Summer Solstice is an important day for Outlander fans
While the show has taken some liberties with when portals open, the book made it clear that portals opened on specific days of the year. Summer Solstice is one of those days. In the Outlander books, this is when Roger travels back in time for the first time.
As it’s Summer Solstice today (beware, the portals are open!), it’s the perfect day to look back over the time Roger traveled through the stones. This isn’t just about why he did it, but how it wasn’t a perfect journey.
Of course, we’re covering topics in the books that weren’t included in the show. However, the spoilers are relatively minor if you haven’t read “Drums of Autumn” yet.
An initial failed attempt
Roger had found out that Brianna had gone through the stones at Beltane earlier that year. He couldn’t travel right away with the portal not being open. So, he had to wait until the next pagan festival, which was Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the official mark of summer beginning.
At this point, Fiona had told Roger that she knew about time travel. She didn’t judge Roger for not telling him. After all, she probably knew that Roger would fear she thought him crazy. Instead, she just made sure she was there for him as he passed through the stones.
But the first attempt didn’t work. He wasn’t thinking of Brianna. In his heart, he was thinking of his dad, but it was a time when Roger was around. Roger couldn’t be in his own time stream, so the stones bounced him back.
It was the second attempt that saw him focus on Brianna and get to the time that she was in.
The failed attempt wasn’t included in the show. I do believe it was filmed but it became a deleted scene. There just wasn’t the time to include it, and in a way, the failed attempt wasn’t exactly needed. Instead, it was used during Season 5 when Roger, Bree, and Jemmy tried to travel through time and realized “home” is in the past.
Why would Roger go back for Brianna?
Of course, some people might have just decided to remain in the comfort of their time. Roger made a sacrifice to protect Brianna, knowing that the past was a dangerous place, especially for women. He made the choice to leave everything he knew behind.
This was despite Brianna having a six-week head start. Bree had already passed through the stones and would have been on her way to the Colonies, knowing that was where Claire and Jamie now were. That didn’t stop Roger in the hope that he’d be able to find her.
He never once intended on staying in the past, though. The plan was to head for Brianna and bring her back through the stones. That was both of their initial plans. Of course, plans always end up changing.
A time the Loch Ness Monster traveled?
I just want to touch on this as yesterday marked the chapter in the first book when Claire saw the creature in Loch Ness. We later learn that it’s possible there’s a portal under the water. Does this mean that Claire saw the monster on Summer Solstice?
Claire notes that it’s midsummer in the chapter. I’ve never really considered it until thinking more carefully about “midsummer” and “Summer Solstice.” The two terms can be used interchangeably by some, suggesting that this was a sneaky hint that it was Summer Solstice and the monster had traveled through an open portal by mistake.
What do you wish the show had kept in about Roger’s journey through the stones? Which time traveling thoughts do you have when it comes to Summer Solstice? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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