Outlander: Blood of My Blood Episode 2 Recap — “S.W.A.K.”

Episode 2 of Outlander: Blood of My Blood, appropriately titled “S.W.A.K. (Sealed With a Kiss),” is all about Julia Moriston and Henry Beauchamp.

We met Claire’s parents briefly in Episode 1, but now we're going back to see how their love story began, how they ended up at Craigh na Dun and, most importantly, how they both found themselves more than 200 years in the past.

And because this is Outlander, their love story begins with war, letters and a little bit of fate.

Henry Beauchamp and the Battle of Passchendaele

The episode takes us back to 1917, in the middle of World War I.

Lieutenant Henry Beauchamp is fighting in the Battle of Passchendaele, and things are looking very bleak in Belgium.

During the battle, Henry risks his life to save a fellow soldier named Willie. Unfortunately, Willie’s injuries are too severe, but before he dies, he gives Henry a letter and asks him to make sure it gets to his mother.

Before honoring Willie's final wish, Henry decides to write a letter of his own.

Unlike Willie, Henry doesn't really have anyone to write to, so he simply addresses it:

“To Whom It May Concern.”

In the letter, he allows himself to be vulnerable about the horrors of war and what he's experiencing on the battlefield.

Little does he know, someone actually will be concerned.

Julia Moriston Answers Henry's Letter

Back in London, Julia Moriston works for the Postal and Telegraph Censorship Department.

Her job is to read soldiers' letters and remove sensitive information before they're sent home to family and loved ones.

Henry's letter eventually lands in front of her.

She's supposed to censor it and move on.

Instead, his words get to her.

So Julia writes back.

That one decision opens the door to a relationship neither of them expected.

The two begin regularly exchanging letters, bonding over poetry, the Scottish Highlands and the lives they hope to have beyond the war. Henry begins referring to Julia as “my hope,” which, considering what he's experiencing on the battlefield, feels pretty fitting.

There is also a little Outlander foreshadowing hidden in their conversations. Julia mentions Scottish folklorist J.F. Campbell and a story about a magical faerie ring.

A mysterious circle in Scotland?

I'm sure that won't be important later...

Eventually, Henry and Julia make plans to meet in London when Henry gets leave.

That's assuming his leave is approved—and that he survives long enough to make it there.

Henry and Julia Finally Meet

Then Henry's letters stop.

Weeks go by without Julia hearing from him, and it begins to look like she may never meet the man she's gotten to know so well.

But fate apparently has other plans.

The two unexpectedly cross paths on the streets of London.

I'm not going to lie, their reunion made me tear up a little bit.

After all those letters and all that waiting, they're finally standing face-to-face.

And it's not really an Outlander love story without a bit of spice.

After spending the night together, Henry and Julia quickly marry.

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp!

We only get a brief glimpse of their married life, but it's enough to show that surviving the war hasn't meant leaving it behind for Henry.

He experiences episodes of PTSD, and Julia helps bring him back by reminding him of the words they exchanged in their letters.

It's sweet, but knowing where we saw these two at the end of Episode 1 makes their happiness feel very temporary.

Julia Beauchamp Goes Through the Stones

We jump forward to where Episode 1 left us:

Craigh na Dun.

Julia wakes up alone in front of the stones with no idea what has happened or where Henry is.

There's also a small but VERY important detail: the gemstone from her wedding ring is gone.

If you've watched Outlander, you know gemstones and time travel tend to go hand-in-hand.

Julia doesn't realize she's been thrown back to 1714 yet. Believing Henry may be looking for her, she leaves him a message by marking a stone with an arrow and the letters “S.W.A.K.”

Sealed With a Kiss.

The same phrase connected to the letters that brought them together in the first place.

Henry eventually comes through the stones as well and finds Julia's message.

So they're both alive.

They're both in 1714.

And they're both looking for each other.

Unfortunately, that's about where their similarities end.

Because these two are about to have VERY different introductions to the 18th century.

Julia Ends Up at Castle Leathers

Julia's introduction to 1714 is terrible almost immediately.

