/ Mia / twenty-something / Just another Outlander (side) blog from a super fan / ⛴. 💛 / Fic Writer😁AO3: minstreltroubadour / Professional TV Fangirl / main blog: @shipperofallthings /
Happy #Wednesday100! One of the things I wish we’d seen in S8 is William trying to make sense of Jamie and Claire now that he has full context.
What’s In a Name
Even though he and Da spend more time together now, William still comes to Brianna with questions. His curiosity reminds her of Mandy’s, although his volume is much more socially appropriate. Usually.
“Is there some rhyme or reason to when he calls her ‘Sassenach?’” William’s watching her parents carefully. Da only smiles like that for Mama. It’s a shame Brianna left her sketchbook inside.
William has clearly inherited Da’s impatience with puzzles he can’t immediately solve. He’s even tapping his fingers against one leg.
She shrugs.
“It’s a perfectly good way to tell her he’ll never ask her to change.”
I loved it because, at its heart, the finale centered on Claire and Jamie. And with every Outlander season, isn’t that always our hope, prayer, and dream? This finale gave us just enough of them to feel worthy of everything this show has been and everything it has built over the past 12 years.
Ultimately, it has always been - and will always be - Jamie and Claire Forever.
I was holding on to every Jamie and Claire moment. My only real wish was that we had more. More time, more scenes, more quiet moments with them. Give me Jamie and Claire all the time in the episode, please and thank you.
All my other notes below. It took a while but I needed to write this for me to just send my love and gratitude for this finale and show.
Thank you for the last 12 years of my life, Outlander.
What a joy it all has been and always will be.
See you soon in Scotland ❤️
My First Finale Highlights
I came into the finale with little to no expectations. Given yet another rollercoaster of a season, I truly could not predict what MBR, Maril and the writers might do.
But as I’ve said before: regardless of how I feel about the EP / writers, in Sam and Cait I trust. I watch for them, and I was always going to watch until the very end for them.
Some first moments thoughts:
The intro recap was so nostalgic. I may have started tearing up a little bit already.
I loved that they sang and showed what I believe was the original Season 1 intro. That hit me right in the feelings.
Jamie writing his last will and claiming Claire and Bree as Frasers was everything.
The last scene is the first scene?!?! I was not ready for that at all. I absolutely freaked out. I could imagine Sam and Cait trying to describe it before the finale, but nothing could have prepared me for the emotional hit of actually seeing it.
Jamie and Claire’s conversation was so heartfelt. This domestic Fraser life is what we have always wished for them: in bed, early in the morning, talking about life, holding hands. I was melting.
Claire saying they were not meant for a quiet life is the understatement of the century.
Jamie, Bree, and the Fraser Family Moments We Deserved More Of
The Jamie and Bree moment? I’ll take it. But we really should have had more. We needed more.
Honestly, we should have had more Jamie and Bree scenes since Season 4, but for some reason, those moments always seem to get cut. I will never understand why. Aside from Jamie’s relationship with Claire, his relationship with Bree should have been one of the emotional centerpieces of the show.
The Claire and Bree moment was also touching, but they deserved more than a hug. I would have rather had a full Claire and Bree conversation than Claire having one with Franny, if I’m being honest. And if I’m being greedy, I needed a Claire, Jamie, and Bree moment.
Was that too much to give us, writers? Was that too much to write? (I really am asking for myself)
Jamie and the Bees
Maybe it was Sam’s acting. Maybe it was the dialogue. Maybe it was both. But Jamie talking to the bees had me tearing up.
The way he asked them to look after everyone. The way it felt like he was giving a goodbye. I could not handle it.
Jamie and Claire by the River and the Tent
The Jamie and Claire scenes by the river and by the tent were everything.
Truly, e v e r y t h i n g.
Again, the only thing wrong was that there was not more of it. Those are the scenes that make Outlander what it is. Their quiet intimacy. Their history. Their way of speaking to each other without needing to explain everything. Their love that feels both ordinary and mythic at the same time.
Give me all of that. Always.
Claire’s Sadness
Claire’s sadness throughout the episode just pierced my heart.
You could feel her worry, pain, and grief more and more as the episode went on. Catriona Balfe is an amazing actress, and she deserves awards for this finale.
Claire and Jamie saying “I love you” in Scottish had me on the freaking floor. I had to repeat that scene over and over again. It was one of my favorite scenes, if not my favorite scene, in the entire episode.
Jamie and Claire should have been speaking Scottish to each other for a long, long time. We were robbed of those moments.
Claire’s War Flashbacks
Claire’s war flashbacks were painful to watch, in the best and most heartbreaking way.
I felt so much for her. We all know she does not deserve any of that pain. None of them do. And you could feel her clinging to all the love and life she has in her world - and her world is Jamie.
Waiting for “That” Moment
Knowing how Book 9 goes, I was waiting and waiting for that moment to happen.
