Outlander Book Club: The Fiery Cross Chapter 55 breakdown

Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter

There isn’t foreshadowing in this chapter. Not real foreshadowing, anyway. This chapter is mostly about wrapping up the storyline from Jocasta’s wedding.

Instead of foreshadowing, the ending offers plot development. It’s time for Jamie to go to a war that he doesn’t really support. He has to play the game to protect himself, his family, and his tenants. Claire doesn’t really want to go through with it either, but there is no choice knowing what’s still to come.

The Battle of Alamance is coming. And that means a lot of heartbreak.

Adapting The Fiery Cross chapter

The chapter wasn’t used in the series. We didn’t have the big focus on the murder at Jocasta’s wedding. Bonnet didn’t show up for the gold. In fact, Lieutenant Wolff didn’t turn up in Outlander Season 5 at all.

This isn’t surprising. As I’ve mentioned in other breakdowns recently, the use of the murder added something that wasn’t necessary for the overall story. We hadn’t got to know Duncan, and Jocasta’s marriage to him wasn’t the big deal that it was in the book. Plus, with only 12 episodes, storylines needed to be condensed.

The one bit that was partly used was the call to arms. Jamie didn’t get the letter. That was used at the end of Outlander Season 4 instead. During Outlander Season 5, Tryon told Jamie personally that it was time to regather the militia.

This was just right for a TV show. When you have an actor like Tim Downie, you’re going to want to use him to your advantage. Plus, we get to see Tryon call the men to arms instead of just being told it through Jamie or Claire reading a letter. It’s important to be shown and not told when it comes to TV (and I say that for books, too!).

What did you spot while reading The Fiery Cross Chapter 55? Let us know in the comments below.

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