Outlander 5×05 “Perpetual Adoration” introduces the long-awaited Adso the cat, who absolutely steals the hour, but it also gives us one of the best Bree/Roger moments the show has seen so far, as well as a scene with Jamie and Claire that almost makes up for the fact that they’re separated all episode.
And that’s without going into the fact that the plot finally advances!
The episode is not perfect, though. There’s too much time devoted to philosophical ramblings, and flashbacks. The big notions of time and memory might end up tying to something, but the flashbacks are just there to make us …I don’t know, appreciate what we have even more?
Except we already appreciate it. We appreciate it enough to ask for MORE of it, thank you very much.
So, let’s go into the plot, as well as examine where the Frasers and the Mackenzies stand, as we talk “Perpetual Adoration”:
THE BONDS OF FAMILY
Jamie was never going to betray Murtagh, we knew that. He might have talked tough and told Murtagh to go, because he *had* to hunt him, but when push came to shove, Jamie was always going to choose Murtagh – and by extension, the movement Murtagh stands for, that so many of his countrymen stand for.
As this episode – and the inevitable conclusion of Lt. Knox, someone the show tried to paint as both a fanatic and a good man, attempting the kind of nuance Outlander has never truly been known for – proved, Jamie’s family always comes first. Not that anyone should have been surprised. Jamie has always had his priorities straight.
This sets up a different problem, though, because the Regulators aren’t gonna stop, and the Governor isn’t going to stop either. This problem, however, could have been set up much earlier in the season, and unless Jamie ends up with great remorse about what he had to do, enough for it to affect his actions, I don’t see how Knox’s existence served any purpose other than reaffirm what we already knew: Jamie’s family comes first, and Murtagh is an integral part of that.
THE FRASERS
I was struck by something as I watched that beautiful scene at the end of the episode, with Claire confiding in Jamie, and he putting aside his own troubled mind for a second so she could say her peace: I was sure that, off-screen, he was going to tell her every detail of what had happened with Knox. I am always sure Jamie and Claire aren’t going to keep secrets from each other.
They’ve learned that lesson the hard way, and trusted each other with too many unbelievable truths for this to be any different.
And that is the thing that sets them apart from Roger and Bree, and the relationship they’re trying to build. Of course, as Claire told Roger, the relationship she now has with Jamie took not just time, but work. Relationships aren’t perfect by definition, and love isn’t enough to make sure things run smoothly. You need communication, and more importantly, you need the desire to make things work.
But even with all that common sense I’ve dispensed, we can take a moment to appreciate the OTP we’ve gotten in Jamie and Claire, and how far they’ve come. They’re proof that no matter how different you are, the most important this is your willingness to understand the other person, your willingness to be better, to change. To walk through life with a partner.
Nah, I’m not crying. You’re crying.
THE MACKENZIES
This was a big episode for Roger and Bree, a big episode for what they’re trying to build as a couple. For the first time, the show allowed Roger to have his doubts and his fears without those doubts and fears turning ugly. Because he’s allowed those moments, he’s allowed his feelings. What he shouldn’t do is hurt Brianna purposefully because of them.
And Brianna is no saint here, either. She doesn’t trust Roger – and granted, he has given her no reason to trust him. But it’s not that she doesn’t trust him to not leave, which fair, she also doesn’t trust him to not lose it and lash out, which is something that doesn’t have to do with the last few months of their relationship, but with the beginning of it, with her rejection his proposal and the way he behaved, and so on.
Roger and Bree are obviously different people than Jamie and Claire. Both have their temper, and they haven’t yet learned how to, well, temper that for the sake of the other. As Claire wisely tells Roger, though, it takes time and effort, and I’m so proud of Roger for taking that to heart and going back to Bree with the right attitude. I’m also super proud of Bree for coming clean with everything she’s been keeping from Roger. It was about time.
Now comes the work, and for the first time, I feel both Roger and Bree understand what that means and can get through this, together.
Things I think I think:
- I really don’t like past (future) Claire’s hair.
- Okay, going heavy on the religion here. I wonder where this is going, or if they just wanted to go heavy on the religion.
- Though I guess if I’d lived what Claire lived, I’d be like yeah, God has a plan for me too.
- “If time is anything akin to God, memory must be the devil.”
- But, like, how does that even make sense?
- I will admit Brianna trying to see the best in Roger at every turn is kinda cute.
- You wanna teach math, Bree? MATH?
- NOW your word to Jamie means something, Roger. NOW.
- I just love seeing Fergus by Jamie’s side. No offense, Roger.
- The rich people don’t want to sign up, of course.
- Gah, Knox. Why you gotta be so diligent?
- Jamie didn’t even want to hit Murtagh’s picture, this whole pretending to hunt him thing was always going to end up badly.
- It’s okay, I don’t understand a word half the people on this show are saying, Mister.
- WHY ARE THERE SO MANY FLASHBACKS?
- Also, there’s entirely too much Bonnet in this episode.
- Come on, Roger, at least ease into the recriminations.
- Jamie: does literally horrible shit, runs to tell Claire. Brianna: tells Roger nothing.
- THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.
- Look, this is a first for me, but Roger has a right to be mad at Bree for all the secrets. Especially as he does not know what they mean.
- Not that I would have thrown away a diamond.
- Words DO have consequences.
- But actions too, Roger. Remember that.
- “I didn’t think I needed to.”
- Ouch.
- Mr Menzies, aww.
- Why is the priest pontificating about love and devotion between man and wife?
- I’m super confused.
- “No one’s lost who’s not forgotten” isn’t really that comforting when you’re going through grief.
- Claire is right about marriage, and this is something Roger needed to hear.
- This entire conversation was sorely needed. We can’t keep relying on Bree to humanize Roger. He needs more moments with like this people OTHER than Bree.
- “Don’t be careless with the time you have together.”
- This kinda hurt me. Claire knows what she’s talking about, after all.
- “It doesn’t matter.”
- HE APOLOGIZED.
- Well, this might be my favorite Roger/Bree scene EVER.
- “He doesn’t matter.”
- I’m even gonna forgive Bree for not saying she doesn’t want to leave.
- Knox is quoting Les Mis now lol. Not that he knows it.
- Yeah, yeah, we all love Jamie, Knox. You’re not the only one.
- I DID NOT see this admission coming.
- Bye Knox?
- Like, there’s no other way this can end.
- “I swore an oath to my family.”
- As I said, BYE.
- Not that I’m crying about it. I do, however, feel we wasted too much time on a character that was going to end up like this. Especially because it made me care not one iota.
- Awww, the cat.
- I guess you never know what’s coming.
- “I have much to tell you.”
- No, but I really do appreciate that these two keep no secrets. So much.
- That scene at the end was golden.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Outlander 5×05 “Perpetual Adoration”? Share with us in the comments below!
Outlander airs Sundays at 8/7c on Starz.
