The announcement that Outlander season 8 will introduce even more new characters makes me really worried about the show’s ending. Even though Outlander season 7 hasn’t finished airing yet, I’m already looking ahead to how Starz’s biggest series will wrap up its epic, time-hopping drama. Based on Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander book series, the show revolves around Claire (Caitríona Balfe), a nurse from the 1940s who is transported back to 1743 Scotland, and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), a charming Highland warrior. While Claire and Jamie’s relationship has had its ups and downs, I’m invested in their dynamic, above all else.

The series confirmed a few season 8 additions to Outlander‘s cast of characters, including Kieran Bew, who will play a retired British soldier named Charles Cunningham; Frances Tomelty, who plays Charles’ mother, Eslpeth; and Carla Woodcock’s Amaranthus Grey (via TVInsider). These characters sound intriguing to me, but, thinking of Outlander as a whole, I’m surprised the series is introducing so many new faces in its eighth and final season. I find it to be an especially odd choice, since the last installment will consist of just 10 episodes. If anything, this Outlander season 8 update is concerning at best.

I’m Worried Outlander Season 8’s New Characters Will Hurt The Show’s Ending

The New Additions Will Either Take Up Too Much Time Or Not Enough

I’m still trying to wrap my head around Outlander season 8’s surprising ending update, which came straight from Gabaldon. According to the author, Outlander season 8’s ending — the long-awaited series finale — will differ from the conclusion of Gabaldon’s unfinished book series. For the most part, each season of Outlander has adapted its corresponding book, but the eighth season has to tackle three books’ worth of content, including the untitled and unpublished tenth novel. I can’t imagine stuffing three of Gabaldon’s sprawling tomes into one 10-episode season, and that makes the new character announcement even more troubling.

Outlander season 7, part 2 premieres on Friday, November 22, 2024 on Starz.

When I first heard about the show’s finale plan, Gabaldon’s confidence eased my concerns. The author reassured readers that Outlander‘s showrunners would pick and choose the threads that work best for the TV show. Unfortunately, introducing at least three new characters isn’t inspiring confidence or really supporting the notion that the showrunners are trying to thoughtfully streamline the last season of the show. I think the new characters will end up hurting the show more than helping; either the characters will take up too much screentime or not have large enough roles to matter to the series’ story at large.

Outlander Already Has Too Much To Squeeze Into Its Final Season

The Final Season Of Outlander Needs To Cover 3 Books

In addition to not having time for proper introductions, season 8 already has way too much ground to cover for my comfort. Although Gabaldon hasn’t finished her planned 10-book series, she is heavily involved in the TV adaptation, which means the show’s writers might be able to pull from the final novel too. If that’s the case, season 8 will have to cover major threads from Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, and that last installment. To be clear, Gabaldon​​​​​​​’s novels are often approaching, if not over, 1000 pages in length.

We don’t yet know how Outlander season 7, part 2 will end, but the season has already felt stuffed to the brim with characters and storylines. In addition to following Claire and Jamie’s relationship and adventures in the 18th century, the seventh book, An Echo in the Bone, also chronicles the life of the couple’s daughter, Brianna MacKenzie (Sophie Skelton), who’s in the 20th century with her husband, Roger (Richard Rankin). I don’t know if the season 7 finale will follow the source material, but, regardless, there’s so much to set up for the final outing.

I Hope Season 8’s New Characters Have Minor Roles In The Series’ Ending

Outlander Can Fix Its New Character Issue If It Doesn’t Tie Them To The Finale’s Outcome

In my mind, the only way to make sure these new characters don’t completely overwhelm the show’s final season is to give them drastically reduced roles. It’s possible that these new characters, both the Cunninghams and Amaranthus Grey, will be minor footnotes in Claire and Jamie’s story who don’t really have much plot of their own. With just 10 hours to tell three novels’ worth of stories, trimming supporting characters’ plots is the best approach. However, in the source material, the Cunninghams have a pretty substantial role, so I’m not sure how the show will handle them.

Charles is not only a direct threat to Jamie…

In the ninth Outlander novel, Charles and his mother, Elspeth, move to the Ridge. A retired British captain, Charles dreams of raising an army on the Ridge to take out the rebel soldiers. Charles is not only a direct threat to Jamie, but the Cunninghams’ very presence does a lot to embolden their fellow British loyalists. Amaranthus Grey, on the other hand, has an interesting link to Lord John Grey (David Berry) and William Ransom (Charles Vandervaart). That said, I think these characters’ level of prominence could go either way, but, hopefully, Outlander season 8 chooses its threads wisely.