Harriet Slater Outlander interviews are buzzing after Episode 3 of Outlander: Blood of My Blood Season 2, which aired Friday, Oct. 2, on Starz. The actor, who plays Ellen MacKenzie, told TVLine about the physical work behind Ellen’s biggest episode yet. Spoilers for Episode 3 follow.
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What happens to Ellen in Episode 3
Blood of My Blood is the prequel to Outlander. It follows Jamie Fraser’s parents, Ellen MacKenzie, played by Slater, and Brian Fraser, played by Jeremy Irvine, as their love story unfolds against the backdrop of Highland clan politics and the Jacobite cause. The Harriet Slater Outlander role gives her a chance to build the woman who will become Jamie’s mother.
The episode, titled “Rabbits Don’t Swim,” finds Castle Leoch under attack while the clan’s fighting men are away with Jacobite forces. Ellen rallies the women to defend the castle, using its features and a few well-planned tricks as weapons. She ends the confrontation by killing the invaders’ leader with an arrow, according to The Sunday Guardian.
The battle costs the family. Ellen’s sister Janet dies of wounds from the fight, and Ellen tells her that she is carrying Brian Fraser’s child. She promises to name a daughter after her sister. The episode also reveals that Lord Lovat has secretly allied with the Crown, which puts Brian and Dougal in danger, and Ellen sets out to warn them. The Sunday Guardian said the episode also sets up a conflict between family loyalty and political intrigue for the seasons ahead.
Harriet Slater on the bow and the training
In Harriet Slater Outlander interviews, the actor said she did not appreciate how much strength archery takes until she tried it. She trained with the stunts and weapons team and got her accuracy up with professional coaching, though she said she would need a coach beside her to do it again.
The key bow shot was tricky for another reason. Slater explained that the close-up camera angle meant she had to place the arrow carefully and hold tension without drawing fully back so the shot would not be blocked.
Executive producer Maril Davis told TVLine the idea for the battle was originally pitched as “Home Alone” with murder, and she said it ended up working out that way.
Why Ellen keeps getting compared to Merida
In Harriet Slater Outlander interviews, fans have compared Ellen’s story to Disney’s Brave, and Slater said the comparison came up often. She revealed that she watched the film at the very start of her preparation to get a feel for the accent and the world. She also acknowledged the parallels between Ellen and Merida, who each push back against family expectations to claim some independence.
The emotional heart: Ellen and Janet
For Harriet Slater, the Outlander star, the pregnancy reveal to Janet was the scene that mattered most. She said the sisters had long imagined Ellen having children, and sharing the news as Janet was dying was a way of honoring that bond. That quiet moment gives the battle its stakes.
New to the story? Catch up with our guide to Outlander: Blood of My Blood, read about the flagship series’ final season or check our report on the Starz Fios blackout if you watch through that provider.
What’s next for Ellen and the Season 2 story
Season 2 premiered on Sept. 18, and new episodes arrive Fridays on Starz. In a Harriet Slater Outlander preview from TVLine before the premiere, Slater said Episodes 6 and 7 would be the hardest physically and emotionally, describing them as very heavy. With Ellen heading out to warn Brian and Dougal, the series is moving toward higher stakes for her and the clan.
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