Claire gained a unique nickname back in Outlander season 2, and it looks as if this could be even more important in season 8. The romantacy series is nearing its end, which means Starz will have to begin wrapping up the overarching storylines. It’s important that season 8 connect to key features from earlier episodes, creating full-circle moments that result in a satisfying conclusion. The ending of Outlander season 7 kicked this off with the return of Master Raymond and Claire’s big Faith Fraser mystery, and this hints at the return of more season 2 stories going forward.
Outlander season 2 is when Claire and Jamie lived in France for a time. Many important moments happened during these episodes. This was when Claire met Master Raymond and when she became pregnant with and lost her daughter, Faith. Both these details became immensely important at the end of Outlander season 7 since Claire saw Master Raymond in a mysterious dream and came to the conclusion that Faith had somehow lived. Of course, this wasn’t all that happened in Outlander season 2. Claire’s stay in France brought her an intriguing nickname, “La Dame Blanche.”
The Meaning Of Claire’s “La Dame Blanche” Nickname Explained
Claire Was Thought To Be A “White” Witch
The name La Dame Blanche translates from French to “The White Lady.” In Outlander season 2, Jamie used Claire as an excuse for why he would not take enjoyment in the prostitutes’ company, stating that his wife, La Dame Blanche, would use her magic to punish him if he did. He was, of course, lying. White Ladies are magical beings with roots in various cultures and mythologies. They are typically considered powerful, mystical, vengeful spirits, and Jamie claiming that Claire was a Dame Blanche was a quick way to take advantage of people’s superstitions. However, Jamie’s words stuck.
Before long, Claire became known as La Dame Blanche, even to King Louis XV. Master Raymond heard what people had been calling Claire, and he leaned into the nickname as a way to protect her. It seemed that all of France believed that Claire was a powerful sorceress for a time. Of course, Claire herself maintained that she wasn’t La Dame Blanche. She has never considered herself magical and adheres strictly to science and practical healing. However, Outlander has hinted that the title La Dame Blanche will turn out to be profoundly accurate for Claire.
Jamie Was Unintentionally Prophetic When He Said Claire Was La Dame Blanche
Claire Is Destined To Become The White Witch
Jamie was simply trying to get the men in his company off his back when he first called Claire La Dame Blanche in Outlander, but there are hints that he was being unintentionally prophetic. While Claire has always turned to science, she learned in season 2 that the sorts of power people associated with “La Dame Blanche” were actually real. She saw Master Raymond use a mysterious power to heal her of the deadly infection that overtook her body following marriage. This mysterious man then told Claire that she herself possessed the same power.
Master Raymond has the power to heal in Outlander, and this is connected to his blue aura. He told Claire in season 2 that she also had a blue aura, but she hadn’t figured out how to use it yet. Later, in Outlander season 4, Claire met a powerful Native American healer, Nayawenne, who also seemed to possess this blue-aura power. Nayawenne told Claire that she would come into her full power when all her hair was white. This paints a picture of Claire’s future. One day, she will be a powerful healer with pure white hair—at this point, Claire truly will be La Dame Blanche.
Outlander Hints That Claire Will Become La Dame Blanche In Season 8
Claire Is All Set Up To Come Unto Her Full Power
Master Raymond’s hint that Claire possesses a magical healing ability and Nayawenne’s prophecy about her white hair hasn’t been addressed for several seasons in Outlander. For a time, it seemed that this plotline had been left behind. Additionally, Claire’s hair has remained mostly brown in the seasons since she met Nayawenne. There are some streaks of silver, but she seems a long way off from being the true La Dame Blanche. However, teasers for Outlander season 8 indicate that this could change very soon.
Filming for Outlander’s final season has already been completed, and actor Caitriona Balfe celebrated the final day of filming by posting a video of herself removing Claire’s wig for the last time. The hair of this wig is far whiter than has been seen prior to Outlander season 8, and this seems to hint that Claire will be closer to her destiny in the coming episodes. Of course, the wig wasn’t fully white, but the progression here is enough to hope that the true La Dame Blanche will be a feature of the coming episodes, especially since Claire is already set upon her path.
Claire’s Faith Mystery May Be Key To Unlocking Her Full Power
Master Raymond May Have Used His Healing Powers To Resurrect Faith
It’s still unclear precisely where the Faith mystery from Outlander season 7’s finale will lead. It’s possible that Claire is completely wrong about Jane and Fanny’s mother being her daughter. Still, it seems likely that suspecting that Master Raymond resurrected her daughter will set Claire on an accelerated path toward accepting her powers. After all, Claire is a healer through and through. She would do anything to save her patients, and learning that she can bring back the dead would certainly be a game changer.
It seems likely that suspecting that Master Raymond resurrected her daughter will set Claire on an accelerated path toward accepting her powers.
Claire being the type of character she is, Master Raymond simply telling her that she has this power isn’t enough. Claire would need to see evidence of it to fully pull away from her dependence on science and practical healing. So, while she may never be reunited with her daughter Faith in Outlander, Claire’s belief that she survived could inspire her to lean into her magical ability. Outlander season 8 will be her last chance to do so.
What The Outlander Books Reveal About Claire’s Magical Abilities
The Books Hint At Claire’s Growing Power
One of the many challenges faced by Outlander season 8 is that author Diana Gabaldon hasn’t yet completed the book series. Starz has had to come up with its own ending to Claire’s story, but it seems that, in both versions, Claire’s healing ability will get a major upgrade. Nayawene’s prophecy about Claire’s hair turning white happened in both the books and the show, as did the nickname La Dame Blanche. While the TV show could end very differently from the books, it certainly seems that Claire becoming a powerful, magical being is inevitable in both cases.
Though Gabaldon is still working on her final novel, Outlander book 9, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, features a moment in which Claire actually uses her healing powers. This happens after Claire and Jamie return to Fraser’s Ridge with Fanny Pocock. While they experience some peace there, the Revolutionary War ultimately finds its way to North Carolina, and Jamie gets caught back up in it all. He suffers an essentially fatal injury, and the prospect of losing her husband inspires Claire to lean into her blue aura. As it is, Outlander season 8 is set up to follow a similar path.
One thing is for certain: Claire’s story and Outlander’s ending are sure to get even more magical.
Of course, Claire basically bringing Jamie back to life will only be the beginning of her ending in the books. The Outlander TV show may decide to end things there, or perhaps Claire will heal Jamie near the beginning of season 8 and leave the rest of the episodes to her development into the true La Dame Blanche. Currently, only time will tell. One thing is for certain: Claire’s story and Outlander’s ending are sure to get even more magical.