We’re back! Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love’ is an emotional roller coaster that combines tragedy, danger, and difficult decisions with an ending that changes the game completely, leaving us on the edge of the abyss. Ready?
Here we go!
Painful Goodbyes in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love’
Ian finally succumbs to his illness in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love.’ And we still can’t believe it, we have to admit that we cried right then…we are going to miss him very much. But, at least, Ian lived long enough to be able to see his son, Claire, and Jamie, who is his brother, again. And not only that. He lived long enough to be able to share one last conversation with Jamie, one last laugh…a goodbye. Ian lived long enough to feel that his family was complete again.
And so he dies, complete, happy, and at peace. Maybe it was expected that at his death there would be all his loved ones in a crowded room, but we think it was perfect. At his side was Jenny, the love of his life, the mother of his children, the matriarch of his family, the one who has kept them together despite everything, and Jamie, his brother, his partner in adventures, the man for whom he would have given his life, for whom he would have gone to hell without thinking twice. At his side, were the two people who marked his life, his heart, and his soul. Forever. And we’re in tears right now, we swear.
Ian’s death, although expected, fills Jenny and Jamie with sadness in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love.’ A part of them left with Ian and will never return. But Jamie must force himself to travel soon to meet Claire and Jenny… Jenny is left alone. She knows that it is probably best to accept Jamie’s offer and go to the New World but she can’t. She simply cannot leave her home, her memories, Ian… she still needs more time. But we’re sure his future is with Jamie, Ian, and Claire in America.
MORE: Here’s the review of Outlander Season 7 episode 1 and episode 2!
Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold
Arch Bug is not one to forget. He swore he would snatch away from Ian the woman he would love in repayment for the death of his wife. An eye for an eye. And in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love’ he has the chance. Arch has been watching, waiting…and he found Rachel. He knows Ian would never have confided in Rollo if Rachel wasn’t someone important to him if Ian didn’t love her. So he knows what he has to do. It’s time for revenge.
But Ian arrives in time to realize what’s happening and try to stop it. Young Ian tries to reason with Arch, he didn’t kill Mrs. Bug in cold blood, but Arch is in no position to listen to anything. He doesn’t care about the technicalities. His wife is dead and Ian killed her, so he has to avenge her. It’s the only thing he can and wants to see. So it’s finally William who ends up saving the day by saving Rachel from Arch’s revenge. But this situation brings consequences.
William just killed another person in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love.’ He can’t get used to this, he doesn’t want to get used to this, and it still affects him. But he’s clear that if he would kill for anyone, it’s Rachel. He loves her. He can’t deny it anymore. And he almost thought he would end up conquering her but seeing her with Ian, seeing them together… he knows he lost, although William can’t stand Ian putting her in danger. But he has to accept his defeat and retreat.
On the other hand, Ian’s past caught up with Rachel in the worst way. Arch was about to kill her but Ian’s confession was even heavier. Rachel is a Quaker, she is a pacifist, but this man, this man she loves, is violent, he has killed, and Rachel knows that he will not shake his hand if he has to do it again. But she knows that Ian is a good man, she knows him, and she knows him even more than she knows herself. So she will share the burden of his past with him. Her heart decided for her a long time ago.
MORE: Here’s the review of Outlander Season 7 episode 3 and episode 4!
Boat Adrift in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love’
Although we don’t believe for a second that Jamie is dead, Claire was right in the previous episode when she said that bad things happen when Jamie and she are separated. It was an omen because in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love’ just that happened. Lord John receives the news that the boat Jamie was on board had ended up sunk, with no survivors. This devastates him. Jamie is the love of his life. He never shared Lord John’s feelings but for him, Jamie would always be the love of his life and, beyond that, his best friend. Lord John could never have Jamie’s love, but he always had his friendship, his affection, his trust, and his respect. And it was reciprocal.
Lord John could settle for that knowing that he was happy with Claire. But now, now he has to face a world in which Jamie Fraser doesn’t exist and he cannot stand it. But if he is devastated, he can’t even imagine what Claire’s reaction will be. Lord John has seen them, what they have is… something else. It is love of the purest kind, it is a connection of souls so deep and so strong that nothing and no one can break it.
Lord John is not wrong. When he gives Claire the news in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love’ she can’t believe it. She is angry, she is seething with rage. She would feel it if Jamie was gone, somehow she would know. Jamie is half of her heart, of her soul, Claire knows in her bones what she would feel if half of her was no longer there. She once believed Jamie was dead without feeling that he was really dead, she is not going to make the same mistake. Jamie is alive, he must be alive, he has to be alive…
But when the heartbreaking truth begins to sink into Claire’s brain, there is no turning back. And suddenly, all Claire feels is a great emptiness. It is all she can feel. There’s no point in going on anymore, not without Jamie. She’s done it once, for Brianna, and Claire knows she couldn’t bear to do it again. This time she’ll just let herself go until the time comes to reunite with Jamie.
Lord John doesn’t know what to do in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love.’ He’s grieving too, and he just wants to find the words to comfort Claire or mourn Jamie with her, but he feels he can’t, that he has no right to do so. Until he has no choice but to act. Claire’s good heart got her into trouble again, and they’re about to arrest her for being a spy. Lord John knows they have little time, and in a situation like this, only his name can save Claire, so he doesn’t hesitate: he has to marry her.
MORE: Here’s the review of Outlander Season 7 episode 5 and episode 6!
Family is the Key
Lord John appreciates Claire sincerely, but above all, he knows that Jamie would never forgive him if he allowed something bad to happen to Claire. John knows that Jamie would ask him to protect her at any cost. And this is the only thing he can do for him: protect and take care of his family. Only Claire is not herself. Since she lost Jamie she is just letting go, not fighting, but now it is time for her to leave that behind and fight.
Lord John knows Claire and he knows that she would do whatever it takes for her family, she would fight for them tooth and nail. But this Claire that he has in front of him now and who throws poisonous words at him just looking for him to leave her alone, this Claire who only lives to feel sorry for herself is not the Claire that John knows and, of course, she is not the Claire he needs now. In Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love’’ John needs Claire to fight alongside him in an attempt to protect her and her entire family.
And that is the key point: family. Claire cannot care anymore what happens to her. She doesn’t feel that it is worth continuing without Jamie. She made peace with that. But she cannot allow her family to be in danger. She wouldn’t forgive herself and, more importantly, Jamie wouldn’t either. So she accepts Lord John’s proposal. And she does the right thing.
While all this is going on, Roger and Buck continue their search for Jemmy in Outlander season 7 episode 10 ‘Brotherly Love’ but they find something else. Roger finds his father’s dog tags, which means he was there. His father traveled back in time through the stones and this discovery breaks his mold. How and why did his father travel to 1739? Will Roger be able to see him, since they are at the same time now?
In addition to these questions, there are unknowns about how exactly the travel through the stones works. In any case, it seems that Roger’s father was not only in 1739 but could have died there. However, Roger doesn’t know what to do with this information at the moment, his priority is Jemmy and this mystery about his father completely overwhelms him. And we feel the same, honestly, we have a lot of questions about this and we’re looking forward to finding out the answers!
MORE: Here’s the review of Outlander Season 7 episode 7, episode 8, and episode 9!
Outlander Season 7B airs on Fridays at 8:00 PM ET/PT on STARZ.
