1x07 The Wedding

This whole episode focuses on the wedding and wedding night, mostly out of sequence. And it makes the episode that much more personal.

We start the episode with Claire's first wedding as a contrast to her present. To what she is most emotionally tied to and at odds wiht her current situation.

After the second wedding, Claire and Jamie must consumate the marriage in order for the wedding to be valid. Using Claire's reluctance to sleep with Jamie, an excuse to have Jamie and Claire get to know each other. Most of the episode is just them talking, about why Jamie agreed, about their families, about themselves, most of the storytelling shown in flashback scenes for the benefit of the viewer, to break the monotony and give breaks and flow the pacing. Outside of a technical point, having these two get to know each other is a lovely, to have them sorta speed date, trying to get to the deeper parts of conversation that would normally take weeks, if not months to get to. With each story, Claire sees Jamie for who he is (concerned for her emotional well being given the situation, reassuring her she is safe, and the more she sees, the more she truly starts falling for him. She sees the kind, soft, earnest young man who adores her. No longer sleeping with a stranger, but at the very least now someone she cares about. It's beautiful to watch the flashbacks to their wedding as Jamie recounts it with such awe and reverence, such importance, much like he sees Claire.

Though they have intercourse several times, each makes sense to where they are at with each other, in trust and emotions. The first time is all about consumating the marriage and all about Jamie's first time. It's awkward, over before it starts, and a bit uncomfortable for Claire. Jamie is so ready for this, as he truly loves her, but Claire has only gotten to the like him, but she also knows is still hung up on already being married. Though she has gotten to know Jamie, she still has a wall within her, still unsure. We also get a post conversation of Jamie's misconceptions about sex (which shows us how inexperience he is, as a whole, knowing little to nothing about sex), but it's also endearing when he asks Claire if she enjoyed it, how he shows that it's important that she enjoy it as much as him. He cares for her and love for her to care back.

After the awkwardness and nerves of the first time, the walls continue to crumble between them. Jamie describes their wedding, as Claire was VERY hungover for it. Claire gets further into who Jamie is, how he sees her, what he feels for her and alot of it us love. And you can start to see her fall for him, maybe not in love, but def in like. The second time it's more lust filled, full of raw energy but also reverence. Taking their time to get to know the other's body. It's all about their enjoyment of each other.

The last moment is much more emotional. Jamie has given Claire his mother's pearls, a show of how much he will honor and charish her. It's one of the few things that he values, his last connection to his mother, are now hers. Something precious for someone precious. Their last moment is soft, slow, basking in the warmth glow of the fire. There is no lust, just love. Claire's walls have crumbled and she has let Jamie in.

All of the scenes are beautifully shot, trying to focus on the emotions each one conveys, nothing voyeristic or scandelous about them, just a focus on the characters and where they're at psychologically.

The ep ends with Claire finding her first wedding band, each ring on one hand and her in the middle. Torn between two lovers, two marriages and two fates.

Love the softness with which Claire treats Jamie after he feels disappointed that she didn't enjoy their first time. And how he's trying to be good for her.