Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
The big foreshadowing moment is the mention of Inverness. Honestly, the mention of the dates should also give it away. Claire and Jamie will head to Charles’s army, where they will have to fight at the Battle of Culloden.
There is no way around this. And so, with Frank definitely alive, it’s clear that Claire will need to go through the stones. She will head to her own time and raise her and Jamie’s child with Frank in the 20th century.
Other than that, I don’t believe there is much more foreshadowing. This is all very much in the moment.
Adapting the Dragonfly in Amber chapter
The Outlander TV series certainly used the chapter but adapted it heavily. Part of that was to take Jamie out of the room with the wedding. Murtagh acted as the witness instead.
I prefer it that way. I couldn’t image Jamie just standing still. There didn’t even seem to be a moment of Claire worrying that Jamie would lunge for the man. I also loved how Murtagh came to care for Mary. He didn’t want her marrying Black Jack Randall and offered to marry her instead. That wouldn’t work out, not with the titles, home, and money Black Jack Randall would have been able to offer her, even in death.
The wedding was also officiated by a priest. I do think this was to make it clear that it was official. There would be no questioning it when a priest was involved, even if he wasn’t sure if the two wanted to get married.
In the end, both book and show got the same result. We learned Frank’s direct ancestor is Alex Randall, but that Jonathan married Mary for the sake of reputation (and a better lifestyle in the future).
One major deviation was Jonathan’s reaction to the death of his brother. We got that moment where Jonathan beats his brother’s body, which was a decision Tobias Menzies made. And for the character we’d come to know on the show, I do think it felt real and raw. For the Black Jack Randall we’d seen from just Claire’s point of view and Jamie’s story, it wouldn’t have fit.
What did you see while reading Outlander Book 2, Chapter 45? Share in the comments below.
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