Is Outlander's Fergus Actually The Son Of A Ruthless Fraser Adversary? Read Episode 4 Recap

Could "Outlander" resident Frenchman Fergus actually be the son of a very rich, very shady, and very Fraser-unfriendly man from Claire and Jamie's past?

That's the question at hand in this week's episode, which spends most of its time moving various residents of Fraser's Ridge into place ahead of a notable Revolutionary War battle. (But not that battle, aka the one that's occupied Jamie's thoughts since the beginning of the season. That's still about a year off.)

Elsewhere: Amaranthus gets jealous! Jamie gets acquainted with a new cousin! Elspeth Cunningham gets drunk! Read on for the highlights of "Muskets, Liberty, and Sauerkraut."

Jamie has changed his mind about Brianna and Roger going into Savannah to get guns, mainly because Frank's book has given him intel about the battle that will end the British siege of Savannah. The colonial army won't win, but the fighting also won't reach the city center — so they should be safe at Fergus and Marsali's place. (Mandy and Jem will stay on the ridge.)

Jamie gives them a letter to deliver to Lt. Col. Francis Marion, who might be willing to help arm their nascent militia. (Side note: Anyone remember The Swamp Fox TV show?) Roger is taken aback that it's that formal, but Jamie says they have no choice... other than joining Cleveland's Overmountain Men, which he has no desire to do.

They hide the gold bars, as well as some whiskey, at the bottom of some casks of sauerkraut. And as Bree and Roger unveil their pungent presents when they arrive in the city, they inform Marsali and Fergus of their plan. Later, when they're all enjoying a wee dram in the front room of the Savannah house, someone throws a rock through the window, then tears down the sign outside. Has someone figured out that the printshop is producing seditious materials? Who knows? Marsali says flatly; because their public-facing work is impartial, everyone hates them. "Just the life of a news printer in these troubled times," Fergus adds.

Jamie returns home from collecting rents with some sobering intel: Like Cunningham said, most of the Fraser's Ridge settlers are loyal to England. And those who aren't are not likely to publicly step up and join a militia. Though he knows the Ardsmuir men will back him, as will a few more, there aren't enough to populate a small army — so Jamie's got to recruit from outside his property.

Claire suggests evicting Cunningham, but Jamie says it won't solve anything and might cause bigger problems. Then he points out that he's not sure if Frank's book is accurate or not, but regardless, they need to be ready.

While Jamie, Ian, and Josiah are recruiting, Ian runs into a man that a man who says he knows Roger and Bree from Scotland is about; Jamie instantly suspects Rob Cameron has entered ye olde chat. But when Jamie approaches the man, gun cocked, we see that it's actually Buck! He's there to tell them "Rob Cameron won't be bothering them again." He also wants to return "Roger's wee book — don't let it fall into the wrong hands a second time."

Meanwhile, Elspeth Cunningham arrives at the big house one evening when just Claire and Fanny are there. The older woman fell and dislocated her shoulder; after Claire and Fanny help her pop it back into the socket, they give her a little whiskey and ask her to stay the night. She gets tipsy and instantly becomes about 300 percent more palatable.

Captain Cunningham comes to the big house to collect his mother the next morning. He pointedly asks where Jamie is; Claire reports he's away on business. "You have a very fine home. It must feel very empty with him away, and you here all alone," he says menacingly. But Claire stands her ground, and the Cunninghams eventually leave.

Jamie eventually returns, bringing Buck back to the house, introducing him to Claire, and informing him that he can stay on the ridge for as long as he likes. Meanwhile, Rachel delivers the troubling news to Ian that a retaliatory raid on the part of the Continental Army up north might have destroyed the Native American village where his former wife and son live. A stricken Ian immediately decides that he needs to see for himself, and a somber Rachel agrees — and says she and Oggy will go, as well. Jamie asks Ian to stop at a Philadelphia brothel along the way to ask the women there what they know about Fanny and her family. Then, after Ian promises to be back for the battle Frank's book foretells, Jamie blesses the young family and their journey.

Bree arrives at Lord John's house, which delights William and Lord John and greatly unsettles Amaranthus, who is awkward and then scurries away with Trevor. After Lord John leaves them alone to chat, Bree doesn't waste time bringing up their shared parentage. "The day we met in Wilmington, did you know what we were to each other?" he wonders. She admits that she did, then apologizes for not telling him. He warmly accepts her apology. "I' wouldn't have known how to respond to such a revelation at the time," he says... then adds that he still doesn't.

