Trigger warning: This article contains talk of sexual assault.
Outlander is in the final stretch, and repeating a disturbing trend that has persisted throughout the series could be detrimental to the franchise. The upcoming second half of Seasons 7 and 8 will mean the end of the time travel fantasy series, but the franchise itself will continue with the prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood. This fact puts additional pressure on the final episodes of the main series, since disappointing the audience could lead to the success of the new show. To give the spinoff the best chance, Outlander should avoid your most frustrating ongoing error.
Claire and Jamie have come a long way over the six and a half seasons of Outlanderand the next steps in your story will certainly come with more trials and tribulations. Season 7, part 2, will see the lovers separated again, which aligns with the events of author Diana Gabaldon’s seventh film Outlander book, An echo in the bone. Season 8, on the other hand, will be a standalone, as Gabaldon’s book series will only end after the TV show’s big finale. This means that writers will have to chart their own path, but It is essential that they do not fall back into old trends.
Outlander Season 7, Part 2 and Season 8 should avoid sexual assault storylines
Outlander has repeatedly leaned into this same conflict
Outlander developed a reputation for overusing sexual aggression in his stories. There are very few characters in the series who have not experienced this type of violenceand this was identified as a frustrating problem. Other fantasy TV shows like Game of Thrones fell in the same trend and Outlander there has been an improvement as writers have attempted to use sexual assault storylines to spread awareness and dismantle harmful assumptions about victims and perpetrators. However, the time for such a declaration came and passed long ago.
Going into the last installments, it is essential that Outlander focus your efforts on providing Claire and Jamie with a satisfactory resolution. Of course, however, they will have to face some conflicts, and a definitive rise and fall is a necessity. However, once again, relying on the same disturbing form of conflict that almost all previous seasons have been based on would be a huge disappointment, as it brings nothing new to the story and only results in a lot of pity for the characters. Unfortunately, Claire and Jamie’s teased story in Outlander Season 7 Part 2 May Have Tried the Writers to bring back this trend.
Claire and Jamie being separated on Outlander often leads to sexual violence
Outlander Season 7 Is Splitting Claire and Jamie Again
The trailer for Outlander Season 7, Part 2 reveals that Claire and Jamie will be separated again, as Claire will return alone to the American colonies to care for Lord John Grey’s nephew. This is already a little frustrating, because Outlander relied a little too much on the division of these lovers to introduce conflict. However, it is even more concerning because such separations are often the first step in one of these characters being the target of sexual violence.
All over OutlanderClaire, in particular, was the victim of sexual assault when she was left alone, as she had no man to protect her. Other times, Jamie or Claire have had to offer their bodies to a perpetrator in an attempt to protect the other or else gain their freedom. Even Brianna and Roger went through a similar plot in Outlander as Jamie and Claire’s daughter was assaulted after she and Roger separated. It’s a tiring story that Outlander blatantly repeated over and over again, and that’s why Claire and Jamie’s breakup in Season 7 Part 2 became even more alarming.
Outlander repeating this trend would be bad news for the Prequel series
Outlander’s final seasons should establish trust in the new spinoff
Outlander reaching the end is a relief, especially because of the frustrating repetition of the same old stories. If things continued for much longer, it’s hard to imagine that Claire and Jamie could receive a satisfactory resolution. Still, that doesn’t mean the franchise as a whole should end. The upcoming prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood It’s an exciting opportunity to expand this universe with a new beginning. However, if OutlanderWhile the ending still hinges on sexual assault as the central conflict, it could bode poorly for the spin-off.
If the main series continues to rely on the same tired and disturbing storylines until the end, it would imply that audiences can expect something similar from the prequel spin-off.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood can be free from the same old trends and tropes in which Outlander got tangled. However, if the main series continues to rely on the same tired and disturbing storylines until the end, it would imply that audiences can expect something similar from the prequel spin-off. The last installments of Outlander needs to subtly reveal what can be expected Outlander: Blood of My Bloodallowing the audience to get excited about a new story with a small taste of the tone of the new story. The success of the spinoff depends Outlanderability to make a change.