Outlander – Season 7 Episode 12 “Carnal Knowledge” Recap & Review

Episode 12 of Outlander Season 7 begins with John and Jamie sneaking out of town. While Jamie is his usual friendly self, John is panicking. Jamie explains that at the checkpoint, the soldiers tried to search him which is why he ran and became their target. They finally arrive in the woods and unable to take it anymore, John spills that he and Claire had sex while thinking of Jamie. Shocked, Jamie punches John.

Back at home, William asks Claire about his birth and thinks the worst of Geneva. Claire tries to explain but worsens it as he realises John, Isobel and Jamie lied to him. He destroys whatever comes his way and storms off. He laments about his birth and John being a liar when a hooker, Arabella invites him in. Unable to control his emotions, he lashes out at her and she kicks him out. 

Jamie continues to punch John who refuses to tell him the whole truth. Some American soldiers happen upon them and forcefully take John prisoner. They want revenge as his relative, General Charles Grey is responsible for the Paoli massacre.

They also find a letter on John that makes them believe he is a spy even though he insists he is not a British soldier anymore. Meanwhile, Jamie meets with George Washington – he has letters of contribution from French allies. Washington is impressed and promotes him to Brigadier General with his own battalion.

William is recruited to evacuate Loyalists from town as the Americans are marching in full force. He runs into Rachel and Ian who are returning after a disappointing visit to the fighting Quakers who haven’t given them their blessing. William congratulates them on their betrothal before punching Ian.

The couple is confused before he reveals he knows the truth about Jamie. Rachel is not surprised as they look similar which angers William further. He insults Jamie which offends Ian who hits him back. A scuffle ensues and the Redcoats arrest Ian. Rachel slaps William and laments how he has forced her to forego her non-violent principles. He kisses her and she spits on him before running after Ian.

Elsewhere, the housekeeper, Mrs. Figg tells Claire about the evacuation. A letter was sent to John, ordering his recommission (the letter the Americans found). However, he is taken to Colonel Smith, a former friend who is kind to him. He tells him about the cold-blooded Paoli massacre and how Wayne wants revenge. John offers information and Smith suggests a meeting between him and Washington.

On the way back to town, Jamie spots Ian who is glad to see he is alive. Rachel tells him about William and Jamie confronts him. William sulks as he frees Ian but continues to be angry at Jamie.

Smith’s doctor turns out to be Denzell who checks up on John’s bruises. He is shocked to see a battered eye and John confesses that he asked for a beating from Jamie. Denzell is happy to hear Jamie is alive before Smith calls him away for a consultation. Turns out, John is worth more dead than alive and Smith has actually called for Wayne, not Washington. They are going to hang John and Denzell sneaks him a scalpel. 

That night, William’s squad drags him to Arabella’s brothel. One of the soldiers, Harkness, is crass and vulgar and to get away from him, William steals his girl – Arabella whose real name is Jane. Alone, he apologises and claims he doesn’t want to sleep with her as the only thing he has left is his honour. She indulges him but it is clear he likes her and she sleeps with him.

Jamie finally goes to Claire who worries for John. He reveals that John wanted Jamie to kill him by claiming they made love. He wants to know the whole truth and she tells him about her suicide attempt and not wanting to mourn alone. She confesses that she was the one who made the first move. She was numb and wanted to feel something. John allowed her and even let her hit him.

Jamie feels a wave of conflicting emotions as he unwittingly calls Claire a loose woman and a drunkard which angers her. Once he calms down, he explains that he is hurt because he is jealous. It seems like he is upset with himself for feeling it as well as he reveals John was the one who patched him up after Culloden and Geneva. They agree that despite everything, nothing can separate them. Claire reassures him that she is his wife and they hook up. 

At the end of Episode 12, Smith lets John sleep in his tent. John cuts his ties and escapes into the woods. Not soon after, Smith finds him gone and alerts the guards. Just as John is running, someone fires at him.

The Episode Review

Well, that was an emotional and complex episode. There is so much to unpack and each actor that was present in Outlander Season 7 Episode 12 had such a challenging arc that they all aced. Including Izzy Meikle-Small’s Rachel who would go as far as to go against her beliefs to stand up for Ian. Then there is Ian who is barely able to stay up to date from all the revelations like that of William falling for Rachel, William learning the truth, getting arrested and Jamie being alive. 

As for our father-son duo, it would be quite sad if they didn’t get to reconcile before John died. Even when William is having an identity crisis, all he can do is think about his papa. Then there’s our self-martyring John who feels so guilty about sleeping with Claire that he’d go as far as to goad Jamie into killing him.

But the highlight of Season 7B is, of course, Jamie and Claire’s re-reunion and confrontation. He isn’t this idealistic, calm, perfect, gentle guy who is all-understanding. He remains the short-tempered, snarky yet hopeless romantic Jamie that we were first introduced to in Season 1.

Similarly, Claire matches his temperament and while she explains herself, she has no qualms about setting him right. And as all their confrontations and fights, it is raw and passionate, the very trait that has fans following them for 7 seasons straight.