Outlander season 3 premiere wishlist: The dream for Jamie, Claire, & more

Can you believe that the Outlander season 3 premiere is just one week away? Well … pinch yourself! (Or don’t.) It’s happening! The first episode is coming on September 10, and the time for speculation is here.

The focus of this article is all about hopes and dreams — we like to be an optimistic, and after a year and a half of a serious Droughtlander there’s nothing wrong with putting your wants out into the universe. This is a part of our CarterMatt Premiere Wishlist series, where we’ll be detailing a number of things we want to see in the first episode of some fall series.

Before beginning, there are two things to note: We haven’t watched the premiere yet, so there are no spoilers ahead. 

Also, we know that there are some people out there who have been lucky enough to see the episode. For those of you, we implore you to be courteous of others. Even though this is a show based closely on the Diana Gabaldon novels, there are changes and surprises here and there as well as some of us who are not book readers.

Our Outlander season 3 premiere wishlist

For Claire – We know that we will be seeing the arrival of Brianna and her early life with Frank after she returned through the stones. The two settle in to a new life in Boston over time and try to push forward. We know that there is a Print Shop scene that everyone is eager to get to a handful of episodes down the road, but we hope that the story doesn’t feel the need to rush. If you drive too quickly to that, you miss the emotional growth and the pains of devastation and longing. For Claire, we need to see how the loss of Jamie (remember, she presumes him dead) in the early going impacts her soul. The first few years are when things are the most painful and she sees her past dipping behind the horizon rather than coming up in her future.

Obviously, we do also want to witness more of her advancement in the medical field. She may never forget Jamie, but there is still life to live and interests to pursue.

For Frank/Black Jack Randall – Tobias Menzies’ character is essential to continuing the Outlander story, and given that we’re only going to see him presumably for a limited time, we’d like to make the most of his presence. In the past, allow for him to have a moment as Black Jack, whether it be physical or emotional. (Remember, he and Jamie do meet on the battlefield of Culloden, as pictured above.) In the present, show Frank trying to figure out his relationship with Caitriona Balfe’s character in the early going. Eventually, he may settle in to his life being what it is, but this is a man who fought relentlessly to find Claire for some time. Seeing his roller-coaster of emotions and events with her back should continue to be a compelling story.

For Jamie – How badly does Culloden impact him? Even though he survives it, he didn’t anticipate doing so. With it over, what does he have left to live for? The flash of love and passion that was Claire is gone, and he has to presume she is never coming back. This is a story of suffering, and living without purpose is almost equal to the physical and psychological pain he endured in season 1. The emotional process that he endures here should inform his decisions of isolation and haunting in the years to come. We want to see him become a man who cannot quite fathom his reality, and the writing should alternate between subtlety and power in showcasing that.

Obviously, there are other characters both old and new we shall meet, but how much will we view the world through their point of view? This is something worthy of exploring in the days/weeks to follow.

What’s your own Outlander season 3 premiere wishlist?

Now is the time to share in the comments below! Meanwhile, you should click here in the event that you missed some of the other assorted updates when it comes to the show that we’ve shared, including a piece about some of Jamie Fraser’s burdens. (Photo: Starz.)