Outlander 5×06 “Better to Marry than Burn” feels very much like a mid-season episode, with a lot happening within the hour, even as the show continues to set up what’s certain to be a season finale confrontation.
The character moments are also the strongest they’ve been in a while, especially when it comes to people other than Jamie and Claire. Our protagonists have taken the share of the load when it comes to good emotional beats this season, and though they get more – in surprising ways – this episode, they’re not the only ones.
Not all is well that ends well, though, so prepare yourself for a little bit of heartbreak this episode. Just trust me when I say this isn’t the kind of heartbreak you’ll be raging about.
Here are some takeaways from Outlander 5×06 “Better to Marry than Burn”:
- This is the episode for Roger fans, as he finally gets to look confident and take charge, which I will admit is very, very attractive.
- Like, I have never found Richard Rankin as attractive on the show as I did in this episode. It’s also the facial hair. Facial hair is a must for Roger.
- Outlander remains the show that’s not afraid to center all its conflicts around happily married couples, and that makes it stand out.
- Locusts seem like the kind of foe that would be ideal for someone of Roger’s background, don’t they?
- We all wish Jocasta wasn’t marrying someone other than Murtagh, but it is good that Jamie and Claire have an excuse for dressing up.
- As per the trailer, this episode we’ll get to see something we haven’t seen in a while: Jamie and Claire having not a disagreement, but an actual fight.
- The scene we see in the trailer will have you screaming at them to just take deep breaths and COMMUNICATE.
- You’ll be happy to hear that isn’t the only scene between the two of them and this conflict plays out in its entirety within this episode.
- It’s so cute how Governor Tryon thought his strategy was going to work. We all knew a “war” was coming sooner or later, didn’t we?
- This episode features one of the most heartbreaking scenes Outlander has given us a while (that doesn’t involve someone being assaulted or the consequences of that). Just your garden variety life problems common to that age and time, the ones that still really, really hurt.
Are you excited for Outlander’s “Better to Marry than Burn”? What are you looking forward to the most? Share with us in the comments below!
Outlander airs Sundays at 8/7c on Starz.