Outlander's Infamous Season 1 Scene is Still Its Most Divisive
Can you guess which one?
Despite being a romantic story first and foremost, Starz's Outlander never shied away from depicting the various atrocities of the 18th century. Murder and rape occur frequently in both the show and the original novels by Diana Gabaldon, and fans are mostly okay with that, as the violence is usually justified from both historical and narrative point of view.
However, some viewers still can't get over one divisive moment in Season 1 that seemed over-the-top and seemingly unjustified. For many, the scene was so shocking, people still struggle to find any reason why it was included in the episode in the first place.
The scene in question takes place in Episode 9 of the premiere season. In the episode, Claire returns to Craigh na Dun, which leads to her capture by Black Jack. Her decision was obviously so hasty and ill-conceived, it put both herself and the Highlanders in great danger, as they had to risk their lives to save the woman.
As a result, the Highlanders demanded that Jamie punish his lover for her reckless actions, which isn't surprising considering that the characters were born and raised in the harsh 18th century. However, the idea of Jamie spanking Claire with a belt to punish her doesn't sit well with modern-day audiences.
'So the idea of physical punishment, not necessarily abuse, was very much alive and well in that century. To Jamie, the idea of coming home drunk and beating his wife would have been completely unthinkable. The idea of physical punishment as a valid teaching tool was much much less so,' one fan argued on Reddit.
Even though Jamie is not a violent character, he's a man of his time and has to abide by the Highlanders' ethics so they would protect Claire. Here is how actor Sam Heugan interpreted his character's actions in the scene:
'He has to punish her, whether or not he believes in it. He says he doesn't, but he has to because otherwise the Highlanders won't protect her. She's in danger. There's a moral code, and it's the way he's been brought up, and he's now got responsibility,' Heugan said in 2015.
Still, many people argue that the spanking was completely out of character for Jamie, as he would never be able to hurt his beloved and even enjoy it to a certain degree.
'In my mind he would've never hurt Claire with such ease and would definitely not find enjoyment in it,' another fan stated.
The writers probably hoped that the dubious scene of physical punishment would be counterbalanced by the characters' reconciliation sex that followed. However, the audience was just too troubled by Jamie's brutal act and didn't believe Claire would forgive her lover so quickly.