She's attacked by locals, called a Sassenach and eventually handed over to Simon Fraser as payment for someone else's debt.

Yes.

A human being.

As payment.

At this point, it's becoming very clear that Simon Fraser's moral compass is severely lacking.

Brian Fraser attempts to intervene and convince his father to accept money instead, but Simon refuses.

Julia is taken into Castle Leathers as a maidservant under the supervision of housekeeper Mistress Davina Porter.

And Davina isn't just another new character.

She's Brian Fraser's mother, which makes her Jamie Fraser's grandmother. Her history with Simon is also incredibly dark, which makes the warning she gives Julia especially important:

Never be alone with him.

Julia, however, has no intention of staying at Castle Leathers long enough for that to become an issue.

Julia Tries to Escape

Julia finds a map and decides she's getting out of there.

Brian catches her before she leaves and warns her that a storm is coming, but Julia isn't interested in waiting around.

Honestly, can you blame her?

Unfortunately, she doesn't get very far.

Simon Fraser's manservant Balloch catches her, and when Julia fights back, he punches her in the stomach.

Remember: Julia is pregnant.

As punishment for trying to escape, she's sentenced to 20 lashes.

But before the punishment can be carried out, Brian steps forward and takes the lashes for her.

Between this and everything we know about Jamie Fraser, apparently sacrificing your back for someone else is just part of the Fraser family DNA.

Henry Beauchamp Meets the Grants

Meanwhile, Henry's experience in 1714 is going surprisingly well compared to his wife's.

He ends up in a tavern, where he discovers he's somehow landed in the year 1714.

There, he crosses paths with Malcolm Grant.

Henry quickly proves himself useful by exposing the treachery of one of the Grants' own men.

That earns him a position as a bladier for the Grant family.

And while Julia is trapped as a servant at Castle Leathers, Henry is given comfortable accommodations and a position that allows him to travel.

Not exactly fair, but it gives Henry something he desperately needs:

The ability to search for Julia.

Of course, there's a catch.

Henry learns exactly what happened to the Grants' previous bladier when he wasn't loyal.

Let's just say his head ended up somewhere other than his shoulders.

And the man involved in his downfall?

Mr. Bug.

Yes, Outlander fans. THAT Mr. Bug.

Henry and Julia Are Still Separated

A month passes, and despite both searching, Henry and Julia are no closer to finding each other.

But then another familiar Outlander character enters the picture:

Ned Gowan.

Following Dougal's attack on Malcolm Grant in Episode 1, Ned is trying to repair the damage between the Mackenzies and Grants.

His solution?

A marriage.

Specifically, Ellen Mackenzie and Malcolm Grant.

Henry initially has no interest in getting involved in Mackenzie and Grant family politics.

Understandable.

This man is just trying to find his wife.

But Ned realizes Henry is searching for someone and makes him an offer.

If Henry takes the marriage proposal to the Grants, Ned will help him find Julia.

And suddenly, Henry has a reason to care.

The problem is that we already know Ellen is falling for Brian Fraser.

So without even realizing it, Henry has now become involved in the love story that will eventually lead to Jamie Fraser's existence.

Final Thoughts on Blood of My Blood Episode 2

Episode 1 introduced us to two different love stories, but Episode 2 finally gives Henry and Julia room to become more than just “Claire's parents.”

And I really enjoyed their story.

Starting their relationship through letters during World War I makes their eventual separation even more heartbreaking. They spent so much time waiting to finally meet each other, only for Craigh na Dun to separate them all over again.

But what I really like about Blood of My Blood so far is seeing how these stories are beginning to overlap.

Julia is trapped in Brian Fraser's home.

Henry is working for Malcolm Grant.

Ellen is falling for Brian.

Ned wants Ellen to marry Malcolm.

And Henry may have to help make that happen if he wants Ned's help finding Julia.

Everybody is slowly getting tangled together—and we already know where at least some of these family lines eventually lead.

The question now is how much chaos it's going to take to get there.

What did you think of Episode 2? And are you enjoying Henry and Julia's story as much as Ellen and Brian's?