The Real Story Behind Benedict Arnold Easter Egg in Outlander Season 7
Perhaps the most famous traitor in American history wasn't the villain we think he was.
The midseason finale of Outlander Season 7 gave a nod to a number of real historical figures who took part in the American Revolution. And the most intriguing of them all is probably Rod Hallett's Benedict Arnold, who, according to Claire, is set to go down in history as the ultimate traitor to the American army.
Let's take a look at the military officer's history to see if the Outlander protagonist is right to be suspicious of him.
Merchant Arnold joined the American cause in 1775 and almost immediately captured Fort Ticonderoga with a clever plan and bravery. The officer continued to show his best qualities while leading soldiers at the Battle of Valcour Island and the Battle of Ridgefield, after which he rose through the ranks to become a major general.
After implementing several other tactics that helped the Americans advance, Arnold arrived at the events depicted in Outlander Season 7, the pivotal Battles of Saratoga in 1777.
'A Practical Guide For Time-Travelers' features Jamie in the first battle but makes no mention of Arnold. This was probably done on purpose to avoid confirming one of two opposing historical theories. The first is that Arnold was an active participant in the battle, and the second is that he never set foot on the battlefield.
Outlander viewers and characters meet Arnold in 'Turning Points' before the second battle, and Claire is genuinely surprised to see him not as the villain she believed him to be. More than that, the officer played a key role in the British surrender. So how did he come to be the traitor after all?
This actually happened over two years after Claire warned Jamie. As Arnold was severely wounded at the Second Battle of Saratoga, he could no longer fight and was sent to Philadelphia to take charge of the American army's business affairs in the region.
In Philadelphia, Arnold, already unhappy with the American command's attitude toward him, got close to the Loyalist movement, which believed that the British would eventually win the war. Apparently, he adopted the Loyalist views and decided to betray the Americans, sending a written offer to the British command in 1779 to provide information and assistance.
The message was intercepted, and Arnold's British contact was hanged. However, he escaped and became the British Army officer and traitor that history books describe him as.
It's yet unclear whether Claire and Jamie will meet Arnold in the second part of Outlander Season 7, which is set to air in 2024. Still, his less-than-villainous image in the midseason finale raises interesting questions about the personality and fate of both the character and his real-life counterpart.