'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAIRAAAQMEAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQACAwYREiETBAUiMVL/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/8QAGREAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAxFR/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDKqeqksozuMEjZmy9NEBDxyOxkJcSTIMvk46HpQ3Mx3lZwvuwOgiI1aAM2dibGJVd5P//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Outlander: Blood of My Blood Episode 5, titled 'Needfire', saw betrayals in friendships, a monumental prophecy, and the sweet culmination of a forbidden romance, all during the Beltane festival. As revealed by Ellen McKenzie to Julia in the previous episode, this Celtic May Day was celebrated to mark the beginning of Summer, where young lads and lassies would gather and engage in drinks and dance in a joyous carnival.
Additionally, the Beltane festival holds the utmost importance in Scottish tradition, as it is the day when the walls between the real world and the supernatural world are the thinnest, leading faeries to fall through and bless women with fertility. Dancing around an auspicious bonfire at night was symbolic of good married life, also established in the Outlander Pilot.
The Beltane festival, which also had passing mentions in the parent series, is a real festival and was one of the most important and auspicious days in Scottish culture in the 18th century. This Outlander: Blood of My Blood festival was specifically celebrated in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, and had many traditions of its own, some of which are also adapted by modern generations.
More on Outlander: Blood of My Blood Episode 5's Beltane festival in our story.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood Episode 5- What is the Beltane festival?
Author Diana Gabaldon's magical world in Outlander feels grounded in reality and Scottish culture, partly because of events like Beltane, a festival still deeply rooted in Scottish and Irish histories. Beltane, a festival that marks and celebrates the beginning of summer, is one of the four important Gaelic seasonal festivals along with Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh. Each of these festivals is deeply tied to seasons and Scottish traditions.
It's interesting that Outlander: Blood of My Blood Episode 5 chooses Beltane in particular, as the festival is marked by much magic and myth. As revealed by Ellen to Julia, she is to attend the festival with her betrothed, Malcolm, which will lock her in a 100-year dance with him. Such were the myths that surrounded the Beltane festival in the 18th century, making it an important festival for couples and women. Additionally, the Beltane festival is also said to bring fertility to a woman. Bonfires, an important part of the festival, were said to have cleansing and magical powers, purifying the souls of troubled individuals.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood Episode 5 gets its title 'Needfire' from one such ritualistic fire that was traditionally built by nine members of the community. The prequel included this particular detail as Ellen distracted Malcolm by making him build the Needfire, while she slipped away to spend some quality time with Brian. Later, after Brian hand-fasts them into a Gaelic marriage and they consummate their love, Ellen and Malcolm walk through the Beltane Needfire hand-in-hand as the newly elected king and Queen. This particular ritual was meant to bless couples in the holy Needfire and bind them to each other for years.
Beltane is a symbolic festival in Outlander: Blood of My Blood
Outlander: Blood of My Blood Episode 5 concluded with women dancing around the bonfire, praying for fertility and fulfilling motherhood, a scene highly reminiscent of the Outlander Pilot, where Claire and Frank sneak at night and find women dancing similarly around the Craigh Na Dun stones. While the Beltane festival was typically celebrated in 18th-century Scotland, some still observed it in secrecy even in the 20th century. One such character was Geillis (from the parent series), who still believed in the festival's magic and duly completed all the rituals.
The prequel series certainly expanded on the Beltane lore, earlier mentioned in passing in the parent series. The festival became a ground of betrayals and forbidden love in Episode 5, where Brian and Ellen finally consummated their love, but Murtagh saw the two lovers kiss in secret. This betrayal on Brian's part certainly stung Murtagh hard and might even have consequences for the couple in the upcoming episodes.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood releases weekly episodes every Friday on Starz.
Trending
While the Beltane festival fell out of practice in the 20th century, a modern variation of the festival is still celebrated in Edinburgh, Scotland, on May 1. The Beltane Fire Festival is celebrated by pagan and Neopagan communities to commemorate the beginning of summer and is an important Celtic holiday.
For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.
Reply
