The following contains spoilers for Starz’s Outlander, Season 6, Episode 5, “Give Me Liberty.”
Season 6 of Outlander has provided fans of the series with plenty of things to discuss. Despite the current season being fairly short, it’s been full of impactful events and intrigue. The season’s fifth episode, “Give Me Liberty,” reminds the viewers that it’s a time-travel show by highlighting how Jamie and Claire are planning to navigate the upcoming turmoil.
But they aren’t the only ones considering the future. In a lesser story thread, Flora MacDonald mentions that her necklace was stolen, and while it was recovered and the thief was jailed, one of the gems is missing. Later, when the thief is shown in jail, they have the gem in question and are whistling the Colonel Bogey March, a song that wasn’t penned until 1914. Whoever it is, it’s clear that this person is another time-traveler, much like Claire… but who are they?
The obvious answer would be Wendigo Donner, a confirmed time-traveler who sided with Brownsville and helped to kidnap Claire at the end of Season 5. It was shown earlier in the season that he did survive and escaped Jamie’s wrath, as he was with the Brownsville contingent that visited Fraser’s Ridge in the season premiere. The hair and clothes match, and he would know both the song and the means to travel through the stones thanks to coming from the future. Yes, he’s the obvious choice… but he’s not the only possibility.
Wendigo Donner is the obvious choice, but if he’s so obvious, why hide his face? The audience already knows he survived. No, there’s someone else who could possibly be motivated to travel through the stones, someone who knows about the prerequisites: Murtagh Fitzgibbons.
Now of course the main obstacle to this theory is that Murtagh Fitzgibbons is dead, killed in Season 5 during the Regulators battle. But it wouldn’t be beyond the scope of reason that Claire and Jamie proclaimed him dead to prevent his certain death at the hands of the British soldiers who wanted him hanged. When he recovered, he could have stained his hair to change his appearance. It wouldn’t be the first time such a character had a narrow miss, after all. And yet there’s another option: it’s Murtagh, but younger.
It’s been established that there are standing stones in America, as Roger MacKenzie stumbled upon them during his brief escape from the Mohawk in Season 4, and he, Brianna and their child tried to go through them towards the end of Season 5. It’s possible that a younger Murtagh could have stumbled across them and recognized them for what they were — he’s had well over a decade unaccounted for, and no reason to share such a trip with Jamie or Claire if it didn’t work as intended.
Furthermore, when Murtagh met Claire on Fraser’s Ridge he announced his presence by whistling “Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy,” a World War II song that Claire taught him when they were searching for Jamie. It’s possible that that wasn’t the only wartime song she taught him, as she obviously recognizes the whistled tune at the end of “Give Me Liberty.” Murtagh is also aware that time-travel exists, as Claire had to explain everything to him during Season 2. There’s no confirmation that Murtagh can or cannot hear the stones and therefore travel. And the man in the cell does bear similarities to a younger Murtagh.
Granted, those who have read the books already know the answer to the burning question, but speculation is always fun. After all, Murtagh was discussed frequently in this episode, so there’s some potential setup. Chances are high it’s the obvious pick of Wendigo Donner — but then again, if it’s such a sure thing, then why was such care taken to hide the man’s face? Whether this is a setup for a dramatic reveal or not, it’s certain this man will factor into some future drama for the residents of Fraser’s Ridge.
For more on the mysterious fellow, watch Outlander on Starz, with new episodes premiering on Tuesdays.
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