#23 June 2023

[brian-in-finance]

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SPOILERS AHEAD ! ! ! 🦜 (what she said)

Outlander Just Broke Our Hearts. Here's How Sam Heughan and Caítríona Balfe Reacted.

Robert Wilson/Starz

The official logline for episode 702 of Outlander secretly warned us what we were in for ("a startling discovery about Roger and Brianna's newborn daughter; a familiar face returns; explosive consequences at the Ridge…"), but nothing could have prepared us for everything that went down, both literally and figuratively. Written by Toni Graphia and directed by Lisa Clarke, the episode—titled “The Happiest Place on Earth”—harkened back to Outlander's early days, when traveling through the Stones was commonplace, and Jamie and Claire were left with nothing but each other.

The episode starts at Fraser's Ridge, with Claire looking well after being captured. However, she soon runs into Malva's brother, Allan, who is visiting his sister's grave. We learn that he was the one who killed his sister because he raped her and the unborn child was his. He pulls out a pistol and tries to kill himself, but Claire pulls the gun away, thinking she's saved him until Ian shoots him with an arrow and kills him. Later, when Claire and Ian go to bury Allan, Mrs. Bug sees what they're doing and offers to help.

Following the opening credits, we see footage of Disneyland from the ‘50s, which seems to make no sense until later in the episode. (On that note, how much fun would it be to see a fantasy episode in which Jamie is able to travel through the Stones and Claire takes him to Disneyland? I’d watch that in a heartbeat).

Anyway, the joy of Disneyland soon gives way to Bree screaming at the top of her lungs about to give birth. (Hey, I'm sure some people have had a similar reaction to The Haunted Mansion or Tower of Terror). She gives birth to a little girl named Amanda Claire Hope Mackenzie. But soon thereafter Claire notices Mandy’s fingernails are blue-ish. She listens to her heartbeat, and realizes that Mandy has excess blood flowing to the lungs which means not enough oxygenated blood flows through the body. Mandy will probably not survive without surgery.

And so, the Mackenzies decide they must go through the Stones. But first they must prepare for the trip ahead. While gathering supplies, Bree runs into Lord John and meets William Ransom, Jamie’s son, and her half-brother. Bree is annoyed that Lord John won’t tell William about Jamie, and says she hasn’t forgotten about her other father (Frank) or stopped loving him. Later, Jamie visits Lord John and says he won’t be fighting for the British. Lord John gives him a sapphire to give to Bree to pass thru the Stones. Jamie is overcome with emotion.

Bree, Lord John, and William. Robert Wilson/Starz

In the official press notes for the episode, David Berry (Lord John) says “that was an interesting scene to film. Lisa, the director, and I discussed this was like it was a divorce scene. The separation of Jamie and Lord John; Jamie has taken his allegiance to the Continentals and Lord John to the British—there is now an irreconcilable difference. However, there's still immense love there from both sides. The sapphire was symbolic of a ring—a piece of jewelry that unifiest them or a symbol of their deep connection. So, the giving back of the ring is an act of love, but it's also a goodbye. It's a way of ending the relationship.”

Anyway, we get to the meaning of the episode's title later that evening when Jamie and Bree spot fireflies in the forest. She tells him about Disneyland and why it's known as the Happiest Place on Earth. He asks if she’s disappointed being here in the 18th century, but she says no because it’s magical being with him.

Later, Jamie gives Claire a small gem in case she wants to go through the Stones as well, but she throws it out the window, never giving a second thought to leaving Jamie behind. They kiss and he says they should fetch that gem.

The next day the Mackenzies and Frasers travel by boat to the Ocracoke Stones. It’s a highly emotional scene all around, for both Claire and Bree, Jamie and Roger Mac, Jamie and Bree, Jamie and Jemmy (you get the picture). The intensity of the moment is balanced out by a sweet and clever exchange with Jamie and Jemmy where he tells his grandson to send his regards to “Michael Mouse.” Of course, any laughter one might have soon gives way to full-on waterworks when Jamie tells Bree he doesn't have the words and can't say goodbye.

The hardest of goodbyes. Robert Wilson/Starz

The Mackenzies successfully pass through the Stones, which we learn when they wake up and see a plane in the sky. Meanwhile, back in the 18th century, Jamie and Claire arrive back at the Ridge and things start to heat up in bed before Claire starts crying. She says every time she closes her eyes, she’s lost half her family. She tells Jamie she’ll never see them again, and he says he often thinks of Murtagh, as he knows they’ve lost a great many between them. Claire starts bawling. I'm bawling. Where's a trip to Disneyland when you need one?

