Haplessly lost in the wilderness, a strange lodging, a reunion, a marriage, and bit of “spiked”soup. These are the main plot beats found in the episode which was a very unusual entry in this season, but it proved effective in the story and had a few key moments that are meant for being memorable and for comedic levity. Additionally, Caitriona Balfe was excellent in this episode.
Synopsis: After making a leap of faith, Claire washes up on a seemingly deserted island where survival is her only option. Navigating treacherous waters has crippled the Artemis, so Jamie devises a joyful moment for his crew in the midst of devastating setbacks. (IMDB)
Writers: Karen Campbell and Shannon Goss
Director: Charlotte Brändström
Rating: TV-MA
Running Time: 60mins
The episode opens up with Claire washing up on shore, after her harrowing escape by jumping off the Porpoise. With her survival instincts and keen sense of determination about her, Claire collects herself for a moment and begins to venture inland, hoping to find some form of food or water nearby or even signs of civilization. For the first fifteen minutes of “Unchartedâ€, we see Claire roaming around the tropical Caribbean wilderness, showing all the trials and tribulations that she faces as she pressed forward into the interior areas away from the beach. This includes, making fire, getting her legs uncovered in ants, waking up to a snake crossing her body, and her fevered deliriousness as her search for food and water dwindles away. Claire, exhausted from her arduous journey, collapse from exhaustion.
She eventually wakes up and finds herself in the care of a woman named Mamacita, who works for a man called Father Fogden, an eccentric priest. Under Mamacita’s skill and watchful eye, Claire wounds and bug bites are treated as she begins to feel better. She learns, from Father Fogden, that she is on San Dominque, which is a nearby island to Jamaica. Feeling joyful over this news and learning that there is a town close to Father Fogden’s place, Claire is eager to leave and make her way to Jamaica to be reunited with Jamie. Unfortunately, Father Fogden, consulting with his companion Coco (a coconut), believes that Claire should not leave. He agrees to accompany her on her journey to Jamaica, but not until next week (when her wounds are fully healed). Claire is upset by this. Even Mamacita wants to see Claire gone from their property, believing that Claire’s presence is set to disrupt the balance of things (it’s reveled that Father Fogden fell in love with Mamacita’s daughter and soon fell ill and passed away).
As fate would have it, Jamie too is on the same island after the surviving crew members of the Artemis come ashore and try to repair their ship’s mast and its sails. Luckily, word gets to Claire that a “Chinaman”killed one of Father Fogden’s chicken for a meal, with that Chinaman being Mr. Willoughby. Claire seizes this moment and runs off to the beach and there she reunites with Jamie. With Claire and Jamie together again, Jamie informs her that he gave Fergus his blessing to wed Marsali and Claire knows exactly who could marry the young couple (i.e. Father Fogden). Thus, we are treated (in this episode) to see Fergus and Marsali being wed by Father Fogden (at his place). During this scene, we are also treated to two scenes, one with Claire and Marsali sharing a pleasant conversation (Marsali seems to warming up to Claire), while the other sees Jamie given Fergus his last name to bare during their wedding ceremony (i.e. Fergus Claudel Fraser). Both were touching scenes.
The episode ends on a very light and humorous tone, with Claire and Jamie (and the rest of the crew) back on-board the Artemis (sailing towards Jamaica) as the pair share a playful mood after partaking in Mr. Willoughby’s Turtle soup, which is layered with Sherry wine. This causes Claire to be a little bit tipsy and, giving everything that has happened to her this episode, allows here character to “let her hair down”as her and Jamie reconnect their “passions”(wink, wink) once again.
As a whole this was an episode of surprises, following Claire’s plight of being marooned, her being taken in by Father Fogden, her reuniting with Jamie, the marriage ceremony of Fergus and Marsali, and the funny drunk Claire ending. With the pair together again, their original main objective returns to the forefront of their minds of journeying to Kingston (Jamaica) and trying to find Young Ian as well as escaping Captain Leonard’s men, who are waiting for Jamie to show up. With only two more episodes left in this season, one can only imagine that there’s going to be a lot of shocking revelations waiting to be unearthed.
8.0 Out of 10
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