![]() Even minor things, such as Marsali jokingly playing with tarot cards, lead to nightmares. The moments of hanging play constantly in his head. Three months following the traumatic events, Roger still can’t speak or sing despite Claire’s immediate medical attention. Both of these elements are key to making even the most devoted Roger critic feel empathy towards his plight. During this episode, the audience sees behind the burlap bag and can see Roger’s pained eyes and his labored breathing. Some of this work can be seen in the previous episode, as it is highly likely all of the hanging shots were filmed at the same time. Staging for silent film goes against everything most industry professionals are used to. ![]() Some fans may want to dismiss these scenes as a gimmick, but this is an absolute insult to the painstaking technical work which went into the episode. This silent nightmare might have been completely unbelievable if it wasn’t for Stephen Woolfenden’s direction and the physicality of Richard Rankin’s (Roger) performance. Also, these visual effects are designed to help people who have never read the books, which have an interiority that the visual medium is perhaps less equipped for. Viewers who may be stuck on the juxtaposition of 1920s Hollywood and death would do well to remember that this isn’t the first time the time-traveling characters have used modern pop culture references to relay emotions. Using a black-and-white silent movie (and tying it to Roger and Bree’s 20th century date) as a way to tie together Roger’s physical injuries, his mental state of entrapment, and how much he values his singing, is a brilliant structure on which to rest the whole episode. ![]() The challenge for this Season 5 episode is to present flashbacks and triggers in a way that is different from how earlier episodes have handled the sensitive and difficult-to-depict experience. PTSD or, as Bree calls it, shell shock, is a recurring theme in Outlander‘s plot. The return of a long-forgotten plot thread ( Young Ian’s departure last season to go live with the Mohawk people) not only sets up future conflicts but also contributes to the deep introspection of the episode, as Roger finds someone he can confide in about the trauma he has suffered. “Famous Last Words” may feel like a letdown from the height of the season, but this episode gives the characters most impacted by the battle time to mourn and to heal following last week’s gutting episode.
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