Ellen Takes Up the Bow as Castle Leoch Comes Under Attack
Ellen MacKenzie picks up a bow and kills eight men to hold Castle Leoch.
That fight drives Rabbits Don't Swim, the third episode of season two of Outlander: Blood of My Blood, the Starz historical romantic drama. Harriet Slater, who plays Ellen, told The Hollywood Reporter the episode shows a new physical side to the character as the MacKenzie women band together.
The episode was written by Toni Graphia and directed by Azhur Saleem. The writers have nicknamed it Home Alone, but with knives. Long-time Outlander universe showrunner Matthew B. Roberts said he wanted to use it to show the war at home.
Ellen is the future mother of Jamie Fraser, the central figure of the original Outlander story. The prequel follows her and her lover Brian Fraser, played by Jamie Roy, alongside a second family line. Roberts executive produces with Maril Davis.
Most of the castle's men are gone when the attack starts. They have left to fight on the front lines of the 1715 Jacobite rising. Dougal MacKenzie, played by Sam Retford, is at war. His brother Colum, played by Séamus McLean Ross, remains at Leoch but lives with a condition now known as Toulouse-Lautrec syndrome that at times leaves his leg immobile.
Ellen has returned to Leoch without Brian. The pair fled the castle at the end of season one after Brian killed Malcolm Grant, played by Jhon Lumsden, in the finale. Malcolm was the brother of Maura Grant and the man Ellen was meant to marry in an arranged match.
That history hangs over the dinner table. Colum is furious with Ellen for failing to go through with the marriage. Ellen resents Colum for breaking his word and trying to have Brian killed. Brian has since ridden off to war while Ellen came back to her family seat.
The invasion begins after Ellen walks out of dinner. James MacKinney, played by Ryan Fletcher, storms in, kills one of Colum's guards and demands that Colum hand over the keys to the castle. MacKinney carries a grudge from season one after leadership of the clan passed to Colum and Dougal following the death of their father, Red Jacob. His men round up the castle's women and shut them in the chapel.
Ellen answers in secret. She organises makeshift booby traps around the castle and takes up a bow and arrow. She kills eight attackers during the siege. Others caught up in the episode include Ned Gowan, played by Conor MacNeill, Maura Grant, played by Bobby Rainsbury, Jocasta, played by Sadhbh Malin, and Janet, played by Ailsa Davidson.
For viewers keeping track, this is a sharp change of role. Ellen has survived pressure over marriage, family loyalty and exile. Here she leads the defence herself.
