Outlander Season 3 throwbacks: Was it right to keep Murtagh alive?

Keeping Murtagh alive is the best thing possible for the future

While Murtagh may have been alive, he wasn’t with Jamie. There was still the fear that we’d learn that Murtagh had died while being an indentured servant. There was this fear that we’d never see the character again.

Instead, we learn that he’s the leader of the Regulators. The Regulators are massively important in the early days of the American Revolution and for Claire and Jamie’s story. By having Murtagh there, we get this sense of extra drama, which is important for a TV show compared to a book. This is something that needs to work for both book fans and the show-only fans.

There’re more at stake for Claire and Jamie moving forward. Murtagh being part of the Regulators will give Jamie a bigger reason to switch sides later on in the war – and not just because Claire knows history can’t be changed and the Patriots will win.

The opportunities are endless. By making this change, the show can be a surprise for book and show fans alike. After all, book fans can’t just rely on the novels to know the way the story will go, adding an extra layer of excitement.