Denzell must perform a dangerous operation with the skills he’s learned from Claire. William asks for help from an unexpected source in his mission to save Jane.
A Hundred Thousand Angels opens with Jane and Fanny chasing dragonflies with whom we must assume is their mother. Jane is remembering these things as she is questioned by a journalist regarding Harness’ murder. Jane conveys her lack of remorse saying her only regret is he’s not alive for her to kill again (nice Jane). The journalist plays on her love of her sister to get her to talk to him.
At the Tennent Church, Jamie is sitting by Claire’s bedside when she mumbles, “I’ve decided … not to die,” which is from the book.
Meanwhile, at the British camp, William seeks Lord John’s aid to save Jane. John promises to do what he can.
Back at the Church, Ian returns with news that William is safe. He is greeted by Rachel and Rollo. I knew this was coming but I dreaded it every time I saw Rollo this season.
Jamie and Rachel tell Ian of Claire’s injury and recovery and how Jamie resigned his commission. Jamie doesn’t seem concerned they won’t accept his resignation.
In the British Camp, John informs William about Jane’s circumstances and how he doesn’t really have a way to free her.
One week later, at the Tennent Church, Claire needs to get us to “make water” and really doesn’t want Jamie’s help. Jamie insists as she’s “done a great many worse things for me.” He helps her whether she likes it or not and then the two climb into the bed together and hold each other. Claire asks that they go home and Jamie agrees.
Claire, appears to awaken to Master Raymond coming to her.
“I came to ask forgiveness,” he says.
“For what?” Claire asks.
“Someday you will know.”
We see the blue wings image we saw back in Faith. Master Raymond slips away.
Claire comes away, later or for real this time (we don’t know), and asks Jamie if someone was there. She tells him Master Raymond came to her. She recounts his presence at L’Hopital Des Anges when she lost Faith and how he said they’d all see each other again. Claire wonders if Faith will be there when she does die. Jamie is sure of it.
In 1739, Buck and Roger leave Lallybroch when Jem appears in the road and runs into Roger’s arms. Buck looks choked up. Jem tells Roger he’s been with Mandy, which is an odd thing to say considering he’s been with his mom and Mandy. Brianna and Mandy also run out from the fog and the family embraces. Brianna includes Buck in the lovefest.
Meanwhile in1778, Lord John comes to visit Claire. I love how they’ve both softened towards each other. I always felt in the books that Claire and John started to like each other more after all of this stuff happened.
Claire tries to look at his eye, but he tells her, “you should be resting, my dear.” Jamie approaches saying, “Dinna be calling her that!” (straight out of the book)
Jamie asks after William. John says he’s after a fool’s errand and at danger of getting his heart broken but nothing is to be done. Jamie asks if John is there to finish their previous discussion to which John says, “Is it your opinion that anything remains to be said, regarding any part of that discussion?” And from Jamie’s expression that is clearly not the impression.
Claire thanks John for saving her life: in more ways than one. She kept her from committing suicide that night but also saved her from a charge of treason. Jamie watches on with some anger but also seemingly understanding. John says goodbye to “Mrs. Fraser.”
Later, Claire opens the shutters for some sun and Denzell comes in. He never wants to do surgery who is family and someone you love… clearly wasn’t comfortable for him. Claire says she’s never had to do surgery on her family but she’s hope to do as well as he. High praise there, Denny!
Back in 1739, Brianna goes out and finds Brian (her grandfather) working. He recounts building Lallybroch for his wife Ellen. Brianna thanks him so much for helping strangers. Brian quotes the Bible, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Or in this case, the granddaughter you didn’t know you had because of time travel! Crazy. Brian thinks she’s much like Ellen. She tells him he reminds her of her father.
While this scene wasn’t part of the book, I liked it, but it was a little long and awkward. Still I enjoy it when our travelers encounter family, friends and foes while jumping around in time.
Back in 1778 at the Church, Claire needs Jamie’s assistance when there is a knock. Jamie answers and it is William. He asks for help. Jamie asks him to tell him. Jamie goes in to tell Claire William has come to ask him for help and she tells him to go.
At the abandoned Meeting House, Jane is staring out the window at the aurora borealis and drinking. She waves to the sky.
Outside, Jamie and William approach. They move to the side of the building where Jamie wipes something on the window and then applies paper. When he breaks the window the glass only cracks, it doesn’t go everywhere. William asks where he learned it and Jamie says his daughter who read it in a book. William is intrigued at the idea of a sister.
I didn’t remember what it was Jamie applied to the window but in the book it is treacle. You can find the scene in chapter 133 of Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.
