Written by Diana Gabaldon, Ronald D. Moore, and Matthew B. Roberts
Directed by Philip John

Je Suis Prest is the motto of Jamie’s Clan Fraser. It means, “I am ready.” This episode deals with getting the highland farmers ready to do battle with the British army.

Je Suis Prest picks up as Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) are traveling to join up with Prince Charles (Andrew Gower) and the other Jacobites. Not all of Lord Lovat’s men stay with them on the journey to meet up with Prince Charles. There are a number of desertions. When they meet up with the men from Lallybroch, Fergus (Romane Berrux) is very happy to see them. Dougal McKenzie (Graham McTavish) is also there, surprising Jamie and Claire. Only Angus (Stephen Walters) and Rupert (Grant O’Rourke) are with him.

They begin to drill the men. Claire flashes back to what it was like during World War II watching the same type of drills. Some things never change. She is concerned about Fergus being there and tries to shield him from it.

Jamie and Dougal clash over getting the men ready. Jamie has experienced war, Dougal hasn’t. Dougal thinks Jamie has a problem with Dougal’s past interactions with Claire. When Dougal confronts her, she tells him she knows he’s only there for his own interests.

Claire is lecturing Rupert and Angus about the implications of trench foot when she again flashes back to her experiences in World War II. She tells Jamie about it, but it’s hard for him to comprehend, except that she’s experienced the battlefield in a different form. Jamie offers to take her back to Lallybroch, but Claire doesn’t want to do that, either.

That night, they capture a British scout (Oscar Kennedy). He attempted to assault Jamie, having recognized him as “Red Jamie.” At first, the scout won’t answer any questions and says he is prepared to die. Then, Claire pretends that Jamie is keeping her prisoner, and they trick him into telling Jamie all that he knows. His name is William Gray. Jamie lets him go, meaning William now owes a debt of honor to Jamie. This will be important in future seasons. Using the information he gave them, Jamie and a few men steal the wheels from the canons of the British.

For Claire, this is one of the harder things she’s experienced. The flashbacks to World War II show that there were men she became acquainted with who died. When the war was over, she thought those days were behind her. Now, only a few years later, she’s on an ancient battlefield where she doesn’t have the same medicines and instruments that she had during the war. She knows many of the men who will be on the battlefield. They are people she has gotten to know at Castle Leoch and Lallybroch. In World War II, the men she saw die were mere acquaintances. Now, she is watching men she considers friends training for a battle she doesn’t believe they can win. Her demeanor changes over the course of the episode as she watches the men train. Shebegins to get anxious and skittish. Her normal self-assurance is teetering.

Jamie sees these changes and is concerned. He knows Claire has seen some terrible things in the future, and she normally doesn’t shy away from treating even the most grievously injured. Seeing a battle and the resulting injuries has her spooked, and he knows it, even without an understanding of what happens in the future (or her past).

At the same time, Jamie must confront the issue of discipline. The men he is bringing to the fight have never been part of an army before. They are farmers with weapons. He must instill discipline in them, and do so without driving the volunteers to desertion. Jamie blames himself for the scout discovering them, and takes his licks for it. This demonstrates that he doesn’t ignore his own mistakes and holds himself to the same standards he holds the men. It’s something Dougal would never have done.

Je Suis Prest is an episode that feels like a bit of filler, but it’s showing how a bunch of Highland farmers thought they were strong enough to take on the British army. There’s a hard line to tread with training them, especially since they all seem to think they really don’t need any training in the beginning. They are used to their battles between clans, and have no idea what it will be like to face the British army. At the same time, Jamie and Claire are both clever about using their wits, when possible, and this unconventional thinking is giving them a bit of an edge at this point. It’s also important to note Claire’s emotional journey here. I believe it’s the key to events that conclude the season with Jamie sending Claire back to her own time.

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