After a one-year gap, Outlander season 7, part 1's ending saw the couple journeying to Jamie's homeland. Between the remnants of the Jacobite rebellion, which continues to haunt the pair, to the conflicts of the American Revolutionary War, there are many obstacles to navigate.

The remainder of season 7 is set to adapt what's left of An Echo in the Bone, the seventh novel in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander book series. With just eight episodes left before the final outing, Outlander season 8, the acclaimed series is still introducing new twists and turns. However, these fresh wrinkles guarantee a dramatic, action-packed send-off for the couple and the historical drama as a whole. Plus, since the eighth season will pull from Gabaldon's three remaining novels, it's not clear where season 7, part 2 will leave Claire and Jamie's story ahead of the big finale.

Jamie & Claire's Outlander Season 7, Part 2 Story Sets Up An Emotional Reunion Before The Ending

Outlander Season 7, Part 2 Leans Into The Idea That Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

The silver lining to the couple's impending separation is that Outlander is setting the stage for an epic, emotional reunion before the series takes its final bow. Looking at Claire and Jamie's complete relationship timeline, it's clear the couple has weathered more than their fair share of trials and tribulations. Unfortunately, season 7, part 2 isn't letting up on the lovers. The latest outing is not the first time Claire and Jamie have gone their separate ways. Much earlier in the Starz series, Claire left the 1700s altogether. Of course, she was inevitably drawn back to the Highland warrior's era.

Outlander season 7 part 2 begins airing on Starz on Friday, November 22, 2024, through January 10, 2025.

Seven seasons in, Claire and Jamie's relationship is incredibly resilient. It would be truly shocking if their momentary separation caused any kind of rift in their dynamic. Moreover, it's hard to imagine the series keeping the couple apart longer than the 8-episode arc of season 7B. Even so, Outlander star Balfe has called Claire and Jamie's time apart an "emotional rollercoaster," reiterating that none of Outlander's cast of characters are truly safe (via Entertainment Weekly). Although Jamie and Claire are poised to embark on their own journeys, their bond will most likely grow even stronger, especially after they reunite.

Why Claire Might Need To Leave In Outlander Season 7, Part 2

In The Book, Claire Leaves To Help Marsali Fraser's Son

So far, the series hasn't confirmed the particulars of Claire's return to the colonies, but her journey does involve her profession. A skilled nurse-turned-doctor, Claire is rarely one to turn away from helping somebody in need. Balfe revealed that Claire, "the wonderful surgeon she is," will receive a request to help someone in the colonies, though the actor remained vague about the circumstances. In the source material, Laoghaire MacKenzie (Nell Hudson), Claire's long-time rival and Outlander's biggest anti-hero, is partially to blame for Claire and Jamie's temporary separation in An Echo in the Bone.

In Gabaldon's seventh novel, a letter from Marsali Fraser (Lauren Lyle), Laoghaire's daughter and Fergus Fraser's (César Domboy) wife, discloses that Marsali and Fergus' son, Henri-Christian, is incredibly ill. Believing that Claire is the only one who can save her son's life, Marsali begs Claire to return to the colonies to treat Henri-Christian. Before leaving to help Laoghaire's family, Claire even asks her former rival to abide by a few stipulations. While Outlander could change the reason for Claire's return to the colonies, very few things outside of her profession would tear Claire away from Jamie.

Jamie & Claire Reuniting Will Make Outlander Season 8 Feel Like A Worthy Ending

The Penultimate Season Of The Starz Drama Will Give Its Stars A Final Chance To Shine On Their Own

Weathering eight episodes of separate storylines might prove a bit rough for Claire and Jamie fans, but, in the end, the couple's separate narratives will pay off. Keeping the pair apart introduces the right amount of drama before Outlander season 8. Instead of messing with Claire and Jamie's bond, the show is wisely choosing to build tension and raise the stakes in a different way. The longer Claire and Jamie are apart, the more viewers will want to see them reunite, making for the perfect pre-final-season arc.

What makes Claire and Jamie's relationship so memorable is that they're dynamic characters in their own right too.

While Outlander's time-travel romance is a central focus, the books — and show — are also historical epics. What makes Claire and Jamie's relationship so memorable is that they're dynamic characters in their own right, too. By separating them in the penultimate outing, the show gives both characters a chance to shine on their own before wrapping up their story as a couple in Outlander season 8.

Source: Entertainment Weekly