Many Outlander: Blood of My Blood males attempt to bat Ellen MacKenzie around as if she were a tiny, ginger kitten in this week’s episode. Oh, you silly boys: This kitten’s got claws — and a mind that’s even sharper. Our girl figures out a way to strengthen the clan and help both of her brothers save face. And does anyone say thank you?!
Meanwhile, over at Castle Leathers, Julia’s playing 4-D chess with a man who’d be lucky to win a game of Tiddlywinks. (Yeah, I’m talking about Simon.) I hate what she has to do to achieve her goal, though. And elsewhere, doesn’t it seems like the show makes a big change in what we know of MacKenzie family history? Read on for the highlights of “School of the Moon.”
‘TIME TO SAY YOUR DAILY PRAYERS’ | The last time we saw Brian and Ellen together, you’ll recall, they were having Very Meaningful Yet Rather Chaste Hand Touches on the bridge. When this episode opens, they’re making out in the grass, her skirts rucked up and his hand on her bare leg. Life comes at you fast in the Highlands, apparently. “Tell me this is real,” she breathes (which is our first signal — aside from good old common sense — that maybe it isn’t). “Tell me what you want, how to please you,” he says softly, and she moves his hand higher in response. Consent is sexy, even (especially!) in the 1700s, which means there are nearly flames coming off them as he asks, “Are you ready? Truly ready?” Ellen nods, and pretty soon she’s writhing right there on the heather. (This scene gave me big Outlander Season 1, Episode 11 feelings. You remember, right? Right before Jamie took Claire back to Craig na Dun for the first time? With the fire, and the… watching?)
Brian gazes at her, then leans in to whisper, “Time to say your daily prayers.” Is that what they called it back then? Oh wait, those words actually come from Mrs. Fitz, who is waking Ellen up from her very detailed, just-about-to-get-good dream. Boo, Mrs. Fitz.
The maid sees Ellen’s smiley demeanor and assumes it’s because of the development everyone is buzzing about: Ellen is betrothed to Malcolm Grant — which is news to the bride-to-be.
TAKING ONE FOR MCTEAM | The incensed redhead beelines it to Colum, who doesn’t care that his sister doesn’t want to marry Malcolm: The union will go a long way in mending things between their families and strengthening Clan MacKenzie. She argues that she can stay at Leoch and counsel whichever brother winds up running things, but he doesn’t want to hear it: “Da’s promises died with him, and so did your privileges,” he says coldly.
Colum’s pronouncement is a huge betrayal; they were close, and as she reminds him, she cared for him “when you were broken.” (More on that later.) His rebuttal? Everyone has to do what’s best for the clan, period. When Ellen takes her grievance to Dougal, he intimates that he’d rescind the order if he’s made laird. Yet later, Jocasta whispers to Ellen that Dougal — who is making promises to Stuart supporters in his campaign to run the clan — has promised his sister’s hand to a Jacobite leader in exchange for that faction’s vote.
SIMON’S PLAN | At Castle Leathers, Murtagh is grumpy and sulking because Ellen has been promised to another… which Brian definitely did not know. Simon, however, is gleeful when he finds out about the marriage plans (which he demands that Brian deliver to him while he’s using the bathroom, which is a scene I didn’t need to see!). Apparently Isaac Grant is Simon’s ally, and if Simon can break the engagement, it’ll strengthen his alliance with the Grants. (Yeah, I’m not super clear on why, but let’s just go with it.) So Simon hatches a plot to ruin Ellen’s reputation, which will bring an end to the engagement. Brian doesn’t love that plan, because it’ll destroy his just-acquired soulmate’s social standing, but Simon is off and running.
When the older man leaves, a reinvigorated Murtagh is like, “AHA!” He points out that Brian knew Simon wouldn’t permit the marriage, and he assumes that’s why young Fraser told his da. Also, he reasons, if Ellen’s reputation is sullied, Murtagh may be the one that she settles for. Way to keep it real, Murty.
