Outlander season 1, episode 4 just aired. The Gathering was a dramatic event, and even more dramatic with a few cameos. We have exclusive video.

Claire plots her escape

Claire cleverly plots her escape using the children of the castle and the guards as her unwitting accomplices. Unfortunately for her, escape proves to be much more dangerous than she imagined. Claire receives a warning from Geillis, who seems to figure out what she is planning, Claire is nearly raped in a deserted corridor by Dougal and other men, and lastly she is captured by Jamie, who finally convinces her that escape, at least at this point, is nothing more than folly. In the end, Claire realizes that she’s not as prepared to face the dangers of this world as she thought.

Why hello there special visitors

Not only is author Diana Gabaldon, called Herself by the fandom, featured in a cameo part tonight, but unless we are very much mistaken, executive producer Ron Moore is also amongst the guests at The Gathering. For novel readers it is particularly funny to watch Gabaldon shush Murtagh as he translates the goings on for Claire. Check out exclusive video of Diana Gabladon talking out her first time acting below.

The Healer walks a fine line

Claire manages to use her herbal and medical skills to her advantage. She knocks out her guards with a classic Mickey Finn in the wine. Geillis seems to catch on as to what she is doing, and once again Geillis seems to hint that she knows more about Claire than she is letting on. The question is what exactly does Geillis know? For the moment, Geillis is at least enough on Claire’s side not to reveal her plans, but can Geillis be trusted? Additionally, as the healer, Claire tries to help poor Leery by giving her a “love potion.” In a superstitious land, is a “love potion” the wisest idea, even if it is only horse manure?

Jamie revealed

Claire comes to learn that though Jamie helped save her from a botched escape, and perhaps rape and murder in the woods, she actually has put Jamie in mortal danger by having him attempt to walk her back to the castle. As Murtagh explains it, Jamie is caught between a life and death version of a rock and a hard place. Jamie can’t swear an oath of fealty to clan McKenzie since his father isn’t a McKenzie, his mother is. At the same time, since he is half-MacKenzie and the son of Colum and Dougal’s sister, he could technically challenge for clan leadership if he so desired. This would put him at odds with Dougal, who aspires to the position himself. Fortunately, Jamie uses his wits and swears an oath of respect to his uncle that Colum chooses to accept, and thus avoids bloodshed.

Readers of the novels know what clan Jamie is part of, though it hasn’t been revealed as of this point. The only hint we’ve gotten is to see him in his own plaid, wearing his own clan’s broach. We also know his clan’s motto, “Je Suis Prest,” which is French for “I am ready.”

It’s only a game, or not

Claire witnesses a game of shinty in which Jamie and Dougal are on opposite sides. Both Dougal and Jamie, as well as members of their respective teams, don’t exactly play fair. The rules seem to be bent for literal hitting below the belt and sucker punches. In the end, Jamie bests Dougal at a game Dougal apparently taught Jamie when he was younger. Was it just a game, or a metaphor for the larger game of power and submission that the two men play every day living inside the same castle? The two men seem to clearly bear each other malice.

Forgiving Dougal?

Lucky for Claire, Dougal seems to be willing to look the other way in regards to Claire knocking him out after their encounter in the hallway. Though Jamie thinks Dougal might not have remembered, or might not want to admit being bested by a woman, it would appear he does remember by the way he looks at Claire later. Claire ends up redeeming herself in Dougal’s eyes by her actions during the boar hunt. Dougal recognizes that Claire has battlefield skills, and further realizes that those skills might come in handy on the road. For the time being at least there is a bit of an uneasy truce between them, but will the truce last?

Outlander airs on Starz at 9:00pm ET/PT.