Outlander season 6 episode 8: season finale review

I can’t believe we’ve already reached the end of Outlander season 6! This season definitely flew by. And now we’ve reached our final weekly review.

“I Am Not Alone” was my favorite episode of the season, and definitely ranks as one of my favorites of the series overall! It was epic. It’s so interesting that it wasn’t the planned season finale because so much happened, and it ended at a good place.

Ending with season 6 episode 8 was a good choice as a nice stopping point with the circumstances the series had to deal with. This epic installment had action, some of my favorite Claire and Jamie moments, and left us with a cliffhanger. But it’s not one that gave me a total heart attack thankfully!

Let’s jump into the review. As a reminder, I’m a show-only fan so I have absolutely no idea what’s supposed to come next season. But let’s focus on the season 6 finale right now!

Outlander season 6 finale review

Claire and Jamie against the world 

If there’s one thing that can be said about the Frasers, it’s that they can’t catch a break. Richard Brown and his Committee of Safety have shown up to arrest Claire for the murder of Malva Christie. We knew something like this was coming after the Frasers killed his brother, Lionel. It was bound to happen.

Of course, Jamie isn’t going to give Claire up. He would never. She knows it and we do too! This leads to an epic shootout between our favorite Scot and his Sassenach and the Committee of Safety. This duo managed to fight everyone off all on their own. They make quite the team! And Claire is so badass, I loved it. Oh my gosh, the Frasers have so many guns. I guess they came in handy though.

Actors Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe previously said this was their favorite episode of the season, one reason due to the western feel. They were right, that’s truly how it felt. When Richard Brown walked up in a sign of truce, I wish Jamie had just shot him. Ugh. I know Lionel was your brother but come on man. And his absolute lies of saying they just want Claire to face a fair trial. Yeah right.

At a stalemate 

After the shootout, all the Frasers can do is wait. Their beautiful home has been ruined with shattered glass everywhere. Jamie and Claire enjoy a meal by the fire and they talk about how some prisoners in Claire’s time are granted a last meal before their death sentence. Her last meal would be a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke from a diner she and Brianna would frequent. Jamie’s would be this last meal he’s having with his wife in their home. Aw!

When Claire asks where everyone else is, Jamie tells her if they haven’t shown up yet then no one is probably coming. It’s so heartbreaking to see how the Ridge has completely turned on them after all this time and after all they’ve done for everyone. The Frasers most certainly don’t deserve this.

We get an absolutely beautiful quiet moment with our favorite couple. Claire lies down on Jamie’s leg as he comforts her and says the Act of Contrition “just in case,” which is something Jamie would do before a battle. He talks about a palm reader who said he has nine lives. So far he’s come close to death five times, so our King of Men needs to be careful! One of my favorite Claire quotes – “I never thought that hearing a litany of your near-death experiences would bring me so much peace.” You and me both, Claire! “Or maybe it’s just the nearness of you.” Stop. I’m giving these two so many heart eyes. Jamie stands guard so Claire can fall asleep.

Last night at the Big House

Those pesky fisherfolk show up as Richard Brown asks Hiram Crombie to talk to Jamie in hopes of negotiating the issue they have at hand. I hate these fisherfolk. I mean honestly, you could have been homeless if the Frasers didn’t open up their home to you. So ungrateful. Nothing good has come from them.

Ok, Mrs. MacGregor, you’ve got to go. First, she insults Fergus back in episode 3, and now she’s shouting out about Claire being a witch. Though Allan Christie accuses Jamie of killing his sister, Mrs. MacGregor is so sure it was Claire because of the C-section she performed trying to save the baby. This is something the people of the time wouldn’t understand. And while only a handful of men do show up to help Jamie and Claire, it’s not enough, which again absolutely breaks my heart. Jamie knows they don’t have enough fighting men on their side, and the two decide to let the Committee of Safety take them together. There’s no way Jamie is going to let Claire face imprisonment alone.

In a surprising move, Tom Christie appears and says he’ll travel with them to act as a mediator to assure their safety. Why is he helping the Frasers? What’s his motive? Tom also gives them one more night to sleep in their homes.

Claire is of course very upset about the state of the house. One thing we’ve learned from the very opening scene of the Outlander series is that having a home is one of the most important things to Claire. And that especially came true when she found Jamie again. Jamie promises her this won’t be the last time they see the Big House. Is this foreshadowing something though? Will they ever be able to come back to Fraser’s Ridge? Claire is scared and the only way her husband can comfort her is with his body, which leads to a beautiful love scene. Director Jamie Payne managed to evoke all the emotions. As we pan out of the couple’s moment, the camera goes to the destruction in their home. My heart was as broken as all the shattered glass on the ground.

