Outlander Season 7 episode 7 review: Does Jamie die in Outlander?

What a penultimate episode before we take a midseason break from Outlander Season 7! As a reminder, the seventh season has a total of 16 episodes, which have been split into two parts. That means we have one more to go right now, which will premiere Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. Starz is skipping airing a new episode next week. The second half should be back sometime in 2024.

I’m not going to lie, this episode started off a bit slow. It was setting things up and I understand why the pacing was the way it was. We had to learn just how Buck MacKenzie traveled forward to the future, establish how and why Roger and Bree trust Rob Cameron, and see William’s closeness with his friend lieutenant Hammond. All of these elements play a role in the rollercoaster in the back half of the episode that has us on an emotional ride. But some scenes did feel a bit long, no offense.

Anyways, the back half of this episode does not let up when it comes to tugging on our feelings! Alright, let’s get into the review! As a reminder, I am a show-only fan so my thoughts below reflect that.

Welcome to the future Buck MacKenzie

Remember the “Nuckelavee” scaring Jemmy and Mandy? Well, it turns out that was the one and only Buck MacKenzie. If you think back to Season 5, the character was played by Graham McTavish in a fun easter egg cameo. He’s the reason Roger was hanged and went through the traumatic effects of that. Also, he’s the illegitimate child of Dougal Mackenzie and Geillis Duncan. Buck’s character has now been recast, played by actor Diarmaid Murtagh.

Honestly, Buck is pretty likable when he’s not seeing red and trying to get Roger hanged. And it seems Roger thinks so too. He’s pretty forgiving, after punching him a bunch of times. Plus, once he wins Jemmy and Mandy over, I think that’s all Roger needs. Also side note, I love how Mandy was just combing his beard when he was watching television with them.

Ok, back to Buck’s story. He explains that after the Battle of Alamance, he had no money to provide for his family. As they headed back to Scotland for him to take up a position as a clerk for his brother, since Buck was a lawyer, he tells Roger and Bree “we heard a strange noise” when they passed Craigh na Dun. Ok, he said “we.” Does that mean Morag also heard the buzzing? Or was it just the way he was explaining the story? Hmm.

After he tells his story Roger and Bree reluctantly let him stay, feeding him peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He reacts the same way Jamie did, and I love the callback to this. They also explain to Buck that he and Roger are actually family. Buck and Morag are his fifth or sixth times grandpa and grandma. Imagine that! That mellows Buck out a bit more as well towards Roger.

Roger finds the family tree and it says he died in 1778, the year he just came from. So that means the Highlander either never makes it back and his family assumed he was dead, or he does go back through the Stones but dies when he goes back to his time. But, Roger does point out this could be wrong. It’s hard to know at this point. What’s interesting to me is that it kind of seems like Buck knows more than he let on. Bree asks what he was thinking about when he came through the Stones and he dodged the question. What are his true motivations to being there?

Someone hold me back, I’m about to go after Rob Cameron

Ok. Rob Cameron does not take a hint and is so forward. Like, why are you showing up at the MacKenzies home without calling? Of course we do find out what his motivations were later on. I knew the moment Roger left Rob in the study it wasn’t going to be a good idea. Why would you do that my man? But poor Roger and Bree. They did have the surprise time-traveling guest to deal with.

At the end of dinner, he asks if Jemmy would like to go to the movies with Bobby and have a sleepover. The unaware parents agree. Mandy wakes up from a nightmare, screaming that Jemmy isn’t “with” her anymore. Like in her head. And the Stones were “screaming” at her, and the “bad man” took him. Bree and Roger also mention “their connection.” Um, what is this connection between the siblings? But ok, I have so many questions for Rob Cameron.

Excuse you, WHERE DID YOU TAKE JEMMY? What does he want with time-travel? How can he time-travel? Why did he take Jemmy with him? Rob mentions he’s divorced and his ex-wife took his son back to France with her. Is he trying to go back to fix things maybe so that doesn’t happen? Was that even a real story? SO many questions, my friends.

William gets the first taste of what war is really like

While William killed someone for the first time in episode 5, now he knows the true realities of what war is like. It’s no longer a romanticized idea in his head. I actually feel bad for Lieutenant Hammond. If you remember, he was the nice soldier who brought Claire what she asked for in the last episode on behalf of William. It was also important to establish the friendship between William and Hammond because that’s when the Lord of Ellesmere really gets fired up after his friend gets shot in the head. RIP Samuel Hammond. It was important to see the First Battle of Saratoga from William’s point of view, but I think we’re going to end up seeing what happened on the other side in episode 8.

The big cliffhanger: Does Jamie die?

Ok, before we get to the heart pounding moment, let’s talk about the cute moment between Jamie and Claire. She clearly needs glasses now, or spectacles as Jamie calls them. They’re being all cutesy in the middle of this kind of climate. I love them.

Jamie asks for a prayer from Claire as the newly recruited sniper is heading out to the battlefield. “You’ll come back to me, you always do. And if you don’t, I’ll come looking for you.” “I ken you will Sassenach.” These two don’t want to be separated and we really don’t want them to be either. Ugh, you guys. Why did they do the slo-mo of Jamie turning his head and leaving? The last time they did this was in Season 1 when he said goodbye to Claire and left with Taran MacQuarrie. Then, it lead to Jack Black capturing him.

I mean, it ends on a cliffhanger trying to make us worry about Jamie. But we all know they’re not killing him off. There’s no way. But that doesn’t mean something very bad isn’t going to happen to our beloved Highlander. WHAT’s GOING TO HAPPEN TO JAMIE, PEOPLE!? But seriously. Not William quoting that poem about death and then the camera panning to Jamie. My heart.

Other shout-outs

• “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins during Bree and Roger’s adult time was the perfect choice. 10/10 agree with that.
• This is the first confirmation we got of William admitting he has feelings for Rachel Hunter. Ooh la la. And so, the love triangle begins!

Outlander Season 7 airs new episodes Fridays on Starz.