Ellen MacKenzie and Brian Fraser have met, starting up their love story in Blood of My Blood. However, this love story threatens a friendship.
Caution: This post contains some MINOR SPOILERS for Blood of My Blood season 1, episode 3.
We know that Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser was in love with Ellen MacKenzie. This was told to us in Outlander, but Murtagh was able to accept the love between Ellen and Brian to become Jamie’s godfather.
What we didn’t really know was that Murtagh and Brian were best friends for the longest time. Blood of My Blood has shown us that friendship, and there is a risk to it as the truth threatens to come out.
Murtagh hasn’t even spoken to Ellen in Blood of My Blood
At the start of Blood of My Blood episode 3, Murtagh tells Brian that Ellen has been promised to Malcolm Grant. This is a blow to both men, although Brian has been able to keep the fact that he’s in love with Ellen a secret. What Brian does point out is that Murtagh hasn’t even spoken to Ellen.
Murtagh notes that this is true because he hasn’t had the courage to speak to her yet. Ellen has no idea that he really exists, although Jocasta can tell that Murtagh loves her. He continues to let opportunities slip him by, and in a way, it’s his own fault that Ellen doesn’t know who he is.
This doesn’t stop him from watching her from afar and hoping. With Simon threatening to ruin Ellen’s name, Murtagh sees this as a benefit to him. It opens Ellen back up, giving him the time to gain the courage to speak with her.
It’s only a matter of time before Murtagh realizes that Brian is in love with Ellen as well. Not only that, but it’s only a matter of time before he learns that Ellen also loves him. Brian has managed to do what Murtagh hasn’t been able to, although not realizing that she was Ellen MacKenzie may have helped him have that courage.
Murtagh doesn’t really know who Ellen is
Can we just note that since Ellen and Murtagh have never talked, it means that Murtagh only has an idea of who Ellen is? He doesn’t know her as a person, and there’s no saying that the two would ever be compatible together. Brian is getting to know her, and that’s the major of the love story.
However, that won’t stop Murtagh from being angry. Brian knows that Murtagh is in love with this woman, and he is going behind Murtagh’s back to be with her. It’s bound to hurt, and that puts the friendship at risk. After all, there is probably a belief that friendship comes before women between them, but they’ve never had to put that at the test.
In the end, we know that Murtagh sticks around, and it’s not just because of his love for Ellen. He still has a bond with Brian, and there has to be a reason he becomes the godfather of Jamie. So, it would suggest that eventually Murtagh realizes that Ellen and Brian are meant to be, but it’s going to sting for a while.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood airs on Fridays on STARZ.
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