When it comes to Outlander, Jamie’s compassion certainly stands out. He can’t see a woman harmed, and there have always been questions about which parent that came from. Well, it’s clear from Outlander: Blood of My Blood that the compassion and empathy come from Brian Fraser.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for Outlander: Blood of My Blood season 1, episode 4
From the beginning of Blood of My Blood, we’ve watched Brian Fraser stand up for what he doesn’t believe is right. When Julia was about to be whipped for trying to escape, Brian took the punishment for her. After all, why wouldn’t someone who had been sold into servitude want to escape?
In the latest episode, he goes a step further. However, also like Jamie, he wants something out of it when he needs it.
Brian offers to take Julia to the apothecary in Outlander: Blood of My Blood
When Julia comes out with a rash (that she’s caused!), Simon tells her to get the treatments she needs. However, his guard is going with her. When Brian sees the look on Julia’s face at that, he offers to take Julia to the apothecary instead.
This isn’t just to help Julia, but also a way to help himself. He has a way to get a message to Ellen MacKenzie. After all, nobody will question a servant wanting to speak to another servant.
Brian wouldn’t had done this if he didn’t think it was the safer option though, either. I don’t think he only offered to help Julia to help himself. That thought comes from a later conversation.
Brian offers to help Julia escape
When Julia realizes that they’re not going to the apothecary, she calls Brian out on it. He makes it clear that he needs her help, but he is not asking for a favor out of the goodness of Julia’s heart. There is something he can do for her, and he’s willing to do it.
Now, while we don’t know a lot about Brian, we do know that he is a man of his word. That’s something Jamie definitely got from him, and we get to see him give Julia his word in this episode. He promises that he will get Julia free.
Of course, there isn’t a timeline, but he will do it. It’s reminiscent of when Claire was trying to get away. While at first Jamie didn’t understand why she was trying to escape, when Claire told him the truth, he believed her and he took her to the stones so that she could make her choice. It looks like that’s something he got from Brian.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood airs on Fridays on STARZ.