'Outlander' Recap 7.11: Claire & Lord John Marry, Mourn Jamie & Have a Really Confusing Wedding Night

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for Outlander Season 7, Episode 11, “A Hundredweight of Stones.”

Content warning: Contains scenes of self-harm and suicidal ideation.

Buckle in because Outlander is about to take you on a ride. You will cry, you will laugh, you will pick your jaw up off the ground no less than 4 times, and then you will rejoice. Correct. Actual joy. The last 5 minutes are riveting. But don’t blink the entire episode or you could miss something amazing. There is not one moment that doesn’t remind us why this show is one of the greats, even when it’s making us weep and causing endless pain. Caitríona Balfe delivers a tour de force performance. And I don’t say that lightly. She has had to portray Claire in countless stages of grief for more than 10 years. And every single time, it is haunting, beautifully executed and will rip your heart out, so much so that you almost forget you’re watching a television show.

Balfe was nominated as Best Actress for a Critics’ Choice Award, and this episode will leave you with no doubt as to why. Seven seasons and she never falters. She grows stronger with every performance, whether it’s Claire at 27 or 60. And man, she makes 60 look good. And her partner in time, Sam Heughan shows up to remind us why he and Balfe captured people’s hearts so long ago, at the end of the episode where they share screen time for no more than 120 seconds. Hook, line and Fraser.

So here we go, what you have to look forward to (and don’t say I didn’t warn you): There’s a funeral, Claire re-marries, goes to bed with someone that is not Jamie Fraser, Brianna proves she is the daughter of Claire and Jamie Fraser, Roger and Buck run amok, Ian tells Rachel about his past, and William learns the truth about his. Oh, and some fella comes back, alive. Very, very, very alive. And there is a reunion for the history books.

One Wedding and A Funeral

You’re cordially invited to the saddest wedding ever. The episode opens on Lord John and Claire’s wedding! The bride does not look happy. Looks more like a funeral. Here comes the super sad bride. Probably because she literally just became a widow 5 seconds ago people. She’s a Bridow! It’s too much for her. For all of us. Mercy Woodcock this might be all your fault.

William and Mrs. Fig are the confused witnesses. Claire utters her vows in a way that makes it clear she is broken. She can barely speak. They play Jamie and Claire’s theme song. Claire hears Jamie call her name. Claire looks at William as if she’s looking at Jamie.

Lord John puts her ring on the same finger as her Jamie wedding band. I don’t want to interfere but honestly couldn’t they have put it on the spare husband’s hand, aka Frank hand? Claire is officially now Lord of the Rings. Most people have left and right hands. Claire has Frank and Jamie hands. Claire goes back to her room and immediately takes the ring off. I know Claire is mourning, but she looks like she’s de-aged 20 years. Bridowhood looks good on you, girl. I’m sorry I refuse to believe Jamie is gone. Even the death flashback long montage from last week will not convince me.

Ian, Rachel and Rollo mourn Jamie. Ian puts a stone on a grave for uncle Jamie’s soul. Still don’t believe it sorry. Rachel and Ian are cute. Quaker cute. Qute.

Buck and Roger Gallop About in the Past

Buck and Roger are riding horses looking for Roger’s father it seems. Hello, Jemmy, your son? Rogers thinks if he finds his father he’ll find Jemmy too. Hmmm. Not sure about this logic, Rog.

Brianna and Mandy

Brianna tucks Mandy into bed, sees Jem’s little airplane, then goes into the kitchen and slams her hand in a drawer. Claire and Brianna are not thriving.

Ian Tells Rachel about his Wife

Ian tells Rachel he’s been married before. Then Rachel points out he hasn’t asked her to get married. Ian tries to lean in for a kiss. But then Rachel is like whoa buddy. Rachel is thrown by the fact that Ian’s wife is alive.

William Confronts Lord John About Marrying Claire, A Traitor to the Crown

Wills has a lot of questions about his dad and new stepmom. He asks Lord John why he married Claire. Lord John says, “I know Claire is exasperatingly forthright.” But William is like “No dad, I actually like her a lot.” But then says his real concern that she’s a rebel, and it’s putting their name in jeopardy. Lord John explains that Jamie loved his wife more than anything in this world, and he owes it to him to protect her.

William criticizes Jamie. Oh, Little Wills. If you only knew. Lord John says William is all the happiness he needs. The father-son relationship between Lord John and William is one of the best on the show.