FLUNKING OUT OF ‘SCHOOL OF THE MOON’ | In a flashback, we see the night that Dougal and Colum went on their first cattle raid without their father. (Ellen wanted to go, too, but Red Jacob shut that down real quick.) The boys’ “School of the Moon” session went sideways when Colum’s horse got spoked and threw him, badly injuring him. Dougal brought his brother home, enraging Jacob, who couldn’t believe his sons had abandoned the raid.
In the weeks that followed, Jacob continued to be mad that Colum wasn’t healing well. Colum told his father that what happened was Dougal’s fault, because he deviated from the plan by trying to collect a bounty from the MacDonalds. When Dougal left, the raiders went with him. “Did the men have no faith in you as a leader?” Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer. “It’s of no consequence now — you’re naught but a cripple.” He storms out, and when Column flings himself out of bed and tries to follow to plead his case, he falls down the stairs.
Later, Ellen oversees her father punishing Dougal for his actions, as well, whipping the younger man until he bleeds.
(Point of order, Outlander faithful: The original series established that Colum’s mobility issues stem from Toulouse-Lautrec syndrome, a genetic disorder. But here, the spinoff seems to insinuate that his condition is the result of his being thrown from a horse. When you get down to the comments section, discuss!)
When Ellen gets a moment alone with Dougal, she points out that there’s a good chance the Grants will side with James MacKinney, the other man who’s been lobbying hard to become laird of the clan, and Dougal is a giant idiot for not realizing that himself. Then she summons Ned and asks him to reason with her brothers once more, slipping him some notes she’s written up to aid him in his mission.
‘YOU’VE MANAGED IT ARTFULLY’ | The next day, everyone gathers in the great hall for the oath-taking ceremony. Ellen and her sisters watch from the balcony. Henry is there with the Grants. Colum and Dougal enter in regal fashion, accompanied by a bagpiper. There’s a hush as the MacKenzie men address the crowd. Colum tells everyone that he wants to rule but admits he’s no warrior; if there’s war, he promises, “I will defer to my brother, Dougal, as war chieftain.” Dougal then makes a speech about how he’ll be Colum’s “legs and sword arm in the field,” and kneels as he offers his brother his loyalty. Then Colum joins him on the ground, promising Dougal his fealty in times of war. (This, of course, was Ellen’s master plan.) Once it’s established that all of this is Scottish-kosher, the rest of the men in the room — including MacKinney — line up to pledge their support.
“You’ve managed it artfully,” Janet tells Ellen, “as Da would have.”
JULIA DOES WHAT MUST BE DONE | Now let’s check in on Julia, whose pregnancy has not escaped Davina’s gimlet eye. Given that Julia has been at Castle Leathers for more than a month and hasn’t had her period, Davina suggests that the new maid take an abortifacient to “bring down the flowers” aka incite miscarriage. Julia shrewdly observes that “you didn’t do that — Brian calls you ‘Ma.’” But it doesn’t matter: Davina says if Julia doesn’t get rid of her baby, Simon will do it himself. Julia, worried, maintains that she’s not knocked up.
Meanwhile, New Gowan connects Henry with a local madam he says can help him find the woman he’s looking for. Henry describes Julia to her and says he’ll pay for the search.
At the end of the hour, as she pens her latest letter to Henry, Julia describes how she’s constantly watched while at Castle Leathers, and there’s no way to escape. “So forgive me for what I’m about to do,” she writes/voiceovers. Then she slips into Simon’s room at night and takes off her gown. Because if he thinks that he got her pregnant, there’s a chance the baby can survive. “Come and warm yourself, my English rose,” he says all sleazy and gross and somehow totally unquestioning of why such a gorgeous, seemingly willing creature has suddenly appeared in his quarters ready to get down. GOD, GIVE ME THE CONFIDENCE OF THIS WORM OF A MAN.
Source: tvline.com