Outlander enthusiasts are in turmoil over a shocking development in the season seven finale, and another significant revelation has sparked controversy.
The latest instalment saw protagonists Claire (played by Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) embroiled in the throes of the American Revolution, with Claire narrowly escaping death once more.
While she survived a perilous gunshot wound, it was the astonishing disclosure about her stillborn child, Faith, that left audiences gasping.
As fans grapple with this narrative bombshell, discontent brews over another key scene poised to segue into Starz’s anticipated prequel, Outlander: Blood of My Blood.
The finale featured Brianna (Sophie Skelton) encountering her grandfather Brian Fraser (Andrew Whipp) at Lallybroch, where they converse about a portrait of her grandmother Ellen—soon to be played by Harriet Slater in the forthcoming series.
Outlander fans ‘hated every minute’ of major finale scene – and it’s not Faith (Image: STARZ)
Although the encounter lays the groundwork for further Fraser family sagas, its execution and overt prequel tie-in have irked some viewers.
A disgruntled fan expressed their vexation on , lamenting: “Aside from the Faith drama, I couldn’t believe how ep.16 had Bree and Brian Fraser meet.
“I hated every minute of their awkward conversation! Why did they do it this way?!!”
The post referenced a poignant segment from Diana Gabaldon’s iconic novels, summing it up as: “It was so touching in the books where Brian sees Brianna from a distance in the graveyard (with the kids) and believes it’s his wife’s ghost visiting him.”
Eager fans can expect Brian to take the spotlight in the upcoming Outlander spin-off set for a 2025 debut, with Jamie Roy stepping into the role.
Outlander’s season seven finale featured some shocking twists (Image: STARZ)
The series will also feature Claire’s parents Julia Moriston and Henry Beauchamp, enacted by Hermione Corfield and Jeremy Irvine respectively.
However, some fans expressed dissatisfaction, one even feeling the two characters seemed disconnected.
“That scene felt like they filmed the two actors individually on a green screen without the other around and that Brianna decided to try out a whole new voice and accent for it,” they commented.
“Lol It felt very disjointed in respect to the rest of the episode.”
Brian Fraser will return in Outlander: Blood of My Blood (Image: STARZ)
And another said: “All I could think during that scene is that the producers were trying to gin up interest in the prequel. It felt completely forced and went on far too long.”
Echoing this sentiment, another viewer reasoned: “They did it that way because it was an opening to plug their prequel or to try to pique interest in it.”
Despite the anticipation surrounding Outlander: Blood of My Blood, the lukewarm reception to the final episode of season seven raises concerns about whether the show will deliver on its promise.
Outlander is available to watch on MGM+ via Prime Video in the UK and on Starz in the US.