Aahana Swrup
Season 2 of ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood” sees the pair of star-crossed lovers once again separated by fate. Despite making it to the Craigh na Dun, Henry and Julia Beauchamp’s attempt to return to their time only succeeds in half. While the former WWI veteran passes through the magic stone, Julia and her newborn son, William, are tragically left behind. On the other hand, the call to war via the Fiery Crosses shatters Ellen and Brian’s brief union, sending them back to their clans in preparation for the coming future. Yet, they swear to be together once again eventually. Returning to Castle Leoch is more than a little complicated for Ellen, considering she fled from the palace on the day of her wedding to Malcolm Grant. Not only that, but in their escape, she and Brian left behind her fiancé’s dead body, igniting tension between the Ellen MacKenzies and the Grants despite their newfound alliance. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Malcolm Grant Dies After an Altercation With Jamie
Malcolm Grant unexpectedly perishes in the season 1 finale of ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood.’ The MacKenzie and Grant clans prepare for their forthcoming alliance, to be cemented by the marriage of Malcolm and Ellen. Even though the latter’s heart lies elsewhere, with a certain Fraser, she agrees to the union on the condition that Brian would be left safe and sound. However, hours before the wedding, she learns that Colum had broken his word and sent out assassins after her beloved. This news is delivered to her in person by Brian himself, who couldn’t bear the thought of the woman he loves being forced into a marriage with another man. As such, once the misunderstanding is cleared up, the two lovers decide to run away together.
Naturally, this has a detrimental impact on the MacKenzie clan’s politics. Even though Malcolm pursues Ellen out of his love for her, their union is meant to have much bigger implications. They are heirs of the Grant and MacKenzie clans, respectively. Thus, their marital union will also solidify the alliance between the two houses. As such, when news arrives that Ellen has run away from the castle, it results in a broken heart as well as the promise of a broken political alliance. Fortunately, the latter is saved by an unexpected pairing of Dougal and Maura. Alternatively, the former groom brews in his heartache until his uncle, Mac, begins to fill his ears with notions of revenge and bloodshed.
Afterward, Malcolm accidentally runs into a fleeing Ellen and Brian. At first, he assumes his bride-to-be might have returned. Nonetheless, he soon realizes the reality of the situation. At once, his love and affection for the MacKenzie heir, which he has been harboring since childhood, turns sour. Between hurling drunken insults at the pair, he takes out his sword and attacks Brian. The latter remains reluctant to resort to violence but eventually finds himself with no other choice. In the end, Brian ends up killing the Grant heir with his own sword. The pair of lovers flees from the scene, leaving the dead body to be found in the wake of their escape.
Jhon Lumsden Will Likely Not Return to Outlander: Blood of My Blood
Initially, Malcolm Grant, and subsequently his actor, Jhon Lumsden, were set up for a much different trajectory in ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood.’ By the time of the read-throughs for the season 1 script, the Grant heir’s death wasn’t a part of the story. It was only later in the rewrites that the character’s narrative developed to include his fatal demise. In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Harriet Slater, who plays Ellen MacKenzie, spoke about the plot line. She said, “If they (Brian and Ellen) hadn’t have killed Malcolm, he would’ve gone after them. His love for Ellen was so strong and so pure, he wouldn’t have given up. He would’ve looked for her. He had to die in a really sad way in order for them to truly be free and be together, unfortunately.”
Thus, the nature of Ellen and Brian’s romance necessitated this brutal end for Malcolm’s character. In season 2, the decision continues to have notable repercussions as the alliance between the MacKenzies and the Grants grows tense despite Dougal and Maura’s marriage. Furthermore, it adds a sense of danger to the dynamic between Ellen and the heads of the clan. If the secret of her and Brian’s involvement in Malcolm’s death is revealed, it could lead to severe repercussions. As for the latter’s narrative, it seems his storyline has unfortunately come to an irreversible end. This also means the end of Jhon Lumsden’s run on the show. The actor is currently a part of the Matthew Warchus production of the musical ‘National Theatre at Home: Pride.’
Read More: Outlander Blood of My Blood Episode 1 and 2 Recap: Providence and S.W.A.K.
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