Outlander season 2, episode 8 marked our return to Scotland. Thanks to the scheming of Prince Charles, Jamie and Claire faced some awkward family reunions.

This is the first time in quite awhile that there was a series time gap between episodes. It’s also the first time that the story parted ways considerably from the Dragon Fly in Amber source material. Jamie and Claire left their tragic losses in France and returned home to Lallybroch where they reunited with Ian and Jenny for several months, until Bonnie Prince Charlie had other ideas.

With friends like these

Jamie receives a letter from Prince Charles thanking him for supporting Charles’ claim to the English and Scottish crown. Apparently, Charles managed to rally troops and funds, though why anyone would want to rally behind such a vapid and delusional sot somewhat strains credulity. Thanks to his supporters, Charles has now landed in Scotland and he has plans to take his birthright by force. More than that, he has forged Jamie’s name to a declaration of Scottish Lairds who support his cause. There is no no choice as far as Jamie is concerned. To avert disaster, the only thing they can do at this point is try to ensure that Charles wins the oncoming war.

Hello grandshire

At Charles’ request, Jamie goes to visit his estranged grandfather who is a conniving, miser with a propensity to abuse women. Jamie’s dubious mission is to convince Simon Fraser, A.K.A. Lord Lovat or The Old Fox, that he needs to support Charles’ plan.

His grandsire is reluctant to support Jamie’s cause, though his own son, also named Simon, seems to be of a different opinion. The problem is how to convince the Old Fox’s son to speak up and challenge his father. The Old Fox may be a force to be reckoned with, but his son is scared of his own shadow.

As if one relative wasn’t enough

Jamie is much surprised to find his uncle Colum MacKenzie at Lord Lovat’s castle. Colum’s purpose is opposite that of Jamie. Colum sees Prince Charles for the fool that he is, and believes a war with British will not be winnable, or winnable with the cost being an unrecoverable loss of life and resources.

Jamie and Colum make an uneasy peace. Jamie and Claire blamed Colum for Claire being tried as a witch. As it turns out, Colum didn’t instigate that action at all; it was entirely Laoghaire’s dealings. Furthermore, once Colum found out what happened he had Laoghaire severally punished, and if we are to believe Colum and Laoghaire, she’s now very contrite over the whole matter. She wants nothing more than Jamie and Claire’s forgiveness.

Strange bedfellows

At first, Claire is reluctant to accept Laoghaire’s apology, after all, she did try to kill Claire to claim Jamie as her own. Later on, Claire realizes that she can use Laoghaire to tempt Simon Lovat. Claire concocts a scheme by which Laoghaire will manipulate Simon Lovat into standing up to his father to impress Laoghaire since he seems to be infatuated with her. If Laoghaire does as Claire wants, she’ll ensure that Jamie forgives her.

Cue the plans ‘Gang aft agley’

The short version is is that the Laoghaire plan doesn’t work. The Old Fox wants Jamie’s pledge of loyalty and the rights to a tithe from Lallybroch if he is to promise men to Charles’ cause. Even Claire pulling a spontaneous White Lady bit of trickery where she reveals how The Old fox meets his end isn’t enough to land the deal with the superstitious Lovat. In the end, nothing can overcome The Old Fox’s propensity to cover his own ass.

Lovat sides with Colum MacKenzie and decides to remain neutral…or does he?

The fallout

Lovat manages have his cake and eat it too. He lets his son leave with a small cadre of troops to support Charles, while he keeps his main force at home. In this way, if things go badly, Lovat can say that his son’s actions were his own, and he had nothing to do with them. On the other hand, if things go well for Charles, Lovat can later add more forces and say he supplied his son’s men all along.

On top of this, since it’s a bit of all’s well that ends well, Laoghaire needs her “payment” since she kept her part of the bargain. Jamie thanks Laoghaire at Claire’s behest, though he doesn’t know exactly why. Apparently, he may be willing to forgive Laoghaire’s actions as the regrettable behavior of a love-struck teen who has now learned her lesson. The reality is, that Laoghaire is very much what what described in season 1, “someone who will be a girl all her life.” She hasn’t learned a thing; she’s sorry for getting caught, but she’s not sorry for what she did. How will this come into play later? We can only wonder.

The new plan

Claire, Jamie, and Simon Lovat (the son) now march to rejoin Prince Charles’ troops. If they are lucky, their actions can change history, and allow the Scots to win at Culloden. Only we know this won’t come to pass. They are marching to their eventual doom. The only mystery is how this doom comes to pass.

Outlander airs on Saturday at 9:00 p.m. on Starz.