First posted on my official Facebook page on May 15, 2026 at 4:33 a.m.
Well, so the witching hour has come—and with it, the final episode of Outlander (the show), Ep. 810: “And the World was All Around Us.”
Let me know what you think! If you like, please add a web comment using the “Leave a Response” form below.
(And let us also remind ourselves that Book Ten, A BLESSING FOR A WARRIOR GOING OUT, is yet to come….)
Related: “The Books Are The Books and the Show Is the Show”, my blog from January 22, 2025. Page opens in new browser tab or window.
Also related, “FILM/TV COMMENTARY, Part I: Adaptation, Logistics, and Testicles,” my blog from October 12, 2014. Page opens in new browser tab or window.
Please be aware that your web comments are moderated, and will be visible to the public. “Moderated” means that it may take an hour to several days to appear because they have to be read and approved by a human such as myself or my Webmistress. (Due to too much spam of the robotic type.) Comments are in reverse order by the date and time they were submitted, with newest ones first. Thanks!
I can’t say I didn’t like the ending: technically, it’s perfect. I think leaving the final scene ambiguous was absolutely the right choice: the word “end” belongs to Mrs. Gabaldon, and rightly so.
However, looking back on season eight as a whole, I wasn’t very happy with it. As long as they stick to the books, the story works, but I didn’t like the deviations at all. I didn’t appreciate the choice regarding Fergus’s death, and I liked the Faith and Fanny storyline even less. They took away precious time that could have been spent on the relationships that really matter: Jamie and Claire, the bond between Jamie and William, Jamie and Brianna, and especially the reconciliation between Jamie and Lord John.
That said, the cast was exceptional. Sam was excellent, as always (and it’s about time he gets the recognition he deserves!), as was Cait and everyone else. A heartfelt thank you to all of them for giving us this wonderful journey. Now we just have to wait for Mrs. Diana to put the final point on her work, as is right and proper!
I remember wandering around an airport bookshop ,back when you took a book on holiday,looking for
Something to see me through my sunbathing on the beach many years ago. The book I found was outlander and I was hooked then and now.
The last episode was sadness and joy. I will miss Jamie and Claire and all of them on screen but I still
Have all the books to keep me company and look forward to the next one.
I am still reeling from that breathtaking finale, but I ran into a major technical headache while trying to stream the last episode on my phone through the regional partner network. Since Diana mentioned the human verification and issues with robotic spam on the site, it made me wonder about the security setups for mobile users. I kept getting a secure connection timeout, and when I looked up the technical security audit and installation parameters on [an online security help website] to see if it was an OS compatibility issue with my Android 10, the SSL certificates seemed fine but the local server latency was high. Did anyone else experience server desynchronization or buffering blocks during the live broadcast, or is it just a temporary issue with the mobile app verification in Colombia?
Hi,
Do you mean Colombia in South America, or a U.S. city such as Colombia, Missouri?
If you reside in a U.S. city (such as Colombia, Missouri) and are having difficulties accessing starz.com, you probably need to call tech support for your cell or internet/Wifi provider first.
For Colombia, South America, a lot depends on how you are accessing the streaming of Outlander. The terms of use for streaming STARZ state that a person must reside in the U.S.A. In Canada, the U.K., Australia and other countries, viewers have access to STARZPLAY (aka Lionsgate+, the streaming service for STARZ outside the U.S.) or through a local cable/internet/cell provider; access varies greatly from what I can tell. This is because licensing agreements vary from country to country since laws and internet/cell providers differ from country to country, and I think it is SONY that handles all of that. Is very complex; folks need to check locally in their country for information.
Some viewers traveling to or residing in other countries get around the limitation by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to use STARZ.com. The VPN can make streaming requests appear to be coming from an IP address in the U.S.A. But if STARZ detects that a viewer is not physically in the U.S., they will deny access because of the licensing agreements for each region or country. They have to by law.
So lotsa security and other layers, depending on where you are physically located. Your issue could be anything from a local/regional cell or internet network server overwhelmed by too much traffic, to VPN issues if you are using one, inside or outside the U.S. Try streaming the first episode again. That would be my first test.
Thanks,
Loretta
Diana’s Webmistress
webmaster@dianagabaldon.com
Diana
Many thanks for your books I thoroughly enjoyed them cannot wait for book 10 the TV series had me captivated from. The start to the final episode greatly appreciated.
I loved “And the World Was All Around Us”. So much of it shows the love of, around and between Jamie and Claire. It will endure no matter what. It also showed that no matter how old they are or how long they are married, true intimacy and love are one and the same. When Jamie “died”, the first thing that popped into me head was “lub dub, lub dub”, their heartbeat from the book. It was so very well done, and I am very grateful and thankful for the Series bringing the visual aspect of what I saw in my head from reading the books. As Ms. Gabaldon says, the books are the books and the series is the series. I am so very blessed and grateful they are in my life.
Thank you all.
With Jamie and Claire taking a breath at the end… I think it means they will be together in life and in death forever.
