[Warning: The next comprises spoilers from Sunday’s episode of Outlander. Learn at your personal threat!]
Sunday’s episode of Outlander introduced followers — and the Frasers — a present down we have been ready for because the second it was confirmed that Stephen Bonnet (Ep Speleers) had survived the Season Four jail bombing. For a number of episodes now, the pirate who has tormented the Frasers for nearly two full seasons has been planning not solely to take child Jemmy from Fraser’s Ridge however to gather the younger boy’s inheritance at River Run as his personal. It was solely a matter of time earlier than Jamie (Sam Heughan) would handle to trace him down — nevertheless it was Bree (Sophie Skelton) who had essentially the most unfinished enterprise with the person who raped and assaulted her final season.
The preliminary plan was for Jamie and Roger (Richard Rankin) to pose as whiskey smugglers and leap Bonnet when he confirmed as much as buy the products. Nevertheless, the smuggler was one step forward and as a substitute adopted Brianna and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) to the seashore, the place he kidnapped the previous and tried to persuade her to calm down and make an actual household with him. It turned out the psychopath simply needed to be liked.
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For days, Brianna needed to nimbly placate the person accountable for the darkest moments of her life, whereas attempting to plot some technique to escape. She got here shut as soon as, however when Bonnet realized she was main him on, he switched again into evil mode and got here near having her bought to a rich colonist who would have carried out God is aware of what to her had the deal gone via. Fortuitously, the remainder of the Frasers confirmed up simply in time to avoid wasting Bree and apprehend Bonnet.
To make sure Bonnet did not escape the gallows as soon as extra, they referred to as in a favor to Governor Tryon — who nonetheless felt responsible about hanging Roger — and the pirate was sentenced to loss of life by drowning. Because the water approached his chin, Bree confirmed up on the financial institution of the river with a shotgun and put Bonnet out of his distress earlier than the water may take him, clearing the darkish cloud Bonnet has been over her household as soon as and for all.
TV Information spoke to Skelton concerning the character-defining episode, why it was solely proper for Bree to be the one to take Bonnet’s life, and why it is excellent that we’ll by no means know precisely why Brianna did it.
Have been you extra excited or nervous to deal with this episode and Brianna’s last face-off with Stephen Bonnet?
Sophie Skelton: Clearly, the storyline is tremendously tough to do when it comes to [being] taxing, emotionally, and the place that you need to go to headspace-wise — however I like working with Ed, so I used to be excited in that respect. I feel it is such a terrific [episode] and it is such an attention-grabbing storyline. I used to be positively somewhat somewhat nervous going into it as a result of it is such delicate materials and also you at all times wish to just remember to’re dealing with it nicely, and also you’re doing justice to the individuals who have been via one thing like this. Apparently, it’s based mostly on a real story — a girl who was captured by her rapist and she or he learn to him to try to placate him and to purchase herself time. I feel it is a terrific factor that [Brianna] is doing the identical.
What did you wan to ensure occurred on this episode for Bree’s sake?
Skelton: As an actress, I needed to make it possible for we have now these moments the place we actually see how Bree is feeling. I needed to make it possible for it would not come throughout that she’s a terrific actress. She’s attempting to placed on a really courageous face for Bonnett. She’s attempting to faux like she’s sturdy in a state of affairs, which I like after we get these last moments however Bree is turned in the direction of the digicam and you actually see how she’s feeling. We actually see that worry come via, and her physique is beginning to shake and cop out on her. She tried to cowl that up. That is one factor that I needed to make it possible for we confirmed… that she wasn’t nice within the state of affairs. She wasn’t simply attempting to flee; she actually was struggling. Each each second of attempting to placed on this courageous face to him was actually [difficult] for her.
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There are stretches of time when Bonnet is holding her captive that you may see he has some humanity. How did it have an effect on Bree, who has at all times had extra sympathy for him than anybody else, to be confronted with that?
Skelton: There are these moments with Bonnet — when he talks concerning the reality he was an orphan, and the truth that he has these desires about drowning, and the truth that he was betrayed by his mates — there are these tiny glints of humanity the place nearly do really feel sorry for this man. Then you need to bear in mind like, “Oh no, he did some horrible issues.” Clearly he has been introduced up in a approach whereby he is simply felt deserted and that has made him act in tremendously monstrous methods. Brianna isn’t heartless. She will be able to see these glints of humanity in him, and I am positive that that intrigues her in a approach, and I am positive it additionally does make — for a millisecond — her really feel sorry for him, after which she is going to snap it off.
Jamie and Roger have a couple of conversations about which one among them will kill Bonnet though Bree ought to most likely have a vote in that. Why did it really feel proper that Bree was the one to kill him as a substitute of Jamie or Roger?
Skelton: It makes me somewhat bit offended… Particularly with the conversations that Brianna and Jamie had in Season 4, I feel it is attention-grabbing that the lads are speaking about who will get to kill Bonnet, as a result of there should not be a query about it. It is Brianna’s choice what occurs with this man. I do know that he has actually harm the household, however I feel when it comes to serving to her heal that is her second to confront him and to do what she must do for her, her psychological well being, her kid’s well being, and her household.
Did she shoot Bonnet for mercy or to know he was lifeless?
Skelton: We’ll by no means know why she did it. I do not even know if Brianna 100 p.c is aware of why she did it. She may do it as a result of she desires to make it possible for’s Bonnet is admittedly lifeless. He tends to seep himself again into society and survive issues… And if she sees [his death], then she will be positive and she will relaxation at house together with her son and know that her son is protected, and her household is protected and she or he’s protected. A part of it, I feel, may simply be revenge. Perhaps, purely, merely, she simply desires to heal in that technique to get her revenge. The third little bit of it, which is extra just like the jail scene in Season 4, there’s a tiny little bit of mercy in there. It is nearly messy as a result of she will see that he is in ache, but additionally there’s this tiny final second of claiming, “You recognize what, I’ll put you out of your distress as a result of I would like you to acknowledge good on the earth. Regardless that you’ve got carried out all these horrific issues to me, I’ll be the one to make this fast for you. And I’ll present you one tiny, tiny, little speckle of humanity and goodness purity on this world and I noticed the evil that you just tried to carry into it.” So there are some things occurring.
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Does killing Bonnet carry her the peace she’s hoping for, or is his loss of life going to depart lingering trauma?
Skelton: I feel it can positively carry reduction when it comes to speedy security, understanding that he is not lurking round, that he is not going to take Jemmy away that he cannot harm her once more, that he cannot harm any of her household…. I feel whereas she is bodily protected, I feel emotionally — you do not simply put a bullet in someone’s head after which all the pieces’s gone. The person goes away with the bullet, however the trauma would not. I feel it is one factor that I positively wish to be sure we see somewhat little bit of in Season 6 simply to point out that trauma is not one thing you possibly can simply simply do away with, and there will certainly be moments the place Bree remains to be struggling.
What does transferring ahead appear to be for Bree and Roger now?
Skelton: They have been an excellent group this season. I feel they’ve grown collectively much more. There’s extra depth of their arguments and battles collectively as a substitute of simply working away from one another. I feel [the fights] truly brings them nearer and makes them stronger they usually construct on it. Now that Bonnet is gone as nicely, that may simply add to that… I imply, it is Outlander, so there’s most likely someone else who desires to trigger hassle. I am positive the Frasers on aren’t utterly out of hassle but, however when it comes to the household life, I feel all the pieces will really feel somewhat bit extra settled for some time.
Outlander continues Sundays at 8/7c.