Why was the horseshoe added in Outlander Season 3, Episode 9?

There have been many changes to the books over the years. Outlander showrunner Matthew B. Roberts has explained the decision and it certainly makes sense.

As a show-first fan, it’s easy to overlook some of the changes to the book. Despite being a member of Facebook groups, some of the changes aren’t mentioned because they can make sense. So it’s understandable that the addition of the horseshoe onboard the Artemis hasn’t been mentioned too often. This change to the Outlander novel series helps to add more depth to the crew of the Artemis and gave a stage for Willoughby’s sad but poignant story.

Matthew B. Roberts has explained that the horseshoe was an important addition to the novel series. Sailors of the time believed that not touching the horseshoe would bring bad luck to the ship. Just one person not touching it could lead to accidents, bad weather, and illness. During the episode Claire shares how wrong superstitions are, but the captain is happy for the crew to believe them. The superstition helps to make the crew feel at ease onboard.

Showing the superstition was important for Roberts. More than that, it was a look at sailor mentality and how one initially viewed as bad luck could become their good luck charm. Mr. Willoughby used his own knowledge about low-flying birds and air pressure to determine wind and rain were coming. This knowledge led to him telling a story to prevent the sailors throwing one man overboard; the story of his life. As he threw the sheets of paper off the ship, a gust of wind picked them up and then the rain tumbled down.

And a fun fact to finish off: the horseshoe must always sit upwards. This keeps the luck in. The other way around and the luck would drop out!

Next: Which Outlander book in the series should you start with?

Did you like the change to the books? Would you like the Outlander showrunners and writers to stop taking liberties with the original work? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander Season 3 continues on Sunday, Nov 19 at 8/7c on Starz.