With the Battle of Culloden on the horizon, will anyone gain closure before that fateful day? Here are some thoughts on “The Hail Mary”.
I’ve decided to start this post a bit differently from the others. “The Hail Mary” is the beginning of the culmination of so many heart wrenching events this season.
Throughout season two, Jamie and Claire’s relationship has been more support and strength than the love-making of season one, but that’s understandable. The focus is on the strength of their partnership and stopping this horrific event from taking place.
Also, this season, we’ve seen honor shine through our favorite characters. Murtagh, the ever loyal friend and protector. Claire, who’s inner strength is made of steel. Jamie, our beloved hero, has come to realize that honor is not something as valued as he believes it should be, but still holds himself to a high standard for his country and his people.
This episode shined a light on the parallels of family. Alex and Jack Randall and the issue of Mary and her baby. Colum and Dougal airing out the fact that Hamish might be Dougal’s biological child, but he’s not his father. We also learn that Dougal has another son that’s being raised as someone else’s because he can’t do it himself.
All of these situations mirror the one we already know happens between Jamie, Claire, and Frank. Frank raises Jamie’s daughter as his own just like Jack will provide for Alex’s child, and Colum raised Dougal’s son.
The story has been set up to show us that this has (and will) play out over and over in different circumstances. A man who died too young, a man who couldn’t father children in need of an heir, and a man doing anything at all to protect the ones he holds most dear.
This season, like their lives, has been a constant struggle. All leading them to the same place, back to where it all started. Inverness. The prospect of what lies ahead of them at Culloden Moor, and finally, Claire crossing back through the stones and leaving Jamie behind.
It’s heartbreaking, beautiful, and almost too much for my fragile heart.
I’ll stop rambling.
Here are my thoughts on their final shot to stop Culloden, “The Hail Mary”…
***
Culloden Moor. The troops are set.
Hey there, Rupert!
Fergus telling Murtagh, “Yeah, man. You look like crap.”
I feel completely helpless, too, Claire.
Ross is trying to be friends with Rupert. Love it!
Ugh. Everything is falling apart. The men are tired. The horses are worn out.
Murtagh KNOWS what a war council will mean, and now we all know we’re 3 days out from Culloden.
This is heartbreaking.
Make Charles see reason? Yeah, that’ll happen, Jamie.
Mary? What? And why does she want laudanum?
Wow. Mary has some attitude.
Ohhhh…Alex told her about Claire’s meddling.
Maybe Alex is actually Frank’s direct relative and not BJR? That’d be cool with me.
yay. Here comes another clusterfluff of a meeting.
Jamie is too late to the meeting?! Now is the time to be prompt, James.
This isn’t a pissing contest. Listen to Jamie. This will end in destruction if you don’t.
Jamie isn’t a coward. He’s being smart. His plan is solid! C’mon!
Charles, you’re not going to be fighting! You’re not a soldier. What is happening?
“I’m weary of retreat.” <--translation: I'm bored so we fight no matter what you say.
That smug Kermit looking Irish war advisor. UGH.
Claire, I mean, why? You know BJR will be here.
Arsenic in Alex’s tea?!
I TOLD YOU. WHY?!? I physically cringe when he’s around.
Mary is oblivious. Alex is NEVER going to work again.
Yup. That’s Alex’s baby!
I hate that man. I wish Claire had helped Alex, but to be around BJR? Nope.
He seriously needs to stop grabbing her like that.
BJR is really asking Claire to have mercy on his brother after what he did to her and Jamie?!? The NERVE of this guy.
That’s right. Bargain, Claire. Get that info.
SERIOUSLY?
“Barter over an innocent man’s suffering?”
“The woman I am now is not the woman I once was, Captain Randall.”
Now Jamie’s having a fit. As he well should! He just needs to kill BJR. We know the baby is Alex’s.
Can we really trust, BJR? I mean, I don’t.
Jamie is sending Dougal to scout so maybe that will confirm it?
Claire, you’re honorable but I really don’t feel this is a good idea.
Murtagh and Claire in close quarters with BJR?
I feel like this is the season of bad ideas.
Colum Mackenzie is in the house!!!
Why did he come all this way? And will he and Dougal trade words?
Murtagh needs vacation after all the nonsense he puts up with.
Colum, you okay there? Don’t die on us yet.
“I was always thought when that wee bastard fell, you’d fall with him.”
“So did I.”
