The following contains slight spoilers for episode 3

Fans of Outlander: Blood of My Blood know that the show is much more than an epic love story. Like its predecessor, Outlander, the show also highlights real-life societal and political conflict. And in season two, Blood of My Blood fans see that conflict nearing its tipping point.

As the Jacobite Rising intensifies, Blood of My Blood’s MacKenzie and Fraser clans are preparing for battle. In a roundtable discussion, SciFi Vision asked costars Harriet Slater (Ellen) and Hermione Corfield (Julia) what this all means for the women left at home. What war are they fighting?

Slater spoke about the danger Ellen, Julia, and the others face at home without men’s protection. “We see in episode three,” she teased, “the women fend for themselves because...well, because they have to, actually. And I think it's a great episode, because we've never seen that side of them before and would never have seen that side of them if the men hadn't have all gone off to fight.”

Turning to Corfield, she continued: “Hermione, you were saying earlier, it's kind of similar with what happened in World War One and Two when the women had to take on the men's roles, but there's a great amount of strength and power when they do band together in that way.”

“As much as the women are now left vulnerable and unprotected in the houses,” Corfield responded, “it's also a huge amount of opportunity in a funny way. Like for Julia, she can now strategize with Lovat (Tony Curran) away how she can escape again.”

Both are enjoying the challenge. “As actors,” said Cornfield, “it's given us some fun stuff to play as well. It's left things open for us to have a little bit more agency, which is really fun.”

Check out the full roundtable interview below. Episode three airs this Friday, October 2 on Starz.