As we get ready for Outlander Season 8, it’s hard not to look back at some of the show’s most emotional storylines. That’s especially true now that we’ve seen Blood of My Blood, the prequel that introduces younger versions of characters we already know — and either love or hate.
Arch Bug is definitely on the hated side of that list, whether we’re talking about Outlander or Blood of My Blood. Murdina Bug, however, is a little harder to despise. Despite standing loyally by her husband until the very end, she was also kind to Jemmy and the other children, showing a softer side that suggested she could have been a wonderful grandmother.
But Murdina never had children of her own — and there’s a heartbreaking reason for that.
Murdina Bug Couldn’t Have Children in Outlander
Both Outlander and Blood of My Blood reveal that Arch and Murdina tried for children but never succeeded. Arch once told Henry that his wife had suffered multiple miscarriages. In Outlander, Murdina herself explained that she wanted children deeply but couldn’t have them.
In her desperation, Murdina even went to a woman said to have the power to help her conceive. But there was a warning attached to this wish: if she did bear a child, Arch would die young. Murdina couldn’t bring herself to take that risk, choosing instead a childless life with the man she loved.
That decision may have shaped who the Bugs became — two people hardened by loss and longing, yet still bound together by loyalty.
Why Couldn’t Murdina Have Children?
The series never explains exactly why Murdina couldn’t have children. Claire never discusses it, leaving fans to come up with their own theories.
One possibility is simply that she suffered from a condition preventing her from carrying a pregnancy to term. Many women throughout history have faced similar heartbreaks, especially in eras when medicine offered little understanding or help.
Another theory is that an early miscarriage caused health complications that made future pregnancies impossible. We know Murdina endured four miscarriages within a year — an unimaginable tragedy that could easily have left lasting damage.
In the end, Murdina chose Arch over the dream of motherhood. And while the Bugs aren’t the most likable pair in Outlander, it’s hard not to feel for her on a human level. Her story is one of love, sacrifice, and the quiet pain of what might have been.
