The end of Outlander: Blood of My Blood season 1, episode 9 brought a shocking turn of events. Brian Fraser found his life on the line, with assassins coming after him.
We’ve already looked at who could have hired the assassins at ClaireandJamie.com. While that was a fun theory post, there is arguably only one person who did it. It’s someone who has the brains, but also someone who has the ability to lie and manipulate afterward.
Colum had to have hired the assassins in Outlander: Blood of My Blood
While it could have certainly been Malcolm Grant’s uncle or Dougal MacKenzie, neither of these two have the need to do it. Malcolm Grant’s uncle will want to make sure the marriage happens, as otherwise, it would be seen as a slight, but he likely doesn’t have much reason to really fear Brian Fraser stealing Ellen away.
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Dougal hates Brian enough to want to kill him, but there’s no way Dougal would hire someone to do it for him. After all, we know from Outlander that Dougal will do the killing himself, even when it comes to his own kin. So, if he really wanted Brian dead, he would have gone after the man himself.
That brings us back to Colum MacKenzie, who did make a promise to Ellen not to kill Brian. However, there was a slight phrasing that makes it clear he had already sent out assassins before making the promise.
Colum said ‘from this moment onwards’
While making the promise to Ellen in Outlander: Blood of My Blood season 1, episode 9, Colum said “from this moment onwards.” This would imply that he has already dispatched the assassins. He wouldn’t go out of his way to stop the assassins now, but he would promise not to send more if those assassins failed.
Colum has the ability to manipulate, and it’s something he will learn to do even better in the future. We know that Colum arranged for Geillis to be tried as a witch, and he didn’t exactly stand in the way when Claire was caught up in that. He never did fully admit to what he did, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out what he wanted. And this younger version is slowly becoming the laird we know from Outlander.
I think this is going to be a crucial moment for Brian and Ellen. We’re sure to learn who sent the assassins in the Outlander: Blood of My Blood season 1 finale. The question is whether Brian will find out or if Ellen will learn the truth in some way. Either way, it’s going to release Ellen from her promise, as she only promised to do the best for Clan MacKenzie for as long as Brian was safe.
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Outlander: Blood of My Blood is available to stream on STARZ.