Fans of the hit show Outlander, as well as the original books by Diana Gabaldon, are admitting they’ve got some concerns as to how the Starz adaptation will wrap up.
Outlander’s eighth and final season is currently deep into production, but how exactly it will end remains a mystery.
Despite being based on Diana Gabaldon’s series of novels, the author has one book in the saga still to hit shelves.
The 10th chapter will wrap up Claire and Jamie Fraser’s story, played to great acclaim by Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in the Starz adaptation.
However, season eight is predicted to be based on parts of Diana’s eighth and ninth books in the series, meaning it will feature a totally different ending to what she has planned for the page.
“Well, there’s only so much I can say about the show, but what I can say is that it really won’t resemble the end of the book series,” she recently penned in answer to a fan’s question on Facebook.
“Coming into Season 8, the show-runners have/had only ten episodes (rather than the sixteen, say, in Season One)–and material from THREE WHOLE BOOKS to fit into that.”
The author explained that the series’ writers will have to “cherry pick” certain scenes, adding that the final book will offer a very different conclusion to the TV adaptation.
“Unhampered by space considerations, I can continue doing whatever I damn well please,” she concluded.
“And Book Ten therefore will contain a LOT of stuff that the show simply can’t. I hope y’all will enjoy them both!”
Eagle-eyed fans who spotted Diana’s comments and took them to Reddit to discuss have aired some pressing issues they have with how Outlander’s climactic season could turn out.
One viewer was keeping their fingers crossed: “The biggest question is how they are going to end it.
“My thinking (or hope) is that they don’t have to definitively wrap it up, just write a happy ending that doesn’t preclude what’s to come in book 10 (I.e. everybody alive and well).”
While others couldn’t help comparing the potential ending unfavorably to a recent controversial finale.
“I get the sense that the showrunners are very aware of the Game of Thrones series and likely its ending disaster,” one person mused.
To which another replied: “I’m going to be so angry and heartbroken if this show ends like GOT.”
Thankfully, fans likely have another couple of years before Outlander comes to an end off screens, while a release date for Diana’s 10th book has yet to be confirmed.
Outlander season 7, part 2 will premiere Sunday, November 22 on Starz.