Trigger Warning: This article contains discussions of sexual violence and abuse.
Outlander: Blood of My Bloodis nearly here, but teases suggest that it will ignore a long-running criticism of the original series. TheOutlanderspinoff series will premiere its first season on June 04, 2025, but we’ve already received a great deal of information to consider as we wait. The most significant, of course, is that Claire’s parents are, as it turns out, time travelers.
InOutlandercanon, Henry and Julia Beauchamp were killed in a car accident when Claire was only five.Outlander: Blood of My Bloodhas retconned this, withthe season 1 trailer revealingthat the couple’s crash resulted in a jump through time. Like their daughter,Henry and Julia will find themselves trapped in 18th-century Scotland. Finding one another, or even just surviving, won’t be easy.
Following this bigOutlander: Blood of My Bloodreveal, the stars of the spinoff series have begun to talk more about what audiences can expect from their characters. Julia and Henry Beauchamp will be played by Hermione Corfield and Jeremy Irvine, respectively, both of whom spoke withEntertainment Weeklyregarding the upcoming series. The interview yielded a handful of intriguing revelations.
Julia Will Face “Male Violence Against Women” In Outlander: Blood Of My Blood’s 18th-Century Scotland
Outlander Spinoff Star Teases Julia’s Upcoming Conflicts
During their recent interview, Corfield and Irvine discussed their characters' time travel inOutlander: Blood of My Blood, noting the differences between 18th-century Scotland and their World War I-era experiences. There’s no doubt that the early 20th century was a dangerous time in London, butthe Scottish Highlands will offer a unique sort of ruthless brutality—just as it did with Claire.
Corfield explained that her character, Julia, will face different violence in the past than she did during World War I.“The threat of violence is less about bombs and airplanes, and more about male violence against women,“theOutlander: Blood of My Bloodactor stated. Though this doesn’t reveal much about the spinoff series' plot, it suggests a continuation ofOutlander’s greatest conflicts.
Claire, too, was immediately met withmale violence when she arrived in 18th-century Scotland inOutlander. It seemedan uncomfortable truth that she would have to accept about living in the past. It seems that Claire’s mother will have learned something similar during her time traveling adventures. Of course, it makes sense that these stories resemble one another, but there could be a problem here.
Outlander Has Long Been Criticized For Its Overdependence On Sexual Violence
Outlander: Blood Of My Blood Seems To Be Continuing The Trend
One of the most prevalent criticisms ofOutlanderrevolves around the series' overdependence on sexual violence. This isn’t just a TV show issue. The very firstOutlanderbook, published 34 years ago in 1991, featuredrape scenes that many readers found to be unnecessary. When Starz’s adaptation arrived in 2014, these scenes were brought to the screen, only furthering the criticism.
Sexual violence only became worse asOutlanderwent on. Anywhere that Jamie, Claire, and their family traveled, they seemed to be met by similar assaults. Claire has been attacked and molested on several occasions, and the same happened to Brianna almost immediately after she first arrived in the 18th century. It seemed to become an accepted reality inOutlanderthat female characters were doomed to experience violence from men.
Of course,Outlanderdidn’t stop withcharacters like Claire and Brianna. Many of the male characters have experienced sexual assault as well. One of the most disturbing scenes ofOutlanderrevolved around Jack Randall’s assault on Jamie in season 1. Then, inOutlanderseason 2, Randall molested Fergus, before Geillis Duncan turned the same violence against Young Ian in season 3.
Over the years, viewers have complained that there is far too much sexual violence inOutlanderto be believable. This makes the news that male violence against women will be among Julia’s 18th-century experiences inOutlander: Blood of My Bloodslightly frustrating. However,it’s still up for debate whether scenes of this sort contribute genuine meaning to the franchise.
Outlander: Blood Of My Blood’s “Violence” Tease Continues A Heated Franchise Debate
Is The Violence Too Much, Realistic, Or Just Entertainment?
It appears that theOutlanderfranchise is sticking to its guns regarding sexual violence. Although the dependence on such scenes has been criticized, numerous defenders claim that such depictions on screen are not only historically accurate but also an important representation of an issue that is often underdiscussed. This has been an ongoing debate for the better part of four decades.
This perspective has been criticized, as it implies that this is a problem of the past and is less common today.
Defenders ofOutlander’s use of sexual violenceoften claim that this is an accurate representation of past centuries, where male assault against women was more normalized and ignored. However, this perspective has been criticized, as it implies that this is a problem of the past and is less common today. Many believe thatthe idea that sexual violence was more prevalent in the past is a misconception perpetuated by media likeOutlander.
There may be no definitive answer to this debate. It’s difficult to say whether shows likeOutlanderdepicting such frequent sexual violence are meant as a powerful statement or simply a means of disturbing entertainment. Regardless, it seems thatOutlander: Blood of My Bloodwill at least feature one scene in which Julia is confronted by that issue. Whether similar instances continue in the spinoff, we will have to wait and see.
Outlander
Cast
Outlander follows Claire Randall, a married nurse from 1945, who is transported back to 1743 Scotland. Amidst political intrigue and danger, she navigates life in the past and becomes torn between loyalty to her husband and the love for a dashing young warrior.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood
Outlander: Blood of My Blood is a romantic saga spanning World War I and 18th century Scotland. The series follows two fated couples as they navigate challenges across time, confronting forces that threaten to separate them in a tale that unfolds with unexpected turns.
