'Outlander' Season 2 spoilers: Why Dougal put his 'ego and vanity' aside

Dougal had to face some challenging times in “Outlander” Season 2. In a recent interview, Graham McTavish talked about how his character had to put aside his “ego and vanity” in anticipation of getting everything he ever wanted.

[Spoiler alert]

Dougal was looking forward to lead clan Mackenzie, but had to take a step back and see Jamie (Sam Heughan) take that position away. In an interview with TV Line, McTavish explained that Jamie (Sam Heughan) left for France as a “headstrong youth,” but came back to Scotland as a “proper, pure man.” He had now become “a leader of men,” something that Dougal was not expecting.

McTavish said that his character was insulted by Claire (Caitriona Balfe), and he had to “suck it up with Jamie in front of the men,” by taking second place to him. All of this must have bruised the man’s ego. However, the actor said that his character had a little word with himself to put aside his ego and vanity to achieve the prize he always wanted.

The main plot of “Outlander” Season 2 was about the Jacobite Rising. With Prince Charles (Andrew Gower) coming to Scotland, Dougal feels that the Stuart monarchy will return. He has been fighting for this for most of his life, and this dream seems almost within grasp.

When he finds out that Jamie and Claire are planning to murder Prince Charles, his world comes “crashing down.” McTavish said that his character was “dazzled” by Claire and he has desire for her at the back of his mind, but he reluctantly decides that he has to kill both her and her husband.

It was, however, Dougal who met his maker at the hands of the Frasers in the “Outlander” Season 2 finale. McTavish said that if his character had fought in the Battle of Culloden, he would have been in the front, and might have also survived. He said that his character was the sort of man who could “crawl off the battlefield,” get on a horse, meet a new lady and go off to live on island somewhere.