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How long can a person wear a mask before it becomes part of who they are? In Outlander: Blood of My Blood, every character is hiding something — sometimes to protect a life, sometimes to preserve a lie. Throughout episodes 7-9, secrets and identity intertwine.
Episode 7, Luceo Non Uro, begins with a raid on Clan Grant’s cattle. With both the McKenzies and Murtagh suspected (the former by Arch Bug and the latter by Malcolm Grant) , a reluctant Henry is given the job of discovering who the thief is. By wearing the mask of bladier, he is able to move freely with some authority, but the fact remains that he is bound by a false name and forced to play a role that he does not want.
Meanwhile, Ellen watches as Mrs Fitzgibbons begins to prepare her wedding sheets, enduring the older woman’s musings as to Malcolm Grant’s prowess. She too is wearing a mask. Her reluctance is not due to reticence at consummating the union, not has she “come around to the idea of marriage”, as the older woman suggests. Rather, Ellen must keep up the pretence for the sake of clan politics and to keep her true love, Brian, safe from retribution. When a frustrated Colum enters the room and tells her that they can’t dilly dally, she tries to delay, pointing out that the Grants will think them cheap. Colum’s retort is to give her until the Sabbath to have everything ready, adding that he expects a report at the end of the day.
For Julia, the mask is one of her son’s identity. With Brian’s help, she undertakes one small act of reclaiming some power in a world that has taken nearly all her choices from her. Commenting that Lovat has taken both her dignity and liberty, Julia is determined that her son will have his own name, one that is given in love before she is forced to participate in a public deception at the official christening. Brian does the honours, upon the holy ground of the church and with the holy iron of his sword, formally naming the child William Henry Beauchamp.
At the christening itself, the small congregation of women, who had been so damning of Julia at the baby’s birth, are now wearing the masks of social convention, giving their congratulations to the household. Lovat is not satisfied at the small turnout, stalling the minister from beginning the service and sending Davina Porter to find what is keeping Julia and Brian. Outside, the masks fall away, as Julia confesses that she doesn’t want to go through with the proceedings. But Davina reminds her that Julia now has what she had wanted: the protection of the clan name for her child. She reasons that Lovat is unlikely to lie with Julia while she is still bleeding and will probably be on the lookout for another conquest before too long. Inside the church, the christening begins, with Julia and Brian sharing a small conspiratorial smile when the question is asked if the child has already been baptised.
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Things are going from bad to worse for the McKenzies when Ned Gowan reveals that the Grants suspect them of the cattle raid. The chief suspect is Dougal, who has not returned to the castle as expected. He is apparently at a cattle auction at the House of Nairn, but Ellen reveals this to be another mask: there are no cattle at the House of Nairn. Rather the Lord and Lady are known Jacobites. If Dougal has gone there to show loyalty to the Jacobite cause and pledge McKenzie gold, this will spell disaster, given that the Grants are loyalists. Ellen says that she will go to intercept Dougal, under the guise of paying a visit to Lady Margaret with the purpose of inviting her to the wedding. This mask raises the stakes further. As Colum laments to Ned, the fate of the clan now lies with Ellen.
After the christening, more masks are dropped. Lovat is scheming by having the baby baptised in a protestant church. This has been done purely to satisfy the prophecy, since no kings are allowed to be Catholic. He also plans to falsify official documents by inviting the reverend to the castle the following day, to complete the paperwork in private.
Outside the church, Murtagh punches Brian and angrily rejects his friend’s defences that he had already fallen in love with Ellen before he knew who she was. Brian had kept Murtagh in the dark because he hadn’t wanted to hurt him, but this is another mask ripped away that has caused harm. Murtagh wants nothing more to do with Brian, but still obeys Lovat’s orders. Lovat is sending both Murtagh and Brian to the House of Nairn, in order to decide which will be the best political side to take at the upcoming meeting. Brian doesn’t want to attend, but has no choice when Lovat threatens to harm Davina should he refuse. After Brian leaves the church in disgust, Lovat reveals the extent of his plans to his servant, Balloch. Having bribed the minister with a tidy sum, the wedding will take place the following day, in Brian’s absence.
