*New* Toni Graphia interview with The Hollywood Reporter - *** 1x11 Spoilers ***

*New* Toni Graphia interview with The Hollywood Reporter – *** 1×11 Spoilers *** 4 comments

The Hollywood Reporter spoke with the episode’s writer, Toni Graphia, about the major moments of the night.

After the jump due to spoilers from 1×11

Why do you think Geillis sacrificed herself for Claire?

Geillis has been focused all along on saving her country. That’s why she traveled back through time. She is uppermost a patriot. However, when Claire refuses to renounce her in court, it stuns and moves her. Geillis doesn’t connect to anyone on an individual level — even her relationship with Dougal is bound up with their mutual goals for Scotland. We think of patriotism as involving nations, but the word patriot comes from a French word that means “fellow countryman.” And what Geillis saw was that Claire’s decision in that moment amounted to a personal patriotism. That’s why Geillis, in turn, made the decision to save Claire.

And it paves the way, ultimately, for Claire’s outpouring of the truth to Jamie in the next scene.

It’s such a big thing in the book when Claire reveals to Jamie that she’s from the future. To fit that in with the witch trial and do justice to both things, it’s almost like two disparate stories. There was talk in the beginning about mak[ing] it two separate stories. But of course I didn’t want that because I love both parts and I wanted them to work. She and Geillis baring their souls in the thieves’ hole to one another is [the] bridge to the scene with Jamie. Claire realizes it’s a shame for two people that love each other — or that are close especially in times of crisis — to not be who they really are with one another.

Claire’s reveal to Jamie feel like such a release, to hear her finally speak her truth out loud.

Ron has always said that even though Claire does all the talking, it’s Jamie’s scene. It’s all about his reaction.