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This article contains spoilers for Outlander season 7 episode 11.
Outlander fans, whether they’ve read the books or not, knew that it was only a matter of time before one of the story’s biggest secrets would finally be revealed. In an episode already packed with twists and turns, the very last scene of season 7’s “A Hundredweight of Stones” delivers the ultimate emotional blow.
In Season 4, Lord John (David Berry), Jamie (Sam Heughan), and Claire (Caitríona Balfe) agreed that young William would fare better in life if he were presented to society as the future Earl of Ellesmere and not the illegitimate son of a Scottish prisoner of war-turned-landowner. Keeping this promise was much easier when William was an ocean away. Now the events of the Revolutionary War have brought both Lord John and William near Jamie and Claire.
Jamie’s failure to return from Scotland plus Claire being accused of helping the Americans by British authorities in Philadelphia led to the sudden decision of Lord John to marry Claire in season 7 episode 10. Claire’s grief and the awkward adjustments to save face in public as Lord John’s wife dominate this episode.
William’s life has not changed that much since Lord John married Claire. Now William Ransom a.k.a. William Grey, he’s still a British soldier. He may not know the full story but he trusts Claire and is more focused on the possibilities of love and future promotion. Jamie’s unexpected return from Scotland on a different ship suddenly upends everything. He accidentally overhears a conversation between Jamie, Claire, and Lord John where they discuss the truth they’ve concealed for over 20 years.
Den of Geek spoke with showrunner and writer Matthew B. Roberts, and executive producer and writer Maril Davis about the big reveal. In addition, actors Caitríona Balfe, Sam Heughan, and Charles Vandervaart (William), share their perspectives on William’s pain and how this story will continue in future episodes.
“Anytime Jamie and Claire get separated, it’s never good,” Caitríona Balfe says. “That separation sets off this chain of events that has such a huge impact on Jamie, Claire, John Grey, and William. It’s one of the biggest tests Jamie and Claire have faced in a very long time – this family interrelationship drama coexisting alongside the political drama.”
Both Claire and Lord John feel Jamie’s absence from their lives. Claire’s depression and grief drive her to contemplate suicide as she feels she has lost all meaning and purpose. Lord John also feels Jamie’s loss but is compelled to dress up the situation for Philadelphia society.
“We all knew going in that this would be such a weighty episode, and huge props both to Caitríona and David Berry for really bringing it,” Maril Davis says. “I remember watching it for the first time and I got so teary. I think grief is very individual and they both brought the right amounts of grief in their ways to the table. You don’t need to add anything to it.”
In the last episode, Lord John promises Claire that they don’t have to consummate their marriage officially. This situation is especially painful for Lord John as the years of unrequited love hit so much harder after the loss of Jamie’s friendship. However, their shared grief leads to a moment of intimacy. They would rather have Jamie as a partner.
“We decided to let the scene breathe onscreen and that we don’t need to cut away. We don’t need to find other stories to delve into because the audience will be there with us,” Matthew B. Roberts says. “When you watch Outlander, you may get a 10-minute scene, and that’s our language of storytelling.”
While Claire and Lord John are working out what this marriage for protection means for them, William is searching for Mrs. Right.
“I believe he is quite naive, and maybe there is a world in which he and Rachel were good for each other, but I think William has a lot of growing to do before he can be present in a relationship,” Charles Vandervaart says.
Jamie’s sudden return forces all involved to confront what happened and what that means for Claire and Lord John’s “marriage.” This is the conversation that William isn’t supposed to hear but he does and it changes everything for him.
“It’s a huge moment, and Jamie’s processing all of this information but I think for Claire and John Grey it’s way harder,” Sam Heughan says. “They’ve been through this grieving process, this strange relationship. On top of that, to have William find out is a huge moment for Jamie. Jamie’s always wanted to be part of William’s life but he also knows how dangerous it is for people to find out that Jamie is actually his father.”
“It’s a very painful time in Claire’s life to have to go through this process of believing he’s dead, grieving, and where that leads her,” Balfe adds. “For then to have to deal with Jamie’s anger about it is very complicated.”
Willam was entirely unprepared to hear the truth because of the confidence Lord John instilled in him. “He’s lost in this particular moment in his life, Vandervaart says.” “His end goal was to fight for king and country and to represent those ideals that he learned from Lord John Grey. Now he has no idea because that’s a lie. He still identifies with that part of himself, but he doesn’t necessarily know if that’s who he truly is anymore. This is William’s entire identity falling apart in front of him.”
William curses Lord John, Jamie, and Claire and storms off. “I think in his confusion at that moment, he means it,” Vandervaart says. ”William is a very fiery person and it’s akin to that really cliche phrase ‘hurt people hurt people.”
There were a lot of intense emotions portrayed on screen and the on-set experience reflected that for Balfe and Heughan. “It was very tough stuff to film,” Balfe says. “It’s one of those storylines where you’re like, how do we get into this? How do we make this feel honest to these characters? And working with David in that way was amazing. It’s also those challenges that make the work interesting. Because if you were doing the same thing over and over or just doing easy stuff, it doesn’t really challenge you and it doesn’t make you have to dig deep.”
As for what’s next for William, Lord John, and the Frasers, Vandervaart teases: “The scenes just after that in the next episode were the most fun to film because it’s just pure rage. He’s an incoming wake of destruction because he has no idea what he’s supposed to be doing now. His entire moral compass and direction in life are now in turbulence. There are so many great scenes where I’m kicking over chairs and channeling that Fraser rage that we all have inside of us, confirming who his dad is.”
Heughan and company promise that the revelation will have long-lasting effects on the rest of the season. Balfe even goes as far as to say that what’s to come is some of the most “beautiful dramatic stuff” the show has ever done.
And Davis agrees: “There’s a moment in the last scene of the last episode that propels Outlander into season eight that I think will surprise fans. I’m looking forward to it.”
New episodes of Outlander season 7 premiere Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on Starz.
The post Outlander Season 7 Showrunner and Cast Break Down That Big William Revelation appeared first on Den of Geek.
