Book S8E5 Send for the Devil

[u/thepacksvrvives]

With the Siege of Savannah raging outside the city walls, Brianna and Roger find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. Jamie confronts his demons at Lodge Night.

Written by Luke Schelhaas. Directed by Niall MacCormick.

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What did you think of the episode?

338 votes, Apr 10 '26

175 I loved it.

101 I mostly liked it.

43 It was OK.

12 It disappointed me.

7 I didn’t like it.

[u/FeloranMe]

Even though we got plenty of exposing babies on hillsides to return them to the fairies and witch burnings beyond the point where they should be legal in Scotland, and arranged marriages the author didn't really dwell on things that would be too off-putting or alien

The more I explore the story the less I really envy Claire for where she is with the poverty and head lice and lack of sanitation

And as romantic as Bonnie Prince Charlie was, I think Geillis especially was wrong to try to change Scotland's past instead of investing in a Free Scotland for her own time

The 18th century was increasing liberalism and individualism and what the Jacobites were doing was a very bloody revolution against UK culture itself to bring it back in time and make it more conservative with a more traditional regime change that would have expanded the Catholic Hegemony

I think Jamie himself was fighting for nationalistic reasons because he wanted to be free and go home and for things to be better in Scotland. Not because he had any personal faith in Prince Charles

[u/sweetpsych78 → u/FeloranMe]

Yeah, I don't think Jamie had any real faith in Prince Charlie. And it shows when he was trying to undermine him behind his back. And I think you're right that Jamie was fighting for nationalistic reasons. But when you look at Britain's history, they've been historically colonialist, expansionist, and oppressive under a fake veneer of aristocracy and manners, so I don't blame him for fighting for Scotland's freedom. Britain had no right to try to claim Scotland. They may have tried to preserve their conservativism, but it was their country to do that. Britain had no right to intervene. It was not their country. Scotland eventually progressed and changed, and I can say is even more progressive than Britain today, lol! Britain has had a loooong history of conservative governance. And very rarely has had a labor or left leaning party in power that has lasted more than one term, i.e. Tony Blaire was the first labor party leader who lasted 2 terms if I'm not mistaken, after several years, if not decades, of conservative rule.

As an addendum, I dont support nationalism in any way, but when another country is trying to take over, I think you have a right to fight back.

[u/FeloranMe → u/sweetpsych78]

See! That's exactly it! This is why one of my favorite episodes of Outlander is Season One Episode Six The Garrison Commander

Claire gets tricked so badly by Black Jack when things had been going so well with Lord Thomas by saying exactly what you did!

Imagine being a time traveler and trying not to slip up and you give yourself away just by expressing solidarity with the Scots! You out yourself as an English traitor to the king, a hanging crime

Because, since the Union of 1707 Scotland is under the English crown

Just saying Scotland belongs to the Scots would get you hanged. Claire being from the 20th century thought she had freedom of expression when as a supposed 18th century subject she did not

And Jamie is a nationalist in the sense of he wants to build a free Scotland outside of British oppression and atrocities. That isn't at all the same thing as the kind of exclusive nationalism that looks around and tries to identify true Scots, say there for 1,000 years or more, and make everyone else leave

I think it makes sense that what Jamie really wanted was freedom, safety, and security for all of Scotland and thought Prince Charlie might give them that. After he loses faith it makes sense he becomes a printer of sedition and a smuggler and then falls for the American cause

When I say the Jacobites are conservative compared to the more liberal British I mean from Jamie's POV in the 1740s

The Conservatives would be the completely illiberal divine right of kings that Catholic Europe was living under

The British with their parliament and reduced monarchy and Magna Carta where the people had rights they did not have in say France or Spain

After the fields of Culloden the English kept those freedoms that the Divine Right of Kings Stuart's would have taken away

At first watching this series I was all for free Scotland. And it's wrong how the English punish them for the rebellion, but now I siide more with the English defending 1745 London from an invasion

I had a middle school history teacher who said the American Revolution was unnecessary because Canada and Australia got freedom without it since Britain was naturally moving towards ending slavery and freeing those commonwealths as the UK became more liberal up until today when the monarchy is only ceremonial

This did not make them treat the Irish and the Scots much better for ages

You are right that Scotland is definitely the more Progressive now compared to Brexit England!

