Outlander: Jessica Reynolds on her character Malva Christie
Outlander's latest season six plot twist has sparked outrage among fans, with one particularly irate viewer suggesting a character "deserves a slap".
In the fourth season, time-travelling Claire (played by Caitriona Balfe) and her Highlander beau Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) along with their kin journeyed to America.
They eventually made a home in North Carolina, founding a settlement on a piece of land dubbed Fraser's Ridge, which has since been the backdrop for much familial strife and chaos over recent seasons.
With the second instalment of season seven set to drop later this month, enthusiasts have been vocal about the Frasers' saga to date.
Season six saw the introduction of the Christies, stirring up conflict, particularly when Malva (Jessica Reynolds), a young woman, falsely claimed Jamie fathered her child.
"This infuriates me the most," vented a fan on Reddit. "This is in my top 3 most hated storylines lol probably my most hated one because it feels so wrong.
"Sometimes I play the last one back a couple times just to watch Claire slap the hell outta Malva."
In the contentious scene where Malva confesses untruthfully, Claire loses control and strikes her in defence of her spouse.
Malva's contentious presence on the show has split viewers, especially as they discover her own harrowing past of mistreatment by her brother, Allan Christie (Alexander Vlahos).
Expressions of dissatisfaction emerged from one viewer who lamented: "This whole season was so implausible I almost stopped watching the series."
The frustration was mirrored by another, who commented: "I hated the whole storyline because how many episodes was wasted on that? Like half the season? I forgot. But, sooooooooo much more we could have gotten from other more important storylines."
Chiming in, a third fan added: "I read the books and I knew what was coming so when this was airing I had to quit watching. I just couldn't get through this and I had a difficult time this go around too."
Nevertheless, there were those who sympathised with Malva, crediting the show's complex characterisation.
An outpouring of empathy came from one individual: "I have so much sympathy for Malva. Her storyline is heartbreaking," while another stated emphatically: "Once you learn how f****d up her life has been, you get a little bit of sympathy back."
The debate continued, as one person observed: "Honestly, phenomenal writing and acting... This scene has you hating her and it feels justified that Claire slaps her. You know she's lying but why does she want to hurt Claire?"
That insight was further developed by someone who suggested: "Then you learn the real reason later and it's like, maybe Malva used the narrative people would believe, not the one that was true."
They questioned fellow enthusiasts if the storyline stands out as a pinnacle or if it's better left unwatched during series reruns.
Outlander season seven part two premieres on Friday, November 22, on MGM+ via Prime Video in the UK and on Starz in the US.
