Outlander Review: Better to Marry Than Burn (Season 5 Episode 6)

A wedding is yet again at the center of this season — and for good reason.

Outlander Season 5 Episode 6, “Better to Marry Than Burn,” uses Jocasta’s marriage to Duncan to gather together the big players of this season and shine a brighter spotlight on the nearly invisible antagonist, Stephen Bonnet.

The momentous occasion is one brimming with grand settings, fighting foreplay, and devious Englishmen. But all this ornamental eye candy does nothing to hide the fact that Jocasta’s pre-wedding festivities are a bit of a mess.

Jocasta is such a rich character, it seems only right that Outlander introduce us to her rich backstory at some point.

Of course, her origin is also rather tragic (in true Outlander style) as it starts on the backroads of a fallen Scotland now overtaken by vengeful red coats. An unlucky chain of events leads to Jocasta watching in horror as her husband accidentally shoots their daughter Morna and then proceeds to drag Jocasta kicking and screaming back into the carriage.

It’s a devastating scene to watch that only gets worse as Jocasta reveals the broader story to Murtagh. This is a woman who lost everything in the Scottish uprising and is only trying to find a shred of happiness in her final days — happiness that doesn’t come with a side obsession for the Jacobites.

Hearing Jocasta’s own lore behind her blindness and seeing her twirl Morna’s ribbon in her hands gives this character the necessary depth to complement her refined wit and wisdom.

It’s a sad story to tell the day before her wedding but it’s a necessary one to enrich the story saddling such a grand setting.

This may be Jocasta and Duncan’s wedding, but we aren’t rooting for them by any means and Outlander knows it. No, its star-crossed lovers Jocasta and Murtagh that steal our allegiance — and our hearts — during this wedding’s festivities.

And for good reason. The emotionally charged moments between them in Jocasta’s bedroom are some of the best this episode has to offer.

There’s a level of comedic banter these to two are able to pull off even in the saddest of moments as Murtagh foolishly asks the world of Jocasta and she quickly scolds him for having the nerve to wait so long to ask. They play off each other beautifully as the two characters transition through a kaleidoscope of evolving emotions.

Murtagh’s presence allows Jocasta to tie up any loose ends from her backstory and have a more prominent presence in her own wedding. His last ditch effort to marry her also opens up her character to the audience, allowing us to see why Jocasta cannot wait for Murtagh — and why she shouldn’t have to now that war has taken everything from her.

Murtagh and Jocasta sure know how to break our hearts and have us thanking them for it.

For years we’ve watched Jamie and Claire fight, have glorious make-up sex, and fall back into an almost rhythmic bliss as they untangle their limbs. Jamie usually brings Claire’s gender into the mix and Claire usually makes him pay for it. This is the foundation for which this glorious romance has been built on and it’s a foundation Outlander is happy to lean on.

This episode showcases those fundamental parts of Jamie and Claire’s relationship — all within a matter of minutes. If you’ve ever wanted a summary of how the dynamics of these two works, this episode condenses a full demonstration into a hour long wedding celebration.

It’s a feat that can be both praised and scorned for reducing this couple’s greatest assets to such trivial outlines at times.

There are times where Claire and Jamie’s fight over gambling away Frank’s ring seems justified and more than called for considering how little these two have fought lately. But there are also times where it seems the fire burns too intently between these two, as if there was some previous bent up aggression Outlander should have been alluding to before Claire and Jamie start going at each other.

I would say they need to find a healthy way to release their frustrations but we all know Claire and Jamie have that well looked after.

Now let’s talk about that momentous barn scene, because it’s begging to be talked about.

While one could never be upset by the prospect of watching Claire slap the sense into Jamie, this steamy barn scene feels more like a story on a mission and less like a passionate fight. It’s as if Outlander had so many overarching details to work into this simple scene, that they inadvertently reduce Claire and Jamie’s sex scene to the hollow confines of their relationship.

For a show that has been on its best behaviour lately, I expected any excuse to let loose would gladly be taken. And for the most part it is as the series gives us a bashful barn romance that is reminiscent of the show’s more scandalous moments — but only reminiscent.

The parents are away and the kids are not okay. But that’s perfectly fine for Brianna and Roger because they apparently thrive under pressure.

There was a time where these two lovebirds would have chalked a biblical plague of locusts up to a bad day, found a way to blame the other, and gone to bed early. Not these newlyweds though, they have a child and a ridge of angry residents counting on them to do better.

They can only fail upwards these days — and they do so with a new sense of glorious purpose.

Brianna and Roger shine in their heroics as they rely on their fancy degrees and knowledge from the future to smoke out an entire swarm of flying monstrosities. There’s talk of shite and having to step up in Jamie’s place. It’s all rather adorable.

This small scale cinematic battle is given real stakes by its characters and allows the less extravagant setting of the Fraser’s Ridge to steal the spotlight.

Outlander attempts to prosper off the building climax of war by gathering all the big players in one place. Given that, Jocasta’s wedding should be a highlight of the season but instead it feels far less glamorous than Brianna and Roger’s bug infestation.

The reintroduction of Bonnet is a welcoming addition to the festivities. Now that he has incentive to push his way back into Brianna’s life and Jamie has the tools to kill him for it, we’re sure to be barreling towards a glorious showdown of sorts between the two parties.

At the end of the day, it feels right that Jocasta is the star of this episode. After-all, this is her wedding.

What did you think of this episode of Outlander? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Outlander airs Sundays at 9/8c on Starz.

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