5 ‘Outlander’ Couples Then & Now (PHOTOS)
It’s hard to believe that Outlander will soon reach the finish line. Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) have been on our screens since 2014, when the time-traveling romance introduced the World War II nurse and the 18th-century Highlander. Jamie and Claire met when they were in their twenties, and they’re still going strong over 30 years later in the show’s timeline. Needless to say, Jamie and Claire have grown quite a bit together between Seasons 1 and 8, as have the actors.
So, Swooon is taking a look back at Jamie and Claire and all of the other show’s beloved couples, comparing them then and now. Unless you prepped for Season 8 by doing a full rewatch — we commend you if you did — it’s probably been a while since you watched the beginning of every couple’s journey. Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and Roger (Richard Rankin) meet in Season 2, and Fergus (César Domboy) and Marsali’s (Lauren Lyle) relationship is revealed a season later. See where all the couples started compared to where they’ve ended up below.
Outlander, Season 8, Fridays, 8/7c, Starz
Claire & Jamie Fraser (Season 1 vs. Season 8)
What can we say about Jamie and Claire’s epic, fated love story that hasn’t already been said? Viewers fell hard for them as early as their first meeting in Season 1, when Claire resets Jamie’s dislocated shoulder and quickly becomes his wife. Their journey hasn’t been without its hardships in every subsequent season, but their love has lasted through it all. We can only hope that Season 8 gives their romance a happy ending.
Ian Sr. & Jenny Murray (Season 1 vs. Season 7)
We can’t forget about Ian the elder (Steven Cree) and his wife, Jenny (Kristin Atherton)! We met Jamie’s sister all the way back in Season 1, when she was originally played by Laura Donnelly. She and Ian have one of the most stable romances of the show. When Jamie and Claire leave Scotland and Europe for America, Ian and Jenny stay behind. They don’t appear from Season 4 to Season 6, but they make their return in Season 7. Poor Ian dies shortly after, but Jenny remains dedicated to her husband until the end.
Brianna & Roger MacKenzie (Season 2 vs. Season 8)
Brianna and Roger have been through a lot since they first met in Season 2 — in the present-day timeline. They’ve traveled back and forward in time more than once, for one, but Brianna and her husband have settled in the American colonies with Bree’s parents in Season 8. They’ve had some rocky moments in their relationship, but they’re stronger than ever as the show reaches its end.
Fergus & Marsali Fraser (Season 3 vs. Season 8)
Poor Fergus and Marsali. Viewers fell in love with their relationship all the way back in Season 3. When Jamie and Claire set out on the West Indies, Fergus and Marsali join them on the boat and reveal their secret courtship. They hit a rough patch in their marriage, but found their way through it. Fergus and Marsali’s relationship is at its peak when Fergus tragically dies toward the end of Season 8. RIP.
Ian & Rachel Murray (Season 7 vs. Season 8)
Rachel (Izzy Meikle-Small) and Ian (John Bell) haven’t had quite as much time to marinate as the other couples, but they still deserve a shoutout! Rachel, a Quaker, only met Ian back in Season 7. Their sweet love for each other has grown steadily for each other since, rising in the ranks of our favorite Outlander couples. They’re married and have a son in Season 8.