It is a meeting between two clan bladiers - Ned Gowan and Henry - that finally reveals the truth of the cattle theft. The thief is not Dougal, but none other than Rob Roy McGregor, a known Jacobite. With his own mask of twentieth century knowledge firmly in place, Henry warns Ned against the McKenzies joining the Jacobite cause. Remaining loyalists is the wisest course of action, Henry says and Gowan agrees, commenting that he now feels a whole lot better and hopes that Henry feels the same. But Henry drops his mask to tell Gowan that their business is concluded because he plans on disappearing for good, as he is unable to stay without Julia.
The only humorous moments of the episode come in the plan hatched between Julia and Davina to thwart Lovat’s consummation plans by seasoning his food with berries that will render him unable to perform. The women allow themselves a gleeful giggle when looking at the drooping flower from which the berries come. It is a brief moment of hilarity, but much welcomed!
At the House of Nairn, Ellen has found Dougal, but not before the meeting has begun. Rob Roy stirs the crowd into a fervour for the Jacobites, none more so than Dougal, who publicly promises both Ellen’s dowry money and men to the cause. Ellen hisses her disapproval, but has also seen Brian in the crowd, while Murtagh watches the look that passes between them. Emotions are high everywhere.
Henry has returned to the brothel out of a sense of decency to farewell the whore who he had mistaken for Julia in his previous delirium. She is more than happy to wear the mask of wife and is devastated when he rejects her and asks for the return of Julia’s necklace. In return, Henry gives her money to help her start a new life, and tells her that he must go alone to Craig Na Dun.
At the House of Nairn, Ellen resumes the mask of innocent bride-to-be when Malcolm Grant strides into the room. Quickly, Ellen explains her presence by telling the planned story about visiting Lady Nairn with a wedding invitation and how worried she was to find Dougal there, fearing his recklessness at joining the Jacobite cause would jeopardise their wedding. Grant believes her but urges her to leave, as he hasn’t come alone. Redcoats appear to arrest Rob Roy, but decide to arrest others as well, under suspicion of being Jacobites. Brian causes a distraction by firing his pistol into the ground and allowing everyone to flee. In the chaos, Ellen and Brian share a brief moment of affection, where Ellen tells him that she is sure that Clan Grant will now deem her unsuitable to be wed. Unfortunately, their tenderness is witnessed by Dougal, and a standoff between Dougal and Ellen begins, each promising tell the other’s secret as they ride away. Brian and Murtagh escape too, although Murtagh refuses Brian’s offer to ride on his horse.
The moment of reckoning has come at Castle Leathers. Lovat has arranged a wet nurse for the baby, the reverend has arrived and Julia is forced to marry. As he predicted in the church, Lovat’s large sum of money has convinced the reverend to falsify the records, with the wedding and birth dates written to make the birth legitimate. All that remains is to consummate the marriage.
Henry is racing for Craig Na Dun, when he is intercepted by Arch Bug. The whore has informed them where Henry would be and he has no choice but to return with them back to Castle Grant, where he must undertake a particular task.
Back at Leoch, Mrs Fitzgibbons finds the Fraser tartan from the hand fasting and assumes it to belong to Murtagh. Ellen doesn’t correct her, only crying out to stop her from throwing the tartan into the fire. Immediately, Mrs Fitzgibbons advises another mask: Ellen must hide the tartan well, for everyone’s sakes. But it is too late. Ellen is summoned to the great hall, where she finds not only Dougal and Colum, but also Ned and Henry. A letter has been received at Clan Grant that calls Ellen’s purity into question. Henry is apologetic, as Ned explains that a test must be performed to prove her virtue is in tact.
