With Murtagh alive in the series, all fans are curious about his future. With Murtagh alive in the series, all fans are curious about his future. With Murtagh alive in the series, all fans are curious about his future.
Claire and Jamie
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What will happen to Murtagh in Outlander Season 4?

By Alexandria Ingham

Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room
Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room /
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Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room
Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room /

With Murtagh alive in the series, all fans are curious about his future.

Murtagh survived the Battle of Culloden in Outlander Season 3. This was a major change to the books, but one that the majority of fans loved. Despite the character not having such a major role in the books, he became loveable and integral in the series. Duncan Lacroix worked with so little material but managed to make Murtagh come to life.

Caution there are spoilers from “Drums of Autumn” in this post to help explain where Murtagh could be in Outlander Season 4.

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Throughout Season 2, fans feared the worst. There were plenty of #LetMuraghtLive campaigns circling Twitter at the time and the showrunners listened. They decided to have him appear in “All Debts Paid,” the third episode of Season 3. He was shipped off to the Colonies, but there was hope. There was a chance fans would see him again.

That could happen in Outlander Season 4. Now that Claire and Jamie are in the Colonies, there’s a chance they will come face to face with Murtagh again. The big question is how? Just how could be become part of a story that he’s not in through the rest of the books? Here are a few ideas of how it could work out.

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He’s the one being hanged

The first thing fans consider is that it’s Murtagh’s hanging Claire and Jamie attend at the start of the season. Claire says in the sneak peek that it’s a close friend and that’s certainly the case for Murtagh. In the books, though, it’s Gavin Hayes who is being hung; one of Jamie’s comrades from Ardsmuir.

Chances are that Outlander won’t go this route. Why save a beloved character just to kill him in the premiere of the next season? The writers wouldn’t get a lot of love for that.

They could mention that he died shortly after making it to the Colonies, so the death is at least off screen. However, it still plays into the idea that saving Murtagh in the first place was pointless.

He takes a different character’s place

An alternate idea is that he takes the place of another character. Many fans query whether he’ll take the place of Duncan Innes. One of the clues for this is that Innes hasn’t appeared in the series yet, despite being a relatively important part in “Voyager.” If the writers didn’t introduce him, does that mean his storyline is being replaced for a more popular character?

There are other characters for him to take the place of, but Innes is the most poetic. Innes goes onto marry Aunt Jocasta, Ellen MacKenzie Fraser’s younger sister. Since Murtagh loved Ellen, it only seems fitting that he would marry Jocasta.

Diana Gabaldon has previously said that isn’t going to happen. She does know how Murtagh will play a role in Outlander Season 4 (which should mean he’s not going to die right away, right?) but that she can’t say anything more.

He gets his own storyline

Of course, there is the option that Murtagh doesn’t actually replace anyone. Instead, the writers could create a storyline just for him. They could add more to his character and personality, using Lacroix in the perfect way for the fourth season.

The writers have so much available. Why replace when you can create? One link would be to his position as an indentured servant. Technically, Murtagh should still be an indentured servant. When the prisoners were on the way to the Colonies, a 14-year service was mentioned. Ardsmuir closed in 1756, which would mean the prisoners would be indentured servants until 1770. Outlander is currently on around 1767, so there are three more years for Murtagh left.

This is providing the writers have remembered about this. After all, two of Jamie’s fellow Ardsmuir prisoners have already been spotted, suggesting that they didn’t serve out the whole 14 years. Unless these two managed to escape with the lives somehow.

Maybe Claire and Jamie learn that Murtagh is still a servant somewhere and arranges to buy him. This would allow him to become part of the family again and gain his freedom.

He makes it to Fraser’s Ridge

Fraser’s Ridge is the big focus for “Drums of Autumn.” It becomes home for Claire and Jamie and is likely to appear in Outlander Season 4. This could be just where Murtagh shows up.

He may be released and then have to find his own way. News may travel that he learns of Claire and Jamie making it to the Colonies and he goes in search for them. This would help to create his own storyline, while sticking to the indentured servant element at the beginning. If he shows up towards the end of Season 4, he could stick to the 14-year service.

Next: 5 biggest questions from the Outlander Season 4 teaser scene

How do you think Murtagh will appear? Would you like him to replace a character or get his own storyline? Share in the comments below.

Follow Claire and Jamie on Twitter for more updates about Outlander Season 4 and the characters.

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