As we inch closer to Outlander: Blood of My Blood's premiere, eyes are on what we can expect. We know that the story will follow two important love stories connected to the original series: The MacKenzies and the Beauchamps.
Images released by STARZ via the Outlander Instagram page now tell us that something iconic from the original series will be included. It's all about the druids dance, which was featured at the beginning of Outlander, and it led to the portals opening and Claire being sucked through time.
Which time period are the druids from in Outlander: Blood of My Blood?
What's not clear is the time period of the druid dance. The women are wearing the same white dresses that we saw in the Outlander series premiere. They have the crowns and the flowers, which makes sense as they mark one of the pagan celestial days.
There are also men involved in this dance, and we get a look at some fiery elements to it. This could be linked to the fact that it's taking place at Beltane, which happens around May 1 (which happens to be Jamie's birthday). Beltane is the fire festival, a way to say hello to summer, and it is one of the days of the year that the portals open.
It does look like people in period dress are standing around the people dancing, which could indicate that this is happening in the 18th century storyline. Of course, it could be happening in the 20th century storyline, but there are no hints that Henry and Julia are heading to Scotland, and that's where the performance would take place.
Will time travel be included in the Outlander prequel?
The decision to include the druid dance is a big one, and it could hint at something more to come in the series. Is it possible that we'll get to see something else iconic to the Outlander series? Will there be some sort of involvement of time travel?
Diana Gabaldon has always said that Claire's parents didn't travel through time, but one of them has to have the gene. Of course, she's also said that Claire's parents don't interest her or talk to her, so she's not going to write a novel about them. Many Outlander fans are disappointed about that considering the time travel potential.
While STARZ hasn't said if time travel will be included in Outlander: Blood of My Blood, the inclusion of the druids keeps the topic of conversation open. Maybe we'll finally learn which of Claire's parents can travel.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood premieres on Friday, Aug. 8 at 8/7c on STARZ.
Stay up to date with the latest Outlander news with Claire and Jamie.