All masks are dropped back at Castle Leathers, when Brian returns to find that not only has Lovat married Julia in his absence, but that his father is also aware of his love for Ellen and has wasted no time in making sure that Ellen’s purity is called into question, gleefully musing whether or not his enemies will survive the scandal. The only thing not going to plan for Lovat is the consummation, with the berry concoction working perfectly and leaving him unable. As he calls for more stew to fortify him, we watch his servant dispatching the reverend, to ensure that no-one will ever know of the falsified documents. Later, as Lovat sleeps, Julia wanders the castle, where she discovers a letter and recognises the handwriting and signature at once. The episode ends with the dropping of another mask - Julia now knows that Henry Grant is her Henry Beauchamp - but how will she get to him?
In episode 8, “A Virtuous Woman”, a physician has been called to Castle Leoch to determine Ellen’s innocence. As the episode begins, Ellen is being prepared for her purity test. The gentle bath, oils and soft fabrics that Mrs Fitz is using to gently anoint ellen’s body is contrasted with the medical implements being laid in the main hall, implements that look more like torture devices than medical equipment. Dougal and Colum look equally horrified by the instruments and inform the physician to do a manual examination that will result in a favourable result. Conversations begin: could Ellen have actually lost her virtue? Colum asks Dougal and Ned, who in turn speaks with Mrs Fitz. Mrs Fitz defends Ellen staunchly, fixing Ned with a look of disgust and saying “Shame on all of you.” Returning to Ellen’s chamber, the older woman assures ellen that all will be well, but the look on Ellen’s face indicates that this is far from guaranteed.
At Castle Leathers, Lord Lovat is packing for Aberdeen, determined to “take the waters” to restore his virility within two days, a pronouncement that fills Julia with horror. As he prepares to depart, Lovat tells Brian of the purity test. He is gleeful at the thought of a Mackenzie being deflowered by a Fraser. Brian responds by telling his father that he and Ellen had been hand fast and admitting his love for her. Lovat dismisses this admission out of hand, promising that on his return they will revel in the ruinous outcome and mocks the Mackenzie motto. As soon as Lovat, full of the thoughts of revenge, has left, Brian storms away, telling his mother that he is going to rescue his wife.
The next scenes revolve around women giving advice. Mrs Fitz is explaining the urine test to Ellen, who finally admits that she is not in fact, virtuous. Mrs Fitz blames Murtagh, which Ellen denies, but refuses to divulge Brian’s name. While Mrs Fitz begins to pray, at Leathers, Davina is trying to stop Brian from racing to Ellen’s rescue and pleads with Julia to help her convince him. When Brian explains that Ellen cannot pass the test she faces, Julia begins to concoct a plan. She can make an elixir that she has read about in a medical compendium that she is confident will actually fool the physician into believing Ellen’s virtue intact. Moreover, Julia plans to accompany Brian to Leoch, where she can disguise herself as a servant and go to Ellen to help. It is a noble offer, as Brian tells her that now is her chance to escape with William while Lovat is away. Julia explains to Davina that she has learned her husband is at Castle Grant, but nevertheless she wants to help Brian. She promises Davina that she will not let Brian do anything foolish and asks her to look after William, which the older woman agrees to do. It is obvious that a deep bond has formed between them.
Meanwhile Henry is accompanying Malcom to Leoch. Henry asks if it is true that Malcolm’s father has ordered the purity test and Malcolm confirms it. But Malcolm has no such doubts and speaks of his love for Ellen, describing her as spirited, generous and kindhearted. Obviously thinking of Julia, Henry says that when a woman like that is found, she should never be let go. Henry advises Malcolm to make his own judgements and promises to help him secure Ellen as his bride.
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Brian and Julia race to Leoch, but Brian stops at a fork in the road, to allow Julia to escape to Castle Grant. Julia refuses, saying that she needs to save Ellen first. It is ironic, of course, as Henry is already on his way to Leoch, but only the viewers know this.
At Leoch, Colum, Dougal, and Ned are looking over the dowry trunk and contract as Malcolm and Henry enter, anxious for the Grants to be satisfied with all the arrangements. But when Ned speaks of Davy Beaton and his trustworthiness, Henry interrupts to tell them that Isaac Grant has insisted on using his own physician, accompanied by a minister to observe. Both men are ushered into the hall by a smirking Arch Bug. Colum is angered by this, but Ned is quick to acquiesce, saying that the Grants must feel assured of the outcome.
