[Warning: The below and video above contain MAJOR spoilers for Outlander, Season 7 Episode 15, “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.”]
Outlander‘s leading lady Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) finds herself in a precarious position by the end of Season 7’s penultimate episode, “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood,” after she is shot during the most recent battle. Her only hope is Quaker doctor Denzell Hunter (Joey Phillips) who has become a part of the extended Fraser family since his sister Rachel’s (Izzy Meikle-Small) marriage to Claire’s nephew, Ian (John Bell).
As the episode opens, Claire worries about her husband’s safety as Jamie (Sam Heughan) heads out to lead soldiers on the battlefield, but he promises her he’ll return safely, unaware she’ll end up being the one at risk. Before Claire’s fateful encounter with a bullet though, she assists with caring for the wounded, providing expert medical care that isn’t appreciated by the other field doctor, who refuses to allow her inside the church where the most severe patients are being treated.
Denzell comes to Claire’s defense, denouncing the other doctor’s dismissal of his mentor and friend, promising that she’s perfectly capable of providing the best care. Eventually, the doctor’s opinion is changed, but he finds himself ill-equipped to help Claire when Jamie carries her in for treatment after being shot by a stray bullet exchanged between American and British troops.
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Desperate to save his wife, Jamie refuses to return to the line, writing on a soldier’s back in Claire’s blood that he resigns from his post. Sending for Denzell, the couple knows he’s their only hope. “It’s a huge pressure on Denny’s shoulders to have Jamie Fraser shouting ‘Save her,’” Phillips notes of his character’s predicament.
“And for Claire to be laid on that table bleeding out… Denny is her last hope. Everybody else has fled. Everyone has sort of left her for dead. I think that’s huge for him because he has to almost remove himself from the situation slightly, put on his surgeon hat, and just think of Claire’s teaching,” the actor continues.
“I think in his head at that moment, he definitely has Claire’s voice and he’s talking to her in his head as he’s starting the operation,” he adds. “I think he connects to his religion in that moment as well.”
Related‘Inside Outlander’ Aftershow: Silvia Presente on Jane’s Relationship With William
As mentioned, the surgery is taking place in a church that has been repurposed as a field hospital. But with only Denny and Rachel left to help Claire in surgery, the stakes are higher than ever.
“Rachel has always sort of assisted him, so I think it’s second nature for those two to work together. And she’s an incredibly capable woman herself,” Phillips says of his onscreen sister. So, having Rachel’s support on his most important surgery yet means a lot to Denzell. “Working with Caitriona and Sam and Izzy, I love them all so much. And I think it was just a really special day… It shows in the episode.”
As Phillips puts it, Rachel is his “actual sister,” and “Claire and Jamie [are Denzell’s] family for the future. And I think to be in a church just sort of ties it all together really nicely.”
Will Claire pull through and will Denny’s surgery succeed? Fans will have to wait until the finale episode, which airs on January 17th. In the meantime, check out the full Inside Outlander Aftershow episode, above, and stay tuned for more as Season 7 continues on Starz.
Outlander, Season 7 Finale, Friday, January 17, 8/7c, Starz (Midnight on the Starz App & On Demand)
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