4 things we know about Ulysses in Outlander season 4 [Spoilers]

Ulysses officially has a face for Outlander season 4 and here’s all we know so far.

More casting news for Outlander season 4 has been released. Ulysses, the butler of Jacosta, will be played by Colin McFarlane in the series. There are now many questions about this character, especially from those who haven’t read the books.

Just what do you need to know going into the series? Here’s a look at the important details to get an idea of McFarlane’s character.

Caution: There are spoilers from “Drums of Autumn” and beyond in this article.

He was wrongly sold into slavery

As happened with many free black people in the 18^th century, Ulysses was wrongly sold into slavery. After his father’s death, his mother sold herself into slavery to pay for her son’s education. However, Ulysses’ mother died and the caretaker (his schoolmaster) decided to claim that the boy was a slave, too.

This is how he ends up in Jacosta’s household. Her husband, Hector, bought him from the schoolmaster and kept him around the entire time. Part of what made Ulysses valuable was his education.

He can read Latin and Greek

Claire, Jamie and Fergus won’t be the only multi-lingual people in Outlander Season 4. Ulysses was highly educated before his mother’s death. She had chosen to sell herself into slavery to make sure he could be educated and make a good life for himself. Unfortunately, it didn’t completely work itself out but the education was useful.

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Not only can Ulysses read and write English, but he is also able to read Greek and Latin. He is also musically gifted and plays chess extremely well. Jamie may have someone to play against in Outlander Season 4 again.

Jacosta had an affair with him

Jacosta will be played by Maria Doyle Kennedy in the series and is Jamie’s aunt from his mother’s side. She will be the person the Frasers turn to once they decide what they’re going to do in America. It turns out Jacosta is sleeping with Ulysses and not only since her husband’s death. Ulysses was having an affair with his mistress.

This was extremely dangerous for him. Had Hector learned, Ulysses could have been killed for his actions. He risked a lot for love. And yes it was certainly love, considering the next fact.

He could have been a free man

It turns out Jacosta couldn’t bare sleeping with a man who was her slave. She wanted him to be a free man and signed the paperwork to make him that. This could have mean he could leave and make a life for himself.

He chose to stay with Jacosta and her husband. While love did play a part, there was another (smart) reason to stay. Filing the papers would have made him a free man, but that wouldn’t have stopped anyone from taking him and selling him back into slavery. It happened way too much, especially in North Carolina!

Next: More emotional scenes are coming in Outlander Season 4 and here's why

Are you excited for Ulysses to appear in Outlander Season 4? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander Season 4 premieres sometime in 2018. Follow Claire and Jamie on Twitter for a release date as soon as we know!