Outlander Season 3, Episode 4 Recap: Melodramatic Possibilities and a Seriously Problematic Sex Scene

Not long after, Lady Dunsany and Isobel are out on a walk with the baby and run into Jamie. Isobel tells him they named the baby William, and Jamie says it’s a fine name. He is so close to his son, yet so far. He has a few moments alone with the boy and says loving things that make him even sexier than he already is, but most importantly, he tells his son, “I am here.”

Lady Dunsany tells Jamie he will not be held culpable for Ellesemere's death. She offers Jamie his freedom by way of thanks for saving her grandson. Jamie offers his gratitude but says, “I will not go just yet.” He pretends it is so he can send money back to his family, but we know the truth. Jamie Fraser is our man in the storm.

And then it is 1764 and William, who goes by Willie, is the handsome young Earl of Ellesmere. Jamie teaches him to ride and they are obviously close. Lady Dunsany observes to a friend that Willie and Jamie spend so much time together that they’re starting to look alike. We all know what that means…it is time for Jamie to return to Scotland. Willie doesn’t take the news of Jamie’s departure well, but Jamie knows if he stays much longer, everyone will know Willie's true parentage.

As Jamie gets his affairs in order, he meets with Major John Grey, who has figured out Jamie is Willie’s father. (It's a little hilarious that everyone else remains oblivious to Willie’s true parentage. We are getting Clark Kent/Superman levels of subtlety here.) Jamie asks Grey to look after his son as a father and even offers himself to Grey in exchange, which is kind of rude when you think about it. They are clearly friends! Why do this? Grey tells Jamie he'll always lust for the Scotsman, but doesn’t want Jamie out of duty or sacrifice. Good on John Grey for that and for recognizing what Geneva never did—true consent is wholehearted consent and not transactional.

Grey also has news of his own. He’s going to marry Lady Isobel, and conveniently enough, they are going to raise Willie. The two men have a sweet bonding moment and it's nice to see how they’ve forged and sustained a friendship over the years.

Later, Willie visits Jamie in his quarters, where Jamie is staring at a carving of St. Anthony. Soon the two are talking about “stinking papists,” and Willie says he wants to be Catholic like Jamie. Jamie christens the boy as William James and gives his son a carving of a snake with his name on it, promising Willie he will never forget him. It’s unbearable watching Jamie yet again do the “right” thing instead of what’s best for himself.

As Jamie rides out, Isobel promises, “We’ll take good care of your son.” Willie runs after Jamie, begging him to come back, but Jamie, ever stoic, wills himself to not look back.

As we look ahead to next week, it’s interesting to see how Jamie and Claire have each made a family during their years apart—the very thing they longed to create together—even if those family dynamics are fraught. It will be interesting to see what their families become when they finally find their way back to one another.

Roxane Gay is the author of Bad Feminist, Difficult Women, and most recently, Hunger. She is also the author of World of Wakanda for Marvel and a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times.