The episode begins in 1945, immediately following World War II. Claire Randall (Catriona Balfe), a former British combat nurse, is reuniting with her husband, Frank Randall (Tobias Menzies), a history professor and former intelligence officer. They travel to Inverness, Scotland, for a "second honeymoon" to reconnect after five years of separation.
While collecting botanical samples, Claire visits the standing stones at Craigh na Dun, a location they had watched locals performing a pagan ritual at during Samhain (Halloween). When she touches the central stone, she experiences a chaotic, disorienting sensation—described in voiceover as akin to a car accident—and is suddenly transported back in time to 1743. outlander s01e01 x264