Claire is arrested

I hate Richard Brown. Though he blabbed on about wanting to give Claire a fair trial, this is a personal vendetta for him. As they ride through towns, he’s spreading word that Claire is guilty of Malva’s murder and she’s a witch. Unfortunately, we knew this witch business was going to backfire. It was mentioned in almost every episode at the start of the season.

We get a horribly frightening scene where people are throwing rocks at the wagon Jamie and Claire are in because they think Claire is a witch. Of course, Jamie is the sweetest and covers her. The good thing was that Richard Brown got a hit to the eye in the crossfire. Ha! Claire gets yet another badass point. She punched a young man who was trying to get on the wagon while the stoning was happening.

Once everything is settled Jamie checks his wife’s hand and tries to give her some advice on how to actually throw a punch. She’s a bit snappy, but he takes it in stride. She thinks her hand is broken, but he assures her it isn’t. Claire’s too funny when she asks, “how would you know, I’m the doctor here.” But when it comes to this, Jamie is the expert. Favorite Jamie line of the episode – “if it were ye’d be white and puking, not red-faced and crabbit.” And Jamie is very impressed with Claire for throwing a punch. I love these two!

Young Ian found the couple and has been trailing them. He’s ready to provide a distraction so they can escape. But Jamie tells him if they do, they’d be fugitives which is something he doesn’t want. I kind of wish he did take Ian up on his offer though because what happens next is the worst.

Claire and Jamie are separated

In one of the most heart-wrenching moments, and there’s been many in Outlander, Richard Brown and his committee sneakily separate Claire and Jamie. My heart was beating so hard, I wanted to cry just like Claire was. They were calling out for each other – oh my heart. They take her away on the wagon to face trial, but she doesn’t know what they’re going to do to Jamie. Tom follows her and promises to protect her. Though she begs him to go back to Jamie, he says he can’t let Claire out of his sight. And unfortunately, he’s right. If he isn’t there, who knows what Richard Brown would do to her. They tore my guts out for sure!

To use Claire’s words, Richard Brown is definitely a “petty bastard.” They reach Wilmington and it looks very different from when Jamie and Claire were there in episode 5. That’s also where the mysterious time traveler (who I think is Wendigo Donner) was locked up. I wonder if he’s still there and whether he’ll cross paths with Claire once again? Tom assures Claire that Jamie is alive and he won’t leave town. But he doesn’t tell her what Richard Brown is planning to do to Jamie.

The real MVP – Young Ian!

A huge round of applause to Young Ian for being the MVP of the episode. Why? It’s thanks to him that Jamie isn’t sent back to Scotland. Phew! Thank you to Young Ian and the awesome Cherokee for their help. That relationship really came full circle. Jamie didn’t want to give the group weapons and was afraid of their allegiances, but the guns once again came in handy towards the end of the episode. Not only does Young Ian save his uncle, he knows where Claire has been taken. Woohoo, yes! When Ian says “so do we uncle” I screamed!

The show was kinder to us than I thought to be honest. For a moment I really thought we were going to end on a cliffhanger with Jamie on that ship to Scotland. Phew! Also the really cool shot of the bullet going through Oakes’ hand straight into his eye. Brilliant! We end the season with a beautiful overhead shot of Jamie, Young Ian, and their Cherokee friends riding out to rescue Claire! Though most of the Ridge turned on them, at the end we see the Frasers really aren’t completely alone. They still have loyal friends and family on their side!

Roger and Brianna

Roger and Bree had some really sweet moments as a couple and family in this episode. They talk about when they should tell Jemmy about time travel. Brianna also opens up about the fact Claire and Frank didn’t tell her the truth about Jamie. She said she can see why they didn’t. Frank asked Claire to let her believe she was his daughter, and Claire didn’t want to break her word. Brianna coming to this realization shows how much she’s matured.

The couple had a nice intimate moment that we haven’t really seen between them since season 4. And Jemmy was so cute talking to the baby! Even though lice is annoying, it leads to a wonderful revelation – Roger is Jemmy’s biological father! Of course, Roger loves his son and it didn’t matter who his biological father is. But now both he and Bree have that confirmation. It was so sweet how Roger cut his hair so he could match his son. Now the question is whether the news about Claire’s arrest will reach Roger and Bree.

Other key moments and questions

Tom gives an unaware Claire a very long and emotional look. He looks torn but I can’t tell if it’s because he’s in love with her. What are those feelings there? Or is it all to get “justice” for his daughter? He’s such a frustrating character, you never know what he’s thinking. Jamie sees his look but doesn’t say anything.

We’ve got a bunch of unanswered questions. Are we going to see Fergus and Marsali again? Jamie and Claire also mentioned their obituary. Is that another bit of foreshadowing? And out of all the men on the Ridge, why did Malva have to lie about Jamie being the father of her child? There’s so much to look forward to in season 7 and I’m so here for it!