Outlander season 7 part 2 honors John Fadden (Dedication explained)

Outlander season 7 part 2 is finally here after a long Droughtlander. But now it's over, and we have new episodes to look forward to each week! Today, season 7 episode 9, "Unfinished Business," dropped on Starz. And you can catch the return of the historical drama on the channel tonight as well at 8 p.m. ET. If you reached the end, a title card pops up that reads, "In memory of our friend and colleague John Fadden.” Unfortunately this does mean he passed away. Who was John Fadden and how was he connected to the series?

Who was John Fadden on Outlander?

According to his obituary, Fadden served as a consultant on Outlander. He had extensive knowledge of, and was an artist and educator who focused on Akwesasronon (Mohawk Nation) art and education, as well as the of the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations or Iroquois). As us fans of the time-travel series know, the Native American culture was a huge part of the story, specifically in season 4 with Jamie and Claire.

And to one important and main character - Young Ian - who lived with the Mohawk for years, and even married Wakyo'teyehsnonhsa (Emily). Young Ian has also adopted Mohawk clothing and other parts of the culture which has become a part of his identity.

What's great about the writers and creative team is that they really wanted to portray and represent this story the right way. Which isn't seen often in media, unfortunately. Executive producers Matthew B. Roberts and Maril Davis have said many times how they leaned on the knowledge and expertise of consultants and those part of First Nations themselves to understand the culture and make sure it was represented accurately. And so, Fadden was one of those consultants and he is one of the people who played a huge role in that.

Fadden was born Dec. 26, 1938 and passed away at the age of 83 on Aug. 12, 2022. He grew up in Hogansburg, NY, and went to the St. Regis Mohawk School and the White School. He is survived by his wife, Eva Karonhisake Thompson of Akwesasne; his three sons, Donald, David, and Daniel; grandchildren; and other beloved family members. He died "after a brief illness," per the obituary.

With his parents, he was able to open up the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center in Onchiota, NY in 1954, which helps educate residents and visitors. His father has some Mohawk ancestry, while his mom is from Akwesasne. Throughout his career, Fadden's art appeared in over 90 publications and movies, and his expertise was needed for documentaries on the Discovery Channel, PBS, and National Geographic.

On behalf of the Show Snob community, our thoughts are with his friends and family.