Men march off to war, with Brian (Jamie Roy) leading the Frasers and Dougal MacKenzie (Sam Retford) at the head of the column, as Starz’s Outlander: Blood of my Blood season two, episode three, opens. Back at Castle Leoch, Colum MacKenzie (Seamus McLean Ross) and Ned Gowan (Conor MacNeill) are the only males at the dinner table, surrounded by the women left behind. Ned’s happy the family’s gathered together, but Colum is in a foul mood. Ellen (Harriet Slater) leaves the room rather than putting up with her brother.
(The following is a recap of season two, episode three – “Rabbits Don’t Swim” – and there are spoilers.)
Their meal’s interrupted with the arrival of James MacKinney (Ryan Fletcher) and a handful of his men. However, they’re not there to dine. James wants what he believes is his, declaring, “I’m claiming Leoch!”
James orders the castle searched and the servants locked up. Ellen finally realizes what’s going on and manages to hide before they see her. She runs to a secret passage and watches the dining hall without fear of being spotted.
James helps himself to Colum’s food and claims he doesn’t have anything against the ladies gathered. Everyone returns to their seats as he declares the castle is his. James specifically asks Ned to stay on, since he’s a talented legal advisor.
Mrs. Fitzgibbons (Sally Messham) is brought in and Jamie compliments her cooking. He asks her to stay, and she declines, saying she serves the MacKenzie. James punches her in the stomach and Colum stands up for her, reminding him that his anger’s misplaced.
James is sure Red Jacob would have named him the new leader.
He orders the women locked up, assuring them they’ll be safe as long as they aren’t troublemakers. Once it’s just James, his son, Robert, and Colum and Ned, they get down to business. James wants all the keys and money, but Colum refuses to hand them over. He informs James that everything is in Ellen’s name, and Ned confirms the deed is registered. Even if James kills Colum, Castle Leoch remains in Ellen’s name. And Ellen could be anywhere.
A flashback reveals that Colum and Dougal always found Ellen when she hid as a child because she behaved like a proper lady and didn’t climb. Her dad told her she needed to do the unexpected and forget about following the rules. “They see you as a lass first, but you’re more than that, Ellen MacKenzie,” Red Jacob gently explained, adding, “When the fox hunts rabbits, he doesn’t look in the loch.” Ellen understood that’s because rabbits don’t swim – and ladies don’t climb. Her dad suggested that their blindness should be Colum and Dougal’s downfall.
All of this goes through Ellen’s mind as she remains hidden.
One of the MacKinney men accompanies the women, and Jocasta (Sadhbh Malin) is sharp enough to spot an arrowhead protruding from a crack. She quickly steps out of the way and Ellen kills the man with a shot to the chest. Ellen orders them to take his weapons and follow her.
Maura (Bobby Rainsbury) is furious that she shot the man, firmly believing James MacKinney won’t harm them. Ellen orders her to be quiet and stay seated. All the weapons went with the men to battle, so they can’t arm themselves. But Ellen assures them Colum is safe because they need him to get to her.
Ellen makes her way around at night and sees two men on guard. She reports back to the women that all the exits are being watched. They determine there were seven men total and Ellen wonders why he brought so few men.
Ellen believes that James’ opinion that all women are weak and defenseless is his weakness. She wants to use the oil lamps as weapons.
In the dining hall, James is furious that the deed appears legitimate. He swears he’ll make Ellen sign it over or marry him. Colum is enraged but trips when he stands, and Ned is punched when he assists him. And finally James reveals the truth – Lord Lovat is siding with the Crown and Dougal and his men are marching to their deaths!
James witnessed Lovat sign a pact with Argyll, swearing loyalty to the Crown.
Ellen and the women put their plan into action, and one man is immediately killed. Ellen deliberately stands in the hallway when a man approaches and won’t move when she’s told to. He’s walking into a trap and she lowers a gate, disarming him when he puts his knife out to cut her. The man threatens her life, and Ellen calmly calls in the dogs, Titus and Ferox. They finish him off for her.
Maura is still resisting Ellen’s efforts, and the others are also concerned James will want vengeance. Ellen knows his anger will make him blind to what’s really going on.
James is growing antsy, sure his men should have already found Ellen. He warns that he’ll beat her until she learns obedience. But Colum knows something James doesn’t. He tells James that there’s a man who will come for Ellen and absolutely nothing will stop him. James laughs, thinking he’s talking about Dougal. Colum smiles, as does Ned, knowing the fury “this man” will unleash.
James is certain they’re bluffing. Colum says, “When you meet him, you’ll wish I was.”
Meanwhile, Dougal, Brian, and Murtagh (Rory Alexander) are busy slaughtering redcoats, aware they’ll be facing many more once word gets back of their attack.
Back at Castle Leoch, the women continue to fight back. Ellen’s sister Janet (Ailsa Davidson) uses herself as bait and two of the remaining men follow her into a room, believing she’s cornered. She screams, “Now!” and a tapestry falls over them. The women attack with the stolen knives and kill them. Unfortunately, one of the men stabbed Janet before the tapestry fell. She’s gravely injured and gives Ellen instructions for her funeral.
