Where the Outlander EPs got the cross design from for Season 5
You’ll be tempted to say “it’s in the books,” but it’s not. The Outlander EPs had to develop the cross design, and here’s how they came up with it.
Whenever there are questions about what could happen in Outlander Season 5 (and any previous season before airing), there have been choruses of “it’s in the books” or “you should read the book then.” But while the cross is mentioned in “The Fiery Cross,” the actual design is never fully described. Now the EPs have shared how they came up with that design.
The only time I really remember a focus on the cross is when Brianna and Claire walk out of the Big House to see it standing there. They both recoil, feeling something negative about the overbearing structure. At the same time, Claire (as it’s from her POV at this point) knows that it’s something important.
Yet, Claire never fully describes it. She shares briefly what its for, but she doesn’t tell us what this cross looks like. So, the Outlander EPs had to figure out a design.
Well, Jon Gary Steele, the trusted set designer, came up with it. He designed 10 different crosses. They couldn’t be religious but they needed to be something inherently Scottish. This would then connect to the history behind burning crosses in Scotland; the call to arms.
After Steele designed the 10, the EPs looked through the different options. Together, they settled on the one that we’ve got to see in the promotion material.
And what a cross it is. There’s immediately something Celtic about it, and you can get the sense of it being overbearing and even intimidating. What’s going to be interesting is how the cross is burned.
According to the interview with Entertainment Weekly, there is going to be a slight change to the storyline involving the cross. This is due to cinematic and dramatic reasons. The idea is to link to the physical title of the book, as well as link to the title of one of the episodes.
Next. 10 major takeaways from the Outlander Season 5 trailer. dark
What do you think about the cross now that you’ve seen it? What do you hope to see in Outlander Season 5? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Outlander Season 5 premieres on Feb. 16 on STARZ.