And when it finally did, my thoughts were all over the place:
Why did they not take away the guns?
Why is no one rushing to Jamie?
Why is everyone just standing there?
But that scene with Claire, with her heart stopping - so, so, so good.
Of course, I remembered the whole shipwreck era, and I loved seeing that deep connectedness between Jamie and Claire again. Their love was all there. The bond, the fear, the pain, the impossible pull between them. It was all and always there.
And again: give Catriona Balfe all the awards.
Her acting in the last 20 to 30 minutes, especially Claire’s heartbreak and grief over Jamie, deserves recognition because I felt that to my core.
The Choice I Did Not Expect
I kept waiting for that other thing to happen, and I really did not expect it to not happen.
I thought they would show Claire’s power. I thought we would see the blue light. But nothing. And I was not expecting that.
I also was not expecting Claire “dying” to be the direction they would take. But honestly? I am not mad at it. It felt like a decision centered on who Claire and Jamie are, and on the depth of their love.
Her last breath was so good. I cannot. And then I felt for Bree, because oh my god.
At that point, my jaw was on the floor. It was the end, and I was feeling all the feelings.
That Final Zoom-In
That zoom-in had me holding my breath.
I had no idea what was going to happen. And then they “wake up,” and the show ends in this almost Inception-esque style.
My take?
They are alive. They are in their own time. That is how I choose to interpret it.
Maybe it was Claire’s blue power at work. Maybe it was Master Raymond flying in. Maybe it was Claire’s last bits of energy and power that pulled them back to life. Whatever it was, I cannot wait for them to shock everyone by being alive.
And hopefully, after all of this, Claire and Jamie can finally live their quiet, peaceful life until the end of their proper days.
Because after everything, that is what they deserve. ❤️
In the end, Outlander has always been about Jamie and Claire choosing each other through every impossible thing and it left me with what mattered most: their love. Jamie and Claire forever.
Writing this a week or so after the finale - life has only just given me the space to process my feelings. But I feel like I need to share them, if only to close this chapter and finally let these thoughts go. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I would say when this day came - the day Outlander ended - and the words have changed over time.
I’ll share my season 8 series finale thoughts in a different post. For now, I think what I really want to share is some of my Outlander story: the memories I’ve made through the years watching the show, meeting friends in this community, writing fanfics, and everything in between.
tldr - Outlander found me by chance in 2016 and somehow became one of the constants of my life over the last decade. The show may be ending, but what it gave me never really will. Thank you, Outlander, and thank you to everyone, fans and friends, who made this journey so special. 💛
HOW I FOUND AND WATCHED OUTLANDER
I found Outlander completely by chance through posts on Tumblr and Twitter (now X) back in May 2016, just as the second half of Season 2 was airing. I came into the fandom a little late, but honestly, it felt like the perfect time, when the excitement was growing and people were really finding each other.
At first, I had no intention of watching Outlander. Fantasy dramas weren’t really my thing. Back then, I was more of a crime drama girlie, and I thought I wouldn’t have the patience to keep up with all the characters, places, and timelines. But what caught my attention were the Season 1 posts and especially the chemistry between Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe.
So I decided to give it a shot. I downloaded all of Season 1, started watching, and immediately got hooked. It wasn’t nearly as complicated as I’d imagined, and everything about it - the cast, the crew, the storytelling, the production was just so beautifully done.
From Season 2 onward, I was fully in the fandom. I created this side blog and started interacting with so many people here who were talented, creative, funny, and genuinely kind.
I was in my early 20s when I first started watching Outlander, and now here we are nearly a decade later. So much life has happened in between, but this show and this fandom have remained one of the constants in my life.
THIS BLOG AND THE FANDOM
Speaking of this blog and the fandom, like so many others, this space became a source of strength for me, especially during some of the lowest points in my personal life.
The last decade has been a rollercoaster in every sense - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Through everything happening both in life and within the fandom, so many of you have been a genuine light through your creativity, humor, wit, kindness, support, and love.
The fandom / you were there through accidents, job hunts, travels, new beginnings and painful endings, season and episode commentaries, the writing and posting of fanfics, and all the highs and lows that came with this ship and this show. I truly couldn’t have asked for better company. Some of the kindest, funniest, and most wonderful people are from this fandom. Your comments, messages, and support carried me through more than you probably realize, and at times, genuinely helped me keep going. Though the show has ended, we will continue on. If anyone wants to continue to connect or connect even further, my DMs are open, always happy to chat.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to meet and surround myself with such good people through this platform. You know who you are, and I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. 💓
Over time, people naturally come and go in fandom spaces, but the memories - and the battle scars (iykyk, hehe) remain. I’m grateful for every person I’ve crossed paths with here.
