Fans are eagerly awaiting the summer release of Outlander: Blood of My Blood, a prequel series to the popular drama.

The show will center around two couples: 18th-century Highlanders Ellen MacKenzie (portrayed by Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy), as well as Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine) and Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) during World War I, reports the Scottish Daily Express..

Viewers can expect to see younger versions of familiar Outlander characters in the prequel, including Jocasta Cameron (Sadhbh Malin), Colum MacKenzie (Seamus McLean Ross), and Dougal MacKenzie (Sam Retford).

Let’s revisit the tragic backstory of Dougal, first played by Graham McTavish.

A closer look at Dougal MacKenzie’s life in Outlander

Dougal and his elder brother Colum had a complex relationship as they jointly managed Clan MacKenzie after their father’s passing.

Dougal held the position of MacKenzie Clan War Chieftain, while Colum served as the Laird.

However, due to Colum’s debilitating Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome, which caused him severe pain and rendered him unable to walk, he relied heavily on Dougal as his right-hand man.

In essence, Dougal was the muscle to Colum’s mind in the management of Clan MacKenzie.

As depicted in Outlander, rumors circulated that Dougal was involved in an extramarital affair with Colum’s wife Letitia Chisholm (Aislín McGuckin) and was the biological father of his son Hamish MacKenzie (Roderick Gilkison).

A man in a grey hat looks serious© STARZ

The situation became even more convoluted when Colum appointed Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) as Hamish’s guardian, bypassing Dougal.

Blood of My Blood will delve into the early lives of Colum and Dougal, before the events of Outlander unfolded.

The brothers were fiercely protective of their sisters Jocasta and Ellen, especially after the tragic loss of their other sisters, Flora and Janet MacKenzie.

Ellen’s love affair with Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) was met with disapproval from Dougal and Colum, who attempted to thwart their relationship.

Their preference was for a politically advantageous match for Ellen that would bolster the clan’s standing.

However, love prevailed as Brian and Ellen managed to unite, tying the knot in a handfast ceremony after she became pregnant.

Once it became apparent that Ellen was expecting and couldn’t be wedded off elsewhere, Dougal and Colum reluctantly accepted the marriage.

Two men stand and look serious© STARZ

Dougal MacKenzie’s heartbreaking Outlander departure.

On the eve of the Battle of Culloden, a battle he passionately believed Scotland would win, Dougal tragically lost his life.

He overheard Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie discussing plans to assassinate Bonnie Prince Charlie (Andrew Gower) in a desperate bid to alter history.

Enraged by the treasonous conversation, Dougal lashed out, vowing to kill Claire, whom he accused of being a traitorous witch.

A man and a woman look angry© STARZ

He cautioned Jamie about being spellbound by Claire before launching an attack on her.

Jamie intervened, leading to a fatal confrontation between him and his uncle, during which Dougal labeled Jamie a traitor.

The conflict concluded when Jamie fatally stabbed Dougal with a dirk, resulting in a gruesome demise.

This violent altercation between Jamie and Dougal was the trigger for Claire’s return through the stones to the future, a move made to ensure the safety of their unborn child.

Despite Dougal’s death, he did reappear in season seven. This occurred when Roger MacKenzie, portrayed by Richard Rankin, journeyed back through the stones in search of his son, inadvertently traveling further back in time than intended.