Outlander – Season 7 Episode 8 “Turning Points” Recap & Review

Turning Points

Episode 8 of Outlander season 7 titled ‘Turning Points’ begins with scavengers trying to rob Jamie who they think is dead. Claire suddenly pops up and threatens them with a sword lying nearby as she points out that Jamie is her husband. They back off and Claire takes back Jamie’s photo of William they had thrown and goes to tend to him. He is happy to see her and turns out he just sliced his hand and got kicked in the head by a horse.

There is no decisive victory but the British are claiming it. The Frasers bicker as Jamie asks what took her so long to find him and Claire says she has been searching all night. She is also furious at him for joining the fray as he is supposed to be a sniper and calls him stubborn. He comments on her sword-fighting skills and they laugh as she helps him back to camp.

While Claire looks at Jamie’s hand they worry about William. She suggests that maybe the boy was at the garrison when the battle took place. Outside, she then comforts Denzell who wonders if the alarming death toll is worth the cause. 

Later, she spots a Colonel Johnson leaving Jamie’s tent and when she asks, Jamie reveals that it was because of his company that they saved the day. She then gives him laudanum for his hand which he cribs before drinking. Before he blacks out, he remembers Abraham’s deal with God and likens it to him losing a hand if it saves 10 or even 1 man. She tears up but gets to stitching his hand back together. 

At present, Brianna is wracked with worry when Roger and Buck barge in. They deduce that since the gold musket ball is missing, Rob must have read the letter about Jem knowing where the Jacobite gold is hidden. He has possibly time-travelled with Jem to find that gold in North Carolina. Buck offers to help and they decide to travel back. 

Meanwhile, it’s been 2 weeks and Jamie’s hand is healing nicely. But Young Ian notices that this doesn’t make Claire happy as it just means he will be back to fighting again. Ian asks why she thinks there will be another battle and she recalls that something decisive was needed for the French to join the revolution. Rollo suddenly finishes the medicine meant for Denzell’s patient and Claire reprimands him.

Seeing Ian’s interest in Rachel, she suggests that he can find some more and take it to her. Rachel is happy to see him but when he hands the medicine it falls. As they go to get it, their hands touch and he suddenly kisses her. She slaps him and he apologises. But as they again get close, he stops her as he says she will probably die for loving him. She scoffs but he remains serious and leaves.

Elsewhere, an officer asks Claire for a trade. In exchange for Cinchona’s bark, he shows her his collection of medicines. She is excited for more laudanum but they are both wary of each other as they wonder if the other is addicted. The officer says he had been due to being shot in his leg but he got off it with a lot of difficulty. On the other hand, Claire says she gives it to patients who she cannot cure but wants to help.

He is surprised by her approach as most doctors claim 100% results. They go on a discourse of whether one should know one’s limits or try to go beyond them. Jamie stops by and when asked, he accidentally quotes Robert Browning who was yet to be born. As the officer leaves, he introduces himself as Benedict Arnold which has Claire in awe.

She later explains to Jamie that Arnold was a famous American war hero in the early years of the revolution but in the end, he defected to the British. In the 20th century, he is synonymous with traitor. The only problem is that she doesn’t know when he will defect but she needs to let it happen to keep the course of the revolution on the path that guaranteed success. 

Meanwhile, Rachel asks Denzell to pray for her and he says he knows why as he had spotted Ian leaving. She tries to laugh off the fact that Ian said that she is in love with him but Denzell says if it wasn’t true she wouldn’t be praying. He offers to help with a friendly truce but marriage is out of the cards as their community will never accept it which saddens Rachel. 

That night, Colonel Morgan celebrates the outcome of the battle as they captured several Britishers while freeing over 100 of their own men. He then shows his scarred back as he reveals his reason for fighting the British. They had flogged him 500 times just because he had questioned one of his superiors. Claire wonders if Morgan knows about Jamie’s similar past and he says no but feels that the Colonel can guess it as they lock eyes. 

The Second Battle of Saratoga takes place and Arnold, Morgan and Jamie spy Simon Fraser on the front lines. They urge Jamie to kill his cousin but at the last minute, he just shoots the hat off some soldier. But he is shocked to see that it is none other than William who runs to Simon when another sniper fatally shoots him.

The Continental Army follow the retreating redcoats to their redoubt. A distracted Jamie goes with the flow while trying to search for William and is almost killed but Young Ian comes to his rescue.   

The Americans win but Arnold is shot in the same leg. Claire tries to look after him but he refuses the laudanum and worries that he won’t even get to die a martyr as General Granny Gates hates him and will stay silent on his achievements. Later, Jamie informs her that the British have almost surrendered and are currently finalizing the negotiations. However, at that moment, he is called to the British camp as Simon’s dying wish.

Jamie and Claire go meet him and Simon is happy that he is at least among family. Claire gives them privacy and spots William outside. She apologises for his loss and he wonders if she means the war. She says that war is terrible no matter who wins and he is starting to understand.

At the back, Jamie leaves the tent open in accordance with their Gaelic beliefs while an officer wonders about William’s missing hat. He states that some rogue shot it off and Jamie goes and gives him his. The officer and William find him remarkable and honourable while Claire is confused. The officer also tells William that as per Simon’s wish, he is now a captain.

Jamie later tells Claire that this is the second time he almost killed William, the first being when he was born. He is scared that a third time he might succeed and this may be the only time he gets to speak to him as a man which is why he gave his hat to him. 

The next day, they get the terms which are that the British soldiers at Saratoga will not fight again in this war. The Frasers celebrate as this means William will be safe. At that moment, Granny Gates tells Jamie that Simon wished to be taken home should he die abroad. This means the British have provided safe passage for Jamie and his family to take his cousin to Scotland.

The Frasers are ecstatic but Ian is torn. He asks Rachel to look after Rollo till he comes back as he had made a promise to his family. She agrees and also says this means she will get to see Ian again when he returns. Meanwhile, the MacKenzies have a tearful farewell as Brianna stays back with Mandy. Buck and Roger go through the stones to find Jem and Rob.

Later, while Rachel is out foraging, an old man wonders about her pet dog Rollo. She says she is looking after him while the master comes back. She notices that Rollo likes the man as he comments that the master must love her very much to entrust her with the care of his pet. It is then revealed that the old man is none other than Arch Bug who had promised to get back at Ian for killing his wife.

On the ship home, Ian misses Rollo while Jamie is seasick and refuses Claire’s help. As they bicker, they hear the bells and happily realise they have reached Scotland.

The Episode Review

That intro to the mid-season finale is everything. That is what we have been missing in Outlander season 7. Their bickering, the way they protect and love each other, that’s what romances are made of. Jamie and Claire are the heart of the show and we need more. Sure, the new characters can hold their own and have interesting storylines, but we started this show for our favourite couple and it better end with them. 

And well, if there is any bigger deus ex machina than Simon suddenly wanting Jamie to take his body back to Scotland it will probably be of him magically meeting Jem and Rob in Inverness. And…that is actually a possibility since the Frasers are now in Scotland. Guess who is in the same country and same year as well – Rob, Jem, Roger and Buck.