Last week's episode left off with Claire taking a plunge from The Porpoise in an attempt to warn Jamie that Captain Leonard has found out about his identity, and is planning to ambush him in Jamaica.
Claire survives the jump (duh) and washes up onto a very scenic Caribbean beach. Instead of meeting Captain Jack Sparrow, as I originally imagined, she finds her little pack of provisions, which has somehow made it safely to shore.
Still, things aren't looking so great: Claire has no idea where she is, or how to find Jamie to warn him about the dangers about to befall him once he arrives in Jamaica. Even more urgent though, is the need to find drinking water, and get out of the glaring sun wreaking havoc on her skin. Luckily, Claire is survivor. She uses her skirt as a tarp, and her underthings as kindling to start a fire once night falls. In the morning however, things are even more bleak. Claire is woken up by the horrible sensation of ANTS crawling all over her legs, which is literally my worst nightmare come to life (she reacts much as I would have — with utter panic), and is faced with yet another day of hiking in search for water and civilization. Still no luck. In fact, it gets worse. Claire snags some sleep at the base of a large tree, only to find that a large snake has wrapped itself around her during the night. Somehow, she waits patiently and the snake goes on its way. Can someone give this woman a break?
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That break comes in the form of a preacher and his dog. Believing she's having some sort of hallucination, Claire passes out from exhaustion only to wake in what looks like a very comfortable bed — no snakes included! However, her hands and feet are bound and restrained, apparently for her own good. A woman comes in, speaking Spanish, and hands her some long-awaited water, telling her that she can't untie her — it's the only way to prevent her from scratching the many bug bites she's sustained.
Later, she wakes again, a man looming over her. His name is Father Fogden, and he and his dog Ludo rescued her, and brought her to Hacienda de la Fuente, on the island of Saint Domingue — just to the east of Jamaica. He's very impressed when he learns she's a doctor — and also seems to be taking orders from a coconut named Coco. Okaaaay then.
Mamacita, the woman from earlier, is clearly the one in charge here. She orders Claire to wash, declaring that she stinks. Over a post-bath dinner, Claire finds out that Father Fogden ended up on the island after falling in love with a married noblewoman in Cuba. Sadly, she died soon after their arrival, leaving him alone with Mamacita, his mother-in-law. He insists on accompanying her to the village nearby to book passage to Jamaica — but only next week. When Claire protests, he mansplains to her. Mamacita steps in, calling Claire a whore and declaring she must go — which is a good thing, I guess?
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Claire decides that the best way to convince Father Fogden is to convince Coco the coconut. Miming a grand conversation with him within earshot of the priest, she declares Coco approves of this as a day to travel to the village. It works, but the scheme is interrupted by Mamacita's cries — someone has killed one of their goats, Arabella. Fogden unleashes flesh-eating beetles to feast on the severed head of the goat, to purify it — "from the sacred cave of Abandaway." Claire takes pause, remembering that Margaret Campbell had raved about the same thing back in Scotland. Turns out that this is a place Jamaicans revere. Coincidence? I think not.
Then, Fogden mentions that Arabella's murderer was Chinese. Since there aren't many people of Chinese origin in the Caribbean circa 1766, Claire assumes it must be Mr. Willoughby. She runs towards the beach.
We get a glimpse of Jamie, Fergus, and co., who took to shore after running aground on shoals. Captain Raines is dead, and Jamie appears to be in charge now. They're fixing the masthead, and appear to be done before Claire makes it to the beach. No, this isn't happening — I can't handle a missed connection at this point!
Claire arrives on the beach, and sees the ship carrying her husband, just offshore. She screams his name, to no avail. With a stroke of genius, she takes out the small mirror she took from Father Fogden and uses it to reflect the sun. Somehow, Jamie sees the signals, and realizes Claire is waiting for him on the beach. (Sweet, sweet relief!) Their reunion is part Don Juan De Marco, part Beaches, but I'm here for it!
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Despite Claire's warning, Jamie is determined to get to Jamaica to find Young Ian. But first, he wants to let Fergus and Marsali get married — Father Fogden can help with that. Claire makes Mr. Willoughby apologize for killing Arabella the Goat, and Fogden is appeased, and accepts to officiate the ceremony.
Later, Claire offers Marsali some help getting ready, and to answer any questions she might have about the wedding night. She surprises Claire by asking her how to prevent a pregnancy. She's not ready to have kids yet, and wants to just enjoy being with Fergus. The best part of this exchange is that Marsali is taking ownership of herself — Fergus has told her he knows what do to, but she wants control over her own reproductive rights. She doesn't want to end up like her mother, afraid of the men in her life, and worrying about children. Claire agrees to show her, and Marsali concedes she's not the devil after all. Yay!
Turns out that Father Fogden can't marry Fergus without knowing his surname — this has never come up, and Fergus doesn't have one. Jamie steps in, saying his name is Fraser. Fergus Claudel Fraser. (MY HEART!) Fergus and Marsali seal things with a kiss, and mazel tov, they're married!
In the end, Jamie and Claire are reunited in the Captain's cabin, and after some weird foreplay involving a needle and antibiotics (for Claire's fever), and a fairly serious talk about consent, the two have wild, funny, laughing sex.
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