Jamie and William make their way inside, searching for Jane as they go. William makes his way upstairs and finds Jane dead. She cut her wrists with the wine bottle. William lays Jane out on the bed and Jamie cuts a lock of her hair saying, “for her sister.”
I love that William “freed her” by removing her shackles before they left.
Back at the Church, Jamie tells Claire Jane killed herself and that she has a sister.
The next day, William brings Fanny to Jamie and Claire. They have her sit, and Jamie gives Fanny Jane’s lock of hair. Jamie tells her she can live with them on the Ridge, and he’ll take care of her. He promises her she’ll be safe, and no man will take her against her will.
William wishes to bury Jane and Fanny says she won’t leave without seeing her sister first.
Claire takes Fanny outside while William asks his favor. He wants to know how he came to be. Jamie tells William he has no right to know what happened between Geneva and him. Jamie tells him the truth: He didn’t force her, and he didn’t love her.
William knows the Earl was old. William isn’t stupid. Everyone said she was impulsive, arrogant, impulsive, heedless. But Jamie says she was courageous, bold, curious, and confident.
But what William really wants to know if Jamie is sorry for it:
“Are you sorry? Are you sorry for it, damn you?”
“She died because of it, and I shall sorrow for her death and do penance for my part in it until my own dying day. But no. No. I am not sorry.” Looking proudly at William.
Despite looking happy that his actual father isn’t sorry for his existence he says, “I will never call you father,” which just kills Jamie. The look on his face. But again, William uses NEVER and John did warn William about saying never.
At a potter’s field, Jamie and Claire tell Fanny that Jane is buried there but they don’t know where. And in a heart wrenching moment, Fanny runs through the field calling her sister’s name.
Claire joins Fanny. Fanny asks if Jane will go to hell. Claire says God will understand. Fanny thinks Jane’s death is her fault. Claire tells her it wasn’t her fault because Jane would do anything for her. Claire encourages her to remember Jane because that will keep Jane alive with her.
Fanny recounts how their mother told them the dancing light in the sky were a hundred thousand angels in the sky and if you waved at them they would carry you away to heaven. Claire gives Jane’s belongings to Fanny and one is a locket with a picture of their mother whose name was Faith. Claire is a bit stunned by says it is a beautiful name.
Meanwhile, Ian and Rachel are talking about going to the Ridge. He’s concerned she’ll miss Denny and doesn’t want to take her from her family. Rachel wonders if it is a place they could raise their family. Rachel is pregnant!
The next morning, Ian wakes to go foraging but Rollo doesn’t get up. He’s died in the night. Ian cries over him and Rachel comes to him. Ian thinks Rollo waited until he know Ian was taken care of. Ian wants to go off and bury him but Rachel insists upon going with him.
This kills! I cry when we lose character but when animals die I just can’t. I think I was more devastated about Rollo than anyone in the books.
Back in 1739, Roger and Brianna are trying to figure out where to go. It isn’t really safe in 1980 so the question is WHEN they should go.
At the Tennent Church in 1778, the Fraser’s are pack up to go home to the Ridge when Claire hears singing. She goes into the church and finds Fanny singing “I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside.” A song that was written in 1907 and one Claire sang to Faith in season two.
Claire asks Fanny how she could possibly know that song? Fanny tells her, “My mother taught it to me.”
Jamie enters and asks what is wrong. Claire tells him she thinks Faith lived.
Wow! I definitely screamed at the television. And, at first, thought it a crazy but brilliant twist. Yet the more I think about it the more it seems way out there. How could a baby survive being born so early? She was what, 20 odd weeks old? And she was stillborn. How? How is that possible?
Master Raymond asks for forgiveness, but would it be for essentially kidnapping her child? I don’t think so. But it is a fantasy show and if you know anything about Master Raymond he is magical and can time travel to whenever he wants.
Also, the idea behind this did come from Diana even if she’s since said it won’t be part of the books but said this in a PARADE interview:
“They actually did get the (general) idea from me, though,” she admits. “When chatting with [showrunner] Matt [Roberts] about All Things plot wise, I mentioned that if I had written a second graphic novel (I didn’t, for assorted reasons), I would have shown what actually happened after Faith’s presumed death at the Hopital des Anges, and how/why Master Raymond resuscitated and nurtured the baby secretly, but wasn’t able to come back with her before Claire and Jamie left France. So, they liked that idea and ran with it.”
I mean the showrunners don’t really have an ending and they need to give us something which, in my book reader mind, means the 8th and final season (which will have only 10 episodes) will be a shock to even book fans.