After rewatching the finale, I will “interpret” that Jamie and Claire both live and go back to the Ridge and live out their days in happiness. The Kings Mountain scene played out similar to the books but we didn’t see the musket ball that miraculously was in Claire possession. So I will be happy with that. Anxiously awaiting book 10.
Ms Gabaldon…I more then enjoyed the whole series. I am now involved with Blood of my Blood. However, I am hoping you will continue with a another series of these special characters. My favorite person was John Bell – Ian the Mohawk. Each individual was so very unique! You are a gifted story teller.
All the books and the series were more then great!!!
Please consider another series with all the same people and another journey for all of us “Time-Travelers”.
Awaiting your next book…….Patti
Hello Diana! Thank you for giving us this opportunity to voice our opinions. I would say I really liked season 8, with the exception of the Faith/Fanny storyline. I just found it negated so much of Claire and Jamie’s grief and recovery together…like it was all for naught. Then it was NEVER explained why Master Raymond came to Monmouth asking forgiveness in the season 7 finale. We can only assume it was because, for some unknown reason, he and Mother Hildegarde kept Faith alive–just not believable even for a story of time travel and other certain elements of fantasy. I think this storyline did a great disservice to the world of Outlander, but I know it was not your idea or creation in the slightest! (wink wink) I loved Fanny (and Jane), but she didn’t need to be of their bloodline to earn this love from the fans.
I also thought William discovering LJG’s “preferences” by witnessing an unneeded kiss with Percy was superfluous. Although I do understand representation, and maybe that’s what MBR was trying to do–it just didn’t seem true to LJG.
I was not as upset with Fergus dying as many people seemed to be. I was dreading seeing precious HC’s skull crushed on the cobblestones; and I usually don’t turn away from the edge and horror that Outlander often offers us. However, Fergus dying was a horrible trauma as well, and I thought it fit well. He saved his sons. I also loved that Marsali was pregnant again, although predictable. What I didn’t like is that Claire and Jamie found out they had a granddaughter and that their son, Fergus, had died–within a few days. TOO MUCH. However, as these last couple of weeks have proved in my own family, some times life is truly that up and down. And this is where Outlander, both the books and the show, continue to give me strength. Life does indeed go on.
As for the FINALE, the original question, I loved every part of it except the very last scene. I loved that Jamie and Claire both opened their eyes, and I did not mind the ambiguity. After all, their love story is anything but linear! Where are they? It doesn’t really matter to me. I knew death would be a part of their story. It’s the only true ending to a happy marriage. So for them to be alive “somewhere” was fine with me! I also understood Claire’s blue light to be in the middle of the night when she called out, “Where are you?!” However, to me, the very final moment seemed like an editing mistake. Would three seconds have been too much? I literally didn’t realize Claire had opened her eyes because I was so focused on Jamie. I had to rewatch several times!! I finally rewatched the entire episode and liked it even more–until the final scene again. If the audience could have had just a couple of more seconds to process, it would have been much more satisfying. Instead, we were left with, “Wait, what? Was that both of them?”
I also enjoyed (the second time watching) how the 7 page dialogue scene in bed, talking about bees, contained so much foreshadowing for the final scene–even the way they were lying in the bed. The love scene was so beautiful as well. The lighting, the music, their faces, the tent…so well done. And finally, Jamie’s ghost–so remarkable to see young Jamie watching the electric light and his Sassenach. I thank you and MBR for giving us so much of Jamie and Claire in the finale. These two, after all, are the center of this universe. We all needed to bid them goodbye as well.
I know this is much too long, but I have just been so encouraged by these books and this show. It has affected my marriage, my friendships, my health (going through breast cancer surgeries), and TODAY my own published children’s book was delivered to my doorstep! Thank you, Diana, for being such an amazing inspiration with your “practice novel” you began writing after Mass.
Anxiously awaiting Book 10,
Patti from Dallas
I ABSOLUTELY love the books and I am thrilled to pieces at the way the series has played out. The ending did not disappoint.
The books are the books and the tv series is the series. Both are perfection. And I feel that the tv series has left the door WIDE open for possible spinoffs for at least two generations of Fraser/Mackinzies!
This whole Season was weak. Example: Why did Fergus have to die? To not have to pay another actor? I am very much looking forward to the new book, and I really, really hope that there will be an ending which offers something more than just “writing off” characters one by one, such as simply killing Richardson or dumping Amaranthus.
The actors did a good job, no doubt! The last 10 minutes of episode 10 were also well done, but I hope regarding time travels we get more than just ghosts appearing at your window in book 10…
Sorry, this is the honest opinion of a fellow biologist who has enjoyed the books very much so far!
Dear Diana!
You once said that the showrunners couldn’t use ANYTHING from Book 10 because they couldn’t access your computer.
But I noticed that when Jamie says goodbye to Brianna, he says she’s like her mother.
In 2022, you posted a clip from “Blessing” that was used almost verbatim. (like your mother) Was that your idea, or did someone secretly look at your website?
Like everyone else, I’m looking forward to book 10 and Bärbel’s great translation into German.
