‘Outlander’ Season 5, Episode 1: ‘The Fiery Cross’ Recap
The premiere of Outlander is finally here and fans couldn’t wait to check back in on Fraser’s Ridge with their favorite family. Read on to find out what actually happened in the first episode of season 5. There are spoilers ahead.
Everyone prepares for a wedding
The season begins with a flashback of Murtagh telling a young Jamie that he promised his mother he would follow him always and help him through life. “I’ll always be with you,” Murtagh says to Jamie.
Next, the season opens to a new version of the theme song we’re all familiar with. It shows beautiful landscapes and even some British redcoats in the mix.
We then see Roger (Richard Rankin) shaving while Jamie (Sam Heughan) gives him advice and a closer shave. They seem to have patched things up a little bit for Brianna’s (Sophie Skelton) sake. Jamie gifted Brianna and Roger the cabin for their own use, which is where they are during the moment itself. Roger tells Jamie he’s going to find a suitable trade to provide for Bri and their child.
Next, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) can be heard talking about the community that Fraser’s Ridge has become. Jamie and Claire have been busy building their new home and the people have stood by and helped them. On the day of Brianna’s wedding, everyone is there to witness the special occasion. Claire talks about how happy she is to watch her daughter marry her husband.
Jamie and Claire talk about giving their daughter away. Jamie still has his suspicions about Roger, but he’s going along for his daughter’s sake. Roger is a scholar and not prepared for his new life. Luckily, Claire reminds Jamie he can teach Roger.
Jamie goes to see Brianna before the wedding
Jamie brings in a few things for the occasion as he wishes his daughter well on her wedding day. Jamie puts pearls on Bri and he smiles at her and tells her she’s beautiful.
“It is a blessing you came to me,” Jamie tells his daughter.
“No matter where I am, I will always be your wee girl,” Brianna says to her father.
He pours her a drink and they toss it back. Jamie walks Brianna outside towards her new future. “The Frasers of the Ridge are here,” Jamie says as they walk down the aisle and the ceremony takes place.
Jamie and Claire reminisce about their own wedding. Next, everyone enjoys the wedding and the wine is poured.
Jocasta (Maria Doyle Kennedy) comes to wish the happy couple well. She asks to speak with Roger before she leaves. Roger keeps making strange comments about wanting to return to their original time, which is a little out of place to say the least and it’s clearly making Bri uncomfortable.
Jamie learns about the fate of Stephen Bonnet and Brianna overhears it
The wedding is mostly a great time for everyone to relax and enjoy themselves. However, Lord John tells Jamie that there have been sightings of Stephen Bonnet. Brianna overhears the whole thing and she has a PTSD flashback of the night he raped her. She tries to settle down for her mother’s sake when she returns to her side.
Jocasta goes to a shed in the woods where she meets Murtagh for some loving. Roger sings Brianna a song before their wedding night. Everyone seems to be getting some and enjoying themselves, even Claire and Jamie.
Brianna is clearly very worried about Bonnet’s possible return after what she overhears. She stays up all night thinking about it.
Jocasta tells Murtagh that she’s been proposed to and has yet to give her answer. He says he won’t stand in the way of her happiness.
Jocasta and Roger talk and things get heated
Jocasta and Roger speak in the morning after the wedding. She tells him that she’s leaving all of her land at River Run to Jeremiah, not Brianna as originally intended. She says that “Protestants are partial to divorce,” hinting at Roger. She wants him to treat Jeremiah well, which insults Roger completely.
He tells her he’s going to give all his time to Brianna and his child. He says he doesn’t want her money and neither does his son. He’s more than a little upset. Apparently, that’s what Jocasta was hoping for all along.
Later we see Claire working as a doctor. Governor Tryon tells Jamie to honor his oath and bring Murtagh in. He wants to see him hanging in Newburn. Jamie tells Claire about what’s going on. She embraces him and they try to figure out what to do.
Jamie lights the cross and gives a moving speech
Later we see Jamie dressed up in his kilt and he lights up a cross as he speaks to the people. “In the Highlands, when a chieftain sends himself to war, he’ll burn the fiery cross sending a sign through the lands of his clan,” Jamie says. “It’s a call for his men to gather their weapons. Come prepare for battle. We are friends, neighbors, countrymen, and we’re not a clan, and I’m not your chief. But I hope that if the time comes you will all stand by my side. We can not say what might befall us, but we must not only be willing to make oaths to our wives and loved ones but to our brothers in arms and this new country. Stand by my hand.”
He raises his hand out, hoping Roger will come and take it. However, another man comes over to give an oath to Jamie. Jamie calls over to Roger who comes willingly to give his oath this time. Jamie makes him a captain at the same time.
Jamie says they are founding a special kinship in their new world. He swears not to light the cross again unless they need to fight. He calls over Fergus and asks him to also give the oath and other men come over to give their oaths as well.
Jamie tells Murtagh to run
Jamie and Claire stand near another cross high up enough on the ridge where everyone can see. We then get to see Jamie talking to Murtagh about what’s going on. Jamie tells Murtagh to leave and that he shouldn’t stay because of the vow he made to his mother. He releases him from the vow and allows Murtagh to go off. “Be hard to find,” Jamie tells him.
That was the recap for episode 1 of the new season of Outlander.
