regshoe

I'd agree with your suggestion that Guthrie is a bit of a composite of historical figures, or at the very least historical attitudes, although he has yet to go so far as drowning rebels in a net, as I believe Scott was accused of. That being said, he's perfectly capable of it, and I don't think sanguinity is out of line by calling him Major War Crimes!

I'm inclined, for my own sanity, to assume that when Keith recognises 'Cameron tartan' he's really recognising just whatever pattern is common to the region. I first read about the Sobieski Stuarts and the Tartan Scam as a kid and ever since then it has remained one of my major pet peeves when it comes to people misunderstanding Scottish culture. And yet for all that it's not really a part of historic Scottish culture, it has become such a strong invented tradition that it's everywhere now, and we'll never be rid of it.

Alison and Keith are both paralleled and also set up against each other in quite interesting ways. They are both meaningful people to Ewen in significant but different ways, although there's also this ambiguity to Keith and Ewen's relationship that makes it feel at times almost like — well, I don't want to say soulmates per se, but what with the prophecy and this sense of being guided by fate towards each other while also thwarted by circumstance it feels at times like there is a star-crossed element to their relationship. (Although one could argue the same for Alison and Ewen too.)