Outlander Season 8 Episode 5 Escalates the Tensions at the Ridge

Critic’s Rating: 4.7 / 5.0

4.7

Over the course of four episodes, tensions have been brewing at Fraser’s Ridge.

There were some minor changes to the book storyline to make it clear that Captain Cunningham was a threat on the screen, and it all pays off on Outlander Season 8 Episode 5, as the tensions reach their peak.

However, it’s not only about Jamie and Claire. Roger also gains firsthand experience of war as Brianna nervously waits on the sidelines.

Roger Realizes That He Needs to Stay

At first, Roger found himself trapped at the camp, with the Battle of Savannah threatening to start.

However, it wasn’t that which would keep him around or lead ot him to go out to fight. His own sense of moral duty and need led to that.

The letter to Brianna that he ends up putting in his pocket — seeing him in a blue coat made me both excited and worried — is a nice touch, as it comes straight from the books. He knows that Bree will be mad at him, but all will be well as long as he makes it out alive.

He just can’t sit by and watch those younger than him go out to fight, and one of those is a boy who can’t be more than 10 or 11. He’ll march with the drum, but he’s still a young boy who shouldn’t be there.

I do wish we saw more of Roger helping people on the battlefield through prayer. I swear there is more of this from the books, but it’s clear that Outlander just didn’t have the time to add it all in.

At least he helps one man crossover peacefully. This man knows he’s going to die, and all he wants is for someone to tell his wife that he loves her and not to die alone.

There’s a weight to this scene that is both elegant and harrowing. It’s raw and emotional, and Roger can bring calm to the urgency around him.

Seeing Roger and Denny come across each other back at the camp when he finds the Black drummer boy from earlier, but they have no idea that they know each other.

It does eventually come up, but there isn’t a chance to talk on the battlefield. Denny gets straight to work on saving the boy’s life, knowing that he can thanks to his training with Claire.

If I can’t have Claire if I’m dying, can I have Denny be the one to take care of me?

Roger running back out shows that he now knows his place in the world. It’s taken many seasons for him to figure it out, but he is needed as a minister, and that includes being on the battlefield.

I have to question whether the flashback he had will come up again, and I hope it does.

As there’s an explosion, Roger is blasted back, and in that moment, he remembers his younger self falling into someone’s arms.

Now, book readers will immediately understand this, and it all connects beautifully to Outlander Season 7.

Watchers will need to wait. I don’t expect Outlander to hold back on what this flash means, but Roger needs time to decompress to even think about what he remembered while being knocked back.

I had wondered if we would ever get answers about Roger’s backstory, considering the time available, and I can’t contain my excitement to see this play out.

William Gets the Surprise of His Life

While we get the horrors and the mess of the battle, back in Savannah, we see Brianna worried about her husband.

However, the focus back at Lord John Grey’s home isn’t really about her. It’s about William, who has made a quick decision to marry Amaranthus.

This boy needs to learn to slow down when it comes to following his heart.

I totally understand that she has given him the validation that he needs after his huge revelation.

I also understand that she has offered him a way to get rid of the title that he doesn’t feel like he deserves.

However, he barely knows the woman, and he doesn’t even believe that Ben is dead! How can he just go about marrying her!

Well, he sure gets a surprise of his life at the end of the hour, and it’s sure to catapult us into a twisty and soapy storyline for the rest of Outlander Season 8.

After reuniting with Denny — and being genuinely happy for Rachel and Ian, which put a smile on my face — he runs into an American officer who is not who he says he is.

It’s Ben!

At first, William is just happy to see that his cousin is alive and well, but the realization sets in. Charles Vandervaart does an outstanding job with just his facial expressions as he looks at the blue coat that Ben — or Ralph! — is in.

Someone’s got some splanin’ to do, and it’s not Lucy!

One thing William should be happy about is that he was right.

However, this means that Amaranthus is still married to him, and it also means that the Grey family is about to face something so much worse than one of them marrying a Black woman.

Ben is a turncoat, while Hal Grey, his father, is a British lord.

Tension at the Ridge Reach Their Peak

There’s been a slow buildup to the tensions at the Ridge. It’s always been clear that Captain Cunningham is up to something, and just recently we learned what that was.

Jamie gets a visit from someone important, a couple of episodes ago, which reminds us of how trust and loyalty are formed.

Buck’s ability to switch from playing with the children to protecting everyone after one sound reminds us that he is from this time period.

He knows the risks around them in a way that someone like Bree or Roger wouldn’t.

Of course, the children are afraid that a bear is coming toward them. The horrors of what happened to Amy are still fresh on their minds.

However, this isn’t a bear. It’s Susannah’s husband, who has decided he owes Jamie because Claire saved Susannah and both babies, and shares what he’s heard.

Cunningham doesn’t want to kill Jamie. He wants to hand Jamie over to the British so that he can be hanged for treason.

And so, the fight at the Ridge begins. Armed with the information he needs, Jamie assembles his team of Ardsmuir men.

They’re only small, but they are mighty. Not once do they question Jamie, knowing that he is their leader.

The best thing is that they don’t follow in fear. Each man knows that Jamie has done right by them, and he has protected them when needed. They owe him their loyalty for that, and they freely give it.

I just knew that the battle at the Ridge wasn’t going to play out in the way that it does in the books.

Not only is there not enough time for all the individual characters we hear about, but it would have brought the problem Game of Thrones faced if it tried.

The battle in the books is full of rain and thunder. It’s dark, and all within the woods, and that would remove visibility from the screen.

Instead, everything is kept contained at the Trading Post, allowing for just the two main people on the enemy’s side to be heavily involved: Crombie and Cunningham.

Cunningham is a dangerous man because he doesn’t believe that he can die. He has nothing to lose, which makes it harder for Jamie to fight against him.

If it wasn’t for Buck — and I adore how Outlander has fit him into this storyline — Jamie would be a goner, but what I can’t tell is whether Buck meant to miss or just didn’t get the best shot.

Either way, Cunningham doesn’t die, just like he believes he won’t. He probably never even thought that he could be left paralyzed!

Who would think of that?

Of course, Claire helps Cunningham as much as she can. Throughout the battle, Claire and Elspeth are together.

They may be on opposite sides, but they are a comfort to each other. It’s an odd feeling to know that all they can do is pray together.

It didn’t stop Elspeth from sharing her thoughts about Jamie, and, knowing what was coming, I just sat there a little too smugly, thinking she was going to eat her words.

Claire was well composed throughout, especially when she could have said something mean to Elspeth as Cunningham was brought in. I’m not sure I could have held my tongue!

It’s in this moment that we get a scene-stealing moment, as Elspeth shouts at Cunningham to move his legs.

There’s fear in her commands, and we’re reminded that she is his mother. She disciplined him as a child, raised him to be the man of conviction he is, and loves him dearly.

She’s naturally going to be scared about what’s to come next.

All I’m thinking is that this means the end of the Cunningham storyline, and that means no more hilarious quips from the woman. I’m going to miss that!

Outlander Season 8 Episode 5 brought us an action-packed hour that certainly hit a high note. Can the series keep up the momentum during the second half?

With Jamie sending for the devil that is Cleveland, probably!

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