Does the inclusion of Amaranthus mean Benjamin Grey will be in Outlander Season 8?

We know there are some new characters coming into Outlander Season 8, and these are from the ninth book of the series. With the inclusion of Amaranthus Grey, it brings up questions about Benjamin Grey. Will we see him in the final season?

Caution: We’re going into book spoilers from Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone!

In the books, we learn that Amaranthus Cowden married Benjamin. They had a son, and then the Greys get word that Ben was taken as a prisoner of war and died during that time.

Of course, not everyone is convinced that Ben is dead. While they search for those answers, they also look into the rumors that Ben left a widow and a child. Lord John Grey and Dottie head off in search for Amaranthus Cowden Grey.

Amaranthus’s storyline doesn’t need Ben in Outlander Season 8

While we would love to see Ben’s storyline, we don’t actually need to meet him in the series. There are ways to write the story with just Amaranthus as an on-screen character and make it believable.

Ben isn’t in the books all that much. He’s only mentioned in Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, and it takes time for William to learn that Ben’s body isn’t in the grave that has his name marked. Later on, we learn that Ben faked his death, changed his name, and is now fighting for the Rebels.

He remains to be presumed dead to everyone else. While it would be great to see William learn the truth and see a bit of a showdown between the cousins, it’s not all that necessary. Because it is William’s storyline, though, I do have a feeling that we may see it.

However, Amaranthus’s storyline doesn’t need Ben to show up in person. William can learn the truth and come back to relay the information to everyone else. Amaranthus then explains the true story of Ben going off to fight for the rebels but finding a way to protect his wife and son to ensure they don’t lose out on Trevor’s inheritance—Ben is the eldest son of Hal Grey and so will inherit the title and lands.

Will there be enough time for Ben’s story in Outlander?

My big question is about time. There are only 10 episodes in the final season. The books have only just given us Ben’s storyline, and it’s clear that there is more to him and Amaranthus to come.

I think Amaranthus is the bigger player in the story. She’s the more deceptive one. She’s looking for something—likely a title—and her storyline could become a bigger villainous plot. Ben’s storyline seems to drive Hal to do something to protect his son, which helps to lead to an American victory.

We haven’t seen Hal since his first introduction in Outlander Season 3, and John’s storyline hasn’t been as huge in the TV show as it was in the later books. This could suggest that we won’t have time to meet Ben, but he will be mentioned since we’ll meet Amaranthus.