Outlander Finale: EP, Autor Weigh in on Jamie/Claire's Missing Moment 

‘s Season 2 finale on Sunday missed the mark — literally — you’re in good company.

Diana Gabaldon, who wrote the series of novels on which the Starz drama is based, posted a lengthy commentary to Facebook on Sunday regarding the finale’s final Claire-Jamie scene. In 

, Book 2 of the series, the Frasers’ tough farewell includes Claire asking her husband to cut his initial into her palm; she does so in order to have a constant reminder of their 18th-century love after she returns to the 20th century, and he in turn has Claire mark a “C” into his hand.

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But in the episode, Claire instead gives Jamie the dragonfly in amber that Hugh Munro gifted them for their wedding — a narrative detail change Gabaldon says she learned about in advance of the airing.

“I won’t recount the entirety of my comments to [executive producers] Ron [Moore] and Maril [Davis] in the wake of this conversation,” Gabaldon wrote, “but I do recall saying, ‘…there’s a massive emotional distance between, “I love you so passionately that I want you to shed my blood and scar me forever so I can remember your touch,” and “Here, darling, take the ugliest wedding present ever to remember me by for the 45 minutes before you die.”‘”

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When TVLine spoke with Moore about the finale, he called the decision not to include the palm-cutting “mostly a time thing” and “a decision we had to make very early,” given that Claire reappears in the 1940s at the very start of the season.

“We had to project ahead about how many things we were going to be able to cover in that last scene. There were goodbyes, they had to make love, there was the ring. There was an awful lot of stuff,” Moore said. “It just felt like one too many things.”

He added: “To us, you’ve got the scar and you’ve got the ring: You don’t really need both as long as she’s got the ring. The ring is a literal, physical manifestation of what happened, so we thought that was enough.”

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In her post, Gabaldon also noted the time (and mess) that the mark-making would entail, saying that Moore & Co. “were indubitably right, but STILL.” She went on to post the original text of the sad farewell, “both as a solace to the book fans, and a small gift to the show-only fans” and to mention that she’d made Moore and Davis promise “that they’d speak to the props department about making a new chunk of amber that didn’t look quite so much like a piece off a broken telephone pole transformer.”

book readers, did you hope to see the Frasers’ marking moment? Hit the comments and let us know!

I understand both points. Diana is right that the amber doesn’t hold as much emotional significance as the scar. But I had wondered logistically how they’d do the scar and have it look realistic. They are small scars. Plus, you then need to make sure that in the future both Sam and Cait have some bit of makeup on their hands to signify the scars. Fans can be meticulous…..I put myself into that category at times…..and would notice when the scars were missing. I think they could have used the scars on their wrists tho and achieved the same meaning that Diana was going for in the book. When Claire’s wrist was cut, she didn’t know it was going to happen, and it was against her will pretty much. This time she could have done it willingly, and it would have fit with the recitation of their vows that they did in the scene.

It was an incredibly romantic moment that we missed, for the next 20 years they looked at that scar to remind them of what they had and lost, the ring was put away so Frank couldn’t destroy it and the amber was lost on the battlefield. Seems to me if production could make scars on Jamie’s back, they could figure out a way to make one for each of their fingers.

But it takes hours to put those scars on for Jamie. Why should we insist they have every little mark to be accurate 100% of the time. The time and money spent applying those can go to so many more important aspects of the filming.

The amber is beautiful as it is. It has natural beauty. No need to give it straight, uniform edges. Lovely touch that it is in the case at the memorial. No need for the C and J cut into their hands. They aren’t kids in a club. The ring is missing something. Maybe one of them will find it: Claire, Brianna, or Roger. Although not likely after 200 years because it would be so far into the ground a metal detector would be needed to find it. It can be replaced when they are back with Jamie. The writers made excellent choices. Beautifully edited.

The Ruby was destroyed when Claire went through the stone. It was part of the stones passage ritual. :-)

Wow, what a series of unpleasant comments from the author.

She should be glad that so much thought and energy has been put into turning her erotic DOCTOR WHO fanfiction into a compelling TV series.