Ellen comforts her as she’s dying, saying, “Ye’re the bravest of us all, sister.” She whispers to Janet that she’s pregnant and if she has a daughter, she’ll bear her name. They pray as Janet passes away. (Janet died from a fever at age 24 in Diana Gabaldon’s books. However, this death makes sense in the Blood of my Blood timeline.)
Maura insists this madness must end and she’s going to speak with MacKinney instead of staying with them.
Ellen is almost caught crying in the hallway but manages to step into the belltower, hands shaking. A flashback shows that her father told her to stay still and patient and make sure of her mark before she strikes. Anger can ruin your aim.
Ellen steels herself and watches the bats flutter in the loft.
Maura enters the dining hall, and James demands to know where Ellen’s hiding. Maura warns him he should go quietly and if he does, she won’t tell her uncle what happened here. Robert holds her and forces her to her knees. Maura claims she doesn’t know where Ellen is. James is furious his men haven’t returned from their search.
Two men chase Ellen and she returns to the loft area with the bats. The men lock the door after stepping into the room. She evades them and strikes the bell. Everyone in the dining hall hears it ring, and the bats fly into the room. Ellen uses the distraction to kill the men.
Ellen leads the women into the dining hall, bow drawn. James grabs Maura and holds a knife to her throat. Ned and Colum are still on the ground, and Ned nudges Colum to pick up a nearby sword. James and Ellen exchange words and as Ellen’s telling him he only sees what he expects, Colum stabs him in the side. Ellen finishes him off with a shot to the heart.
She whispers, “Rabbits do swim,” into his ear as he dies.
Colum and Ned quickly fill Ellen in on Lovat’s deal with the Crown. Ellen’s shocked but also is adamant that Brian is not part of the plot to kill Dougal.
The scene switches to the battlefield and Lord Lovat’s arrival. Since a few redcoats survived, Lord Lovat (Tony Curran) believes they should divide up. The Fraser men will take the loch road while Dougal takes the other half on the drovers’ road. Dougal protests, convinced they should stay together. Brian also thinks it’s a bad idea, but Lord Lovat claims it will save lives to split up.
Lord Lovat has his way and says they’ll meet up in Inverness.
However, Brian continues to argue with his father about the decision. Lord Lovat admits he doesn’t trust him since he loves a MacKenzie, and then he drops a cryptic statement about losses that puzzles Brian.
Murtagh catches on that there’s something up with Lord Lovat, and Brian admits he’s worried about that, too.
Back at Castle Leoch, Ellen’s still angry that Maura walked away from them. But Ned and Colum confirm she tried to get MacKinney to leave by using her Grant name. Ellen realizes Maura didn’t reveal her location, and Maura is genuinely worried about Dougal riding to his death.
Ellen prepares to ride out to warn Brian and Dougal, and Jocasta offers Grace as her riding companion. Grace says she knows how to use a knife and is ready to defend them, if necessary. Maura assures Ellen she and the women will take care of Janet’s body and defend the castle.
Before Ellen leaves, Maura grabs her and begs her to bring Dougal home.
Ellen retrieves her father’s hidden arrows and tells her brother she’s going to let Brian know what’s going on. He’ll be able to stop this. Colum doesn’t apologize for hiring the Gallowglass to kill Brian. However, he acknowledges that Brian’s not a traitor and will always choose Ellen over his father.
Ellen doesn’t forgive Colum for the attempt on Brian’s life or choosing the clan over her. He seems genuinely sorry and says Leoch is still her home. She corrects him. “My home is with the man you couldn’t kill.”
They’re both incredibly stubborn. Colum won’t give up, and Ellen won’t accept his apology.
Julia Learns More About Henry’s Life in this Time Period
Julia (Hermione Corfield) is happy she’s figured out the direction of true north and is all smiles when Davina (Sara Vickers) walks in. Her smile fades when Lord Lovat requests her presence and has ordered wine to be poured. Julia has no choice, but when she walks into his room, he’s being pleasured by the new maid, Seema (Lauren McQueen). Lord Lovat told her that Julia needs instructions on pleasing him, and he forces her to watch. (If looks could kill, season two, episode three would be Lord Lovat’s last.)
Later, Julia is taking a bath when Seema walks in, shocked that Julia’s being kind to her. Seema explains that she knew a kind man when she was with the Grants, unaware the man she’s describing is Julia’s husband, Henry. She tells Julia they were intimate, but Henry was always thinking of his wife.
Seema says Henry was mad with grief after the Grants informed him that Julia was dead. He had a St. Anthony pendant that he thought would bring back Julia and Claire. Seema reveals Arch Bug sent her to Lord Lovat to watch for Henry in case he returns to steal Julia again.
Julia approaches Lord Lovat and requests that Seema be sent back to the Grants. Lord Lovat refuses and wants Seema around while he’s gone off to war to protect her.
After Lord Lovat leaves, Seema confesses she heard Julia suggest that she be sent back to the Grants. Julia claims it’s only because it reminds her of her kidnapping, and Seema begs her not to hold that against her.
- Outlander: Blood of my Blood season 2 episode 2, “The Veil of Time,” recap
- Outlander: Blood of my Blood season 2 episode 1, “Remembrance Day,” recap
- Season 1 finale recap
