Fans of the Outlander book series know what happens to Murtagh at the Battle of Culloden, but many wondered whether the Starz series would follow the same path. The premiere answered that when Murtagh was seen helping Jamie, but then quickly got lost in the shuffle of fighting soldiers. Rupert later said that he didn’t see Murtagh’s body, making many question whether the lovable, badly dancing Scot would make it through.
It turns out that the show has taken liberty with the character’s storyline. He is definitely alive, at least for now.
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There Were Hints in the Last Two Episodes
The general rule with TV is that if a death hasn’t happened on screen, then it’s not real. The only exceptions for Outlander would be the executions from the Season 3 premiere. We saw what Jamie was able to see, but knew that Rupert wasn’t getting out of that situation alive.
While Rupert told Jamie in the premiere that he hadn’t seen Murtagh’s body, the next episode gave us more of an inclination that he had made it out of the battle alive. When questioned about hiding Jamie, Ian makes it clear that he isn’t hiding his brother-in-law or any other traitor from the Stuart uprising.
This line had two meanings to it. The Redcoats were looking for the Dunbonnet, who was only believed to be Red Jamie. He may have been another Scottish rebel, but Ian was making a point that no rebels were in the area. The second meaning was for the fans. It was a hint that others got away and are in the area. Did Murtagh seek refuge on Fraser lands?
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Ron Moore Shares Murtagh’s Fate
The Hollywood Reporter shared an interview with Caitriona Balfe, Tobias Menzies and Ron Moore after the Outlander season 3 episode “Surrender.” It was made abundantly clear at the very end that Duncan Lacroix’s time on the screen is not done. Unlike in the novels, Murtagh did not die at the Battle of Culloden. However, his whereabouts right now are unknown. It is likely that he fled when he realized that the battle was lost, but couldn’t find Jamie to get him out of there, too.
It’s very likely that Murtagh will show up sometime in the next few episodes. He may even appear in the next one, since Moore happily shared this (otherwise) spoiler. Fans of the show hope that he will still be around for when Claire returns to the past, despite Murtagh likely being in his 70s by this point.
Moore made it clear that changes to the storyline aren’t done for the sake of it. The book version is the first storyline to be considered, but changes are made because the book version doesn’t fit anymore.
How do you think Murtagh survived the Battle of Culloden? When will we see him again? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Outlander Season 3 continues on Sundays at 8/7c on STARZ. Don’t forget to follow our Facebook page for more updates.
(Image courtesy of STARZ)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Alexandria is a full-time freelance writer and journalist. Alexandria studied Computer Science at Aston University and Criminology at the Open University. She enjoys writing about TV shows and entertainment news. Other than writing, Alexandria loves reading, exploring new countries, and relaxing with her family.
