Happy birthday, Steven Cree: 5 reasons we need Ian Murray back on Outlander

It’s Steven Cree’s birthday on this leap day. While he’s busy with A Discovery of Witches, we can’t help but look at why we need him on Outlander.

Steven Cree quickly became one of the most beloved members of the Outlander cast. He’s always friendly and inviting to fans of the series. Sadly, he’s not going to be part of Outlander Season 5, although production tried to get him in. We can thank A Discovery of Witches for that.

While it’s exciting to see him in a new production, there’s no doubt that we will miss him on our series. After all, he brought Ian Murray to life. To celebrate Steven Cree’s birthday on this Leap Day, we’re looking at the five reasons we’d love to see him back on the series.

5. He adds in plenty of humor

Comedic relief is often needed in a series like Outlander. Things can get dark extremely quickly. There’s no doubt that we need moments with Ian Murray for this reason. He’s always been the one to infuse some comedy into moments, giving us the breather we need.

There are other characters who can do this. However, Ian does it in a way that only a Murray can.

4. We love to see more of Ian with Brianna

When Brianna finally found her way to Lallybroch, she got to meet her Uncle Ian. And what a moment it was. You could tell that Ian believed who Bree was, recognizing so many of Jamie’s features.

We got some beautiful moments. Bree was able to feel relaxed once she found her family. It would be great to see the two interact again. Okay, this is a lot harder with being separated by waters but not entirely impossible.

3. He’s often a voice of reason

We have to look at the way Ian has helped during his scenes on Outlander. He knows how stubborn the Frasers can be. Ian has been able to be that voice of reason at necessary times.

As Jenny has refused to speak to her brother, Ian has been the one able to explain it. He was also able to make Claire more comfortable when she first met the family and when she returned 20 years later.

2. We’d love to see him learn the truth

I can’t actually remember if this ever does happen in the books. I don’t think it does. However, I’d love to see Ian Murray learn the truth in the TV series. After everything, he and Jenny deserve to know where Claire has really come from and the reason why she was away for 20 years.

If the show sticks to the books (and I’m remembering this right) and Steven Cree is able to return, it’s unlikely that this will ever happen. A girl can dream though, right?

1. We love the relationship he has with Jamie

There’s nobody that has the sort of bond with Jamie that Ian Murray does. The two are brothers in arms. They have grown up together and will always have each other’s backs.

Jamie doesn’t need to feel as overly protective of Ian as he does of others. But he also doesn’t need to feel the duty he does to Murtagh. We get to see a more level relationship between the two, and we need this on the show.

Happy birthday, Steven Cree! Good luck with A Discovery of Witches, but we’d love to see you in Outlander again!