I’m certainly glad all that nonsense wasn’t in this episode.

I’m a big Doctor Who fan. Is this really a fan fiction or do people just assume it because time travel is involved?

Well, I mean did it start out as a Doctor Who fan fiction. Obviously, it’s more than that now.

No, not Dr Who fan fiction. But it was inspired by a character that Diana saw on a Dr Who episode. She was trying to decide what to write about….what period to set her book. She was watching some of The War Games episodes. There was a character named Jamie McCrimmon who was a 18th century Scottish Highlander. He was portrayed by actor Frazer Hines, who appeared in ep 15 of season 1 as the warden of Wentworth Prison. Thus….Jamie Fraser.

Well, that’s interesting. I wouldn’t consider it fanfiction then. But, it’s cool that it was inspired by Doctor Who.

Not every book inspired by somehting else is an “erotic fanfiction”. And how are her comments unpleasant?

I have read all of the Outlander series. I was sad to see the markings were omitted and the ending scene comparable to the Gone With the Wind ending. Brianna didn’t have the blue eyes of her father and the height. Roger didn’t have Gillian’s green eyes. I hope the continued series is closer to the series.

I was disappointed that Brianna wasn’t tall and blue eyed, more that she really didn’t seem to have any chemistry toward Roger. Brianna being such a big girl was mentioned so often as women were most often not tall at all in the past. The actor playing Roger is just fine! I also didn’t care for the portrayal of Lord John as in the books he is really good looking. I was not happy that time wasn’t taken to carve the initials J and C on the respective palms as it was always a reminder of their love. I’m enjoying the series overall and Sam, Cait and many others are just amazing even though some of their physical descriptions don’t match perfectly.

Yes I think a bit too much time was spent with Claire revisiting places, particularly Lallybrook. The scene on Culloden Moor where she poured her heart out to Jamie whom she thought was buried there and told him of their daughter Brianna would have sufficed to show that she still missed and loved Jamie though 20 years had passed. The later scenes where she tells Brianna of Jamie also attests to this as well. As a mnay times reader of the Outlander books and reader of Mr. Moore’s posts explaining transitions from book to TV episodes, I believe he and the writer’s missed their mark by omitting the initial cutting between Jamie & Claire.

I rather liked the Lallybroch scene. It made me sad that she and Jamie went through all they did to ensure its safety, and it was in such disrepair. And to hear them both recite the poem made me tear up. I was a little bothered that Claire didn’t cry when on Culloden Moor. After putting all of those memories away, I would think being on the place where so many she knew had died would be a flood of emotion. Especially if she’s ‘talking’ to Jamie.

Agree, the Lollybrach scene was a very special touch. Claire did keep making reference to the fact she was not crying but on the other hand your comments are on point…being on Culloden Moor,talking to Jaime was extremely sad. It had been 20 years though, maybe Claire called on a great deal of strength to get through the process.

I have read the series and forgot about the hand engraving part actually so I don’t think it mattered. Seeing the piece in the museum was effective. I loved the finale!!

I’ve read all the books, but understand the producers choices. If they had done the carvings, I would look for them each time. Still, Diana has a right to comment, and the readers have a right to miss the powerful meaning, loving connection the carvings became. I missed the emotion of it. That said, I loved how Jamie “danced” Claire to the stone.

You know when was the last time I tried to live out the fantasy of having matching “secret symbol” palm markings with my “boyfriend” at the time? In the 5th grade, with Troy. Suffice to say, I was a late bloomer emotional maturity-wise. Also? He promptly broke up with me during the next recess. Because even a ten yo recognizes such is pretty far out there on the “healthy, normal” relationship scale.

If they’d included such a detail from the book, I doubt I would be contemplating tuning in for the third season like I am now. So here’s to hoping the television series keeps filtering out the weird, unrealistic, mental illness tinged bits from the OW.