Warm greetings
Diana, I cannot thank you enough for the delightful entertainment gifted to us by the Outlander world. Also deep gratitude to the profoundly talented Davina Porter for her outstanding performance of the audiobooks. As I cannot read books due to a brain injury incurred while I was about 3 Outlander books in, Ms. Porter enabled me to continue to immerse myself in this amazingly creative world. To fans: even if you have read the books, I highly recommend the audiobooks for another entertaining Outlander experience! You will love Ms. Porter’s MANY voices and accents! How ever can she do that?
Now about the final season. Way too much air time wasted on the ridiculous and unbelievable (even in a world of time travel) Faith/Fanny storyline. Didn’t like the way Fergus was killed off AT ALL. What a sucker punch after seeing HC saved. Did like how William finally came around to making peace with his two fathers, especially Jamie, though it took him long enough! Loved the return to Season 1 opening credits in the finale. Would have much preferred final scenes being a happy reunion on the Ridge, maybe with a flash-forward of the main characters in their future. Glad they gave Diana a well-deserved and cleverly-crafted cameo at the end (I suspect the reference to spelling is an Easter egg, the significance of which is unknown to me). Finally, the finale ended way too abruptly for a satisfying conclusion. I feel the fans deserved better and most of us would have preferred a more positive, conclusive ending than contrived ambiguity.
So loved all the stunning music by Bear McCreary. It added so much to the quality of the tv series, especially for once such as I who must now be more attuned to the audio than the visual. Going to enjoy the Outlander soundtrack on Spotify! The haunting music in the final nighttime scene of Jamie and Claire makes me believe that was when the blue light (even though we don’t see it) worked its magic and they both lived.
Really looking forward to Book 10. I am optimistic it will be a more satisfying conclusion than the tv finale.
Thank you so much again Diana! I doubt that for me there will ever be a book series more engrossing and enjoyable than Outlander. So grateful and happy you “secretly” decided to try writing a book all those decades ago.
I LOVED the very end.
Claire lies next to Jamie, and we see her go limp. Does she die, too?
I don’t think so. I choose to believe that as she lies next to him, as Jamie’s spirit has left his body, as his ghost travels to the places and times that he and Claire have been.
Claire’s spirit leaves King’s Mountain, and she goes to find him, and bring him back!! So my own soul is at peace with it.
I also choose to believe that, once Book 10 is published, there will be a movie with these characters that gives us a glimpse into Claire and Jamie’s life once they return to Fraser’s Ridge.
OR. OR. OR…
The good folks in Blood of my Blood travel through the stones and find themselves in the creek by Frazer’s Ridge where Claire’s parents find her! Wouldn’t that be something?
Hope springs eternal.
I missed the little cameo of Herself after the credits, so I went back on watched yesterday. Brilliant!
Diana,
Thank you for this opportunity to leave a response. After reading the previous responses so much has been covered. I read the books first, enjoyed every season, some more than others like everyone else. But after all the shows and books, I no longer dislike Frank. He will never be a favorite for me. Especially since I see Black Jack too when I see him. Sorry for my lack of imagination.
Why he never told Claire some of the story? Not all of course but at least that he was researching Jaime. He gets points for preparing Brianna and Claire loses a few in not seeing through and questioning the preparation but that is a no win discussion you either like him or you don’t.
I’m hoping your final book settles somethings but we will have to wait and see.
After a well earned rest I can’t wait to hear what you do next?
Thank you again for the World of Outlander where we all have spent much time and extended much thought and emotion.
Looking forward to the next adventure,
Susan
I enjoyed the finale of the Outlander tv show. I missed seeing the blue light but I did notice that Clare’s hair had turned completely white when Jamie opened his eyes. Does this mean there will be a movie–obviously he is still alive which I think we found out in book #9. I am eagerly awaiting book number 10 (and since I am 80 years old now I hope that I will live to see it). So Diane I hope you are writing as quickly as you can. Thanks so much for such a delightful read thus far.
Sorta loved the ending but Jaime didn’t get to say his famous last words. If I don’t say I love you before I die.
I didn’t have enough time. He just said forgive me.
I have truly loved these books. I discovered them at my local library and have been completely absorbed in the entire journey ever since. I’m so glad to see how the Kings Mountain storyline from Bees has unfolded, and I’m looking forward to Diana bringing this epic love story to its conclusion, tying together all the threads of this beautiful voyage.
I love the books so much so I was nervous about starting the last one as I thought it was the last. I have read them so many times people think I am weird but I really started doing that when the series came out. I loved the way it didn’t veer to far away from the books, with the my least favourite season, which was done in black and white ( covid time ?). I expected the final episode to end how it did. I kept saying how grey is Claire ‘s har. My husband was looking at me strangely and saying WHY? I thought it was great but I really can’t wait for the next book to come out the story is so beautiful. I don’t know if anyone else noticed but the titles of all the new books were mentioned in the previous book.
Anyway thanks very much for outlander it was the first time a book has come close to a tv series. You also brought great pleasure to my father as well as we lived in Scotland for a while but now has dementia and he loved your stories
Loved the books and the TV series. I was waiting for the blue light and at first I thought they’d died together, but I was completely satisfied when he came to life. I loved the link to the future and his return journey. Very sad it’s all finished but looking forward to the book.