At least we then get a little montage of things going well at the Ridge. However, there's too much time left in this episode for it to end on this uplifting note. Soon enough, Claire enters into the main house at night where she stumbles upon fellow time-traveler, Wendigo Donner. Claire wants to know what he is doing there and questions where he was when she needed his help before she was gang-raped. He says he would have been killed had he tried to intervene, but he's not there to talk about the past. Instead, he wants to get back to the present day and needs her help on how to travel through the Stones. She's reluctant, but just wants him out of her life, so she advises him to focus, have a clear conscience, don't drink, etc. But this being Outlander, he then pulls out a pistol and asks for more gemstones. He and his men (who had also been holding Jamie in another room) start ripping apart the house, including Claire’s lab. While I love this entire house, it's the demolition of Claire's hard work developing ether and all that's in her lab that leaves me the most devastated. But then it gets worse; Wendigo lights a match so he and his men can have more light to find the gemstones, but the fire from the match comes in contact with the ether, and the episode ends with the house blowing up.

“That was a really emotional, in part because it comes on the heels of losing Bree and Roger and the kids,” Caítríona Balfe (Claire) tells Glamour. “I think for Claire, she was trying to hold everything in and be the strong person who's let them go for a really good reason…but it's this thing of just losing your home [that breaks her]. It is such a destabilizing thing.”

The house going up in flames means it was also the end of a massive—and important—set piece that's been part of Outlander for several seasons now. “We were saying goodbye to that place, the location that had been our home for the last couple of years,” Sam Heughan (Jamie) adds. “It holds a lot of memories for Jamie and Claire.”

But before we get too much into the aftermath of the fire, we hopped on a Zoom with executive producer Maril Davis to talk about the episode as a whole, and what the goodbye scene means going forward.

Glamour: That was the most emotional episode I've seen in awhile, and also one of my favorites.

Maril Davis: Well, I cry every time I watch that goodbye scene [at the Stones], and I've seen it 20 times. I just think there's something so sad about it as a mom to be sending your daughter back through. And then also, I think the complicated thing about that scene was there was a lot of goodbyes. Do you know what I mean? You had Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. Bye bye. And then I think actors and director and the writers all figured out a way to make it kind of seamless and so heartfelt.

When Jamie says goodbye to Jemmy and has that iconic line about, "If you see a mouse named, Michael, tell him I say hi." But my favorite, favorite line from that scene that I'm so glad made it in is when Jamie at the end declares something to the effect of, "If not for you, I would not go on." And that to me encapsulates their whole relationship. It's like I've just sent my kid and my grandkids through. I do not think I can make it except for you. That's the only reason I'm still alive. And I'm just like, oh my God, I just want to cry.

Claire and Jamie Forever. Robert Wilson/Starz

Wasn't it also the last scene for the little actors (Andrew and Matthew Adair) that played Jemmy?

Yes. So yes, those twins, we won't be seeing them again. I know they've grown so much.

When might we get a Roger, Bree, Claire, and Jamie reunion?

I think we've been at pains to try to show that going through the Stones is not easy. It's not like a low revolving door that you could just go through. And I think it takes its toll going through the Stones and people have died. We know from past seasons that Wendigo Donner, his friends didn't make it. It takes its toll on you, so it's not something you should enter into lightly. So I think, Bree and Roger are thinking, this is a time we should stay in, that feels like a safer time. And I think Jamie and Claire feel better knowing they're in this other time and they're safe. But are they?

So will they reunite this season and be in the same time period?

I can't say anything. You'll have to watch.

Let's talk about the fire at the end. Wow.

Oh my God, I'm so sad to see that house go. It's so sad. But on the other hand, we have been talking about this fire for so long. I think I just wanted to tap in and us to move on. It was so sad though. That beautiful house is no longer there, but I think also the aftermath of it is so brilliantly done by our art department.

And that took a long time to do. That's not just like, oh, we burn it down. That's a piece of art. I think for the actors, it was a really sad moment for them as well, because we've been filming on this set for a long time. We no longer have this set, and we said goodbye to some sets this year. We also said goodbye to our Wilmington set. And it's something very sad when you say goodbye to these pieces of your show that you're not going to go back to. It feels like a nostalgia and a kind of bittersweet moment. It's just like everything you know and love is gone. But that's the point of it. It's like that's just possession and the important thing is right here.

Glamour

Remember… it's this thing of just losing your home [that breaks her]. It is such a destabilizing thing. — Caitríona Balfe

[adverbian]

[royalarchivist]

Foolish: Oh! That's a fun little guy. What's that? Is that like, a caterpillar? Is that a cat?

Rubius: What - it's not a cat, it's Titi!

