With Season 5 of Outlander set to return on February 16, fans are left wondering what will be in store for our favorite time-travelers. Readers of the book know that in The Fiery Cross, the Battle of Alamance takes place. However, whether the outcome will be the same remains in question as the writers don’t always follow the events of the book.
This is mostly due to the writers wanting to surprise fans. It is also to keep the story interesting for the viewer, because let’s be honest, sometimes you can be let down by your own expectations. Would you like to see some examples? Keep reading to discover 10 times the show ignored its own canon.
Rupert Is Executed As A Traitor
In the TV series, Rupert played an integral part in the clan MacKenzie. He proved to be just as loyal to Jamie when he rescued him from Wentworth Prison and allowed him to send Claire back through the stones. However, Rupert met his demise after Culloden when he was executed as a traitor by the Redcoats.
This was completely different from the books, where Rupert took on a less active role. Instead of dying after Culloden, Rupert was mercy-killed by Dougal in Dragonfly in Amber when he was wounded after a musket ball pierced his lung. This didn’t seem fitting for the Rupert in the show, who provided us with much comedy-relief.
Jamie Marrying Laoghaire
Another frustrating aspect that changes how the viewers saw Jamie was his marriage to Laoghaire. In Season 3, fans were astonished to see that Jamie had agreed to marry the maiden despite knowing what she made Claire endure. However, in Voyager and Drums of Autumn, the truth about Laoghaire’s involvement comes to light.
In Voyager, Claire reveals the truth to Jamie in a rage after she learns of his marriage to Laoghaire. In Drums of Autumn, the Murrays also find out the truth when Brianna exposes Laoghaire after she comes looking for Jamie on the warpath. The marriage is excusable if they weren’t aware of what she did, but the fact that TV Jenny and Jamie did know serves to invalidate Claire’s feelings.
Brianna’s son’s birth
The writers of the show also changed the birth scene of Jem. In Drums of Autumn and similar to the show, Brianna gave birth to a boy. However, circumstances surrounding the birth are what make it different. In the book, Jem’s birth saw Brianna assisted by Jamie and Claire, which provided the readers with a memorable moment.
In the TV series, the writers changed this by deciding that Brianna would give birth without her parents by her side. This scene was interpreted to be empowering for Brianna as it emphasized that, even without Roger, Jamie and Claire, she would be able to manage on her own.
Jamie’s Ring Is Stolen
Another big change the TV series made was when Stephen Bonnet stole Jamie’s ring instead of Frank’s. In Drums of Autumn, Claire and Jamie found themselves ambushed by the pirate after he realized they had valuable possessions on board. When Claire tried to swallow her rings, Bonnet managed to take Frank’s band, which Brianna was able to recognize easily.
However, the change proved to be significant to the series, particularly for the relationships between Brianna, Claire, and Jamie. When Bonnet takes Jamie’s ring, the viewers can see how devastated Claire was by the loss, which serves to emphasize her love for the Scotsman. The loss of Jamie’s ring also adds depth to Brianna and Jamie’s relationship as Brianna’s recognition of the ring shows her to value its importance.
The Different Character Perspectives
A major change the book makes to the series was the different character perspectives. In the first Outlander book, the novel is narrated from the perspective of Claire so readers are easily able to grasp an understanding of her thoughts and motives. The other novels are also told from a third-person perspective, which means the readers would never fully understand characters like Jamie, Brianna or Roger.
However, the show does. For instance, the viewers were horrified to witness Jamie getting assaulted by Jack Randall at Wentworth Prison. They also got to see the events of Culloden unfold and how Jamie managed to survive the battle. It serves to suggest that Outlander is not just Claire’s story but Jamie’s too.
Frank And Claire’s Fight
A big change they made in the TV series was the final fight between Frank and Claire. In “All Debts Paid,” Claire and Frank ended up getting into a massive row after the history professor confessed that he was moving to England and taking Brianna with him. Frank ends up storming out after Claire admits that she would never have forgotten Jamie, even if she didn’t have Brianna.
However, the book’s interpretation of the scene was completely different. Not only did Frank want to take Brianna, but he had other motives for it too. For instance, Frank was illustrated to be a racist as he told Claire that he didn’t want Brianna to continue associating with Joe Abernathy’s son. He also accused Claire of having an affair with Joe.
Frank’s Personality
This previous revelation would have made the audience hate Frank even more and is probably why the TV writers also made a huge change to his characterization. For instance, in Voyager, Claire states that Frank has had several mistresses over the eighteen years they were living together. On top of his racist attitude, he is also misogynistic towards Claire’s career as a surgeon.
However, TV Frank is the complete opposite as he proves to be the perfect gentleman and supportive husband. After he and Claire decided to end their relationship, he came to an agreement with the surgeon which saw him start a relationship with another woman. At least viewers can easily sympathize with this Frank.
Jamie And Claire Kill Dougal
Another change the show made from the books was the death of Dougal. As fans are aware, Dougal was killed by Jamie and Claire after the War Chieftain overhears them talking about assassinating Prince Charles. In a rage, Dougal attacks them both which leads to Claire and Jamie killing him in self-defense.
However, these events are completely different in the books as Jamie was the only one to commit the deed. When Dougal hears them conspiring, he accuses Claire of bewitching Jamie and threatens to kill her. He has no intention of killing the Scotsman at all. It is only when Jamie jumps in to defend Claire does he realize everything Jamie is doing is of his own free-will.
No Jenny And Brianna Scenes
A huge piece of the narrative was missing when the writers chose to exclude the Jenny and Brianna scenes in Season 4. Whereas Brianna only met Ian in the show, in Drums of Autumn, she and Jenny shared some precious moments. Jenny warmly welcomes her niece into the family and help her sort out arrangements to get to America.
Jenny also shows Brianna letters from her parents and how they are faring in Fraser Ridge. Not to mention how Jenny jumped to Brianna’s aid when Laoghaire came to Lallybroch on the warpath for the money Jamie owed her. As mentioned, it was also where Jenny discovered the truth about Laoghaire’s indiscretions.
Murtagh Is Alive
The biggest surprise fans got was when it was revealed that Murtagh Fraser had survived the Battle of Culloden. As many fans know, Murtagh is Jamie’s godfather and does whatever he can to protect the Scotsman. However, in Voyager, Jamie tells Claire that Murtagh had died on the battlefield after he found him near death.
It appeared the show had been keeping with the book until the episode “Savages,” where he and Jamie reunited after the printer confronted him over his extorting prices. With Murtagh also revealed to be a leader in the Regulator movement, it’s safe to say he will play an important part in Season 5, especially as Jamie has been asked to kill him.
