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Outlander‘s series finale featured an extra special post-credit scene spotlighting author Diana Gabaldon.
We take a look at the implications of her surprising appearance for the sake of Jamie and Claire’s story.

The series finale of Outlander has arrived with an extra special cameo as author Diana Gabaldon made a special appearance in a surprise post-credit sequence that has major implications. Warning: Spoilers for the Outlander Series Finale ahead!

As viewers will recall, just as it seemed like the book was closing on Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe), after he was shot to death in the Battle of Kings Mountain and she grieved by his side, the pair opened their eyes, taking a breath. The assumption is that Claire’s healing power brought her husband back to life, but it’s Gabaldon’s appearance in the post-credits scene that shifts almost everything we’ve seen onscreen.

The scene unfolds at a book signing, which features the original cover for the novel as Gabaldon signs copies for eager fans, two of whom are executive producers Maril Davis and Toni Graphia, among other creatives from the series, including showrunner Matthew B. Roberts. As one fan sidles up to the table where Gabaldon is seated, she notes that this is her third copy of the novel and wishes to have it addressed to her daughter, Karen.

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This name is noted as one Gabaldon knows well, likely referring to Karen Henry, who helms Outlandish Observations, a literary forum surrounding her books. As Gabaldon writes out the dedication, the fan points out an old journal at the corner of the table and says she’d seen it at Gabaldon’s last signing.

Gabaldon teases that it’s a “wee bit of inspiration,” but as fans will recall, it’s the journal Claire had begun writing her and Jamie’s story in during the penultimate episode. In other words, the implication is that Gabaldon discovered Claire’s diary and has been using it as writing inspiration in this TV universe.

Whether the post-credit scene is meant to hold weight or not, it’s a sweet tribute to the author who created the characters that would become popular to a new audience on television. The credits also included a dedication to fans, which read, “Thank you to our fans. Your unwavering support made this journey possible. Slainte Mhath.”

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But what could Gabaldon’s cameo imply? We’d highly doubt Claire had time to pen her full story with Jamie before Kings Mountain’s battle unfolded, so perhaps this is further confirmation of their romance continuing after that flash of a return to life. As fans know, Season 8 of the series was only covering through Gabaldon’s most recently published Outlander novel, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.

The book is the ninth in Gabaldon’s series, with the upcoming A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out being the tenth in the lineup. Could that journal hold the rest of Jamie and Claire’s story, and is there a chance it could mean more screentime in their future to tell that tenth book’s tales? Stay tuned, and let us know what you thought of Gabaldon’s cameo in the comments section below.