Fans learn more about Ulysses in a released Outlander Season 5 deleted scene
Not everything filmed can fit into a full season. Outlander Season 5 has many deleted scenes, and a lot made it to the DVD and Blu-ray boxsets as bonus features.
One of the deleted scenes shared online is all about Ulysses. Those who love to know more about the supporting characters will certainly love this deleted scene. He goes into how we found himself a slave in the Cameron household, including the fact that he was born a free man.
It’s something that had to be skipped during Outlander Season 5, Episode 12. There just wasn’t the time to go into it, and it arguably wasn’t needed for the overall story. At this point, we’re saying goodbye to the character as he realizes he needs to leave Jocasta due to his actions to save her life. Later in the episode, we learn he’s heading to England with Lord John Grey.
A chance to get to know Ulysses better
However, the Outlander Season 5 deleted scene does give us another side to Ulysses. We’ve seen him as Jocasta’s loyal servant. He loved her, although we don’t get a true sense of that in the show in the way the books offer.
This deleted scene doesn’t even hint to all of it. It just fills in the blanks as to how Ulysses ended up as a slave at the Cameron plantation before Jocasta made him a free man again.
A touching scene between Claire, Jamie, and Ulysses - we're glad this deleted scene made its way onto the Outlander Season 5 Blu-ray. Order yours today - https://t.co/pwrfNT3zDy pic.twitter.com/wtSvMqBNf5
— The Outlander Collector (@Outlanderclctr) October 7, 2020
Being objective, it’s understandable why this scene was cut. It’s brilliantly acted by Colin McFarlane and it does give us more about a character we didn’t see enough of, but for the overall story of the final two episodes, it’s not the most important scene.
Jocasta and Ulysses’s backstory is not touched on in the show at all, but a major part of the fifth and sixth books and some will be disappointed by that, but there wasn’t the time. It reminds us that the writers have an impossible task of making everyone happy. Some people want the show to remain focused purely on Jamie and Claire so will be happy that Ulysses’s story wasn’t touched on as much. Others want to learn more about the supporting characters.
I wouldn’t want to be a writer on the series considering how much hard work it would be for them. Even though I may not always agree with the way storylines go, I fully respect the work they do.
What did you think of the Outlander Season 5 deleted scene? Would you have preferred it remained in the episode? Share your thoughts in the comments below.