Outlander season 7, episode 10 saw the conflict between Arch Bug and Ian Murray come to a close after a long, tragic history. Mr. Bug had been trailing Ian throughout most of season 7 and set his sights on the Quaker Rachel Hunter at the start of part 2. In episode 10, the old man finally made his move, kidnapping Rachel and waiting for Ian to come looking for her. Mr. Bug planned to murder the girl in front of Ian, thus exacting his revenge. Thankfully, William Ransom turned up and saved the day—but why did all this happen to begin with?
Mr. and Mrs. Bug lived at Fraser’s Ridge in Outlander and grew quite close with the Fraser family. Young Ian saw Mrs. Bug as a sort of grandmother figure, and the old woman returned the sentiment, looking out for him when she could. She even went as far as helping Ian and Claire bury Allan Christie’s body, stating that she knew if they killed him, it must have been for a good reason. Unfortunately, the relationship between the Bugs and Frasers fell apart in Outlander season 7 when Jamie discovered that Arch had been the one to steal the Jacobite gold from River Run.
Arch Bug Stole The Jacobite Gold From Jocasta Cameron
The Bugs Had Been Hiding Their Stolen Gold At The Fraser House
The Jacobite gold is central to several conflicts in Outlander season 7. It’s why Rob Cameron kidnapped Jemmy in the 20th century, and it’s why Arch Bug is seeking revenge on Young Ian. The French initially donated this gold to Bonnie Prince Charlie, though it arrived in Scotland too late to make any difference for the Jacobite cause. So, a handful of influential Scots split the Jacobite gold amongst themselves, and a share of it was hidden away at River Run with Jocasta, Jamie’s aunt. However, it was one day mysteriously stolen away.
When the house at Fraser’s Ridge burned down, Jamie found the Jacobite gold hidden away there and ultimately deduced that it was put there by Arch Bug. The old man admitted to stealing the gold, leading Jamie to banish the Bugs from Fraser’s Ridge. However, he felt that Mr. Bug wouldn’t leave without this sizeable torture, so he set a watch over the gold. As he expected, a figure attempted to steal the Jacobite gold in the middle of the night in Outlander season 7, part 1. When Jamie tried to confront them, they began shooting at him.
Ian Killed Mrs. Bug Thinking She Was Her Husband In Outlander Season 7, Part 1
Mr. Bug Swore To Take Someone Ian Loved In Return
Seeing that Jamie was in danger, Ian returned fire on whoever was attempting to steal the Jacobite gold. Of course, it wasn’t Mr. Bug but his wife. Ian was utterly devastated to have killed a woman who had been so dear to him, and following the old woman’s funeral, he offered his own life up to Mr. Bug. However, Arch didn’t consider this a fair trade. He told Ian he would take revenge when the boy had something worth taking. From that point forward, Ian was on constant alert, worried that Mr. Bug was following him and would harm anyone he got too close to.
Arch Bug Kidnapped Rachel Hunter To Get Revenge On Ian In Outlander Season 7, Episode 10
Mr. Bug Found His Moment In Outlander Season 7, Part 2
Despite Ian’s caution, he wound up falling in love with Rachel Hunter, a Quaker girl. He was naturally terrified that Mr. Bug would discover this and harm Rachel, which is why he decided to withhold these feelings and return to Scotland to see his family. However, the imminent death of Ian’s father, Ian Murray Sr, made him realize that he couldn’t ignore his feelings for Rachel. Ian returned to the colonies with no idea that Mr. Bug had already begun trailing the girl when he saw that she had possession of Ian’s dog, Rollo.
He kidnapped Rachel and held her captive in the stables, planning to murder her once Mrs. Bug’s killer appeared.
In Outlander season 7, episode 10, Mr. Bug learns of Ian’s return from Scotland and knows it is his moment to strike. He kidnapped Rachel and held her captive in the stables, planning to murder her once Mrs. Bug’s killer appeared. However, Ian manages to overpower Mr. Bug, who then loses his chance to harm Rachel. Instead, he attempts one last-ditch effort for revenge and turns his ax on Ian himself. If it weren’t for William, Mr. Bug surely would have succeeded. Instead, both Bugs tragically lost their lives in Outlander season 7—all because of the Jacobite gold.