When William tracks down Amaranthus later, she's sulkily reading in the gazebo. She spits that he should seek out Brianna if he wants company. "Brianna is my sister!" he shouts, then explains his whole, messy origin story. She's relieved. "I enjoy your company," he tells her, the way between smoothed. "May I be so bold as to presume you enjoy mine?" He's right, of course, and she says as much. Then they flirt by her suggesting he dump his title by marrying her, then abdicating the mantle to their firstborn. He doesn't hate the idea.

That night, Bree gets Lord John to admit that while he does want Brianna to paint a portrait of Amarathus and Trevor, the main reason he asked her to come to Savannah was to help William through his complicated feelings about Jamie. After all, she, too, was a young adult when she learned that Big Red was her dad. She gently chides him that he could have told her the truth, and he looks appropriately sheepish but reminds her that maybe she and Roger aren't being entirely upfront about their main motivation for visiting, either?

Anyway, "If there's one trait that James Fraser has successfully passed to all his children, it's stubbornness," the Brit says, frustration seeping into his tone. But just as quickly, he grows teary as he confesses that he's worried William will get "lost" and have a hard time finding his way back to himself. Bree understands: It's a common parental fear. She says she'll see what she can do, and Lord John kisses her hand in gratitude. (Side note: I always forget, in both the books and the show, how much I like when these two get a chance to talk to each other — especially when no one else is around. Very nice work here by both David Berry and Sophie Skelton.)

Fergus meets with Percy, who announces, "I wish to acquaint you with the facts of your birth." Then he tells Fergus that he is the son of the Comte St. Germain, which is a huge deal. You Oldlanders who've been watching the show since Season 2 know that, while the Frasers were living in Paris, St. Germain got mad that Claire meddled in his business. So he arranged for a violent attack on Claire and Mary; he later poisoned Claire.

Fergus scoffs at Percy's announcement, calling it "preposterous." The explanation is complicated, but basically, Le Comte got sick of Amelie, who was one of his ladies. So he drugged her with opium, and sold her to a brothel while she was pregnant. She's dead. St. Germain is believed dead. His estate is being held in a trust... and Percy thinks Fergus should lay claim to it. Fergus reminds Percy that evenif he is a St. Germain, he's a bastard, with no legal claim to anything. But Percy produces what looks like a marriage contract between Amelie and St. Germain, so: "Allow me to congratulate you, sir. You are not a bastard."

But what might Percy want from all of this, Fergus wonders? Part of the estate is a large parcel of land in the new world, and Percy representing some interests in Paris who want to establish a French colony populated by French settlers on that land. But the Comte's lawyer won't sell. But if Fergus is proven to be a legitimate heir, Percy's associates will pay a lot for the land.

At home, Fergus updates Marsali and relates some details he hadn't shared with Percy. He remembers Amelie well, though he never suspected that she might be his mother. The other prostitutes mockingly referred to as "the countess" for her haughty manner, but it might've been a more apt nickname than any of them realized. And though Amelie wasn't a fan of any of the children born in the brothel, she hated Fergus more than the rest. When she died of a "morbid sore throat" (likely diphtheria) when Fergus was 6, she summoned him to her room to say "be a good boy."

Fergus is filled with anger to think that he's the son of the same man who tried to kill Claire in France way back. And he doesn't trust Percy, whom he suspects is as willing to sell his services — in several senses of the word — to the highest bidder. Plus, would selling the land to these Parisian interests potentially result in French rule in the new world, which likely wouldn't be any better than the current British one?

But Marsali knows there's something more going on, so she gently presses her husband, and he eventually tells her: To accept Percy's offer would be to state publicly that Le Comte St. Germain is his father... and Jamie is not. Though learning that a great man is your dad is the dream of any orphan, he notes, "I'm already the son of a great man." Marsali's sweet face displays what I'm feeling at this moment: Aw, guys!

Roger finds Francis Marion, who seems open to helping arm the Fraser's Ridge militia... until he realizes that the Fraser in question is the one who resigned his commission when his wife was wounded. Marion says Jamie narrowly escaped court-martial and hanging, and "I can't afford to give what I do have to someone who's already lost the Continental Army's trust." So it's a hard no — and Roger isn't allowed to leave the camp. The Continental Army is planning to attack in a few days' time, and in order to prevent deserters from informing the Redcoats, no one is permitted to go. So Roger's choices are wait it out at the camp, or fight. Roger acknowledges that he's "no good with a rifle — but if they can get him a sword, he'll go into battle with Marion's men. Marion claps him on the shoulder, pleased, and that's that.

Now it's your turn. What did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments!