagh. However, he is “cheery” about his enemy being alive because he wants to get his honor back. His mood is indicative of the feelings of revenge that he can carry out finally: “You told me Randall is alive, and I can be the one to end his life” (Jamie to Claire when he is trying to seduce her). I have always suspected that the “ghost” of Black Jack that haunts Jamie throughout his life is associated not only with what he went through but also with his unfulfilled desire for revenge. The knowledge of Black Jack being alive makes Jamie feel like a “man” again. It empowers him, and he feels like having sex with his wife. Of course, there is an inconvenience. He has been at a brothel trying to obtain information from the Bonnie Prince, and he exhibits bite marks on his legs even though he did not engage in sexual activity. In the beginning, Claire does not understand the reason behind this empowerment. Their argument has some elements of hilarity, especially when Jamie tries to explain himself. Claire expresses her sexual frustration and how she has been dealing so far with her pregnancy by herself. She requests Jamie to open up, to make her understand. Jamie explains that after being raped, he has felt always vulnerable, that the fortress where his soul resides has fallen apart. Even strong men can be weak. They eventually reconcile, and they have sex. What I like about this scene is the exposure of a pregnant belly, the sexual drive and the beauty that hormonal activity brings during gestation, and the incorporation of book lines. This adaptation is faithful to the books even though is different. This scene captures the meaning of “La Dame Blanche,” as described by Master Raymond.
. . . “Yes, of course. All healing is done essentially by reaching the . . .what shall we call it? the soul? the essence? say, the center. By reaching the patient’s center, from which they can heal themselves. Surely you have seen it, madonna. The cases so ill or so wounded that plainly they will die – but they don’t. Or those who suffer fro something so slight that surely they must recover, with the proper care. But they slip away, despite all you can do for them (Dragonfly in Amber, ch. 20).
St. Germain and the Attack
It seems that St. Germain is behind the poisoning attempt against Claire. The “poisoned” drink is offered to her just a few minutes after making intimidating comments to Jamie and Claire. While Claire is suffering the effects of bitter cascara, the camera is focusing on him staring at her. Did St. Germain play a role in the attack against Mary and Claire? Because he has a grudge against her, it is possible. Furthermore, there is the revelation that Sandringham and St. Germain are associates at the dinner party. He is hostile at the dinner, especially when telling Claire about the purpose of her having the necklace with a stone sensitive to poison. This scene demonstrates that he is expressive and does not hesitate to show disdain against somebody. However, Claire’s musing about him not being responsible for the attack is revealing (it is taken straight from the books). Since St. Germain is expressive and emotional, he is calm at the dinner, which is atypical behavior for somebody considered to be the mastermind behind a possible attack just a few hours before. I tend to suspect that he is not involved in the assault at all, even though the perpetrators do exhibit the requirements that the initiates of Les Disciples du Mal must accomplish. Of course, this assessment is based on book information (here is the link to my reread post: St. Germain’s Role in the Attack Against Claire and Mary. However, I am looking forward to how the TV show might adapt this plot line, even if it differs from my conclusions.
In regards to the attack, one cannot stop feeling sad about Mary. Most of the shock comes from not the actual rape scene, but her bruised and disheveled physical appearance, and how it has affected her psyche. Intriguing is the fact that the thugs recognize Claire as “La Dame Blanche.” I guess that the criminals have seen Claire in the past due to her association with members of the nobility, so she is well-known. She has also been observed going to Raymond’s apothecary. Therefore, there is a negative perception due to Raymond’s involvement with the occult. Their reaction is similar to the one that some of Claire’s kidnappers exhibit in A Breath of Snow and Ashes. They are concerned about Claire putting a curse on them if they harm her.
Other Highlights
- In Episode 203, the viewer learns from Prince Charles that there are powerful English nobles who want to restore the Stuarts to their throne. Sandringham seems to be one of these supporters. According to Duverney, King Louis is interested in them. However, even though Sandringham is suspected to have written the letter offering money to support the Jacobite cause, he shows no interest at all in the Bonnie Prince. His actions are hard to predict. If he is not interested in the Jacobite cause, why did he write an encoded letter in the first place?
- In regards to the opal that Raymond gives Claire, is this the gemstone that would be lost when making her way back through the stones? Or would it be Black Brian’s ruby?
- Louise’s cuckoo clock made it to the adaptation. We might see Reverend Walter Laurent.
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The Guests at the Dinner – “La Dame Blanche.” Louise’s monkey introduced in Episode 204 does not trust anybody. He bites Charles Stuart providing both Jamie and Claire the hint that the child that Louise is expecting belongs to him. They will use this information to provoke Charles Stuart to do something unwisely at the dinner. Of course, they know it is not proper to play with others’ feelings, but it needs to be done for a greater good.
- Claire’s advice to Louise that it does not matter who the father of her child is as long as he or she is brought up with love hints to the relationship between Brianna and Frank.
- The interaction between Fergus and Murtagh is hilarious. I love the line in which Murtagh says that “a man does not get concerned with the affairs of women.” He immediately wants information about Suzette.
- Claire’s and Mary’s reaction to Monsieur Forez’s profitable ointment (fat of hanged men) is memorable.
- Alexander Randall tells Mary that he is in love with her when she is passed out.
- One cannot forget the joy and happiness reflected in Fergus’s face eating at the dinner table, and the surprised faces of the guests when witnessing the fight.
All images are from Outlander-Online. Featured image has been cropped and modified to fit the colors of this blog.
Sources
Gabaldon, Diana. Dragonfly in Amber. New York: Bantam Dell, 1993. Print.