'Outlander''s Christie Family On Their Characters: 'We Are Not the Classic Villains'

The highly-anticipated sixth season of Outlander is finally here on Starz and things are heating up on Fraser's Ridge, with the outbreak of the American Revolution looming closer and closer. Not only is a war on the horizon, but Jamie Fraser (played by Sam Heughan) has also been paid a visit by an old foe, Tom Christie (Mark Lewis Jones), and his family.

In Episode 1, Outlander viewers learned of Jamie and Tom's tumultuous past at Ardsmuir Prison where Tom, a "a really staunch protestant" Heughan told Newsweek, clashed with the Catholics, de-facto led by Jamie. By Episode 2, Tom, his son Allan (Alexander Vlahos) and niece Malva (Jessica Reynolds) are starting to come out of their shell, but they are "not the classic villains" audiences new to Outlander might think, Jones told Newsweek.

Fans of the Outlander novel series by Diana Gabaldon will know the arrival of the Christies spells great trouble for Jamie and Claire Fraser's (Caitriona Balfe) relationship in particular. Their actions will even go so far as to put Claire's life on the line.

But, without giving away any spoilers, Jones, Vlahos and Reynolds dived into the characters, their journeys in Season 6, and their unique family.

Mark Lewis Jones on Tom Christie

Jones shared: "Tom...it's an incredible part and his journey through this series is amazing and so many twists and turns and layers and things to explore, it's an actor's dream really to be given a part like this in a series like this."

He also teased a "strange triangle" that is set to emerge between Jamie, Claire, and his character Tom who, by Episode 2, appears to be developing a toxic obsession with Claire. He does not squash rumors that Claire is a witch and disapproves of her powerful place as a woman at Fraser's Ridge, but appears to also have a soft spot for her. As for Jamie, the mutual respect but dislike they have for each other is becoming increasingly evident.

Jones said: "The relationship between the characters [Tom, Jamie and Claire] really develops in a very fascinating way. It's a strange triangle, that goes into quite interesting areas, and there's what Claire describes as these two rams head butting each other and I would imagine, I'm speaking on behalf of Sam here, but it's great for [Jamie] to have somebody to bet against that becomes part of the ridge family as it were, who's there on a sort of day to day basis and has a completely different kind of set of beliefs and is so stubborn and uncompromising and difficult."

As for his relationship with his son and niece, Jones described them as "weird children" and a "weird family". He even joked to Newsweek when they arrived on set, they would bring a "dark cloud" but stressed they are not the "classic villains" fans might think, they are just "weird."

He said: "There are these weird children. We are weird, there's no doubt about that. We're not the classic villains but we are weird."

Alexander Vlahos on Allan Christie

So far in Outlander Season 6, the darkness carried by Allan Christie has not yet been revealed, but by Episode 2, audiences are starting to see glimpses of a troubled man, with a wicked side.

In Episode 1, Allan stole a powder horn and received lashes from Jamie as punishment and in Episode 2, if he isn't in the background looking seriously or making eye contact with his father, he is being incredibly possessive over his younger cousin, Malva.

Speaking to Newsweek, Vlahos echoed Jones's sentiments about the Christie family, describing them as "so multi-dimensional and flawed."

He said: "They're so multi-dimensional and flawed. They're not black and white.

"All three of us balked at the idea that we were villains because as actors you want interesting, you want the gray, you don't want the black or the white, you want that bit in between that makes them tick. I feel like for Allan, it's that in episode one you see the grey a lot and that continues all the way through season six."

Vlahos continued: "I think it's fair to say that he's trouble. I think he's more trouble for himself than anyone else. I think he's wrestling with a lot of identity crisis in terms of the fact that he's no longer the alpha male in the family.

"I think now when it comes to new people, he really has to be subservient to his dad so he's always looking to sort of revolt against that and whether that means stealing powder and claiming it as his own, or his possessive nature of Malva, the journey for Allan is fascinating."

Vlahos also teased there was "tragedy" in store for the Christie family, explaining: "I think there's a tragedy that comes with the Christie's, not only the tragedy of what they bring to Fraser's Ridge but especially for Allan. In Episode One, he feels like he has the world at his feet and through his own undoing, and his own unraveling destroys a lot of lives, including his own."

Jessica Reynolds on Malva Christie

Outlander fans will find themselves torn between feeling extremely sorry for Malva Christie on one hand and on the other, feeling incredibly angry at her actions.

Curious to learn more from Claire Fraser and escape the physical and psychological abuse at home at the hands of her cousin and uncle, fans will be rooting for Malva, until she turns against Claire, the one person trying to help her.

Reynolds described her character's story as similar to a "Greek tragedy."

She shared: "I felt so deeply sorry for her and she does the things that she does, not all good obviously but ultimately it's just a complete tragedy. It is its classic kind of Greek tragedy what happens."

Outlander Season 6 airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz and Starzplay.