Outlander season 6 sees Roger MacKenzie (Richard Rankin) and Brianna Fraser (Sophie Skelton) settling on the Fraser's Ridge after their plans to return to the future have failed. Now, it was revealed that these two characters were "accidentally" created to keep certain storylines moving.
Roger and Brianna will continue to play an important role in Outlander season 6. The couple decided not to leave 18th Century North Carolina and settle into the Fraser's Ridge, instead. But, it seems like the two weren't originally part of the story and only created by "accident."
During the virtual panel for Paley Fest LA, author Diana Gabaldon talked about the inclusion of Roger and Brianna in the story. Rankin's character, in particular, was created so he could play a "key role" in Claire Fraser's (Caitriona Balfe) storyline and shape her future with Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan).
Gabaldon explained that Brianna and Roger came about accidentally, especially the latter. The author noted that she needed someone to go back in history and search for something for Claire. It can be recalled that Rankin's character was the one who told Claire that Jamie survived the Battle of Culloden.
As for Brianna, Gabaldon said the character only came since Claire was pregnant. Yet, she admitted that this particular part of the story took her a while to figure her out. The author continued that Brianna and Roger are part of "Claire and Jamie's relationship."
Meanwhile, Outlander season 6 hasn't started production at the moment and it looks like filming won't start until next year. Previously, executive producer Maril Davis shared on Twitter that they won't be sharing any updates until they get back to work.
There are several reasons why they decided not to disclose information this early. For instance, a lot of things have changed this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, causing delays of come shows. If the Starz series pre-announced the production then it wasn't followed, fans will be disappointed.
As for the story, Outlander season 6 is based on Gabaldon's A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Some events in the books have been included in season 5, such as Stephen Bonnet's (Ed Speleers) death, Brianna's kidnapping, and Claire's sexual assault.
Now, the latest installment digs deeper into the lives of the Frasers and MacKenzies. All of them have been impacted by the traumas and turmoil. But, despite the tragic incidents, the new chapter will also incorporate happiness and joy in the lives of these characters.
We will provide further updates when more details are available about Outlander season 6.
