Outlander’s [Spoiler] Dies In Brutal Episode 2 Attack — Read

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Many women would choose the bear. “Outlander” newlywed Amy Lindsay isn’t one of them.

Poor Amy goes to her good rest in this week’s episode, after a hungry bear wanders into a Fraser’s Ridge foraging party and makes mincemeat of her face. It’s a brutal death that leaves a heaviness hanging over the Frasers; thank goodness, then, for the joyful even that takes place, mid-episode: Welcome to the world, Ian and Rachel’s son!

Still, though Jamie can’t shake the specter of his looming death — thanks, Frank — and it’s messing with Fraser to a degree we’ve rarely seen before. Add in the question of whether Jamie’s lost control of opposing factions on the ridge and is it any wonder that Big Red is Having A Week?

Meanwhile, William uncovers a mystery involving his dearly departed cousin, Ben. Eh, at least it gives him something to do other than yell at single mothers and puke in decorative ceramics. Read on for the highlights of “Prophecies” — which was directed by series star/executive producer Caitríona Balfe.

Courtesy of Starz
As the hour opens, Claire and Jamie are settling back into life on the ridge. During a conversation about bodily processes that morphs into a memory about Fanny’s life in the brothel, Claire gently tells the girl she can say anything to the immediate family — but she should be careful talking about her past in the love shack with anyone else. “We wouldn’t want anyone to make assumptions about you,” Claire says, but she assures Fanny that she can talk about Jane whenever she likes, and that the Frasers will keep her safe “always.”

Outside, Roger and Jamie saw wood and catch up. Roger tells his father-in-law all about Dougal’s son, Buck, and his time-traveling exploits. Jamie commends Roger for forgiving Buck (who, you’ll remember, had him hanged), but Roger waves it off: Buck was just doing what he thought was the right thing at the time. “And he’s family,” Rog adds. “I love him for that, alone.” Soon after, Capt. Cunningham rides up, and as the men chat, they realize that they’re all Freemasons.

Elsewhere, Rachel, Brianna, Amy and Lizzie are picking berries in the forest. Amy has barely finished waxing romantic about her new-ish husband, Evan, when she moves away from the group to escape some bugs that have started to bother her. And that’s when a nearby, heretofore unnoticed bear, runs at her.

A quick-thinking Brianna shoots at the beast, but it’s too late. By the time Jamie carries a bloody Amy into the surgery, Claire’s sad head shake indicates there’s little hope of recovery. So she cleans Amy up a little and makes her as comfortable as possible, and soon, Evan, and Amy’s sons Aidan and Orrie, are standing by the bed, aghast.

Evan begs Claire to help his wife, but he eventually realizes that this is it. So he speaks softly to Amy as she starts to slip away. “I’ll take care of the boys,” he tells her through tears. “I love you so much.” Mr. And Mrs. Fraser watch from the corner of the surgery, highly affected. Then Evan asks Roger to pray for Amy “before she goes,” and Roger does.

Rachel is on the porch, assuring a panicked Ian that she and the baby are fine, when Jamie comes out to deliver the bad news: Amy has died.

Mrs. Cunningham shows up with Amy’s shroud to help clean her and, surprisingly, is very matter-of-fact and helpful; she and Claire bond as they prepare the body. Outside, Jamie, Evan, Bree, wee Aidan and a few others quickly assemble a hunting party to take down Evil Paddington, but Capt. Cunningham gets there first, killing the animal.

Marmaduke?!

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In off-the-ridge news: A healed-up Henry Grey marries Mercy Woodcock in a spiritual ceremony; William is the only Grey family member in attendance, but Denny is a guest, too. Afterward, at Henry’s urging, William tells the groom that his brother, Ben, died. Nice wedding gift, my guy.

After, William goes to the jail where Ben died and talks with the very dismissive soldier in charge. But the kid’s ye olde Spider senses are tingling, and later that night, he goes to Ben’s grave and digs it up. “Thank Christ,” William says as he sees the corpse’s face: The man in the grave is not his cousin.

Back in North Carolina, time passes. Rachel goes into labor while she, Bree and Claire are cooking. In the pantheon of “Outlander’ births, this one goes by quickly and easily: Rachel delivers a boy, all is well, and Ian is beside himself with happiness. But he also wants to name the child Marmaduke, which, no. Other names in the offing: Fox and Wolf. But eventually, they decide to continue calling him Oggy, like they did while he was in the womb.

“I only wish my da could’ve been here to see wee Oggy,” Ian says to Jamie as they share a celebratory dram on the porch. Jamie says that Ian would’ve been proud, and that Jenny “will be over the moon.” They have a very sweet moment in which Ian thanks his uncle for being “like a second father to me my whole life,” and Jamie jokes that he can’t offer any advice for raising young kids: After all, both of his showed up in his life when they were fully grown adults. (Yes, I remember Helwater. You know what I mean.)

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The warm exchange is interrupted by a man who rides up to the house looking for “Gen. Fraser.” The newcomer’s name is Benjamin Cleveland, and he identifies as strongly anti-Tory; he admits that he hung the British loyalists we saw in the previous episode. He wants Jamie to join his roving band of Brit-eradicators. “I turned down George Washington himself,” Fraser says, wanting nothing to do with this dude. “What makes you think I would change my mind for you?” Then he makes it clear that he’ll handle whatever needs his attention “on my land.”

When he arrives at the house, Roger points out that Cleveland was one of the names in Frank’s book. “He says he kens the others, too, Wants me to fight with them,” Jamie says warily. Roger gives him a knowing look. “So then you are the James Fraser in the book,” he says. Later on, Jamie and Rog attend the ridge’s first meeting of the Freemason’s lodge. Cunningham is there and gives a speech about how his son, before dying in battle, said he’d see him again in seven years. That has convinced Cunningham that “I would not taste death until that day,” which makes Roger and Jamie give each other the Scottish eyebrow. There’s a difference, Jamie notes after the meeting, between being called by God and thinking you can’t die.

As Claire sleeps that night, Jamie reads Frank’s book — and hears Claire’s first husband’s voice taunting him about how death is coming for him. To banish the thought, he wakes Claire. “I need you,” he says, apologetic but insistent as he starts kissing her. She’s game, but on behalf of women everywhere, I must note how VERY LITTLE WARMUP she has before the big game gets underway. Still, our girl stays ready so she doesn’t have to get ready.

Anyway, it’s over rather quickly (sorry, Jamie; sorrier, Claire), but the interlude doesn’t seem to have achieved its goal: The moment Jamie is done, Frank’s voice echoes in his head. “You’re going to die,” he mocks Big Red. “Who will hold her once you’re gone?”