Something's in the air in Inverness. Outlander: Blood of My Blood recap: Brian and Ellen turn up the heat at Beltane Festival

Something's in the air in Inverness.

Outlander: Blood of My Blood recap: Brian and Ellen turn up the heat at Beltane Festival

Something's in the air in Inverness.

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August 29, 2025 9:00 a.m. ET

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Harriet Slater, Jamie Roy. Credit:

Sanne Gault/Starz

The opening scenes of *Outlander: Blood of My Blood* had me wondering if the MacKenzie brothers were already shoving their sister down the aisle. Based on the flurry of activity among several young women and the wispy veil over a crown of flowers, it's easy to assume that we are about to celebrate a wedding.

Fortunately for Ellen (Harriet Slater), the maids are diligently dressing her for the big Beltane Festival in Inverness, where wooden archways are burned and lassies dance around buzzing stones. It's all the rage, and everyone who's anyone is going to be there.

Except Julia (Hermione Corfield). She's stuck at Castle Leathers because she has the worst luck of the entire cast. Julia's best laid plans are thwarted, thanks to Ms. Porter (Sara Vickers), who stops Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) and Julia from sneaking off to Beltane.

Ms. Porter warns her son and Julia that Lord Lovat (Tony Curran) will be angry upon learning of her absence, since he's bringing in his favorite seer to do a reading on the unborn baby. The baby that just happens to be Brian's sibling. Surprise! You're going to be a big brother!

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Brian is shocked by the news. With a pained look, he demands that Julia stay behind as he rushes off to secretly meet Ellen. There goes Julia's chance to potentially find her beloved Henry (Jeremy Irvine) by the stones where she last saw him.

While Julia deals with her disappointment, Ellen beams in the carriage ride to Inverness. She can't hide her smile, and Jocasta (Sadhbh Malin) is shrewd enough to know something is going on, because big sister can't be that giddy to see her betrothed.

Ellen reigns in her excitement and asks Jocasta for some wedding advice. When Jocasta suggests Ellen be silent, admired, and obedient, Ellen declares Malcolm Grant (Jhon Lumsden) will be hugely disappointed in her as a wife. Jocasta switches tactics, choosing to tease her sister, and instead encourages her to prepare for some premarital bliss. Who knows? Many maidens lose their innocence, and Belfane (with its fertility blessing) might be the perfect place to "plant a bairn."

Ellen points out that Jocasta wouldn't know a thing about pregnancy, since she's never been pregnant, and the teasing is cut short. There's no love lost with these two, and I adore how we see Lumsden struggle with playing the part of a doting wife to a very old man, coupled with a raging jealousy toward her sister. The respect for Ellen is there. But Jocosta would never admit it out loud.

Jhon Lumsden, Harriet Slater.

Sanne Gault/Starz

Once they arrive on the festival grounds, Ned (Conor MacNeill) reminds Ellen not to lose herself in revelry. She is to charm Malcolm and not be reckless. Of course, this doesn't mean that she can't have any fun. Ellen later takes that permission and runs with it, but first, she must find a way to busy her soon-to-be-husband so she can sneak off for said fun.

Ned then moves on to check with Henry, who has a new obsession with the stone circles. Henry promises to be careful of the fairies before telling Ned that Lord Lovat has expressed concern over Malcom's marriage to Ellen. Ned assures Henry that there is nothing to worry about, other than the Frasers having issues with the MacKenzies. Lord Lovat is not to be trusted, and anyone who knows the Grants will agree.

Henry seems content to believe Ned, which is great, because we have a dance to attend! Malcolm whispers to Ellen that the leader (think emcee of an event) will choose the prettiest girl to be the official May Queen. Cue the musicians!

Ellen politely dances with Malcolm and is filled with a jolt of energy when she is suddenly passed into Brian's arms. There's that real smile! Through tight lips, he urges her to pretend to be strangers, which is nearly impossible with that lovestruck grin on her face. He whispers for her to meet him in an old castle before she's pirouetted back into Malcolm's arms.

Jamie Roy, Harriet Slater.

