As we had anticipated, we have arrived in the exotic landscapes of Jamaica, a place that breathes with its own unique challenges. I have been eagerly anticipation, grinding my teeth in suspense, waiting for the narrative to delve into the deplorable topic of slavery. And tonight, our long wait has finally borne fruit. Claire, who, as we've seen before, has fearlessly attempted to forge feminism on numerous occasions, finds herself utterly unprepared for the harrowing slave market she visits in her desperate search for Ian.
Transplanted from a comparatively less prejudiced era, Claire is an awakening conscience by 18th-century standards. Her reaction to the slave market is one of sheer disbelief and horror, prompting her to attack a slaver with nothing but her parasol—a brave, albeit impractical, act of defiance. This courageous moment leads her to inadvertently purchase and temporarily own a young man named Temeraire, whom they vow to liberate at the earliest convenience.
Ian, however, is nowhere to be found at the slave market. Instead, he has been taken to meet the Bakra, a character described in hushed tones as having a peculiar fondness for "young boys." Such is the grim reality of Outlander, where the specter of rape and its mere threat hang over every scene like a dark cloud. My friend Mallory, who watched alongside me, quipped that it would be refreshing to hear a villainous character declare, with sinister relish, "I love old women." We hold out hope for such a twist!
I was eagerly anticipating the introduction of the Bakra, quietly hoping that he would be portrayed as a white character, as this series is not yet ready to grapple with the complexity of portraying a black villain, let's be honest. To my utter astonishment, the Bakra turned out to be none other than Geillis! Yes, that very Geillis! Do you remember her? The one from the future who saved Claire and was presumably consumed by flames for her witchcraft? Well, it seems she's either a remarkably powerful witch or she never perished in the flames to begin with. (Later revelations would unveil that Dougal had secretly smuggled her to safety.)
Geillis's first appearance is nothing short of mesmerizing—her naked back and derriere, dripping with blood, emerge seductively from a grandiose bathtub, while Ian stands frozen in a blend of horny fascination and abject terror. As it turns out, Geillis was the recipient of the treasure box that Ian had lost to the Portuguese, and she has noticed the absence of a crucial sapphire. She requires all three sapphires to unlock a prophecy revealed by her seer, one that speaks of the next king of Scotland. Ian informs her that Jamie possesses the missing gem and is en route to Jamaica.
Geillis subsequently engages in sexual relations with Ian, albeit under questionable circumstances given her apparent intention to end his life thereafter, leaving him with little agency in the decision. The phrase "engages in sexual relations with" hardly does justice to the situation. As fate would have it, the seer that Geillis confides in turns out to be none other than Margaret, our acquaintance with the swindling brother. It seems we're no longer introduced to fresh faces in this series; familiar figures keep resurfacing like persistent bad omens. This recurrence is further exemplified when Claire and Jamie infiltrate the Jamaican governor's ball in search of news about Ian. Lo and behold, the governor is none other than LORD JOHN, adorned with an unwieldy wig and overflowing with joy at the sight of Jamie. His infatuation with Jamie is palpable and heartwarming; so deep, in fact, that he sports Jamie's sapphire on a exquisitely crafted, embroidered watch fob.
Geillis, swift as a hawk, spots the sapphire instantly — she's now Mistress Abernathy of Rose Hall, by the way, when she's not indulging in her other persona as the Bakra. She maneuvers Margaret into performing a prophecy under the guise of foretelling his fortune. The prophecy is a tangled web of Scottish mysticism, referring to a 200-year-old infant and a Scottish king, undoubtedly intertwined with time travel.
Before we can fully digest this revelation, Captain Leonard's arrival at the ball necessitates an abrupt exit. Fortuitously, Temeraire uncovers that Ian is in Geillis's custody, prompting their hasty departure and Temeraire's drop-off at a sanctuary for escaped slaves. (To me, this seems perilously ill-advised, but such are the twists of fate!) Just after entrusting Claire with all his keepsakes, Jamie is once again apprehended, marking the commencement of yet another separation for Claire and Jamie. With the season finale looming next week, I suspect their separation won't last long!
Undoubtedly, the highlight of this episode is Geillis's sheer lunacy, as if she's vibrating on a frequency far beyond human comprehension. Resembling the Borg Queen in demeanor, she cares not for anyone's opinion, bathes in goat's blood, and deflowers and slays virgin men with impunity. At last, a worthy adversary! We haven't encountered one of her caliber since the demise of Black Jack Randall (RIP).
