Blood of My Blood,' This Is Probably Why Actorsvaultpro

Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander prequel series, which is currently airing on Starz, has had a solid run over the past few weeks. Each episode delves deeper into the love stories of Jamie’s parents, Brian (Jamie Roy) and Ellen (Harriet Slater), as well as Claire’s parents, Henry (Jeremy Irvine) and Julia (Hermione Corfield), leaving viewers with plenty to unpack. Episode 6 of the series was maybe slightly different, though, and some fans weren’t too happy with that, taking their disapproval to Reddit. From complaints about it being a filler episode, not enough screen time for their favorite characters, or difficult scenes dragged out, the criticism was hard to miss.

While the previous episode primarily followed Brian and Ellen through the early stages of their relationship, Episode 6, “Birthright,” focused on Henry and Julia, and specifically highlighted Julia’s experience of giving birth. The scenes showing the birth were tough to watch because Julia was horrifically shamed regarding the question of who the father of her child was. It’s not surprising that this episode of Outlander: Blood of My Blood drew significant backlash. In many ways, it was heartbreaking to watch, but the unsettling depiction of birth and the highlighting of Julia and Henry’s experiences were necessary. So why the complaints? There are two reasons why you might hate Outlander: Blood of My Blood.

Episode 6 of ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’ Was Severely Criticized

Credit: Starz

The new Starz series was initially well-received, thanks to its strong cast and intriguing characters, but some backlash was inevitable. Immediately after the sixth episode of Outlander: Blood of My Blood was released, various opinions on the show’s execution of sensitive topics and pacing started to circulate online. Admittedly, Episode 6 was a tough watch, and it is fair to say that its content created a similarly upsetting atmosphere to the most intense episode in Outlander, “Wentworth Prison.”

The focus of this episode was almost entirely on Julia, as she went into labor and gave birth to her son (Claire’s younger brother). The father of the boy is obviously Henry. However, to keep the baby safe, Julia sought out Lord Lovat (aka her master and Jamie’s grandfather), slept with him, and convinced him that the child was his offspring.

During the birth, numerous women, many midwives among them, entered the birthing chamber, and they began to viciously shame Julia. They were shouting at her and demanding that she repent for her sin of carrying an illegitimate child. The women refused to believe that the baby was a result of assault but believed, much rather, that Julia seduced Lord Lovat, which was a sin in their eyes. They were throwing abusive words at Julia, pulling and pushing her as she was in active labor. The shocking Outlander episode specifically highlighted the traumatizing ordeal, which was severely criticized.

First things first: Not everything on screen needs to be fast-paced to be interesting. With short, action-packed, high-energy scenes becoming a staple in the media, the attention span required to sit with one specific incident and practically live through it with the character has arguably decreased. Such scenes are now quite boring. In this episode, however, it was necessary to pace it more slowly to thoroughly convey the agony that Julia went through.

The horrendous scenes involving Black Jack Randall and Jamie in the dark cell of Wentworth prison also ran long, and Outlander is known for including heartbreaking moments. Sometimes it is necessary to spend more time highlighting extremely difficult moments to prove that everything slows down tremendously in the roughest times. Episode 6 of Outlander: Blood of My Blood perfectly captures this. It put the viewers in a state of discomfort, but it also evoked empathy, understanding, and the urge to right such a wrong. Julia was mistreated for the greater part of giving birth, and it was necessary to explore the various ways in which women were shamed.

Claire’s Parents Are the Most Important Characters in ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’

Jeremy Irvine & Hermione Corfield in Outlander: Blood of My Blood

Some fans seem to have missed the point of the Outlander prequel, which is also why it’s not surprising that some dislike Blood of My Blood. Just like with any other show, fans choose sides and their favorite characters, and long to see as much of them as possible. As for this historical fiction series on Starz, two couples are at the center of the story, but their lives aren’t explored equally. The love story between Brian and Ellen is sometimes only touched upon. However, the relationship between Henry and Julia is marked with intense, emotionally challenging moments and a deeper understanding of what they are going through. Blood of My Blood haters might say it is unfair, but, to put it bluntly, they are wrong.

Outlander: Blood of My Blood is a prequel that explores the lives of Jamie and Claire’s parents. We have established that. However, the crucial point is that the eight-season-long original Outlander series revealed where and how Jamie’s father and mother ended up, whereas the whereabouts of Claire’s parents left much more room for speculation. Claire’s parents allegedly died in a car accident, but that’s about it.

On top of this, Claire is the only one with time travel abilities, and since she passed this skill on to her daughter, it is only logical that she also inherited it from her parents. Time travel and Claire’s connections to the past are the most important aspects of the original series. Despite some character issues in Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Julia and Henry’s ability to travel back in time, along with the mind-blowing relationships she forms, are the core of the series. At the end of the day, the Outlander prequel was always going to lean more towards telling the story of Henry and Julia, and fans of Brian and Ellen might just hate that. Outlander: Blood of My Blood is currently airing on Starz.