Foolish: Titi?

Rubius: Yeah! It's the main character from Karmaland.

During r/place last year, Rubius shared some Karmaland lore with Foolish (in the midst of many Discord calls between allies and enemies as the pixel war waged 😅). Karmaland V was the server Quackity was part of before he started QSMP, and Titi, the little alien tree creature Rubius and Foolish have this discussion about, is believed to be the inspiration behind QSMP's Eggs.

[ Full Subtitle Transcript ↓ ]

—

Foolish: Buenos Dias~!

Rubius: Hello!

Foolish: Hello, hello!

Rubius: How are you, my friend?

Foolish: Oh, I'm doing good! I'm doing good! :D

-

Foolish: What's um, what's that that you're building?

Rubius: Ehhh, it's -

Foolish: Is it like your little bear guy? Your little Minecraft character?

Rubius: Yeah.

Foolish: [Noticing Titi] Oh! That's a fun little guy. What- what's that? Is that like a caterpillar? Is that a cat? What- what's like that-

Rubius: What - it's not a cat, it's Titi!

Foolish: Titi?

Rubius: Yeah! It's the main character of- from Karmaland. He- he- he died. :(

-

Rubius: Titi, come back! Over here!

Rubius: Don't do it, Titi.

-

Foolish: [Laughs]

Rubius: No- don't laugh! It's not funny.

Foolish: No- estoy triste [I'm sad].

-

Rubius: Ok, now you have to help me because you insulted the- you insulted Titi.

Foolish: Is T- is Ti- so Titi' i's a cat?

Rubius: IT'S NOT A CAT! It's a...

Foolish: No! Right, fck! No, that's right! It's not a cat!

Rubius: It's an... alien tree. An alien tree. [To his chat] He keeps calling him a cat! It came from inside a friend called Staxx. He was pregnant, and this came out of him.

Foolish: Ohh. Wow!

Rubius: Yes.

Foolish: That's- that must've been intense.

Rubius: Yeah, a little bit. [Laughs]

Foolish: And- and that was your... like, became like your kid kinda? Or like a- you were like an uncle for it?

Rubius: Yeah, I'm his... father because I was the only one taking care of him.

Foolish: Ohhh, but then you did a bad job and he died?

Rubius: No, I- I- no. He died because he saved us.

Foolish: OHHH wow!

Rubius: From a massive attack, yes.

Foolish: That's very- that's very noble of Titi.

Rubius: Yes.

[serickswrites]

How Many Fingers Am I Holding Up?

Warnings: rescue, captivity, torture, unconsciousness, restraints, poison, caretaker and whumpee

“Whumpee! Whumpee! I’m here. I’m here!” Caretaker shouted as they ran to the basement where they knew Whumper had to be keeping Whumpee. They had checked the rest of the house and Whumpee was nowhere to be found. 

Caretaker kicked open the door and hesitated on the stairs. Whumpee was slumped over, arms pulled at an awkward angle by the chains that kept them attached to the wall. “Whumpee?”

They could see Whumpee’s body move with each breath, but Whumpee didn’t respond to their words. Caretaker hurried forward. “Whumpee?” They rolled Whumpee onto their side. “I’m here Whumpee. Whumpee! Say something.”

Caretaker gave Whumpee a little shake. Whumpee blinked open bleary eyes. They blinked, their gaze unfocused. “C-C-Caretaker?” 

“I’m here, Whumpee. I’m here.” Caretaker said softly as they looked for a way to get the cuffs off Whumpee’s wrists. 

Whumpee’s lips twitched as their eyelids drooped closed once more. “Hmmmm,” they hummed once before going quiet. 

“Stay awake, Whumpee. Talk to me.” Caretaker worked quickly. 

“Mmmmm. ‘m ‘ere,” they whispered as they struggled to open their eyes once more. 

Caretaker tapped Whumpee’s cheek as Whumpee’s eyelids fluttered. “Whumpee. Keep your eyes on me.” What had Whumper done?

“C-C-Can’t. T-TTooooo ‘ny. ‘zzy.”

“Whumpee, how many fingers am I holding up?” Caretaker had a sinking feeling in their stomach. “Whumpee, how hard did you hit your head?”

Whumpee blinked up at Caretaker with fever bright eyes. “No. P-P-Poi--” their words cut off as they began to cough. Loud, wet coughs wracked their body as they tried to speak once more. Caretaker rubbed Whumpee’s back as Whumpee kept trying to speak.