Brian and Ellen have arrived at Leoch and recognising the Grants’ carriage, Brian urges them to hurry. Using the secret passage to get inside, Julia insists that Brian remain hidden while she goes to Ellen’s bedchamber. Brian reluctantly agrees.
Malcolm is distressed by the details of the procedure and worries that Ellen will blame him, so Henry offers to explain this to Ned. But as he waits to do so, he looks up just as Julia passes through the hallway. Unable to believe what he is seeing, he convinces himself he has imagined her.
Ellen is pacing the floor of the bedchamber when Julia knocks. Mrs Fitz is suspicious of ,Julia’s motives to help, but Julia assures her that not all Frasers mean harm. She presents the concoction she has brought to Ellen, who does not hesitate to follow Julia’s directions.
The men are having their own conversations. In the study, Henry and Ned discuss how Malcolm is different than Issac and Henry shares that he may try again to leave. He feels that he can escape Arch Bug’s scrutiny by gaining Malcolm’s support. Ned advises him against anything rash, saying that once the test is successfully over, Henry will need to visit him at Leoch and that he can take the time to carefully plan his escape. The aforementionedArch Bug appears to announce that it is time for the test.
As Ellen leaves the bedchamber, Malcolm meets her in the hallway. He assures her that Malcolm visits Ellen’s bedchamber and speaks to her in the hallway. He assures her that the purity test is not his action, but rather his father’s. Ellen asks who had cast doubt on her, and Malcolm tells her that it is Simon Fraser. He promises retribution once her honour is confirmed, but Ellen just wants to put the matter behind them.
Flanked by Mrs. Fitz, Ellen enters the great hall. The atmosphere is tense and the subsequent procedure degrading in the extreme. Ellen is forced to drink a tonic, urinate on command and then endure a physical examination, while all the men stand around and watch. It is at least something that all of them look uncomfortable, but it is no wonder that tears slide down Ellen’s face. Finally the verdict is delivered: Virgo intacta (Virgin intact). The look that Ellen gives Colum as she walks out, head high, is one of defiant disgust. It is obvious that any goodwill between them has been shattered and Colum has the decency to look ashamed.
Julia is waiting anxiously in the bedchamber and is thrilled to hear the good news. Both Ellen and Mrs Fitz express their gratitude, but are anxious for Julia to leave safely. Julia promises that she will be able to leave the same way that she came in.
Malcolm, Ned, Colum and Henry part with promises of arranging the nuptials. Henry is last to leave, just as Julia is making her way back down the passageway. She first hears Henry’s voice–and then sees him. She calls out and waves for him to follow her.
Henry does, but doubts his reality, until Julia tells him that hope springs eternal, a phrase that finally convinces him. Brian enters, looking for her, and Julia tells him that Ellen has passed the test. Voices are heard and Julia and Henry reluctantly part. As she leaves with Brian, Julia promises Henry that they will find each other again.
As the Grants leave, a rider gallops up with a letter that he hands to Henry. Issac has died, a fact that ironically renders the entire purity test useless, since Malcolm had made it very clear that he wanted no such thing in the first place.
Julia and Brian have reached the secret door leading out of the castle. At the last minute, the door is flung open. Julia and Brian whirl around but it is only Mrs. Fitz. She hands Brian his folded piece of tartan that Ellen had kept hidden. “If you truly love her,” she tells him, “you’ll stay away from him.”
Despite the mostly positive outcomes from the episode, masks are still needing to be worn, identifies protected and secrets kept.
In episode 9,“Braemar” (written by ‘herself’ Diana Gabaldon), the masks are slipping. The tone shifts—more bittersweet, more dangerous—as the characters’ carefully built façades begin to fracture.
At Braemar Castle, the Earl of Mar hosts a tynchal—a grand clan gathering meant to unite Scotland’s most powerful families. Beneath the pageantry, though, alliances are fragile, loyalties shifting, and masks are firmly in place. Brian and Julia, ever the strategists, manage to manipulate Lord Lovat into bringing her and the baby along, each of them quietly plotting their next move.