Where I’m from, Outlander was never really a huge fandom, and for a long time I didn’t have many people I could truly fangirl with in my own language - until @samncait4ever. I want to make space for her here and remember her properly. She was my main connection to the shipper community, always sharing the tea, keeping me updated, and pulling me into all the conversations and fandom happenings. More than that, she was such a source of encouragement to me through the years. Sadly, she passed away a few years ago. One thing that deeply touched me was when I reached out to her children, O learned that she had talked to them about the fandom, about this little corner of the internet, and even about me, about how we had become each other’s person within this community. That will always stay with me.
P.S I’m also happy to say that life has been kinder to me in recent years, and I’ll never take that for granted. I will always be grateful for that.
FANFICTION
I’ve never really considered myself a creative person. Growing up, I struggled with art and never felt particularly talented in that area, but writing was always the one creative corner I felt I could explore. I had written fanfics for other fandoms before, but Outlander was the one that truly reignited my inspiration and creativity.
Writing Outlander fanfics pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way. Through this fandom, I joined prompt challenges and even found the courage to write multi-chapter fics. I’ve genuinely had so much fun writing for this world — imagining “what ifs,” creating my own little fixes, and simply writing from the heart. More than anything, I wanted my stories to capture the feelings I hoped readers would experience too.
Another one of my favorite things about this fandom has been fangirling over the incredibly talented writers in this community. I’ve been reading Outlander fanfiction ever since I joined the fandom, and somehow I still never run out of amazing stories to discover. And then there are the classics — the fics I revisit over and over again that still make me feel the exact same emotions every single time. I could honestly go on forever talking about my favorites, but I’m pretty sure many of you already know the iconic stories I mean.
One of the biggest honors and highlights for me personally has been getting the chance to beta read for some truly wonderful writers in this community. The fact that they trusted me enough to read their work, share thoughts, comments, and edits before publishing still amazes me. Beta reading itself is fun, but what I loved even more was getting to connect with writers - talking about their stories, their inspiration, and sometimes even life beyond fandom. Truly, what an honor that has been. Amaze, amaze, amaze to all of you amazing writers. 💛
MY FIRST TIME READING THE OUTLANDER BOOK
One of my favorite personal Outlander moments was reading the first book for the very first time. I absolutely loved the experience. The book was incredible.
For context, I discovered the show before I ever knew it was based on a book series. My first copy was actually an ebook that I read entirely on my phone, and I went all in - bookmarking, highlighting, and tagging scenes, moments, and characters until it felt like I had marked almost the entire book.
The main reason I picked it up in the first place was because I wanted to understand Claire’s thought process during the moment Jamie took her to the stones for the first time. I wanted to see more deeply how their relationship developed in the books and, ultimately, how Claire came to the realization that Jamie was it for her.
Ironically, while trying to get to that specific part, I kept backtracking to earlier chapters for context… until eventually I realized I should just start from the beginning and properly read the whole thing. And I have zero regrets about that decision.
Additionally, reading book 1 made me appreciate even more how well the Season 1 team adapted it for television. They kept the heart and most important moments of the story intact, and the creative changes they made actually complemented the original material beautifully. It really worked so well together. (P.S I wish they kept that consistency in the next years but oh well)
After that, I just kept going from one book to the next. Admittedly, I’m currently stalled somewhere around Book 5, and depending on when Book 10 comes out, I might even jump ahead to Book 9 first, given the reviews I’ve read about it. But regardless, one of my goals is still to eventually collect physical copies of the entire series for my personal library!
VISITING SCOTLAND
To top off this entire experience and all these years of fangirling, I may finally be visiting Scotland later this year - and I’m incredibly excited about it. :)
It honestly feels like the stars might finally be aligning. I’m due for a much-needed sabbatical, and somehow I may have saved just enough money to give myself a lovely, unrushed holiday through the Highlands and Europe, in general.
I’m trying not to get ahead of myself, but I truly hope everything falls into place. My prayer is that, if this trip is meant for me, I’ll get to be there, see it all with my own eyes, and experience all the joy and feelings I’ve imagined for so many years.
____
What an amazing 12 years it’s been fangirling over Outlander.
The show may have reached its final chapter, but the love for the story, the characters, and everything this fandom is will continue on in some way - in memories, in rewatching, in reading, and in the quiet little corners of life where it still shows up when I need it most.
Whatever is the outcome today, one thing remains and will always be constant -
Jamie and Claire forever 🤍
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P.S. I'm going offline starting this noon to avoid spoilers. Unfortunately, I'm going to a retreat today and will be back tomorrow evening. See you on Saturday after I watch the finale!
If you need space to vent or react, drop your comments here and I'll fangirl with you guys soon! 🤍
Claire and Jamie did not grieve, they did not grieve together. Marsali moved on too quickly and didn't even stay with family, and Henri Christian's death would have been equally devastating cause he was part of their family.
Idk what twitter or socmed MBR subscribes to but this is not it. I am so annoyed by this gaslighting.
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