A specific book story has been teased for Outlander season 7, part 2, and it’s the perfect twist on the very beginning of Claire and Jamie’s story. The time-travel fantasy series is nearing its end, with season 8 confirmed to be the finale, despite more books from author Diana Gabaldon being on the way. Before the TV version of the story comes to a close, however, the second half of Outlander season 7 must come first. The trailer for this installment hints that the plot will continue to follow the events of Gabaldon’s An Echo in the Bone, which means a meaningful parallel with Outlander‘s first season.
The trailer for Outlander season 7, part 2, shows Claire and Jamie returning to Scotland to reunite with family there, but they aren’t able to enjoy their visit in peace for long. Claire receives a letter from Lord John Grey begging her to return to the colonies to save the life of his injured nephew. This, of course, means another painful stint apart for Outlander‘s star-crossed lovers, which is further extended when Claire gets news that Jamie has been killed. Though there are some differences here, this is more or less the same as what happens in the Outlander books, which further hints at what comes next.
Claire Will Be Forced To Remarry When She Thinks Jamie Is Dead
Lord John Grey Becomes Claire’s Third Husband
In the book An Echo in the Bone, Claire returns to the colonies to save the child of Fergus and Marsali, not Lord John’s nephew. However, the rest of what has been teased by the Outlander season 7, part 2 trailer aligns well with Gabaldon’s story. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that, just as in the book, Claire will marry Lord John Grey in the coming episodes.
Lord John offers his hand to Claire in An Echo in the Bone to save her from being arrested as a spy, and Claire has no choice but to accept if she wants to maintain her safety and freedom. This should make for a rather dramatic moment in Outlander season 7, and a heartbreaking one since audiences know how much Claire has gone through to be with Jamie after decades separated by time and spice. Still, the interesting thing about this plot twist is that it mirrors Claire’s big dilemma from back in Outlander season 1.
Claire’s Season 7 Story Parallels Her Marriage To Jamie Is Season 1
This Is The Second Time Claire Gets Married After Being Separated From Her Other Husband
Way back at the beginning of Claire’s story, she was separated from her husband Frank when she mistakenly went through the stones of Craigh na Dun to the 18th century. Her initial goal was to get back to her own time with the man she loved, but she was instead forced to marry Jamie Fraser to avoid being taken captive by Jonathan Randall. Ironically, this is quite similar to the story being set up for Claire in Outlander season 7, part 2, since she will have no choice but to marry for a third time to escape captivity and, likely, the pain of death.
The parallels of this plotline prove once and for all that Claire and Jamie are soulmates, and Claire’s marriages with Frank and John serve different purposes in everyone’s respective destinies.
This time around, however, both Claire and her new husband will maintain a love for Jamie. Still, that won’t stop them from consummating the marriage, and a certain partnership does develop between Lord John and Claire. This time around, however, Claire will demonstrate the difference between her first two marriages. While she can let Frank go and fall in love with someone else, Claire will never be able to do the same with Jamie. The parallels of this plotline prove once and for all that Claire and Jamie are soulmates, and Claire’s marriages with Frank and John serve different purposes in everyone’s respective destinies.
Outlander Season 8 Will Struggle To Find A More Perfect Ending
Outlander Doesn’t Have Much More Time Left
Claire repeating her season 1 story (with a twist) is the perfect way to end Outlander—there’s just a delicious balance to it. However, the fact that this is happening in the second half of season 7 with all of season 8 left to go implies that this will not be the final plot twist of Outlander. Claire and Jamie will have to go through another big adventure in the series’ final season, which is a bit frustrating since this would throw off the balance that would have been achieved had Claire’s third marriage arc and the ultimate resolution been used as Outlander‘s ending.
Outlander
season 7, part 2, streams its first episode of Starz on November 22, 2024.
To make matters even more challenging for Outlander season 8, the series will be more or less on its own. Gabaldon has published nine out of her 10 planned Outlander books, but the final installment won’t be released until after the TV show has concluded. While book 9, Go Tell the Bees That I’m Gone, is set after An Echo in the Bone, its story would be no way to end a series. Outlander‘s writers had to get creative with season 8, and there’s no telling what they came up with. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine that it would have that same poetic balance as the planned story for season 7.