We’ve returned to the Outlander universe as soon as extra with the STARZ prequel collection, Outlander: Blood of My Blood. The historic romance drama collection revolves round Claire Beauchamp (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser’s (Sam Heughan) dad and mom, primarily specializing in the love story between Jamie’s dad and mom, Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) and Ellen Mackenzie (Harriet Slater). Claire’s dad and mom, Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine), are additionally on the heart of the story because the collection delves into their respective lives and the function they play in Brian and Ellen’s love story.
The collection weaves collectively narratives set in World Battle I and 18th-century Scotland, which has already launched, or a minimum of reintroduced, a couple of fan-favorite characters, notably a youthful model of Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser. Initially portrayed by Duncan Lacroix within the previous collection, the character is now performed by Rory Alexander. This new iteration of the character took followers unexpectedly, however the path he has taken is totally intentional.
In an interview with ScreenRant, showrunner Matthew B. Roberts and government producer Maril Davis defined their thought course of behind their resolution to make some adjustments to this beloved character. Each Roberts and Davis talked about that on this timeline, with a youthful model of the character, Murtagh hasn’t skilled all life has to supply, so this concept was a major issue they felt they wanted to incorporate on this specific narrative. Nonetheless, the essence of the character continues to be there; viewers must make a small adjustment to fulfill Murtagh the place he’s.
What Did Matthew B. Roberts and Maril Davis Say In regards to the Adjustments They Made to Murtagh?
Throughout their ScreenRant interview, Roberts and Davis each offered an announcement concerning the modifications they made to Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser’s character and the way Rory Alexander brings a unique vitality to the fan-favorite character in Blood of My Blood. Davis mentioned the next:
“I imply, for me, it was Murtagh, solely as a result of, I do not know why, I went into this considering, ‘Oh, we’re casting grizzled, curmudgeony Duncan Lacroix in a youthful model.’ And it wasn’t till Matt had a dialog about once we had been speaking in regards to the character, and it out of the blue grew to become clear that that is the Murtagh earlier than he is had his coronary heart damaged. That is the hopeful wingman, and Rory has simply stepped into this function, and he is so charming. Murtagh is so likable, and Murtagh was at all times likable…”
To which Roberts added:
“And I believe individuals, you get locked into that Murtaugh at all times beloved Ellen, and within the books, he dies so early on. He dies actually originally of e book 3, and e book 2 takes place in so many various locations that you do not spend lots of time with him. So, in that, there’s not a ton of Murtagh’s story. All we all know is that he beloved Ellen, and for me, wanting again on it’s perhaps that love for Ellen really flowed extra by Brian. And I imply that in a really brotherly-cousin means, that he was actually devoted to that friendship a lot that it type of spilled over. However I believe he clearly had eyes for her at first.”
What Does This Imply for the Character in ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’?
The prequel Outlander collection, like different prequel tasks, takes benefit of the chance to delve into completely different sides of the character viewers got here to know and love from the unique collection and the novel collection written by Diana Gabaldon, which it’s based mostly on. Each character has an origin story, and Murtagh isn’t any completely different, so whereas his preliminary look could have perplexed audiences, he’s nonetheless Murtagh, however they’re simply seeing a unique aspect to him. He’s not fairly the jaded character but as a result of, as talked about by Roberts and Davis, he nonetheless sees the world by rose-colored glasses and nonetheless romanticizes life.
Nonetheless, these adjustments don’t negate these inherent qualities of Duncan Lacroix’s model of Murtagh. Alexander’s model of the character continues to be loyal and endearing, that are foundational traits within the character. Outlander is much like different book-to-screen diversifications in that it made the mandatory adjustments in its adaptation to make sure the story would nonetheless resonate with viewers, which Roberts talked about in the identical interview with ScreenRant. Not like the novel collection, Murtagh lives longer within the unique present, which permits the writers and actors to increase on the character, a function the unique present has additionally explored, and now the prequel is doing.
How Ought to Audiences Really feel About These Important Adjustments to Murtagh?
Everybody has a proper to their emotions and opinions; nevertheless, Roberts and Davis’ resolution to current Murtagh by a extra optimistic lens must be applauded as a result of they’ve performed it proper. They’ve efficiently explored the multifaceted nature of this character with out sacrificing his integrity and the elemental traits that followers fell in love with. With any prequel or sequel, there’s at all times a danger of shedding sight of the general story or betraying the characters which are being reintroduced in a unique setting. Outlander followers can breathe a sigh of reduction that their fan-favorite character was one of many fortunate ones who didn’t endure a personality assassination.
As established within the unique present, Murtagh was deeply in love with Ellen, however she in the end married Brian, breaking Murtagh’s coronary heart within the course of. Seeing his arc unfold in Outlander: Blood of My Blood ought to make followers excited and really feel a way of achievement for his story general. Because the season progresses, viewers can count on to see his relationship with Brian and the way his love for Ellen will have an effect on that, so they need to put together to expertise the unraveling of Murtagh’s heartbreak. Outlander: Blood of My Blood is releasing weekly on Starz.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood
- Launch Date
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August 8, 2025
- Community
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Starz
- Showrunner
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Matthew B. Roberts
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Harriet Slater
Ellen MacKenzie
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Hermione Corfield
Julia Moriston
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