Ian Reveals He Has a Son

Ian tells Rachel about Emily and the children they lost. Then he tells her about his son. Rachel looks pretty upset. This is a lot of information to take in about your Mohawk Scottish boyfriend-fiancé. Ian says, “Emily chose me, I was grateful, but Rachel, with my whole soul, I choose you. Hope you will choose me.” Well-played Murray. Teared up a bit too. Rachel tells Ian she loves him and they kiss. The Wolf’s got game.

Claire and Lord John Get Very Drunk, Very Naked & Do Things That They Definitely Will Regret

Claire is alone in her bedroom looking pretty angry, crying and staring at the ceiling, as one does. She opens up a medical case and takes out a bottle. Oh crap. Laudanum? Don’t do it Claire!! This looks to be a little too Romeo and Juliet. Didn’t you read that book Claire?!

Outlander fan, Jill on BlueSky pointed out the way Claire runs at the chest of bottles, is the same way, after she miscarried Faith, she ran to the chest of spoons Jamie gave her, and then kicked it under the bed. (She was big mad at Jamie and mourning the loss of their child, and he was in prison growing a suspiciously long beard).

Claire pulls a blade out and is about to cut herself. She hears Jamie saying, “Don’t you see how small a thing like death is between us? When my body dies, my soul will still be yours. Nothing is lost sassenach, only changed.” Claire stops cutting herself and screams. (Though she draws a little blood and like, I want to give her a Band-aid). She starts drinking. Like a lot. Like she’s drinking Gatorade after running. And then she screams some more. John is drinking downstairs and hears her screaming. He looks at his chess board and hears Claire scream, with tears streaming down his face, he goes up to her room.

Balfe delivers in a way that we last saw in season 2, episode, “Faith.” Like when Claire lost her child, and wakes up to hold her baby’s body. This scene is raw and uncomfortable. It’s not pretty, grief never is. It’s lonely, desperate, gutting and heart shattering. In Wandavision, a character once said “What is grief, if not love persevering?” And this perfectly describes Claire in this moment. And by that token Lord John.

Lord John finds Claire on the floor and says, “I will not mourn him alone tonight.” Claire yells at him, “He is not yours to mourn.” Lord John tries hug her but she hits him and things get kind of physical. Like maybe they’re hugging and ripping at each other’s clothes. Cut to black. Uh oh.

So that happened.

The Morning After

Claire is in bed naked and Lord John is next to her, also naked. Oh crap. Well, they made it to the bed, eventually. Better for their backs. Claire is 60. Claire says, mortified, “I thought I must have dreamt that.” So did we girl, so did we. She asks him how long it’s been since he’s been with a woman, and he says 15 years. This is the best most awkward morning after ever. I still don’t believe Jamie is gone, but they’re certainly having a hell of a time at his wake!

Lord John apologizes for not being “gentlemanly.” Claire said she wasn’t being “ladylike” herself. Claire then says to Lord John, “Besides we know it wasn’t me you were making love to, we both know it.” Claire and Lord John had the SEX! Yes, THE sex. Omg. I’m shook. I think they’re shook too. Lord John says, “Neither were you making love to me,” and Claire agrees very fast.

Quick note Lord John has scratch marks on his chest. Oh wow, Claire did that. Okay, Claire. Girl, we get it you’re in mourning. Then they have weird pillow talk about John not accepting Jamie’s offer to “have him” in the past. Then Claire is all, “Have you really not had sex for that long,” and Lord John tells her he’s been sleeping with the cook. (The male cook). Smart, great meals. Get you a man who can cook in any room. Claire looks surprised.

I love this. Claire Fraser should host every single morning after party ever. Because she does not care and asks super direct questions, and you can’t leave because you’re naked. Claire asks, “Does he, Manoke, mind if you take other lovers, as it were?” And Lord John says no. John tell Claire about a white deer that comes out at night. I think he’s comparing that to his relationship with Manoke.

Claire asks if Manoke feels the same and John says they never talk in bed. Well sir. Claire asks, “Have you never had a lover you can talk to?” Lord John says, “Yes but not as forthcoming as you.” Claire apologizes. Never apologize Claire, you Morning After Matriarch.

John gets out of bed naked and puts his pants on. Claire asks John, “What happens now?” John says, “Think of the deer, my dear.” Smooth line John. I saw your bum, and so did Claire. Omg. Claire and Lord John had sex.

Sidebar: Watch Balfe’s face as she portrays Claire when Lord John gets out of bed. Like that is deep grief, unbearable sadness conveyed in one look. Brilliant. Truly remarkable. And a round of applause to David Berry and Balfe, who with all of these scenes were able to tackle one of the book’s most controversial and shocking scenes.

If Jamie isn’t dead, he’s dead now. If Jamie is dead, he’s rolling in his underwater grave and coming back to life to say, “What the F–raser just happened?!”

