Outlander Season 8 Episode 3 Review: A Long-Awaited Book Plot

Critic’s Rating: 3.8 / 5.0

3.8

There were concerns that Outlander wouldn’t have time to bring in particular book plotlines, especially as one of them hasn’t even been mentioned since Outlander Season 4.

Yet, Outlander Season 8 Episode 3 delivers in a way many probably didn’t expect.

Multiple book plotlines took center stage, while others were clearly set up with reveals and name-drops.

A Hint of Something Bigger for Lord John Grey

When Outlander Season 8 started, it wasn’t clear just how Lord John Grey could end up with a big storyline.

I just didn’t see Percy coming back with the arc that gives John a story. It’s convoluted in the books, and while I enjoy some theories about Fergus, I didn’t think it was going to be needed for the show.

However, Matt B. Roberts and Maril Davis have proven me wrong. Sure enough, we’re getting Percy’s search for Fergus, and he needs John’s help.

The best thing is that Percy uses only the name Claudel. We all know who he means, but not once does Percy share the name Fergus.

It shows that it’s all connected back to Paris and the brothel. This offers something potentially exciting for Fergus.

I have to say that I was shocked to see Percy place his hand on John’s leg in the way he did.

That would have given everything away to the men around them, and yet, nobody was paying any sort of attention.

It was a highly questionable thing for a man who had clearly grown up around the upper class to do.

At the same time, John has worked as a spy. He should have been able to compose himself a little better.

Everyone should have looked at him as he reacted with shock. It felt a little off.

The mention of Captain Richardson is interesting. 

If you know the books, you know what’s to come, but even if you don’t know them, it’s clear that Richardson is going to play a much bigger part in the final hours of the series.

William Has Zero Respect for the Dead

There has always been one storyline from the ninth Outlander book, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, that annoys me: William and Amaranthus.

William doesn’t believe that Ben is dead.

Everyone else wants to believe it, but there’s something about Ben not surviving some fever and not even being in the grave that was marked for him that doesn’t sit right with William.

Yet, despite believing all of this, he is falling for Amaranthus.

This is a man who clearly thinks with his heart, but it is way too fast to even consider kissing Amaranthus.

Why would he not question her process of mourning? He comes across as an inconsiderate idiot, and we know that’s not who he is!

Sure, we all grieve in different ways, but Amaranthus hasn’t even seemed to grieve. From the books, I think there is a huge reason for that, but the show hasn’t quite delved into it yet — so no spoilers from me.

Amaranthus acted so plainly when William brought her Ben’s uniform, and it’s clear that all of Ben’s belongings have just been placed haphazardly in a drawer.

There’s this sense that either she doesn’t care — and wasn’t married to Ben — or that she also knows that Ben isn’t dead.

The little soldier is a big giveaway. Remember that Ben told William that it would never leave his pocket for as long as he wore the uniform. 

This is a huge hint at what’s to come, but it still doesn’t explain Amaranthus’s decision to kiss William just yet, and that’s something that the show needed to do first.

We could probably have done with one more episode before we got to this point, but with only 10 episodes, there isn’t much time!

No, other storylines haven’t affected the time needed for this part of the entire series to breathe. I just think the series could have done with two or three more episodes to space everything out.

The Color of Claire’s Hair Finally Comes Up

During Outlander Season 4, Claire was told something important: she would come into her full powers when her hair turned white.

It’s something that has been overlooked and almost forgotten until this final season, and suddenly the stepping stones have dropped away to allow for the big moment we’re sure has to arrive.

When a young Black girl, Agnes, comes nervously to see Claire, most book fans would have known the story to come.

It is somewhat different from the books, but it works given the time available. The important plot points from the Outlander book are there.

This is the moment Claire is able to heal with her hands, and in this case, she puts life back into a stillborn baby.

It’s a miraculous moment, and the grief on both Claire and Jamie’s faces tells you that this shouldn’t have happened.

Even if this were in today’s world, saving the baby wouldn’t have likely been possible. Yet, Claire is visibly shocked to find out that she can.

This is all clearly a segue into a discussion about Faith, as Claire finally realizes how baby Faith may have survived.

I continue to stand by this storyline. There is no official confirmation that Master Raymond did anything, or that Fanny’s Faith and Claire and Jamie’s Faith are the same people.

These are just two parents who have decided they want to believe it, and no, it’s not taking up much time.

In fact, it makes me wonder if Faith’s mention during Outlander Season 7 was actually a way to bring in the topic of Claire’s powers, since the show hasn’t focused on that in the way the books have.

Agnes and her family are in the books, and Agnes gets a slightly larger part, so this introduction allows for this development over the course of the season.

Instead, it takes the story from Jamie’s annoying jealousy. I know a lot of people love him for how jealous he is, but it’s a toxic trait that I believe the show spent too much time on.

Claire did nothing wrong in marrying Lord John Grey, and in that time, not consummating it would have invalidated it.

We should know this from Outlander Season 1, and Jamie definitely knows this.

Everyone believed that Jamie was dead, and if Jamie can’t accept that, it’s a problem he needs to deal with instead of putting his anger on everyone else.

It made for a slow start to the episode, but seeing Claire start to show signs of powers made up for it.

After all, this connects to a later storyline that will clearly come up during Outlander Season 8.

It’s a shame that a particular storyline involving Buck being healed in Outlander Season 7 didn’t come up — and it’s why I was concerned the entire plot would be skipped over — as this would bring up the blue light conversation again, but there wasn’t the time for it during that season.

At least, we’re getting it, and Claire even asked about the color of her hair to make this book plot point clear.

Add in the fact that Jamie has found out about Cunningham’s true intentions, and we have a clear threat on the Fridge, and Claire will be essential.

Chit-Chat Through the Stones

There are a few thoughts that I had while watching the Outlander episode that don’t quite fit the main plot points discussed.

• Fanny getting her own cairn for Janey was a beautiful touch
• The show has done a great job at hinting that Cunningham has always had another plan
• Bree looking out for Fanny is everything I didn’t think I needed at the start of the hour
• How did William not know about John’s time as Governor of Ardsmuir?
• Roger needs more to do!
• I continue to love the use of Frank’s voiceovers.

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