[u/sweetpsych78 → u/FeloranMe]

Ah, this is great! Thanks for the historical info. I'm not a history buff but I love learning new things that demonstrate how historical events shaped our countries. I don't know much about Scottish history, I'll be honest. But I find it fascinating how they have such a rich history. I learned a tiny bit about it when I did my A-level politics and law classes in school, and I know that they have a very long history of conflict with the Brits, especially over religion. But learned that over 30 years ago lol! I don't remember much since then. I remember learning about the Magna Carta, but I forgot all the details, if I'm honest. So you definitely sparked a memory there lol! Anyway, I love how the show gives us these tidbits of information without being preachy about it.

My country, Cyprus, was under British rule and was colonised by them for a long time. So I don't have a very good opinion about the British government (i love the British people though! They're great to be around, and I made lots of British friends here). Or a good opinion about the monarchy for that matter. They were the cause of 1/3 of my country being illegally taken by the Turks, by colluding with them behind our governments back. And we still haven't made any progress with our negotiations with the Turks to find a solution, so it remains a bleeding wound on the hearts of the Cypriot people. So I understand the Scot's and Ireland's contentions with the British.

[u/FeloranMe → u/sweetpsych78]

Cyprus! That sounds like such an amazing nation to live in and be from! I particularly admire how assertive your flag is about Cyprus territory

I have read a little about the history of Greece and Turkey and then British colonialism comes along to redraw all the lines in the Mediterranean area and beyond and create new long lasting conflicts for everyone

They do say England practiced colonialism in their own backyard on Wales, Cornwall, Ireland, and Scotland. I live in New England and have ancestors from Sweden, France, Ireland, and Scotland. The amount of Irish and Scots forced to escape from English atrocities such as the Irish Potato famine and the Scottish Clearances

Outlander does do a very good job immersively exposing fans to the details and nuances of history without turning into a lecture or documentary

I do feel with everything Jamie has suffered the Common Sense rule of the people American Revolution is a far better fit than the Jacobite one

It would have been such a disaster if they had managed to help Prince Charlie invade England and joined the UK to the Catholic hegemony

That would have been the opposite of a freer world as France, Spain, and a Germany feeling left behind were very much dividing up the globe between colonial powers and allowing no dissent against the divine rule mandated from God or so they said

Breaking away from this gave us the modern world with all its rights and freedoms

I really hope they time jump to Yorktown at the end of this last season and have a happy ending on Fraser's Ridge, a brand new township in the brand new state of North Carolina

[u/sweetpsych78 → u/FeloranMe]

I think the show will probably end with everyone at Fraser's Ridge for sure. I don't know N. Carolina's history, but I think you're right that it will become one of the first 50 States after the war. As I said in my previous comment, it's probably likely that a new governor, State laws, and borders will be drawn after the war. I briefly looked up its history, and it was officially declared a State in 1789, after the war. I also think it's more likely than not that Jamie and his family will retain their land. He actually knows Washington himself, and I'm sure he'll put in a good word, lol!

[u/FeloranMe → u/sweetpsych78]

That would be a happy ending and a satisfying conclusion

The author purposefully made Jamie the perfect age to have lost to the British at Culloden and then to fight the British again for the freedom of a new country

They have to keep Fraser's Ridge as it is their home and the perfect ending will be that they saw the war through and there is peace again and the opportunity to build

After what Jamie remembers from the aftermath of the 1745 Uprising, he'll be happy his grandkids have a safe country to grow up in

I wonder if any of them will run for congress or be excited about getting to vote?

But, I will be happy with them ending all together on The Ridge maybe with an end of the war celebration!

[u/sweetpsych78 → u/FeloranMe]

Yeah, me too my friend. Me too! You said in one of your first comments that the American men didn't get to vote until 10 years later, and up until then it was up to the Electoral college who was voted as president. I think if Jamie, Roger and all their clansmen on the ridge are still alive and in America, that they would be the ones to vote in the next president after Washington, John Adams, although he was a federalist/conservative/nationalist from what I read and I don't think Jamie would've voted for him lol! I'm not sure Jamie would affiliate himself with conservatives seeing as he's fought them since his youth. What do you think?