Outlander: The Devil’s Mark Recap

Synopsis of 1×11: Claire and Geilis are tried for witchcraft. Claire finally shares the truth with Jamie and Jamie faces a difficult decision.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Tonight’s episode picks up directly where last week’s left off, with Claire and Geilis thrown into a dark, damp cell to sleep while waiting for their trial to begin the next morning. The two share some harsh words as Claire bitterly reflects on their grim situation. Realizing Jamie won’t be returning for her, she attempts to take matters into her own hands. Claire reveals to Geilis that it was Laoghaire who set them both up to be arrested.

When morning arrives, the two are roughly dragged into the city and the church’s court. Claire cannot find any of her allies in the crowd, making her situation even more grim. Just as things begin to look extremely hopeless for the two, Ed Gowan arrives and attempts to stop the trial. When it is clear the trial will continue, Gowan offers his services in support of the accused.

As the trial progresses, Claire quickly realizes that the odds are not in their favor. The mother of the child Claire attempted to save in the previous episode steps forward, claiming Claire had killed their child who they had believed had been a changeling. Claire defensively speaks out, demanding she had only been trying to save the child. Gowan attempts to counter argue against the witnesses the church presents, but is still met with resistance from the crowd who only seem to desire one outcome.

To no one’s surprise, Laoghaire boldly steps forward next and begins recounting her own testimony against Claire and Geilis. Laoghaire easily wins over the crowd with her lies and mistruths. The church brings Father Bain up, who instead of forsaking Claire as most believed he would, reveals that it was her who saved a young boy’s life many weeks ago when he could not. Bain wishes to leave the parish, having believed he failed it and God. His confession though is not welcomed by the court, who feverishly demand Claire burn for turning a man of God away from God himself.

Gowan pleads with Claire to renounce Geilis and claim she tricked her and lured her into her evil web. If she doesn’t, they both will burn. When asked on the spot by the judges, Claire refuses to give up Geilis and both are condemned to death. Gowan draws a gun in Claire’s defense but is quickly subdued. Claire is then flayed as the court cheers on.

As Claire faces the sharp sting of the whip, Jamie enters the courtroom, stunned to see his wife bent over on the floor. He bravely races to her side, pulling his sword and demanding they release her. As Jamie stands off against the crowd, Geilis solemnly speaks up, confessing she is a witch and that she killed her own husband. She defends Claire, claiming she used her and that she had no knowledge of her evil.

To add to the evidence, Geilis pulls down the sleeve of her dress, revealing a circular mark on her arm, the very same mark one would have after being given the smallpox vaccination. Claire shockingly puts the pieces together and realizes Geilis is also from the future, from 1968. Geilis then reveals her pregnancy and claims it is the devil’s child. With ample evidence, the crowd surges forward, seizing Geilis from the stand and carrying her outside. Sadly, Geilis doesn’t fight the crowd and instead embraces her fate, having given up her life to save Claire’s.

The townsmen carry a raving Geilis off to the stakes to burn. As her death is not shown, her fate remains unknown, but it is very likely she faced an unfortunate ending by fire. With the crowd preoccupied, Jamie and Claire slip away undetected into the shadows.

Meanwhile Jamie and Claire seek shelter in the woods. As Jamie attends to her wounds, Claire breaks down and, with some tender encouragement from Jamie, finally shares her deepest secrets with her new husband. She reveals that she is indeed from the future and to her surprise, Jamie claims he believes her. Undoubtedly confused, Jamie listens intently as Claire reveals her intimate knowledge of history, including the fate of the Jacobites and Scots.

Jamie, ever so noble, gives Claire a choice and leads her to the stones. He offers her a choice, to return to her husband or remain with him in his time. He somberly leaves Claire alone to make her decision but not before pleading with her that he only wants what’s best for her. Jamie believes Claire can live a life free of violence and danger back in her own time. Claire is left to make the ultimate decision as she looks on at the stones.

To Jamie’s complete surprise, Claire instead returns to him, having chosen not to touch the stones and return to her own time. The two passionately embrace, with Jamie shedding a few tears, and Claire jokingly demands that Jamie take her home to Lallybroch. Cue the passionate sex.

 Claire made a huge decision tonight by choosing Jamie over Frank and now that Jamie is aware of Claire’s true identity, I am curious to see how their relationship will fare. It is painfully clear the two are passionately in love with each other and now that the two harbor no more secrets between them, there is no telling what they can do together.