It's been well over half a year since the last episode of Outlander Season 4 aired, and the wait for Season 5 isn't even close to being over. Thankfully, some news about the show's return to Starz for the fifth season has finally released, and at least the exact end of the latest hiatus is in sight. Yes, Outlander has gotten a Season 5 premiere date, and that date is pure romance: February 16, 2020.
Okay, so maybe the premiere date is a couple of days past Valentine's Day 2020, but if Outlander was going to keep its Sunday night time slot, then February 16 was the closest it could get to Valentine's Day. Does that mean Season 5 will start with a happy episode packed with the pre-Revolutionary versions of bouquets and chocolates?
Based on a new image from Season 5, I'm going to go ahead and guess that Outlander isn't going to suddenly turn into a romcom just because it airs the premiere close to Valentine's Day. What's an Outlander love story without some brooding and bloodshed? Check out the Frasers not looking too happy in Outlander Season 5!
That looks about right, considering where Outlander Season 4 left off! Jamie has what looks like blood on the side of his face and collar, but I don't see an obvious wound, so it may be somebody else's blood. Claire and Brianna look scared, and Claire seems to be either holding her daughter to comfort her or just to hold her back.
Notably, Roger and Jemmy are not present in the picture. Has something happened to one or both of them?Jamie has a determined look to him, which contrasts with Bree's desperation and Claire's dread. Then again, the Frasers tend to wind up in trouble wherever they go and whatever they do, so maybe Roger and Jemmy are simply not pictured (much like a scene of Jamie and Claire with Bree when Jemmy was born) and the danger is connected to something else.
Unfortunately, the February 16 premiere date is a long way off, and it'll be a while before we find out for sure. The Season 4 finale aired all the way back in January, so Outlander will have been off the air for more than a year before Season 5 finally kicks off. Talk about a Droughtlander!
Why Starz Is Holding Outlander Season 5 Until 2020
So, what will Season 5 be about after the Season 4 cliffhanger that saw Jamie more or less tasked by the Brits with hunting down his beloved godfather (who happened to be in the house at the time)? Well, the Frasers will fight for their home and family, with Jamie hiding his relationship with Murtagh while trying to defend and protect those under his care as head of Fraser's Ridge.
Claire will have to use her knowledge of the future to keep her family safe, but runs the risk of losing sight of protecting herself. While Bree and Roger reunited lovingly at the end of Season 4, they'll still be haunted by Stephen Bonnet, while Roger tries to earn Jamie's respect and his place in this unfamiliar time. Considering the American Revolution is on the way and it hasn't yet been confirmed that Brianna's arrival in the past will be enough to change her parents' fates, there's undoubtedly going to be a lot going on.
The wait for the new season of Outlander on Starz may feel long, but you can also dive into Diana Gabaldon's book saga to pass the time, if you don't mind some spoilers! That said, variables like Murtagh's survival and presence in the Frasers' lives when he's been long dead in the books means that even experts in the book saga can't predict precisely what's in store.
If the books aren't up your alley, there are plenty of other viewing options coming to the small screen in the not-too-distant future!