Sanne Gault/Starz

Even Murtagh (Rory Alexander) and Jocasta join in on the fun and dance around the tent. Jocasta only has eyes for Murtagh, and he only has eyes for Ellen. So, it makes sense that when Ellen is named the May Queen and is instructed to choose her king for the ceremony, Malcolm and Murtagh present themselves. And if Murtagh is dumb enough to stand in line by Malcolm, well then Brian will not let him be murdered alone. It's all for one.

Ellen wants to choose Brian, but a slight shake of his head tells her to make the right decision. The obvious decision. The only decision. She and Malcolm are presented as king and queen, and zero people are surprised.

Over in Castle Leathers, there's a ton of surprise, thanks to Lord Lovat's seer, who claims she sees him in a field of torment as someone who is victorious. She swears that his return to power is imminent. And when Lord Lovat asks about the baby, the seer seems off, or nervous. With one crack of an egg in a bowl of water, the seer sees two yolks. No, it's not twins. It's "one right after the other."

Katharine O'Donnell, Hermione Corfield.

Robert Wilson/Starz

The first is a girl with dark curls and blue eyes whose time has "yet to come." But the boy in Julia's womb right now is of great importance, who will unite clans for centuries to come. His path ends at a "stone of destiny," which makes me think of Inverness. Lord Lovat interprets this as a throne and is certain that a Fraser will one day be a Scottish ruler. Agree to disagree.

Back at the Beltane Festival, Ellen's patience is wearing thin. No, she does not want to celebrate being crowned queen with Malcolm. Instead, it's much more romantic for him to go off and help the other men build the wooden arches by the time the sun sets. Helping with preparations is soooooo attractive. Meanwhile, she and Jocasta will run off and get those fertility blessings everyone's talking about!

Malcolm takes the bait, which is a miracle, because Joscasta doesn't have a poker face at all. She wants to know what Ellen is up to. Ellen strikes a deal with Jocasta, suggesting they go their separate ways, no questions asked, just full discretion from the other sister once they meet up again. They were together getting a fertility blessing.

Jocasta agrees, as long as Ellen throws in their mother's necklace. Ellen concedes, and each woman leaves to go do whatever she wants. And what Ellen wants to do is Brian Fraser.

Both Brian and Ellen feel the magic in the air. I'm sure we all would if we were there in that old abandoned castle. Since time is not on their side, the makeout session begins immediately, and Brian confesses that if they don't stop, he would ruin Ellen's honor and virtue. Our spunky girl gives Brian full permission to ruin her any which way he wants, and it is on.

But first, Brian tears a strip of cloth from his clothes and walks Ellen through a handfast ceremony, promising this union and his commitment to her. Blood of my blood. Bone of my bone. I just might die. And there go the clothes.

In their post-coital bliss, Brian shares stories about his horrible father, his pilgrimage to St. James, and how he's found himself wanting again, thanks to Ellen. His one insecurity is that he's unsure he's worthy of Ellen, and he wonders if she has any regrets.

The answer is no. She hasn't been given much choice in this life, but she did choose Brian. She chose him for herself. And if she's only allowed one more choice in her very prescribed life again, she would choose Brian every single time.

This is great news for Brian, but terrible news for Murtagh, who saw Brian and Ellen kissing in the woods before making their way to the abandoned castle. In his drunken state, he gets tossed around by Mr. Bug (Terence Rae), and Jocasta finds him bloodied up. She listens and tends to his cut lip while Murtagh drones on about how all he desires is to be wanted. Does Jocasta know what that feels like?

Sanne Gault/Starz

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Duh. She wants you, you moron. Murtagh stares into her eyes. I'm sure there are more than two, considering his inebriated state, and he leans in for a dramatic kiss. Jocasta's joy morphs into devastation when Murtagh mumbles the name "Ellen."

I'm not sure who to feel more sorry for at this point. Murtagh and Jocasta are dealing with a ton of heartbreak. Then again, Ms. Porter was told by Lord Lovat that he would slit her throat if she ever mentioned that the baby Julia is carrying is not really his child. And there's Julia and Henry, who were so close to meeting each other at the stones!

As the wooden archways are set ablaze, we hear Julia promise Henry that she will burn for Henry forever. That's what it means to love, honor, and cherish someone. Here's hoping we have our reunion soon.**

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