It's been a long Droughtlander and apparently you'll need a wee dram to get through the rest of Season 7—though fans would only be surprised if that weren't the case.
The Outlander cast reunited at New York Comic Con, where fans were treated to a new trailer and discussion ahead of the release of Season 7, Part 2. Though perhaps the most striking thing was the palpable sadness among the tight-knit crew after recently wrapping filming on the eighth and final season after an incredibly successful 11-year run.
So how will the beloved show end? Author Diana Gabaldon said the show's conclusion was "well done," though the end of Claire and Jamie's story in the books will be "much more complicated."
The Second half Season 7:
The first half Season 7, released more than a year ago, ended with Claire (Caitriona Balfe), Jamie (Sam Heughan), and young Ian (John Bell) arriving back in their beloved Scotland. In the newly released trailer, the Frasers look happy at home in Lallybroch, greeted by Jamie's sister Jenny (Kristin Atherton), although the reunion won't last long.
"It's such an emotional roller coaster," Davis explains of the second half Season 7 during an October 17 panel discussion at New York Comic Con. "Death, loss, redemption … everything is in the second half."
Fans learned seasons ago that bad things happen when Claire and Jamie are separated, and they will be once again amid the Revolutionary War. The trailer reveals Lord John Grey (David Berry) sharing bad news about Jamie to Claire.
"Some bad news … it's Jamie," Lord Grey tells Claire, and Claire responds: "I would feel it in my heart if his had stopped, mine would stop too."
Meanwhile, Roger (Richard Rankin) and Brianna (Sophie Skelton) were separated across time after Roger went after Jemmy through the stones. Roger and Brianna "come into their element individually and as a team" the rest of this season, Skelton explains.
While there are some "hellos" in store, the rest of the season includes "a lot of grief and goodbyes," Heughan teased at Comic Con.
Viewers will also see favorites Geillis Duncan (Lotte Verbeek) and Dougal MacKenzie (Graham McTavish) return for the season's second half, which comprises eight episodes.
Episode 11 may be the most talked about, producer Maril Davis said, adding: "Bring your whiskey, your tissues, it's pretty intense."
Outlander Season 7, Part 2 airs on Starz on November 22.
What Do We Know About How Outlander Will End?
Claire and Jamie's story will have different endings in the Starz show and in Gabaldon's book, which is still being written.
Season 8 will be the show's final installment, and will include 10 episodes. While not everyone has seen the finale script—to "avoid leaks"—the showrunners discussed the show's conclusion with Gabaldon beforehand.
"We are ending [the show] the way we are, we just wanted to be respectful of not ending it the way maybe the way she [Gabaldon] would," Davis said.
So what did Gabaldon think about it? "It was interesting … I was not upset by it," she said. "It was not something I wrote, so I'm very objective about it. It was well done, I think it will work very nicely."
Her 10th book, however, will have "a very much more complicated end than the show will," she said.
Filming wrapped on Season 8 in late September and the cast and crew spoke about ending the Outlander chapter of their careers after 11 years.
The final day of filming was "very emotional," Bell recalled. "I think when I saw Caitriona that day, we just broke down. There's a satisfaction, there's a pride. But on that actual day, I felt it deeply in my core."
"It's really hard to talk about it," Heughan added. "We're having this prolonged separation. For us, we'll always be part of this community, a part of this fandom. So in some ways, it will never end."
Balfe also directed in Season 8, and said her favorite scene was of Jamie and Roger doing a bit of carpentry together. The pair weren't "given the opportunity to rehearse and to show the director what we could do," Rankin said, which he joked didn't go so well.
While the Season 8 premiere date has yet to be announced, it's expected sometime in mid to late 2025.
Skelton said it felt "lucky" to have had the show for so long. Going for eight seasons was "tremendously unusual" and "we're leaving on a high," she said.
Balfe and Heughan Reflect on 11-Year Run:
For the past 11 years, Balfe and Heuhgan have successfully brought to life a love story that prevails across time and countless tests.
At Comic Con the show's stars recalled their on-and-off screen partnership. Not only have Balfe and Heughan portrayed husband and wife for eight seasons, but they have also grown with the characters as they aged decades in the show.
"[We] made a pact at the very beginning that we would always have each other's backs," Balfe said of her working relationship with Heughan.
As fans have seen Claire and Jamie do over decades—and in locations from Scotland to France, Jamaica and the Americas—Balfe and Heughan also connected on set to ensure the scenes were "authentically" Claire and Jamie. The two took on an additional role as producers in recent years.
"It's been such an honor to play characters and watch them grow and be able to build a life with them," Balfe said. "Every time you do a scene, it's a memory."
Fan-favorite episodes over the past seven seasons include "The Wedding" from Season 1 and heartbreaking "Faith" from Season 2.
But after shooting a total of 101 episodes, which stood out to Balfe and Heughan?
"The waltz, or the dance, to the [standing] stones when Jamie is sending Claire back, it's very beautiful," Balfe said, referring to the scene at Craigh na Dun.
Heughan agreed, calling it "an iconic moment, iconic location."
Are Outlander Set Tours Possible in the Future?
It's possible!
A fan asked if the Outlander studios in Scotland would ever be opened for tours in the future. Davis explained this has been discussed and said they'd "love to do it eventually," though it's "up to Sony."
"We are putting Blood of My Blood [the Outlander prequel] in there right now so it is occupied, Davis said. "But in the future, I would love that. It's such an amazing experience to see our sets."
When Will Book 10 Be Released?
Gabaldon is currently writing the yet-untitled Book 10. The book will "focus on Jamie and Claire," she said; no publication date has been set.
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