Making sense of Marsali’s pregnancies throughout Outlander Season 5

There is some confusion over Marsali’s pregnancies throughout Outlander Season 5. Here’s a quick rundown of how she always seems pregnant.

Marsali always seems to be pregnant throughout Outlander Season 5, doesn’t she? This isn’t a dig at the show or writing (people have big families back then) but a chance to help explain the pregnancies.

Some fans are a little confused. How did she give birth in one episode and then end up heavily pregnant two episodes later? It’s all due to a timelapse that was shown at the beginning of Episode 11.

Let’s start with the pregnancy throughout Episodes 1 to 9. There was a small hint at the wedding that Marsali was already pregnant after just having Joanie (the baby we saw in Marsali’s arms at the wedding). Fergus touched Marsali’s stomach as a way to make it clear a third baby was in the horizon for them.

That baby was born during Episode 9. Fergus had a hand in delivering his daughter, Felicite.

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So, how was Marsali heavily pregnant in Episode 12? Was this a mistake? Nope! She’s pregnant with her and Fergus’s fourth child, who will be Henri-Christian.

There’s a timelapse at the start of Episode 11, showing roughly a year had gone by. This would certainly be plenty of time for Fergus and Marsali to have another child after Felicite’s birth. It’s also fitting with the book storyline. During Episode 11, Marsali makes it clear that she’s pregnant again when saying goodbye to Brianna and Roger. She needs her sister-in-law there to help her with this fourth pregnancy.

I do think the bump grew a little quick for Episode 12 but bumps for subsequent pregnancies can grow much faster than first pregnancies. But all that aside, in the Outlander Season 5 finale, Marsali is pregnant with Henri-Christian. Claire knew that when she asked about Marsali and when Jamie mentioned the baby kicking.

What small things did you miss the first time you watch Outlander Season 5? What makes more sense with future rewatches? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander Season 5 is available to stream in full on STARZ.