Movies & TV Outlander Outlander Season 7 Part 2 Premiere Delivers All the Messy “Unfinished Business” We are so back, Sassenach By Natalie Zutter | Published on November 25, 2024 Image: Starz Comment 0 Share New Share Image: Starz When last we left Claire and Jamie Fraser 15 months ago (or 200-plus years ago), they were sailing away from the American colonies mid-Revolutionary War to deliver the body of Jamie’s kinsman Simon Fraser to Scotland for a popular burial. This familial duty also offers Jamie the opportunity to return to his ancestral home of Lallybroch… not to mention settling some alimony issues with ex-wife Laoghaire. And little do the Frasers know that in present-day Lallybroch, Roger and Buck MacKenzie have just passed back through the stones to rescue poor kidnapped Jemmy from gold-seeking Rob Cameron. This mid-season premiere is all about trades—not just characters moving back and forth across the same land over the centuries, but various recastings of actors as well as returns of familiar faces; money and signatures buying autonomy for mothers and daughters, while illness and injury determine the fates of young and old men. It’s a solid episode that deals with some genuine (and nicely understated) emotional issues, before closing on the kind of Outlander drama we’ve been sorely missing thanks to an old fan favorite. Spoilers for Outlander 7×09 “Unfinished Business” Lallybroch was always going to be a bittersweet homecoming, as Jamie felt he’d failed his sister Jenny (Kristin Atherton replacing Laura Donnelly) for not returning Young Ian home sooner. Upon arriving, they discover that the elder Ian Murray is suffering from consumption, and that it’s advanced to the point that there’s nothing they can do but make him comfortable until the end. This dovetails with Claire revealing the truth about being a time traveler, in order to warn Ian’s brother Michael to move his business away from France before the revolution in a decade’s time. Image: Starz Usually I dig a big reveal scene like this, all the delicious anticipation piling up for years and the complete unpredictability of how everyone will react. But it all felt a bit… muted. The writers didn’t lean into a comedic reaction, nor did they go for something with real gravity. Obviously Claire herself was feeling vulnerable to share this information, considering she was almost burned at the stake as a witch for far less! But the Murrays just seemed briefly stunned, then all accepted it as if they had no other option. And not even the magic of time travel; they regard Claire as having a bit of fairy magic about her, but that’s about as well as they can understand it. Where things do get interestingly thorny is Jenny asking Claire to use her modern know-how to save Ian, and Claire’s devastation at having to tell her she can’t, that whatever cure exists in the future isn’t possible to create or administer in 1778. This is where all of the discomfort and resentment boils over, with a sobbing Jenny accusing Claire of being soulless before fleeing to the woods to rage-scream out her helplessness. While Jenny was quick to forgive the passage of time, it’s understandable that Jamie would nonetheless feel out of place in Scotland; he’s lived so many lifetimes since he was last there, only to return as some wealthy settler just visiting from America. Nowhere is this disparity more obvious than in his strained interactions with ex-wife Laoghaire, who has no interest in dredging up more memories of their unfortunate marriage and how she wasted years of her life pining for a man who would never love her back. But the reason that Jamie pushes through in seeing her is for the sake of her daughter Joanie, who wants to become a nun but needs her dowry money to pay her way. Jamie revises the contract he drew up with Laoghaire to ensure that Balriggan will be hers—not Jamie’s, nor belonging to her eventual husband Joey Boswell—thus granting both women their respective autonomy. Image: Starz Jamie’s admission to Claire that he feels as she must have after stepping through the stones—“as if your world was still there, but it was not the world you had”—is the best line of the episode. That their conversation takes place in the laird’s chambers, where they first said “I love you,” makes it even sweeter. Then a letter comes from Lord John Grey, who has a penchant for throwing plot curveballs at the Frasers while also being a dear friend and ally: His nephew Henry has sustained a stomach wound that only a surgeon of Claire’s caliber can repair, and he’s begging her to sail back to Philadelphia to try and save his life. (My admittedly inexpert question is, how do they keep him stable and avoid infection long enough to wait out the duration of Claire’s sea voyage? But our star-crossed lovers must be torn apart yet again, so.) What Jamie intends as comfort must rankle, as he praises Jenny for being the strongest of them all, taking care of their father in his final years, which must make it incredibly triggering to face Ian’s grim fate. What Jamie is describing is just the expectations placed on good daughters/wives/mothers, and when Jenny jokes about hiding away in a cave like he did after he lost Claire and after Culloden? Let the poor woman run away for a bit if she likes! Image: Starz Then there’s the fact that it’s up to Jenny to basically give the blessing for Claire to return to the colonies and care for Lord John’s injured nephew. Claire has already admitted that Ian’s consumption is too far gone for her to treat, but she is capable of performing the surgery that could save Henry’s life. Even though the thought of embarking on yet another sea voyage so soon after the last must be exhausting to Claire, she must understand that it would be churlish of her to prioritize her comfort over her oaths. At least she and Jenny part on good terms, with the latter saying that “I trust in your love for this family.”  