Diana and her fans are passionate about the stories as written, which is their right and privilege. Being new to both the series and the books (not new to hearing of them – mom read them years ago) I find the conversations among all collaborators – show creators, author and reading / viewing audiences alike – fascinating. I’ll be reading Outlander, Dragonfly In Amber and Voyager prior to Season 3, so the only access I had to the scene exchanging scars as written thus far was through Diana’s FB post, which I read on Sunday. I do consider her posting the written version a gift, as it provides additional depth and context for the characters as she imagined them for viewers such as myself, who haven’t read the books yet. That having been said, I also understand the logistical constraints the show creators face in their aim to fit in as much as possible without compromising too much of the original story. Frankly, with the magic they can do in film today, I don’t think it would have been too much of a stretch for the characters to quickly pull out a knife, mark each other in kind and hastily wrap their hands in gauze prior to them exchanging “blood of my blood, bone of my bone,” then dance to the stone, but the creators saw different. It would have added some much needed tension and heat to an episode that felt rushed and lacking in cohesion. I’m looking forward to reading the books before Season 3 and hope that Outlander show creators will continue to listen in on conversations such as these to formulate their use of the source material in a manner that best honors the characters and their experience.

The Outlander books have got to be my favorite. As someone that has read all 8 books 3+ times there are certain key factors that the producers should keep. The cutting of the hand has got to be the most important. The books reference this minor gesture throughout the entire series & not to reference it shows that the writers & producers didn’t understand what Diana G. goal was when writing about characters out of time. Not only was it about showing their love for one another but it was also about remembering how that love felt knowing you would never see that person again because there is a 200 year gap. We didn’t need the the scene where Bree meets Gellis it never happened in the book “waste of time”. Also, Roger didn’t meet Gellis until “MOBY” the eighth book. Please figure out a way to add the J & C in the season premiere via flashback.

You bet I wanted to see them carve the small letters on each other’s palms! Very disappointed that such epic poiniancy was deemed ‘too long’ for the shoot!! So many quick shots of their palms in the ensuing yeas, reinforcing their undying love are now completely lost! Jamie in the cave, in Ardsmuir, at Helwater etc! Claire seeing it while scrubbing for surgery, rubbing over it while arguing with Frank over yet another affair, waking in middle of night after a Jamie dream, turning on her lamp and caressing the J while tears roll down her cheeks. Go back and reshoot the scene, adding the initial carving back in, when you start shooting season 3 next month Ron Moore, please!!!!

I’ve never read the books, but I can’t say carving initials into your hand sounds romantic.

It sounds like something horrifying to watch on screen and something that would make Claire a terrible surgeon later in life.

As a book lover,you betcha, I wanted desperately to see them scar each other. It’s a relevant part of the rest of the book series. Other segments of the finale could of been edited to fit this in. When you think you’re never going to see your one true love the rest of your life,one would assume,their last hours together would be more passionate. I loved S2 and this was the one part of the book I feel should of been included.

Loved Outlander!!!! Waiting for season 3 ASAP!!!! Pleeeease

Seriously, all I can say is Diana Galblahblah should be happy a network bought rights to produce her erotic nonsense into a high production series. All I ever hear from her is negative bs, like when she said she first thought Sam Heughan was “grotesque” to play Jamie. Wow way to promote the star of your book turned series. There are far worse adaptations out there than Outlander. Sometimes having the book author as a contributor to the adaptation is on point and sometimes they should just sit back. Seriously.

DG has been praising Sam Heughan numerous times over the course of two seasons, far more often actually than Ron Moore, who scarcely has anything to say about the male star of his series.

Speaking of nonsense: fine example would be that cheesball of final scene with angelic chorus, sunshines and Claire’s goofy face.

Just wanted to add: personally I didn’t care for initial carving scene in the book, and a couple of other “corny” or over the top moments but I don’t agree with condescending remarks about “erotic nonsence” vs “high production series” – which creates its own corny moments in spades, like above mentioned final scene or Claire and Frank running around the stones and screaming shampoo commercial from last year.

“Shampoo Commercial” lol! So true, the show is often all about the hair. His and hers.

I did not say it doesn’t lay on the corny. You are spot on in your description of the final scene with the lights on Claire’s face (do you mean she looked goofy in that shot or in general you don’t like her face?)

