Did those behind-the-scenes photos really count as an Outlander spoiler?

Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

There’s still a discussion over Outlander spoilers and the behind-the-scenes photos released on Twitter. Were they really spoilers?

Many of you caught the photos of Sophie Skelton, Nell Hudson and others filming for Outlander Season 4 earlier last month. Showrunner Matthew B. Roberts wasn’t that happy, saying that it would spoil a major storyline.

In all honestly, trying to keep that sort of information away from prying eyes now is almost impossible. When filming in open space, fans will visit sets to get a sneak peek at the filming. They want to see their favorite actors in action and that means snapping photos and sharing their finds on Twitter and other social media sites.

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But are they giving away major spoilers?

Well, for the show-first or show-only fans, major spoilers were certainly given away in those photos. Those images didn’t just show that Nell Hudson would return as Laoghaire (suggesting there’s a storyline in Scotland) but that Sophie Skelton’s Brianna would be in the past. It was impossible to overlook the period dress.

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However, it technically doesn’t give away as much of a spoiler as the filming locations. Shortly after those images, Outlander Season 4 filming moved to Kinloch Rannoch, the spot used for Craig na Dun. That instantly gives away the fact that someone will travel through time. It could be Claire, but it could be many other characters. Just knowing the locations now is a major spoiler for the series.

But then, is it really a spoiler? Could it be a hint of the things to come? Technically, a spoiler is giving away the ending to a movie or book or giving away the details of a major plot point. It could be the death of a specific character, the marriage or a child born, or even someone imprisoned. Is the hint of someone travelling through time a major spoiler?

Surely this is more of a teaser. Doesn’t this make people want to know why Brianna is in period dress? Surely now people want to know why she’s at the same place as Laoghaire and Joanie. It’s raised more questions than answers and leaves a lot open after the fact.

Technically, anything that reveals a detail is a spoiler. This means promo teasers and the episode synopsis for each episode are technically spoilers. But they’re designed to tease, right? When does that teaser become a spoiler?

Next: Photos of Outlander Season 4 released on Twitter

What do you think? Were the behind-the-scenes photos really Outlander spoilers or were they more teasers? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander Season 4 is still filming. Follow Claire and Jamie on Twitter for more updates as we get them.