Jenny also encourages Young Ian to return to the States to declare his love for Rachel Hunter, rather than send the Dear John letter he’d been intending to instead; he didn’t think he could ask her to wait for him for however long he would be in Scotland for the end of Ian’s life. Instead, Jenny tears up his letter, uses her maternal influence to convince him to pursue his second chance at love, and briefly plays grandmother in showing Young Ian where they’ve made a grave for his deceased daughter Iseabaile. (OK, I teared up.) Poor Jenny is doing so much heavy lifting here—the character and the actress. I’m sure that this is all drawn from the books, and that Janet Fraser Murray has a lot of unresolved shit to work out with her brother and his wife, but it also felt as if they were justifying the recasting, giving Atherton a number of emotional monologues, the opportunity to play the same character forty years apart, and an episode-long arc. She’s got three more episodes left, according to IMDb, but she certainly left an impression in her first appearance(s). Image: Starz Then to our other pair of (time) travelers, also heading for 18th-century Lallybroch, unbeknownst to the Frasers. I could really do without Roger’s awkward voiceover, but I guess it’s the best way to transmit his thoughts as he realizes that he’s thrown himself backwards into the wrong time. Is it because they were following someone not meant to be a time traveler? Is it because of Buck being incredibly displaced in time? At any rate, he’s in 1739, not 1778, and who does he find at Lallybroch but Brian Fraser (Andrew Whipp). Bringing the character back, albeit in middle age, is a handy reminder that Outlander: Blood of My Blood is currently in production and will eventually tell the parallel love stories of Jamie and Claire’s respective parents. While there are some potential leads on Jem and Rob, what’s more pressing and further complicating Roger’s search is Buck’s reaction to time travel: he’s experiencing chest pains and doesn’t look good. Brian points them toward a local herbalist, who turns out to be none other than… Image: Starz FUCK YEAH GEILLIS! The writers pulled a cheeky bait-and-switch on us, thinking that Laoghaire was going to be the messy bench who loves drama when her plotline wound up being a surprisingly touching rumination on forgiveness and how unrequited love can ruin a life, or at least derail it before finding a second first love.  Of course, those rules don’t apply to pragmatically murderous time traveling witches-slash-succubi. Whenever Geillis Duncan’s life doesn’t go the way she likes, she can just cross back and forth through the stones. What will be exciting is figuring out where in her own lifetime this iteration of Geillis is, if that’s even her name for this stint as herbalist. We know that someday she will get all-but-beheaded in a cave in the Caribbean at Claire’s hand, but we don’t know how many different lives and identities this Geillis has taken before appearing in 1739. (And thankfully in this case there is no recasting, with Lotte Verbeek rejoining the ensemble for however long we get to have her.) Oh, and let’s not forget that Geillis is Buck’s mother! It’s four years before she will deliver her illegitimate child, and she’s about to meet him as an adult. What a way to start slowly wrapping up season 7, hopefully with more bombshells to come.[end-mark] The post <i>Outlander</i> Season 7 Part 2 Premiere Delivers All the Messy “Unfinished Business” appeared first on Reactor.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Rumble has officially announced today that popular streamer Dr Disrespect, also known as Guy Beahm, will be joining their platform. This significant acquisition was preceded by a flurry of speculation after a channel under his name appeared on Rumble on November 18. Under a new agreement that rewards him with equity based on achieved milestones, Dr Disrespect will produce content solely for Rumble Premium’s “Champions Club” members. Additionally, he will play a pivotal role in shaping Rumble Gaming by advising and contributing to the community’s growth. While he will maintain a free version of his show on Rumble, additional premium content will be available exclusively to his “Champions Club” subscribers via Rumble Premium. The speculation gained traction following a tweet by Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski on November 19, hinting at this new addition with the phrase, “Make Gaming Great Again,” mirroring Dr Disrespect’s recently launched merchandise slogan and a well-known political slogan. Adding to the anticipation, on November 21, Pavlovski tweeted about the imminent joining of a “big creator” to the platform, setting the stage for today’s reveal. This announcement has excited Dr Disrespect’s large fanbase, the Champions Club, who are enthusiastic about the streamer’s fresh start on a new platform that promises less censorship and greater freedom of expression. The intrigue surrounding Dr Disrespect’s move increased during a recent YouTube stream on November 22, where he started with his microphone off as a prank. Fans quickly noted that the lighting used during this stream resembled the Rumble logo, fueling further discussions about his impending move. “Rumble is in a new era, and I’m laser-focused on expanding into two categories: gaming and crypto,” said Rumble Chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski. “Dr Disrespect will give a much-needed injection into our gaming category.” If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Dr Disrespect Joins Rumble in New Milestone For Rumble Gaming appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Trump Readying EO to Discharge All Transgender Troops?

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Our immune system got pimped when we had sex with other human species.

Physicists find themselves wishing upon a star (to explode) to solve one of the most frustrating questions in science.

