Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of sexual assault and suicide.
Warning! Spoilers for Outlander season 7, episode 12, and the Outlander books ahead!
Outlander season 7, episode 12 just introduced one of the book series' most tragic characters, whose impact on William, Jamie, and Claire will last years. This season 7 episode sees William Ransom learn the hard truth about his parentage, and he doesn't handle it particularly well. The news brings him to a brothel in Philadelphia, where he meets a young prostitute named Arabella. Though William is initially quite rude to Arabella, they share an intimate connection later. This is largely how everything went down in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books, but this isn't the end of their stories.
After getting kicked out of the brothel in Outlander season 7, episode 12, William is later reunited with Arabella when he returns with a pack of his fellow British soldiers. Among them is Captain Harkness, who considers Arabella his personal property. Hearing the man state that he plans to buy a night with the girl and do a variety of terrible things to her, William outbids Harkness and claims Arabella for the night—though only to give her a good night's sleep. This is when William learns that Arabella's name is actually Jane, and the two establish a unique kinship.
Jane Has A Tragic Story In The Outlander Books
William Hasn't Seen The Last Of Jane In Outlander Season 7
Arabella's real name in Outlander is Jane Pocock, and her full story is outlined in Gabaldon's book Written in My Own Heart's Blood. After her night with William, it's eventually revealed that Jane is an orphan who became a prostitute in order to care for her younger sister, Franny. For a time, she is able to keep them both safe at the brothel, but Captain Harkness becomes a more significant problem for the sisters. He eventually demands a night with little Franny and pays handsomely to get what he wants. Desperate to protect her sister, Jane accompanies Franny to Harkness' room and slits the man's throat while he is distracted.
William gets Jamie's help to break the girl free, but they are ultimately too late.
Jane and Franny go on the run following Harkness' murder, and William helps them get settled in with Rachel Hunter and a group of Quakers. Unfortuantely, it isn't enough. Jane is recognized as Harkness' killer and is captured and sentenced to hang. William gets Jamie's help to break the girl free, but they are ultimately too late. Hoping to spare Franny the trauma of seeing her beloved big sister hanged, Jane commits suicide. It's a terrible, tragic tale in Outlander and one that has a significant impact on not only William but Jamie and Claire as well.
William Will Learn A Lot From Jane Before Her Tragic Death
Jane Is Important To William's Development
Outlander season 7, episode 12, was a rough episode for William. His identity and status are very important to him, so the news that he is actually a bastard sends William into an identity crisis. William punched Ian Murray for no reason and then had the gall to get him arrested for attacking an officer. Then, he kissed poor Rachel Hunter full in the mouth—something he was far too gentlemanly to have done before learning the truth of his identity. It was as if William thought for a moment that being a bastard meant that he was a bad person at his core, and he behaved accordingly.
The Outlander franchise, including the upcoming spinoff Blood of My Blood, centers around the Fraser family, which continues to grow over time.
However, when William heard of the abuse that Captain Harkness planned to aim toward Jane, he couldn't help but step in. Despite his identity crisis and newly discovered status as a bastard, William's instincts were still good, and his act of kindness here had an impact. As the story continues, William will continue to do all he can to help Jane and will go as far as to recruit Jamie to help him. Though Jane's story ends tragically, she helps William learn essential truths about himself. The circumstances of his birth and his general status mean nothing compared to the goodness of his own heart.
How Jane's Story Will Impact Jamie & Claire In Outlander Explained
Jane's Sister Franny Will Join the Fraser Family
William isn't the only one whose life is changed by Jane. Following the girl's tragic death, Jamie and Claire take in little Franny, who becomes their own adopted daughter. In the book Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone, Franny moves to Fraser's Ridge with Jamie and Claire and develops a close friendship with Fergus and Marsali's son, Germain, as well as Jemmy (once he returns to Fraser's Ridge from the future). So, while Jane's story ends tragically, Franny's life turns out to be everything the older sister could have hoped. Thanks to her efforts in Outlander season 7, Franny gets a family and security.
New episodes of
Outlander
season 7 are released on Fridays at 8:00 PM EST.
Outlander follows Claire Randall, a married nurse from 1945, who is transported back to 1743 Scotland. Amidst political intrigue and danger, she navigates life in the past and becomes torn between loyalty to her husband and the love for a dashing young warrior.
Release Date August 9, 2014
Main Genre Sci-Fi
CastCaitríona Balfe , Sam Heughan , Sophie Skelton , Richard Rankin , John Bell , Duncan Lacroix , Tobias Menzies , César Domboy , Caitlin O'Ryan , Lauren Lyle , Grant O'Rourke , Graham McTavish , Paul Gorman , Charles Vandervaart , Stephen Walters , David Berry , Sarah Collier
Character(s) Claire Randall Fraser , Jamie Fraser , Brianna Randall , Roger Wakefield , Ian Fraser Murray , Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser , Frank Randall / Jonathan Black Jack Randall , Fergus Claudel Fraser , Lizzie Wemyss , Marsali MacKimmie Fraser , Rupert MacKenzie , Dougal MacKenzie , Josiah / Keziah Beardsley , William Ransom , Angus Mhor , Lord John Grey , Mrs. Bug
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English (US) ·