Notice! Spoilers for Outlander season 7, episode 9 ahead!
Outlander Season 7, Episode 9 brought back one of Jamie’s oldest conflicts, but Claire handled it in a whole new way. The fantasy series is coming to an end, with season 8 wrapping up the overall story. Naturally, a lot has changed since the first season. Decades have passed since Claire arrived in the 18th century, and Outlanderthe last few seasons should demonstrate what this means for the characters and their development. In Jamie and Claire’s case, there was no better way to do it Outlander Season 7 than bringing back Laoghaire.
Laoghaire has been a harbinger of chaos since the beginning of the Outlander. Whenever she appears on screen, there’s a good chance that drama is about to break out. Laoghaire is easily one of the most despised characters in the series, which means even mentioning her name will elicit a response – especially from Claire. For this reason, Jamie announced that he wanted to pay a visit to Laoghaire to sort things out in Outlander Season 7, Episode 9 set off some alarm bells. However, Claire’s reaction was very different from what it might have been in the past.
Claire’s attitude towards Laoghaire and Jamie changed drastically in Outlander season 7
Claire’s jokes about Laoghaire were quite refreshing
Jamie’s decision to see Laoghaire certainly made Claire raise an eyebrow Outlanderbut she didn’t get angry or frustrated as she might have once. In previous seasons, she would have argued with Jamie, reminding him that Laoghaire had tried to kill her or once shot Jamie in the arm. She could have even pointed out that Laoghaire once held Brianna prisoner in her home. However, instead of being upset, Claire teased Jamie about her impending visit and even jokingly asked her husband to report back about who Laoghaire was sleeping with lately.
Outlander Season 7 reveals a new version of Claire we haven’t seen much of
Claire is much more grounded than in previous seasons of Outlander
Claire was certainly playful occasionally in Outlanderbut the drama in her story left her extremely tense most of the time. This is, of course, understandable. However, the situation with Laoghaire in Outlander Season 7, Episode 9, was an excellent way for the series to demonstrate how much Claire has softened. Things don’t affect her as much as they used to, and as Claire has gotten older and had more experiences, good and bad, she’s learned to let things roll off her back. Seeing your joke and even gossip about Laoghaire was a breath of fresh air.
This isn’t the only way Claire demonstrated these changes in Outlander season 7, episode 9. She has always closely guarded the secret that she is a time traveler, and only a select few know the truth. However, Claire finally chose to be honest with the Murrays about where she came fromfurther indicating that she has become much less cautious over the years. This is especially impactful because it’s not like the drama has evaporated from Claire’s life. Things are still a constant challenge, but Claire seems to have accepted that and stopped taking everything so seriously.
Claire’s changes allow Outlander to focus on the future
Claire’s new attitude will be good for the chaos to come
Claire’s palpable release of tension in Outlander season 7 is a huge relief, as it means that conflicts like the one between Jamie and Laoghaire could be resolved more easily than would have been possible a few seasons ago. Claire is more mature and ready to look forward to her life rather than remaining stuck in the past (an ironic revelation considering her status as a time traveler). Of course, that doesn’t mean things will be easy for Claire going forward. Outlander Season 7 already foreshadowed chaos for Claire’s continuing story, but the midseason premiere demonstrated that Claire might handle it differently than before.
Outlander Season 7 already foreshadowed chaos for Claire’s continuing story, but the mid-season premiere demonstrated that Claire might handle it differently than before.
Claire and Jamie have been separated numerous times in Outlanderand the end of season 7, episode 9, sees them again forced to go their separate ways for a while. Both the Outlander books and the trailer for season 7, part 2, reveal that this period of separation will be tragically prolonged, and Claire will believe for a while that something horrible happened to Jamie. This story is nothing new for the series, and Outlander runs the risk of repeating stale plots with anticlimactic effects. However, Claire approaching this news with her newfound maturity could make all the difference.