Spoilers ahead for Episode 4 of Outlander Season 6, called “Hour of the Wolf.”
Outlander is officially halfway through its shortened eight-episode sixth season, and one key storyline that spanned several seasons seems to have been wrapped up by the end of “Hour of the Wolf.” The episode filled in the heartbreaking blanks of Young Ian’s years away with the Mohawk starting back in Season 4, and tied off the loose threads of Jamie’s work as Indian Agent to the Cherokee to seemingly end that plot. If that’s truly the case – combined with a decidedly creepy scene at the end of the hour involving Malva – then fans may want to prepare for new developments in the Christie drama.
So, with the second half of Season 6 beginning next week, let's look at what happened in "Hour of the Wolf" and what could happen next.
Young Ian Finally Told His Story (And Things Got Violent)
Jamie and his nephew arrived at the village to drop off the guns that Jamie obtained after deciding that his allegiance is to Young Ian, but the goal was complicated right off the bat when it turned out that Kaheroton, who had been Young Ian’s friend among the Mohawk, was visiting. Scotchee, another Indian Agent, proved to be very fond of Jamie’s whiskey, and pitched an illegal deal to him.
Young Ian finally told his uncle the tale of his time away, his wife who he called “Emily” when he couldn’t pronounce her Mohawk name, the child that they lost, and why he was driven away from the family he had built with the tribe. After Emily suffered a second miscarriage, it was believed among the Mohawk that he wasn’t strong enough for her, and she chose Kaheroton instead. Heartbroken, Young Ian was driven away and arrived at Fraser’s Ridge in Season 5, only to keep his story to himself until Season 6.
Unfortunately, Young Ian learned that Kaheroton and Emily successfully had a son, and he attacked his former friend. It ended when Jamie and Scotchee stepped in, but a drunken Scotchee offended Kaheroton, and the two men were set to duel. Ian offered Kaheroton one of Jamie’s pistols and Kaheroton asked Ian to return to the Mohawk and care for Emily and his son if he died. Scotchee ultimately cheated in the duel, but was thwarted before he could kill his foe, and Kaheroton decided to make him live with his cowardice rather than die for it.
Young Ian got as much closure as he could from Kaheroton, and then got the rest when he told Jamie that he never even saw the daughter who died, and she wasn’t baptized, so he fears that her soul is lost. Jamie told his nephew about what happened with Claire’s miscarriage all the way back in Season 2, and if you didn’t get the sniffles when Jamie suggested that his daughter could look out for Ian’s in heaven, then you’re a stronger Outlander fan than I am! Ian got his personal closure, and Jamie’s story seemed to wrap the plot with the Cherokee.
Jamie Shared The Future With The Cherokee
Brianna told her father about the Trail of Tears and terrible fate that awaited the Native Americans within a century after the American Revolution, and Jamie knew that 20 guns would not be enough to stave off the expanding colonists. But he couldn’t just not use what Bree told him, and took a different tack.
Sidestepping the fact that his family is full of time travelers, Jamie told Chief Bird that his wife and daughter have visions of the future, and warned him about the Trail of Tears that was coming no matter who they fought for in the coming war. Their best chance of survival may be to lay low and prepare rather than try to fight with their limited resources compared to what the colonizers will have.
This may be the kind of subtle time travel change that will actually work for the Frasers, as it could save lives without massively changing history, as would have happened if Jamie and Claire had successfully prevented Culloden. Either way, it seemed like the end of the story, particularly when Jamie came home and declared to his wife that he’s done being an Indian Agent. Plus, in the very same scene, Jamie and Claire started undressing to enjoy an intimate reunion… and unbeknownst to them, Malva was watching.
Why Malva Spying On Claire And Jamie Could Be A Game-Changer
Putting aside the fact that Jamie and Claire were practically begging to be caught in the act by not retreating to their bedroom, Malva looked awfully fascinated by what she was observing, and that could be dangerous considering it wasn’t all that long ago that she thought only "whores" could enjoy sex. Malva watching in secret presumably means that she won’t ask Claire about it, and almost certainly won’t go to her father or brother about it. If she decides to somehow act on what she saw rather than ask about it, then I can see disaster ensuing.
Admittedly, that’s partly because I’ve felt that Outlander has been using its fast pace to set up the Christies as the biggest threat to the Frasers in Season 6, partly fueled by Sam Heughan’s comments about Tom Christie’s “power play.” Malva had an unnerving expression on her face, and didn’t give any sign that she was planning on discretely retreating to let Claire and Jamie continue without her watching.
But what could it mean, if Malva acts on what she saw without truly understanding everything? She seemed to be attaching to Young Ian, which could be the start of a new storyline now that he seemingly sees a path ahead without mourning his life with Emily, and it’d be hard to blame her for considering marriage to get away from her abusive father. Or she could simply sow even more seeds of discontent if she gives her father reason to think less of Claire than he already does, although I don’t really see her telling him deliberately.
It’s hard to rule much out at this point, and it’s possible that Outlander won’t actually have the time to fully explore the Malva storyline this season with only four episodes left before the next Droughtlander. The good news is that Season 6 being cut short resulted in an expanded order for Season 7, so there should be plenty of time ahead for the Frasers to continue dealing with the coming war, and the not-so-little issue of the fire that is supposed to kill Claire and Jamie.
For now, you can look forward to new episodes of Outlander in the 2022 TV schedule on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz. If you want to revisit earlier days of the series, you can find the first four seasons streaming with a Netflix subscription now.