Among the guests is Malcolm Grant’s uncle, Malcolm Senior—a man whose loyalty to the Crown is as unwavering as his sense of authority. He takes his nephew under his wing, determined to protect him, though his domineering manner quickly unsettles both Dougal MacKenzie and Ellen. Colum warns his brother to tread carefully, but Dougal’s pride is easily pricked. When Ellen attempts to charm Malcolm Senior, he is cordial but cold, warning her that the Grants value loyalty above all—and that betrayal would not end well. His words linger, unsettling her more deeply than she will admit.
As the clans gather, tensions rise. Brian cannot help but watch Ellen across the hall, his love for her impossible to disguise. Murtagh, still wounded by her choice, mocks Brian’s loss, and the two cousins come to blows. Across the room, Henry’s joy at seeing his son quickly curdles when Lovat introduces Julia as his wife and the child as his own. There is no time to process the pain—Henry is swept away to a council of clans, where men trade gossip and power in equal measure. Among the hired “entertainers” brought to amuse them is the whore, Seema, her presence a quiet reminder of the lives that have become entangled by deception.
The Earl’s guest of honour is none other than Rob Roy, whose rousing speech in favour of Scottish freedom stirs old loyalties and exposes new rifts. Lovat blusters his support, boasting of royal ambitions for his son, while Colum and Dougal find themselves once again at odds. Dougal’s reckless attempt to pledge Ellen’s dowry to the Jacobite cause comes to light, and Colum’s fury threatens to undo them both. The scene is charged with irony—men declaring honour and loyalty while also betraying one another.
Meanwhile, Ellen and Brian steal a few stolen moments amid the crowd, but their reunion is short-lived. Dougal has already betrayed them to Colum, and Ellen is summoned, their love exposed. Colum’s threats are sharp and pragmatic—Brian will live, but Ellen must end things and keep the Grants onside. In that moment, Ellen understands what is required of her. Later, she pushes Brian away to protect him, cruelly claiming she never loved him.
Brian’s humiliation does not end there. Lovat, ever the tyrant, beats him in a fit of wounded pride. By the time of the hunt, the tension has reached a breaking point. When assassins are sent to kill Brian, it is Murtagh—his former friend and rival—who saves him. Their shared blood and history prove stronger than jealousy, at least for now. It is a relief to hear some sarcastic humour in Murtagh’s claim “if anyone is going to kill you, it’s going to be me” and we hope that this is a relationship that can be salvaged after all.
Elsewhere, Julia and Henry meet by the river, their conversation full of apology and longing. Julia tries to explain her deception, but Henry forgives her easily, knowing that both are simply trapped in the roles they’ve been forced to play. They plan to meet at Leathers and make their escape, unaware that Seema has overheard every word. Her heartbreak adds another layer to the tangled web of loyalty and loss and we wonder what she plans to do with the knowledge she now possesses.
When the Earl calls the clans together to pledge their allegiance, the air is thick with tension. Malcolm Senior, seeking strength in appearance, commits the Grants to the Jacobite cause—an act that infuriates his nephew, who reminds him sharply that he is the true Laird. The fracturing of the Scottish flag above them feels like an omen—the dream of unity literally coming apart at the seams.
As the clans disperse from Braemar, the cracks in every alliance are showing. Ellen has traded her heart for Brian’s safety; in keeping her child safe Julia is bound to a husband she despises; Henry’s reunion with her is both a balm and a heartbreak; and Brian himself is left bloodied and betrayed, his hopes in ruins. Even the proud lairds stand uneasy beneath their tartans, loyalty and rebellion pulling in opposite directions. The stage is set for reckoning — but when the masks finally fall, who will be left standing?
This recap was written by Susie Brown, a writer and teacher librarian who lives in Australia. She’s still not sure which mask she is wearing herself: that of loyal BOMB fan, or original series puritan who is often frustrated by plot developments! Perhaps the finale will help her decide…
