Outlander season seven premiers soon and the excitement among fans of the Starz historical drama is building. The forthcoming run has been super-sized with 16 instalments to enthral viewers with the show using material from Diana Gabaldon’s novels A Breath of Snow and Ashes and An Echo in the Bone. One of the big things about season seven is the introduction of William Ransom (played by Charles Vandervaart), who is now a grown man serving in the British army in America. However, many fans may have forgotten about his mother Geneva Dunsany (Hannah James) and how William’s conception came about – here’s a quick refresher.
What happened to William Ransom’s mother Geneva?
Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) became an indentured servant on an English estate called Helwater following his release from Ardsmuir Prison for his part in the Jacobite Rebellion.
He kept his identity hidden and was known as Alexander MacKenzie or Mac the groom and served the Dunsany family.
Despite keeping to himself, Jamie caught the eye of the eldest Dunsany daughter Geneva, who blackmailed him into sleeping with her before her wedding to a much older man.
Geneva warned if Jamie didn’t follow through, she would reveal he was a Jacobite and he would quickly be fired from his position in Helwater and disgraced, possibly even returning to prison to completely the rest of his sentence.
Jamie slept with Geneva only to later learn she’d fallen pregnant with their child, despite asking her to take precautions.
By the time she was due to give birth, Geneva was married to Lord Ellesmere who was furious and declared the child was illegitimate because he knew he was impotent.
Sadly, Geneva died from blood loss after giving birth with her parents arriving to see their grandson and wanting to take the child with them.
However, Lord Ellesmere said their daughter was dishonorable but still wanted to keep the child as his heir.
There was an ensuing scuffle between Lord Ellesmere and the Dunsanys for the child with the nobleman threatening to drop the baby out of the window if Geneva’s parents didn’t stop.
Jamie took matters into his own hands before his son was killed and instead shot dead Lord Ellesmere and caught William.
The Ellesmere family then took the child to be raised at Helwater with Jamie keeping a close eye on the boy before eventually deciding it was prudent to leave with the resemblance between William and him becoming too apparent.
Jamie departed Helwater with a heavy heart but safe in the knowledge his good friend Lord John Grey (David Berry) would care for William like his own son after becoming the child’s step-father.
Jamie briefly spent some time with William when he came to Fraser’s Ridge with Lord John after they had to go hunting together.
The Highlander was heartened by the meeting but also saddened as he knew he could never tell William the truth for fear his son would lose his title and fortunes.
Whether William will learn the truth eventually remains to be seen with the young man soon to be encountering his biological father again.
The similarities between William and Jamie are likely to become more apparent now he’s much older.
Both Brianna MacKenzie (Sophie Skelton) and her mother Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe) know about William with Ian Murray (John Bell) also having an inkling.
Outlander star Skelton previously said about Claire’s feelings about Jamie’s love child: “Regarding William, again I think this is something that pains Claire to this day and it wasn’t really Brianna’s secret to know.
“Wishes on deathbeds were made and she was told when the time was right.
“I think she can respect both the value of a promise and the value of timing.”
Adding: “At first, and at the young and complicated age she was when she found it, it wasn’t an easy one for her.”