Brianna and some wine

Back in the future, Brianna is enjoying a nice depressing glass of wine. Rob Cameron appears, “Tell Jem the Spaniard guards it.” Eek. I came for you and the gold. Rob threatens her. He reveals Jem is not in the past, it was a set up to get rid of Roger.

Rob holds a knife to Bree’s throat. And says she Jem and him will go get the gold then they’ll be free. He holds up a wine glass and says, “Let’s toast.” And Brianna shows whose daughter she is and whaps this man so hard with a frying pan, that I rewound it and watched it 3 times. Yeah girl, are you Claire and Jamie Fraser’s daughter?! YEAH! You are.

Rob is knocked out cold. She should take his pants off. No not in a weird way, but tie them around him so he’s tied up and pantless. Sans pants as the French would say. It’s actually a great way to make sure someone can’t run away. Before you criticize it.

Ian and Claire

Ian comes in and says to Claire, “There was a time when you told me, all you have to do for now is breathe.” They’re so sad. No, you’re crying. Ian says he feels like he’s lost two fathers. Claire hugs him. Ian says he came to say goodbye to Claire in case she has decided to go back to her own time. Um, I did not even think of that. No, I don’t want that. How much sad news are we supposed to deal with in one episode.

“The truth is I don’t feel like the future is my time anymore. Jamie and I, we built our life here.” Claire says she would rather stay in this time to finish that. Ian tells Claire he’s happy she’s staying as she’s his family too. Ian and Claire’s relationship continues from the moment they met to be so heartwarming. And that is credit to John Bell and Balfe’s dynamic.

One fan, Sarah on BlueSky raved, “Shout out to John Bell because I LOVED him in this episode. He’s come so far since his first episode and I am endlessly proud of him and where’s he taken Ian. His scenes with Rachel and with Claire were some of my favorite moments. This moment where he tells Claire she’s his family too. Yup, I lost it.”

Lord John, Claire, Mercy Woodcock and Henry

Lord John helps Claire into a cart and notices she’s not wearing his wedding ring. They check on Henry, who’s with Mercy Woodcock. Lord John says Henry will leave for England. Henry says he is going to remain with Mercy. And they will marry. And boy is John mad. He forbids their marriage. But credit to Henry who is like all I care about is love. Yeah, Henry! Would their couple name be Greycock? Should I stop making couple names, now? Or one sentence ago?

On their way home, Claire calls Lord John a bigot, and defends Mercy Woodcock, saying she is the reason (other than Claire Bear the surgeon) that Henry is still alive. Claire says it must be her skin tone you object to. Lord John says what troubles me she is widow to a traitor of the Crown, Claire’s all “Yo boy, did you not just marry the widow of a traitor to the crown. Hello?” Claire says how could you wish loneliness upon them, and Lord John explains he knows what it is to have his love be a crime.

David Berry’s best emotional scenes have been with Balfe over the years. Claire and John’s dynamic from season 4, when Claire nursed him through measles, and in these scenes. The perfect amount of welling tears award goes to Berry for the “love being a crime” line.

At home, John presents Claire with a giant gift. Like looks like a big FAO Schwartz gift box with a giraffe in it. But it’s probably not. It’s a dress that Lord John had made for Claire for an event at their house. He tells her they need to present a public face. Claire is displeased and refuses. John yells, “God’s blood Claire! You don’t have to love me, you don’t have to share my bed, but you must decide will you be my wife?” Jeez, John you don’t have to yell. He softens and says, “All we have is each other and if we have each other then we have him.”

Roger and Buck Look for a Dad

Roger and Buck still bucking along on horses. I wonder if Brianna would approve of this plan? They come upon a cart and it looks like Roger’s dad’s jacket. But a man puts the coat on and threatens Roger. They wonder if he killed Roger’s daddy. Roger seems depressed, thinks his Dad is dead. Buck is a nice travel partner. Just saying. Let’s also review how much of his family Roger met. Great great great granny Geilles, great great great dead about to be dead granda Dougal.

Lord & Lady John’s party & a Dance Battle

Claire comes down in the dress John made for her, wearing his ring next to Jamie’s. Claire, quick thing, once again, why not put that ring on Frank’s ring finger so it’s like you keep your spare husbands on the same hand? Better organization system. Also, I’m done with Jamie being dead, bring him back.

Claire and William are hanging at the party when a young lady tries to flirt with William and asks him to dance, but Willy says no. And the girl goes away, sad. Claire ask William why he did that. He tells Claire he doesn’t feel like dancing since Rachel left and Claire tells him, “Dance with the girl, it’s a good distraction.” Good advice from your secret double stepmom my man, so do it.