And now my heart is breaking again for Rupert and Angus.
He’s asking for Dougal and Jamie. This will be good!
“I’ve been dying for years. It’s a wearisome process. I welcome its conclusion.”
HA! Colum has Jamie’s number about the power he gave Dougal.
A favor, you say…
He wants her help to die. I cannot.
Wow, the acting in this scene is really quite beautiful.
“Isn’t suicide a sin?”
“What’s one more sin to a sinner?”
I love that she’s still protective of Geillis.
WHAT?!? Her baby lived?! How did we not know this?!
Dougal and Geillis have a son. Oh my gosh.
What will be the ramifications of this for Claire? I mean, Colum should let other people know he wants to die, right?
“For what it’s worth, you have my deepest gratitude.”
All this death around Claire. One man is old and choosing his own way, and the other is young and fighting to hang on.
Claire is amazing and Murtagh can’t stand to be in that room.
BJR really needs to stop grabbing her. That’s not going to fly much longer.
YES! There’s my man, Murtagh.
Alex is going to ask his brother to raise the baby as his own and marry Mary.
Shotgun wedding between BJR and Mary! All the pieces fall into place AND Claire was there for it!
Alex is singing his praises, but we have never seen BJR’s inner kindness. EVER.
Dougal’s back. Time to meet with big brother.
That’s right! Don’t take BJR seriously. EVER.
Me and Murtagh are the same!
“Hasn’t enough suffering been had to save that mythical prick.”
Awwww! Murtagh will marry her! I’m all about this. He’s amazing and would be an amazing father.
Y’all, I didn’t know I wanted this until now.
Yeah, just what we need. Drunk BJR.
I wouldn’t trust it. I don’t think BJR can restrain himself.
He’s talking about Jamie now?! Oh hell no. Someone stab this man.
STOP grabbing her.
“And I regret none of it.”
This man is beyond redemption.
Dougal and Colum are catty. It’s perfect.
He needs to name a successor, right? Or would his son be Laird?
Who is Hamish’s guardian? *whispers* His dad…I mean, uncle Dougal.
Ohhhhhhh! Jamie!
Did Colum come all this way to get one last dig in at Dougal?
“He’s your spawn.”
Jamie is a bit more personable than you, Dougal.
I can’t believe all this family/political battling happening in this room.
“You will put the lives of your men above all else.”
He’s absolutely right. Jamie will.
Dougal would give all those men’s lives to win. He can’t say those words with any truth. At least he’s a good enough man to stay quiet.
Jamie’s the leader of Clan Fraser and Guardian of Hamish and thus, leader of Clan Mackenzie until he’s of age? Wow.
So, BJR went through with it. NEGL, I’d be crying, too, Mary.
Alex can die in peace.
Claire has already done everything she can to uphold/make sure their marriage lasted/happened.
This is the “The Hail Mary”…
Here’s that master soldier, Charles.
Charles really just said that it would be ungentlemanly for a surprise attack on Cumberland’s birthday.
John, you go ahead and take credit for the plan.
Wait, what? They’re splitting up a bad way.
“Mark me. I shall bring my finest bottle of wine and I will present it to him when he’s my prisoner.”
This is just crazy.
The Dougal and Colum “come to Jesus” meeting. Finally.
The acting in this series is just phenomenal.
“You’re my big brother. Nothing hurts you or so I believed.”
Colum’s already taken the mixture…
I wouldn’t have expected this much emotion from Dougal, but it’s fitting that he’s saying it to an empty room. He’s always been so closed off emotionally. I still wish Colum would have been able to respond, though.
And now Alex Randall passes on, too.
WTH, BJR?!? He just beat up his dead brother?!
This is the man you’ve married Mary off to, Claire.
Okay, so we’ve got an agreement. If BJR doesn’t die in Culloden, they’ll bleed him dry themselves…but Claire won’t be there. UGH.
There hasn’t been enough Jamie and Claire together lately, and she’s about to leave so that makes it that much worse. Will he know about the baby?
WAIT? Charles and the Quartermaster didn’t show up?!
SERIOUSLY?! They got lost?!
This is the biggest clusterfluff EVER! They did this on purpose because the Charles is so pigheaded he won’t admit when a plan is better than his own.
And that war advisor is stupid as hell.
So, here’s to all the utter heartfail to come. Cheers.
For a full recap of “The Hail Mary”, check it out HERE!