The Fiery Cross has a large amount dedicated to a Gathering. Don’t expect the whole of that Gathering to be included in Outlander Season 5.
Outlander Season 5 was always going to be one of the trickier seasons. “The Fiery Cross” is one of – if not the – longest books in the whole series. At just short of 1,000 pages, elements will need to be cut out, especially since the fifth season is one episode shorter than Seasons 2 and 3.
The novel has a large chunk spent on the Gathering in North Carolina. One day takes up about 200 pages, and Richard Rankin told SYFY Wire that “half the season would be gone with just the Gathering alone.”
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In other words, don’t expect to see the whole Gathering play out. There are going to need to be cuts – even with 13-16 episodes, there would need to be cuts from the larger book – and some of the Gathering is facing it.
Right now, filming is about two and a half episodes in. Outlander films in blocks, so it’s hard to see where the show is or even if the episodes have been filmed in order. However, Rankin is happy with the way the filming has gone so far. He’s happy with how the showrunners and writers have had to cut down the storyline to work for television.
The idea is that the show will condense the Gathering and other parts of the tale. The essence will still be there but there may be some favorite quieter moments that are skipped. This isn’t the first time that has happened, and it most definitely won’t be the last.
As for the Gathering, it will still be a time to see Brianna and Roger get to know each other better. They’ve known themselves from the 20th century but their time in the 18th century means they’ve changed slightly. Now they need to get reacquainted with each other, especially as parents.
What would you like to see from “The Fiery Cross?” Which moments would work if they were cut out? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Outlander Season 5 is currently filming. Follow Claire and Jamie on Twitter for the latest updates and news.