Outlander changed the Bear Killer scene and it was perfect

Outlander Season 4, Episode 4 included the Bear Killer scene with a twist. It was the perfect change for the series and here’s why.

It’s no secret that elements of Diana Gabaldon’s novels are changed for one reason or another. Outlander Season 4, Episode 4 included the Bear Killer scene from “Drums of Autumn,” but added a twist that spoke volumes while allowing to keep the scene budget-friendly.

Personally, I think the change was perfect. While I know there will be some disappointment that there was a slight change, it was a necessary one for the budget and still served the exact same purpose as the scene in the books.

From this point, we’re going into spoiler territory. If you haven’t watched “Common Ground” yet, I urge you to see it first. You can also read the recap if you need a reminder. Now onto the change.

Jamie fights a ‘bear’

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It didn’t take long for the Frasers and Young Ian to run into trouble on their new land. If it wasn’t the Cherokee tribe threatening them, it was a bear wandering the camp. And this bear wasn’t just any bear.

Jamie realizes his only option is the kill the bear to prevent it from attacking the camp anymore, especially when John Quincy Myers shows up mauled from it. What he finds is something he never expected. The bear is actually a man, but still just as deadly.

And that man was one of the Cherokee tribe members, which is where we still get the bridge between the two families. Jamie killing the “bear” does the tribe a favor and that means they respect him and are grateful. He becomes known as Bear Killer.

But it wasn’t a real bear!

I know how many people are screaming about the bear actually being a man. While there was still danger, it’s not the same as the King of Men fighting against a real-life wild animal. However, it was going to be difficult to show that on the screen without spending a fortune in the budget. This change kept the scene budget-friendly, while still showing the same bridge.

The Cherokees (along with other Native tribes) believe in spirits, animals, and how they connect with humans. This former tribe member was someone the tribe hadn’t been able to kill. He was a menace and a dangerous one at that. And they would have believed that this man had become a bear in spirit, so to them he was a bear.

It was an honorable way to show the beliefs of the tribe members, bringing out their culture while helping to build this bridge between families. In spirit, everything was the same as the moment in the books. This just did it in a more cost-effective way and with a twist that the book readers wouldn’t have seen coming.

What did you think of the twist to the Bear Killer scene? Did you see the symbolism and appreciate the spirit of the scene? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander continues Sundays on STARZ.