Outlander’s author Diana Gabaldon addressed the Highlander’s story arc
Outlander scribe Diana Gabaldon has shed light on the future of her beloved protagonist Jamie Fraser, depicted by actor Sam Heughan in the novels.
Crafting the 10th and final tome of the Outlander saga, christened A Blessing For A Warrior Going Out, Gabaldon took to Facebook to allay apprehensions sparked by the foreboding title, assuring fans: “No, that doesn’t mean Jamie’s going to die.”
Clarifying her words, she explained that it’s not a “death blessing” but instead, the Blessing of St. Michael intended for a warrior about to embark on a critical and risky undertaking.
For the time being, it means Jamie remains safe from death’s grip—though, considering his specter is present in the first novel and he’s far from unaging, the chance of his eventual passing looms yet.
Devotees of the series are crossing their fingers that the concluding volume will also provide closure concerning Jamie’s spectral appearance, reports the Scottish Daily Express.
Gabaldon, throughout the years, has been sprinkling hints regarding the mysterious ghost who arrives in 1940s Inverness just as Claire Fraser (portrayed by Caitríona Balfe) prepares to traverse through the standing stones into the Highlander’s arms.
Of these enigmatic tidbits, Gabaldon intimated that the ghost seems to be 25 years old, roughly at t he period he was battling at Culloden.
The caveat from the novelist is crucial here: a spirit might present itself differently from when it actually shuffled off its mortal coil.
Moreover, Jamie has not undertaken any form of astral projection through time; this apparition truly heralds from the afterlife.
Gabaldon hasn’t set a completion date for her upcoming novel, A Blessing For A Warrior Going Out.
However, she did tease fans with a snippet from the book, revealing an aged and weakening Jamie.
Meanwhile, the eighth and final season of Outlander is on the horizon, with Starz hinting at an imminent release, saying it will be “soon”.
Post-season seven finale, the TV series and the books have taken significantly different paths, notably with the suggestion that Faith Fraser survived, despite being stillborn in the novels.
The series plans to offer its own take on the mystery of Jamie’s ghost, though it remains unclear if it will align with the book’s revelation, which is slated to come out after the show’s eighth season concludes.
With the drama charting a distinct course from the original books, fans should brace for two unique endings to the Outlander saga in print and on screen.