I guess I should clarify I haven’t read the books, so is there that much rape & sex in the books? I was associating that to the author and not the show.

I enjoy the historical periods in Scotland to be sure but could we get that with a little less everyone gets raped bs.

To clarify: exploiting or sensationalizing rape as a plot device is very disturbing. The frequency here is why I stopped recommending the show to anyone. So I’m just wondering if it’s in the books as much as its been in the show and how Claire and Jamie spontaneously have sex as much as they do on the show. That’s why I called DG’s books erotic nonsense. In addition to the fact the only times I have seen her speak about the show were her being negative about it. Her demeanor from what I have seen, in my opinion has been nasty.

Re: Claire’s face. Oh, not at all! Caitriona Balfe is beautiful and talented woman. Yes, I only meant her unblinking “Virgin Mary going straight to Heaven” expression from the last minute or so.

Diana Gabaldon sometimes puts a foot in her mouth and some of her remarks come across as not particulary pleasant, but she has been giving a lot of praise to the show, its actors and creators, in Sam Heughan’s case – more than the show creator has been giving.

I agree about “too much rape”, I dont care for it, neither in the books nor the show. But – this is my opinion – the show makes it worse. In the book what happened between Jamie and Randall got probably 4 pages of recollection, while the show created two episodes consisting mostly of torture and rape shown with every detail.

Wow I’ve read the books several times and don’t remember the initials at all. I’m perfectly fine with the series as is on television and the director’s interpretation. I love Amber so to me it is a meaningful gift.

I am glad they didn’t go with the scars. It seems unsanitary and barbaric to me and trying to hard to be passionate. The dragonfly in amber was a nice call back to the title of the second book and felt more sentimental and meaningful to me.

I do hope that the production team had good reasons to miss out on such an iconic moment for the show.

I never thought of the carving of the initials to the palms as a teenage thing to do but to show once more Jamie’s and Clair’s dedication to one another and as a variation of the wrist cutting at their wedding and thus a renewal of their wedding vows. But this time it was Clair’s choice. SHE requested it from Jamie and he agreed. Claire wanted something bodily and substantial to remember Jamie for the rest of her life. After the carving of the initials Clair apologizes to Jamie that she carelessly cut his sword-hand and he makes that beautiful speech that he is happy to be able to feel her touch that way in his last fight. A piece of amber and futhermore a gift that Claire received from someone else DOES NOT COMPARE AT ALL! I think we can all agree on that.

I think it takes some major guts to bring a love story onto todays television (and make no mistake: outlander IS first and foremost the love AND life story of Jamie and Claire) that is heartbreakingly romantic, passionate and very much grounded in a strong physical and mental connection observed through the perspective of the female heroin. I think the historical, time traveling and adventurous aspects of the story are much less difficult to adapt.

To show how and why a modern woman, that is ahead of her time in so many ways, can fall for a in many aspects traditional male from another century and vice versa is an interesting theme to explore but may be quite a departure from the way females and relationships are commonly portrait on today’s television. I think it should be worth the try.

I do believe that the romantic and sexual aspects can indeed be tricky in a visual medium and must be handled with special care from everyone involved, the writers, the cinematography, the direction, the editing and especially the actors – to not make them look cheesy or gratuitous. They are undeniable a CHANLLENGE. But that I think IS the challenge when you show up to adapt the outlander book-series.

And I do have to agree with one of the commenters: the last scene in the finale (music/visual/acting) was quite cheesy and I am usually all in for romance… I also disliked the music that they put under the parting dialogues of Claire and Jamie. Would have much preferred it without music to underline the urgency and rawness, like in the scene with Claire at the gravestone.

They have a tendency to reflexively play the same music theme over and over again when the central couple has a moment together. Just don’t do that! Trust your actors – and if you don’t trust them to pull it off, challenge them…

I can’t get enough of the outlander show. I have read all the books and although there are differences I enjoy the series immensely. A love story with an historical backdrop is wonderful. The chemistry between Claire and Jamie is the best I’ve ever seen

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