Final Predictions
Since we are all gathered here to honor the finale of not just a series, but a part of our lives, I decided to make the most of it. There are already many threads discussing the finale, what should be, what will be, and what we don't want to be. Since this is the last time we can ever predict anything in regard to the show, here are my semi-realistic, heavy emotion-driven predictions, for the sake of my mental health:
- It's all about Claire - she started it, and she will end it. I know the last season has unforgivably neglected Claire, as well as some other seasons, but her latest monologue and her diary are setting it all up, in my opinion. It was all always because of Claire, and I do think the writers and showrunners have not forgotten about it; it's just that Outlander already stretched out more than they had anticipated, and they had to weave this intricate web of storylines to give at least bare minimum closure for every side character (and there are a lot of them).
- Jamie dies and then doesn't - This is a 50/50 anyway, but it would be too obvious and too hopeless to kill him after Frank's prediction. If it were set up without the knowledge of the outcome from Frank's book, I'd be convinced he'd die. Claire must use her blue-aura healing power; it was hinted, and for a reason, it can bring back the dead, as the baby she "healed" was dead. Jamie himself said that this child should not have been alive.
- Jamie's ghost - You will all think I am crazy on this one, but I am fully convinced. At first, before S8 aired, I thought Jamie would time travel in the flesh to Claire's time and be a WW2 soldier she briefly meets (implied in S1). This is extremely stupid in retrospect, but I digress. Now, my theory is that Jamie simply dies as mentioned above, and while he is being "healed" or "influenced" by Claire's powers in an unconscious state, he travels back to Claire in the body and age he first met her as and disappears the moment Claire brings him back from the "dead." What I do not understand about Jamie's ghost is why he is portrayed as young and in a kilt. It must have an age-related explanation, although looking back, DG simply may have thought that Jamie and Claire wouldn't make it to an advanced age/leave Scotland, so Jamie's ghost at the time of death or another event would still remain relatively young. Please let me know what you all think about this since I don't think we will get a clear and nuanced answer until the final book releases. I am hoping for a very touching and important revelation, something more than just a "ghost" after death.
- Fanny & Co. time-travel to the future - It wouldn't really be a good setup for BoMB or a spinoff for Fanny to travel back in time, but the reveal of her time-travel abilities means, I think, a bit more than a simple confirmation of blood relation to Claire. What they heavily hint at has historically always been used as plot material. My guess is Roger and Brianna decide to travel to the future (when Jamie and Claire die, I doubt they'd leave them if they lived, or they do travel for a short while, maybe for Bri's heart issue) and take Fanny with them when they realize she can also time travel (she goes with them to say goodbye near the stones or mentions to someone the buzzing and all, and they realize). I also think they hinted at her future time travel when they gave her that book she was so amazed by.
- Lord John Grey/William spinoff - They have the source material, they set up both those characters to take up a big part of the last season, and LJG is universally loved in this fandom. I am 100% convinced there will be a related spinoff. It could be a stand-alone series as well, for non Outlander fans, since the books are in the mystery genre.
- No Scotland - Oh how I miss the S1 Scotland scenery. Sadly, outside of flashbacks, there will be no Scotland. If there is, I have no idea how they will get there plot wise in an hour and a half (if the episode is that long anyway).
I honestly am not sure what kind of closure we will get for Jamie and Claire, but I can't think of a satisfying one. If they die later on, peacefully, and we see their graves, it will just feel like we lost so much time with them; we could've seen them grow old, start anew, etc. If they survive and their death is never mentioned or implied, it will again be bittersweet because we know they will die. If they don't die at the same time, I'll be devastated. Can they just be immortal and transcend time?
I would love for all of us to talk about all these, and I will definitely be coming back to my thread and others to see if we hit bullseye or not!