Then the Lieutenant who tried to arrest Claire asks her to dance. Ruh roh. Claire tries to avoid it, but William uses her distraction line back on her. She does not look happy about it. Give me more Claire and William stepmother-son scenes, Outlander.

But then this Lieutenant Richardson reveals to Claire mid-dance that he is actually a spy, and he saved her by telling Lord John. But can we believe him?! Or is he trying to trap Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall Fraser Grey?

These two have hilariously aggressive dance energy. I like it. This guy asks Claire to spy on Lord John and his brother. It’s like a dance conference, real dance off energy but also a business meeting. Release the BTS of this Outlander. We need it. Also, there’s a lot of dialogue and dancing, this could not have been easy to film.

Claire says, “I will not deceive my husband or his family.” I hope these two have another dance meeting together again soon. I’m into it. New show idea, Claire crashes awkward morning-afters, then has dance arguments with her enemies. “Morning After Dance Battles with Claire Fraser.” Merry Christmas.

Jamie Fraser is Alive!

Lord John comes into Claire’s room to discuss the mail it seems. And then someone comes smashing through the door. It’s Jamie!!!! YES! I asketh for Jamie to be alive, and Outlander giveth.

Omg, the next 10 mins are pure chaos and so, so, so good. Jamie is alive! Claire Fraser is alive! Jamie and Claire making out. Lord John being like hey sorry to interrupt all the kissing friends but…

This Jamie and Claire reunion run-hug is top 5. “There it is, my blood,” Claire says. Then she’s all like kiss me again. And Jamie yammers on about how soldiers are after him, while Claire just touches his face. These two. They start kissing again, and Lord John is like, “Ahem, sorry to interrupt the joyous reunion, but your son will be home.”

As always Outlander fans immediately drew parallels, Phoebe on BlueSky and Sarah captured the similarity between Claire and Jamie kissing to an iconic season 1 scene.

Another fan made the same observation, Crystalynn on BlueSky, wrote of the “There it is, my blood” line, “She delivers it with same wonder and soft tone of voice as “Where’d you learn to kiss like that?” from season 1,” referencing what Claire said to Jamie on their wedding night, when he kissed her for the second time. Another fan, Sarah from BlueSky made a compilation: “These season 7 reunions just hit different.”

Then Claire and Jamie hold hands and run out the door like two teenagers. Look at the way these two look at each other. If you watch when they first got together, it’s still the same joy, love and wonderment.

Outlander fan, Annmarie on BlueSky said, “Look at my mom and dad together again!”

As they run out the door, William is standing there! He heard everything!! William knows Jamie is his father! Omg, he’s so mad. He asks, “Who the hell am I?” Jamie replies, “You are a stinking papist.” Okay, James, maybe work on how you break that news if you get to do it again in the future. Jamie explains he’s William’s father and what name he gave him. William spits, “I don’t want anything from you.” And gives back some rosary beads.

Okay, let me just say this scene is a masterclass. Balfe, Heughan, Berry and Vandervaart. Every single one of them looks like they can feel William’s heartbreak. Outlander fan, Annmarie captured everyone’s expression in this pivotal scene.

Then Red Coat soldiers burst in after Jamie. William tries to keep them back, Jamie points a gun at Lord John, and tells the soldiers he’ll shoot if they come closer. He’s kidding! But only Claire and Lord John know this. Jamie escapes with Lord John. And Claire smiles from ear to ear. Just like me. And you. Because this episode was absolutely unhinged good chaos that only Outlander can deliver.

Fans couldn’t have been happier with how the show handled the more difficult scenes, and the reunion, well let’s just say, fans will be re-watching this one for years to come. Wait, they already are.

Outlander, now in its 7th season, is one of those shows with performances led by Balfe and Heughan that have stayed consistently strong. If any year one would hope the Emmys and Golden Globes would break with tradition and honor an old show with new groundbreaking performances, it is this year. Balfe’s devastation showing Claire mourning her other half, combined with Heughan and Balfe’s work together in an upcoming episode where Jamie and Claire must face an unprecedented relationship challenge, puts Balfe and Heughan squaring off in a way only they can do. In 11 years, their performances have only grown, and that you cannot say about many shows that have run for so many seasons. One might say that the Emmys and Golden Globes are a bit like Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating style. They won’t look at you as you get older and wiser and pass season 4. But to Leo and them we say, older shows can still slay. There’s beauty in aging, and Outlander is aging like fine wine. Or fine whisky in this case. Slainté.

A+, no notes.

Before you go, click here to see all the best Outlander quotes that’ll make you believe in love.