As Ellen starts a new day, she learns that everything is turning upside down in her world in Blood of My Blood season 1, episode 3. Yet, she still finds a way to save the day.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for Blood of My Blood season 1, episode 3.
A lot of time was spent growing Ellen MacKenzie’s character, someone we’ve come to know through other people’s stories in Outlander. It’s wonderful to see her as a woman of her time, but also as a woman determined to do what it takes to protect her family.
That will mean marrying someone she doesn’t love, and she does eventually accept that has to happen. However, it’s not going to come at the cost of her family losing the lairdship.
Believing Glenna knows about her and Brian
The episode opens with a dream, and it’s clear that Ellen wants to be with Brian in Blood of My Blood. However, that can’t happen. She knows this deep down, which is why the naïve look on her face as Glenna says she approves of the match made for her is so bittersweet.
Ellen should know that nobody learned about her secret meeting with Brian. However, she just wants him so much, and it shows the lengths that she may go to so that she can make it happen.
Facing Colum after learning of the marriage proposal in Blood of My Blood
As soon as she learns that Colum created a marriage proposal between her and Malcolm Grant, she heads straight to him, throwing a few home truths at the same time. Colum isn’t laird yet, and he’s acting like he is.
We get a sense of their relationship in this episode, seeing that they were once clear. Ellen has always looked out for Colum, and that’s the way it will always be, but she is shocked to see that he is turning against her. It’s the first sign for her that she needs to step back from past feelings and potentially accept her fate.
Seeing her take everything in through flashbacks
We’ve had some flashbacks of Ellen and Jacob, but Blood of My Blood season 1, episode 3 gives us flashbacks of how observant Ellen is. She took a lot in when it came to the night of the cattle raid, especially when it came to Colum’s broken leg and slow healing process.
Then she takes in Dougal’s punishment. This is a chance to see how Jacob really feels about his sons. She didn’t even need her dad to say a lot to her, as she could tell from his actions and own words to her brothers how he felt. These situations are held close to her chest, knowing she can use them in the future.
Giving Ned the information he needs in Blood of My Blood
In the end, it’s Ellen who figures out a way to save her family. After initially talking to Ned about the marriage proposals by both Colum and Dougal, she realizes that he didn’t have anything to do with Dougal’s one. In fact, he’s annoyed that her brothers continue to split the vote.
That’s why the second meeting with him is even better. Ellen has figured out an option, but she needs to know if it’s possible. Now is the right time, and she trusts Ned to see it through. After all, it comes better from him than her, showing how much she is able to manipulate behind the scenes.
Not confirming to her sisters about her actions
Jocasta and Janet made it clear that they knew Ellen had something to do with Colum and Dougal taking over the clan together. However, Ellen doesn’t confirm it; she points out that it was Ned who figured out if it was possible.
She’s not lying, but she’s also omitting the truth. Most of this is because she knows her brothers can’t learn the truth. If they found out she gave Ned the idea, then they would probably go back to being at war. She’s a woman, and she needs to “learn” her place. Well, she’ll do it in secret, but it means she can’t really be close to either of her sisters because of it.
Blood of My Blood airs on Fridays on STARZ.
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