Outlander fans are eagerly anticipating the return of the hit series, with a slew of devotees revisiting past seasons as they await the release of the last and eighth season.
As fans of the series eagerly await the eighth season of Outlander, they’re revisiting previous episodes for clues they may have missed.
Interestingly, it has been reported that the Outlander scriptwriters made significant changes to the character of Fergus Fraser, played by actor Romann Berrux. According to the Scottish Daily Express, the show deviated from the original novel, Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon.
In the book, Fergus, then known as Claudel, meets Jamie Fraser, portrayed by Sam Heughan, under dramatic circumstances. Jamie stumbles upon Fergus while fleeing from angry sailors and seeking refuge in a brothel, where the boy’s mother works.
In contrast, the TV adaptation introduces Fergus in a different context, showcasing his skills as a cunning pickpocket.
Instead, the audience meets him while he is serving drinks at the brothel, with Jamie as a patron.
In an interview on the show’s official podcast, executive producer Ronald D. Moore and Anne Kenney discussed their decision to stray away from the book, reports the Express.
Kenney explained: “We introduced Fergus in a very different way than he is in the book. Because in the book Jamie’s being followed by guys from the dock.”
“We just had to simplify things. They go after him and remember there’s the whole big thing where he has the sausage fight? And Fergus helps him get away from those guys.”
She went on to say: “Fergus is still a child of a w****house but he helps him get away from those guys and again, sometimes we just have to simplify things because we just can’t get it all in. So we went at it this way.”
Moore added more context: “Just like get to it. He’s a thief. Jamie figures it out, he wants to hire him.”
In the popular series Outlander, Fergus becomes a key character, evolving into Jamie’s adopted son, despite enduring numerous trials, including a horrific sexual assault by Captain Jonathan ‘Black Jack’ Randall, played by Tobias Menzies.
Moreover, upon returning to Scotland with the Frasers, Fergus experiences a devastating loss when a ruthless Redcoat cuts off his hand for hiding Jamie in a cave following the Battle of Culloden.
The series later introduced an adult version of Fergus, portrayed by actor César Domboy, who took over the role as the character aged.
Even though Fergus and his wife Marsali Fraser (played by Lauren Lyle) have taken a backseat in the story recently, fans have been reassured that the beloved couple will return in the eighth season of Outlander.
The Outlander Instagram account posted a tribute to actor Domboy on his 35th birthday, sharing a picture of his character Fergus and captioning it: “Happy César Domboy day! Raise your hand if you’re looking forward to his return in #Outlander Season 8.”
Source: irishstar.com