We find out what happened to Emily in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 70
Young Ian opens up more to Brianna in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 70. It’s time to find out more about his time with the Mohawk and what happened to Emily.
Up to this point, it did seem like Emily had died. However, it turned out that it was something very different. Emily had chosen another man, and Young Ian was dealing with the loss of his wife and the loss of children.
We get the full story, including about the man who Emily ended up choosing. It’s a heartbreaking tale, but it’s also an important one. We get to learn more about the Mohawk culture, and how it differs from the Highlander culture. After all, we’re often told just how similar the Native Americans and the Highlanders are the same.
This chapter was partly used in the TV series. It had to be to allow Ian the character development he needed. However, there were some substantial changes.
What about foreshadowing? I guess there’s foreshadowing in the sense that Emily is going to come back up. I’ll get to that in the foreshadowing section.
Let’s dive into A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 70.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter initially starts with Brianna trying to start a fire. She thinks about matches but notes that they would have been dangerous on the road. Ian is able to start a fire without matches, and I love that we see that while Bree is capable in the past, she’s not grown up in the time period.
As he says a fire charm, the topic of Emily comes back up. Ian continues to hold back on the topic, so they end up talking about items from the future. Brianna thinks about chocolate. It’s not something Ian looks forward to because it’s so bitter, but Bree notes that sugar is added to it. She offers to make it for him when she can get her hands on the sugar and chocolate.
Finally, the topic of Emily comes up again. Ian is now ready to talk about her. Bree wants to know if Emily is dead, but she’s not. Ian shares that she ended up choosing someone else.
When Ian first joined the Mohawk, Emily was promised to another, Sun Elk. However, she chose Ian. It would be up to the women if the match was suitable, and they agreed to allow Emily and Ian to marry. Sun Elk wasn’t happy about that, but he ended up marrying Emily’s sister.
Things worked out great for Emily and Ian at first. They were very much in love, and Emily got pregnant quickly. However, that baby died young. Ian shares that he never got to hold his daughter or give her a name, but he did give her one in his own mind, Iseabaìl.
Things go from bad to worse for Emily and Ian. Emily miscarries more children. On top of that, Emily’s sister goes missing. She goes out with her child one night and doesn’t return. People go out looking for the sister, but she’s never found. That leaves Sun Elk considered a widower. When it’s expressed that Ian’s spirit is fighting against Emily’s too much, Emily has to make a choice. Having a child is too important.
Emily chooses to be with Sun Elk instead. Ian is told that he needs to leave the village.
Ian finally gets Brianna to where he was taking her. It turns out that it’s to the bones of a mammoth. Bree is surprised but impressed to see one, and Ian isn’t surprised that she knows what one is. He’s conflicted about whether she could tell him what it was, though.
There were stories that bones like this creature were gods and spirits. That’s what the Mohawk would believe, but Ian wasn’t too sure. Ian did wonder why Rollo hadn’t reacted to it, though, noting that he does see things in the woods. Bree agrees that dogs see things.
Knowing that it’s not a spirit, though, Ian wonders whether turning to the Mohawk angered his Christian God. He fears where his daughter’s soul is. Bree calls out to Frank to ask him to search for the baby’s soul and bring her to Heaven. It soothes Ian. Bree also knows that Ian didn’t do wrong by allowing his daughter to be buried in the Mohawk custom. She was half-Mohawk after all.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
There is a tiny bit of foreshadowing in this chapter. This chapter is all about Ian gaining some sort of closure, which is important in moving forward. I guess it’s more character development than foreshadowing. However, we’re going to see Ian gain happiness. He will end up with someone who is closer to his own culture than Emily’s.
We’ll also see that Emily’s storyline isn’t over just yet. There is more to come for Ian and his Mohawk family. Some of this won’t come up until much later in the story, though.
Adapting A Breath of Snow and Ashes chapter
The chapter was partly used in the TV series. As you’ll note from the previous chapter, Ian opens up to a different character in Outlander Season 6. He talks to Jamie instead of Brianna, and I still like both ways of handling it for the different formats.
I love in the TV series that it is Jamie because it is a shadow of the Outlander Season 4 moment when Ian opens up about his trauma from Geillis. The reason Ian opens up in the TV show is also different. Instead of opening up on a journey to see a mammoth, Ian opens up because the Mohawk is visiting the Cherokee at the same time.
We’ll also see a change to who Emily chooses. The hurt is still similar, though. Ian views Kaheroton as a brother, so it is more hurtful to see Emily choose him over a brother-in-law Ian doesn’t really like. Why would the show do this? This will be linked to casting new actors and keeping something easy for us to view to form connections. We’d already met Kaheroton in Outlander Season 4, so it was easy to see that it was the Mohawk with the Cherokee and that this would understandably open up an opportunity for Ian to talk to someone about Emily.
What did you spot while reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 70? Let us know in the comments below.
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