Outlander is entering into its final season, but its biggest ending problem may not be solved until long after the final episode. The romantacy TV series has run into a similar issue as several other book-to-screen adaptations over the years—it has caught up to the source material. Author Diana Gabaldon is still working on her final Outlander book, and it may be years before it is ever released. Starz can’t afford to wait that long, since the Outlander TV show has no choice but to end with season 8. Unfortunately, that means there isn’t much time to solve the show’s overarching mysteries.
When a TV show catches up with the books, it becomes necessary for the story to split into two different directions. Outlander still has one published book left to adapt (Go Tell the Bees that I Am Gone), but since this is only the ninth out of ten planned books, its ending won’t quite cut it for the overarching series. Both Outlander’s showrunners and Gabaldon have made it clear that the TV show and books won’t end the same way, and season 7 got the ball rolling in this regard with the big Faith reveal. While a unique ending isn’t a terrible prospect, the idea of no answers to bigger Outlander questions is concerning.
Outlander Can’t Wrap Up Every Unsolved Mystery In Season 8
There Isn’t Time & Outlander Is Out Of Source Material
In both the Outlander books and TV show, old mysteries are established near the story’s beginning and are expected to be solved by the end. Gabaldon has promised answers about why Jamie’s ghost was seen staring at Claire in the 20th century, or what the prophecy surrounding Brianna really means. It’s important that audiences understand by the end who planted the forget-me-nots at Craigh na Dun, thus starting Claire’s story, or why figures like Master Raymond guide characters across time to begin with.
Outlander season 8 has limited time to wrap up these overarching mysteries, and it seems unlikely the series will get to all of them. The big Faith mystery presented by season 7 will take center stage in the coming episodes, and this is a sign that older mysteries will get put aside. While this is disappointing, it could actually be a benefit in the long-run. After all, Outlander is ending, but the franchise itself will continue into Outlander: Blood of My Blood, which could potentially provide all these answers we have been looking for.
Outlander’s New Spinoff Has More Time To Resolve The Original Show’s Ending Problems
Blood Of My Blood Can Carry The Overarching Mysteries Forward
Outlander may not have time to dive into the nitty gritty, but a fresh face like Blood of My Blood has nothing but time. This spinoff series will follow Jamie and Claire’s parents, and will therefore jump back and forth between the 20th and 18th centuries—though decades before the start of Claire’s story in either century. With all new characters and settings, it may seem that these two Outlander series will barely be related. However, one of the significant benefits of a prequel series, especially in the world of fantasy, is to get a better look at how a central story was always destined to happen.
The trailer for Outlander: Blood of My Blood leans heavily into the concept of destiny. The implication is that Jamie and Claire were meant to come together across time and space for a specific purpose. Whatever this purpose is will tie directly to the biggest mysteries of Outlander, and Blood of My Blood exploring how this all got its start with the generations before Jamie and Claire means answers that the upcoming season 8 won’t be able to provide. So, while the final season of Outlander may focus on the newly invented mystery of Faith Fraser, Blood of My Blood can continue to take inspiration from Gabaldon’s canon works.
Outlander: Blood Of My Blood Must Wait On Diana Gabaldon’s Books For Real Answers
The Final Outlander Book Can Still Come Into Play Later
The idea that Outlander: Blood of My Blood can carry on any unfinished stories and mysteries that Outlander won’t have time for is promising. However, this might not happen in season 1. It would ultimately be beneficial for the spinoff to hold off on addressing these big time-travel and destiny related mysteries until Gabaldon releases her tenth and final Outlander book. Thankfully, this should be perfectly possible. Blood of My Blood must first establish the various characters and their stories to draw audiences in and get them familiar with this new time. Then, the series can really begin to dive into the canon lore.
Any big answers revealed by the Outlander author in her final book could then be incorporated into later seasons of Blood of My Blood, allowing the spinoff to mesh perfectly with both the books and TV show.
If Outlander season 8 focuses on its fresh new story, then it would essentially stay out of Gabaldon’s way (something that the show’s showrunners have indicated). Then, the book’s ending could coexist harmoniously with the TV series. Any big answers revealed by the Outlander author in her final book could then be incorporated into later seasons of Blood of My Blood, allowing the spinoff to mesh perfectly with both the books and TV show. Of course, this means on-screen audiences would have to wait longer for answers, but it could just be worth it.