Warning: This story contains spoilers aboutOutlanderseason 7, episode 12, “Carnal Knowledge.”
William Ransom has some serious daddy issues.
“He grew up on English values and the values of the royals and of the people in power.
Charles Vandervaart on ‘Outlander’.Robert Wilson/STARZ
That’d be so hard to deal with.
That’s not something I would take lightly in my own life.”
That feels like an ultimate betrayal.
Charles Vandervaart and Sam Heughan on ‘Outlander’.STARZ
Ian has known for some time, while Rachel is unsurprised given the obvious resemblance between Jamie and William.
STARZ
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: As Rachel says, the resemblance is fairly obvious.
Is that something he’s never clocked?
Caitriona Balfe and Charles Vandervaart on ‘Outlander’.Robert Wilson/STARZ
Do you think it’s a bit of willful ignorance?
CHARLES VANDERVAART:I think so.
The only person that understood him truly would’ve been the groom at Helwater, Jamie Fraser.
But that would contradict his entire identity as the Earl of Ellesmere.
So, I’m sure that got compartmentalized really quickly.
But he might’ve always known in one small part of his brain.
For William’s own peace of mind and for the people around him, I hope that happens eventually.
When he finally got there and saw the reality of it all, it was horrible to him.
He’s been disillusioned by the horribleness of war.
That maybe drove him away from his patriotism and from his rigid moral code that he grew up on.
That’s continuing when he finds out his true identity.
But it is who he truly is.
So, maybe [he] and his healthiest self will finally reconcile with that.
He’s really concerned about his sense of honor.
But then he also hauls off and punches Ian without provocation, which is very not honorable.
What’s happening there?
Is it just this revelation gives him a space to put his anger about Rachel not choosing him?
So not honorable at all.
Billy, whatcha doing?
It’s a lot of things.
It’s someone that’s blood related to Jamie Fraser.
It’s his own kin.
That makes William see him as more of a threat and exactly what he doesn’t want to be.
It is so tough this episode.
He hits rock bottom so many times.
And that sense of guilt probably carried on to that scene with Arabella.
But Jane and William do have a special bond that started in this episode.
From the first moment they meet on the street, they really seem to be drawn to each other.
What is it about Jane that draws William in?
Is it a savior complex thing?
What’s going on there?
Initially, he probably goes in because he doesn’t care about anything anymore.
Then, he starts to get to know Jane.
He met Arabella initially, and then he finally gets to know Jane, who she truly is.
They seem to have chemistry that came out of nowhere.
There’s a sense of familiarity between the two of them.
They come from totally different worlds.
Even though they’re completely different, they find a bond.
They’re both people that feel lost.
He finally breaks down and cry when he’s with her after having so much anger this whole episode.
How important is that level of vulnerability for his journey going forward?
He really needed that.
He needed some cathartic crying right there.
But they can be vulnerable when they need to be.
That was an important step in William’s journey of healing.
He’s very far away from healing at the moment, but give him a couple seasons, baby.
He’ll get there.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Outlanderairs new episodes Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Starz.