Kenneth Genalo, the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's New York City field office, warned that "it would take a lifetime" to deport the criminal illegal aliens currently residing in the city.Since the spring of 2022, over 223,000 immigrants have arrived in New York City.'The majority of these crimes that are being committed are against ... migrant females and the migrant children.'On Friday, Genalo told the New York Post that his regional ICE office requires "additional resources" to handle the ongoing immigration crisis.He stated that "it would take a lifetime to clear the city of the criminals that we have," given New York City's current trajectory.Genalo suggested that his field office, which includes 400 workers, is investigating thousands of cases per day."The fact is that I have to focus all of my resources on the worst of the worst, the most egregious violators. All I can tell you is we have leads that we work every day — and it's not in the hundreds," Genalo told the Post.He noted that New York City's sanctuary policies are hindering ICE from detaining and deporting criminal illegal aliens.Genalo expressed interest in testifying before the city council to "educate" far-left members on the dangers of the city's current policies."The only people they're shielding are the criminals, and they're shielding the criminals from us," he told the Post."The majority of these crimes that are being committed are against the most vulnerable people in the community, and that's the migrant females and the migrant children. I don't understand how they believe sanctuary policies are helping or assisting," Genalo explained.According to ICE data, through July 21, of the roughly 7.8 million illegal aliens in the country, more than 660,000 are convicted felons or are facing pending criminal charges.New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) has also previously called on the city council to roll back sanctuary policies."The mayor knows we need to cooperate," Genalo told the news outlet. "He sees what's going on in New York City, and he wants help from the federal government."Meanwhile, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) slammed the Biden administration after its Customs and Border Protection announced on Tuesday that it would be reducing office hours at many ports of entry, including four along New York's northern border.Hochul said, "While the Biden-Harris Administration has achieved measurable success in enhancing southern border security, New York is experiencing a dramatic increase in irregular crossings along our northern border.""We need to expand enforcement at the northern border today, and I call on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to reverse this decision," she added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D) doubled down on his position to resist the mass deportations that President-elect Donald Trump promised to implement on his first day in office next year.Johnston previously stated he would deploy the Denver Police Department to the county line to prevent federal and military forces from entering the jurisdiction. Johnston told KUSA he believes such an operation by the federal government would be "illegal," "immoral," and "un-American."Johnston noted that the city does not want an armed conflict with the federal government but said, "We would do everything we can to resist [deportations]. We would look at legal options. We'll look at ways to mobilize people civically. We'll look at civil disobedience. All of those are options."When pressed about whether the city will encourage people to protest, the mayor reiterated that the city will look at all options.When asked about incoming border czar Tom Homan's warning of arresting leaders who interfere with deportation plans, Johnston said he is willing to get arrested during a protest if he believes an operation the federal government is carrying out is illegal.'Read about that and don't cross that line, because it’s a felony to harbor and conceal an illegal alien from ICE.'"I'm not afraid of that, and I'm also not seeking that. I think the goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people on how to solve hard problems," he said, going on to make misleading claims that the Biden-Harris administration worked on "restricting entry at the border."Johnston also compared himself to former Colorado Governor Ralph Lawrence Carr (R), who opposed throwing American citizens of Japanese descent into internment camps during World War II. "If the president or any of his actors are going to do things that we think are illegal or immoral or un-American, we'll stand up against those," he added. Johnston is the latest Democrat to publicly oppose the planned deportation operations of the new Trump administration. Los Angeles City Council member Hugo Soto-Martinez told CNN the city stands with the illegal immigrant community."But what we are sending as L.A. City officials is that the city of Los Angeles will not participate in any collaboration with ICE and that we as city officials will do our best to keep families together and protect people," he said.Homan has warned Democratic leaders not to interfere with or obstruct any federal operations because doing so would violate Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324."They need to educate themselves. They need to review this: Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324. Read about that and don't cross that line, because it’s a felony to harbor and conceal an illegal alien from ICE. Don’t cross that line," Homan said last week.Homan made it clear that the operations will happen, with or without support from local leaders. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Donald Trump’s victory was a massive win for a lot of reasons but perhaps one of the biggest is the light it reflected on just how poorly the mainstream media is actually doing. Now, the hosts who have been spewing left-wing talking points and calling everyone they disagree with “Nazis” for the past eight years are starting to realize they’ve done something horribly wrong — and their livelihoods are now in jeopardy. “In the last two-plus weeks since the election, it has become obvious that the online media and the alt media, whatever you want to call it, has just completely surpassed the corporate media, and they do not know what to do,” Dave Rubin of “The Rubin Report” comments. And it’s not just the election results that have these mainstream hosts shaking in their boots. In a recent report from the New York Post, it was revealed that MSNBC’s parent company Comcast confirmed a “massive spinoff of its cable properties — with a top executive even suggesting the left-leaning network may be forced to change its name.” “The new entity could be cut off from the reporting muscle of NBC News,” the article continued, noting that Rachel Maddow, Chris Jansing, Katy Tur, and Joe Scarborough were among those alarmed by the news. “It could not happen to a more deserving group of people. None of you deserve the attention, you don’t deserve the money, you don’t deserve the fame, or any of it. You have all been paid to lie,” Rubin comments. Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.