But Caretaker knew what Whumpee was going to say and didn’t need Whumpee to finish. Whumpee had been poisoned. Rage boiled in their stomach as they realized Whumper had set this trap for Caretaker. Made it easy for Caretaker to find Whumpee. But didn’t make it easy to save Whumpee. Caretaker made a silent promise that they would pay Whumper back in kind once they got Whumpee to safety. 

“It’s ok, Whumpee. I’ve got you. I’m going to save you,” Caretaker said as they lifted Whumpee into their arms. 

Whumpee had gone silent after the last bout of coughing. Terribly silent and still. “Whumpee?” Caretaker tapped Whumpee’s cheek as they started towards the basement stairs. “Come on, Whumpee. Wake up.”

Whumpee’s only response was the quiet, irregular wheeze that let Caretaker know they were still alive. “Hang in there, Whumpee. I’ve got you. I’ve got you. Hold on.”

[dogstomp]

Dogstomp #3096 - June 23rd

Patreon / Discord Server / Itaku / Bluesky

[teddybearsticker]

10.15.23 | Some more spreads I want to archive

Left - quick recap of places visited during our Great Smoky Mountains / Dollywood trip this summer

Right - july monthly review

[qsmpphotoalbum]

[tyforthevnm]

tipgiblets: Going to break this into two posts, I had an incredible time helping @lsdunes on their new music video for Benadryl Subreddit which dropped today. #BTS #LSDunes #MusicVideo

[June 23, 2023]

[card-of-the-day]

Today's Card Is: Zoro

[margocooper]

Молочноцветковый пион Долородел

Paeonia Dolorodell

[selenagomezz]

selenagomez: New @rarebeauty coming soon…

[brian-in-finance]

‘Outlander’ Season 7 Gets Split in Half, 8-Episode Part 1 Premieres in June

The second half of the time-traveling drama’s penultimate season will premiere in 2024

“Outlander” Season 7 will resume Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) sprawling and globe-trotting love story in June on Starz, the network announced Thursday while also revealing the first images from the new season.

The penultimate season of the time-traveling drama will debut June 16 with the first eight episodes of its extended 16-episode season, with the second half of the two-part season set to premiere in 2024.

After previously announcing the drama would come to a close after Season 8, Starz has already renewed the series for an eighth and final season. “Outlander” fans are in no danger of letting go of the beloved characters, however, as the network has also greenlit a prequel series, titled “Outlander: Blood of My Blood,” which will follow Jamie Fraser’s parents.

Balfe and Heughan reprise their roles as Claire and Jamie, respectively, as Sophie Skelton returns as Brianna MacKenzie alongside Richard Rankin as Roger MacKenzie, John Bell as Young Ian, David Berry as Lord John Grey, Caitlin O’Ryan as Lizzie Beardsley and Paul Gorman as Josiah and Keziah Beardsley.

Previously announced new ensemble members include Charles Vandervaart as William Ransom, Izzy Meikle-Small as Rachel Hunter and Joey Phillips as Denzell Hunter.

In addition to starring in the historical fiction series, Balfe and Heughan executive produce alongside Matthew B. Roberts, Ronald D. Moore, Maril Davis, Toni Graphia, Luke Schelhaas, Andy Harries, Jim Kohlberg. The series is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Left Bank Pictures and Story Mining & Supply Company, in association with Sony Pictures Television.

“Outlander” Season 7 premieres Friday, June 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Starz, with the season launching June 16 at 12:00 a.m. ET on the Starz app and all Starz streaming and VOD platforms. New episodes of the series will air weekly on Starz and will be available to stream weekly at midnight on Fridays on the Starz app as well as all Starz streaming and VOD platforms.

Check out the first “Outlander” Season 7 images below.

Starz

The Wrap

Remember… I don't care if Monday's blue, Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too. Thursday, I don't care about you. It's Friday, I'm in love. — The Cure

[majorbaby]

there's not going to BE any dancing this year you stupid slut

[louiswearbook]

Louis Tomlinson performing in Milwaukee, WI for show #12 of the Faith in the Future World Tour | June 13, 2023

—

Fred Perry Harlequin Polo Shirt

[€130, £100, $140]

[lolaplusg-archived]

6/22/23

[anewcalamity]

Hello, new readers! I see you! 😁 Welcome and please enjoy what I have so far.

I'm in a rut right now trying to finish chapter 15 in some kind of purposeful and meaningful way. I've been bogged down by depression-anxiety-imposter syndrome ... writers block. What I've actually been going through is a lot of pain and isolation. The sort of emotional turmoil that you don't really want to scare people off with by sharing. But I know it will be to everyone's benefit if I write it out, process it, and learn from it, through my characters.

That's my task right now. To peel myself off this bed, become presentable, go for a walk, and sit down to doodle ideas.

Wish me luck!