I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of prequels, spin-offs, and revivals overall. Usually they just don't work and don't live up to the original series. However when it comes to Outlander: Blood of My Blood, I'm actually really excited to see what the creatives have in store for us, and Jamie and Claire's parents.
While executive producers Matthew B. Roberts and Maril Davis had some groundwork thanks to author Diana Gabaldon's novels when it comes to Jamie's side of the family, not much is known about Claire's parents and their story. So they got to take some creative liberties in that front, while of course getting Gabaldon's blessing too.
What I think is one of the most important things about making this prequel successful is that the Scottish part of the tale needs to feel like Outlander and be an extension of the hit historical drama since we've met the older versions of many of these characters already. What's going to help with that is finally being able to get back to Scotland. That setting is what makes the show so magical, there's something about the Highalnds that brings it to life so wonderfully.
Thankfully, the story allows the writers to get back to their origins and roots, as Davis teased here, in the heart of Scotland. That's going to be one of the main easter eggs if you want to call it for those of us who are fans of the original series. Here's what Roberts told Entertainment Weekly:
"We try to show the beauty, how it gets into your blood and is in the blood of the characters. There's probably a few double entendres with Blood of My Blood. It's not just the characters; it's also what Scotland does to you."
Castle Leoch will be featured heavily, and is a very familiar sight as well. Another main element that comes into play, and perhaps the most important one, is the portrayal of Jamie and Claire's parents - Brian and Ellen and Henry and Julia. The story of course really is revolving around these two couples and how the "parallel love stories intertwine and show us how we got to Jamie and Claire," Davis told EW.
We all form certain mindsets, develop similar quirks, or pick up on sayings from our parents. With the foursome taking center stage, we can expect to see some callbacks to Jamie and Claire through all of this that fans will recognize. That's a bit strange to say since the prequel is actually set in the past, but you know what I mean. Check out what Roberts teased:
"You see, 'Oh, Jamie got that from Ellen, and oh, Jamie got that from Brian. And Claire got that from Julia and Claire got that from Henry.' We tried to drop those things in throughout the season. The little nuggets where the fans of Outlander will go, 'Oh, I remember that. That's where Jamie heard that, or that's where Claire heard that.'"
Um, how cool is that!? Both Jamie and Brianna smile in their sleep. Do the father and daughter perhaps get that from Brian or Ellen? The producers also teased the fact that Claire is so inventive and curious comes from her mother, Julia, which is something we'll also see in Outlander: Blood of My Blood.
Jamie and Claire and the Outlander universe in general is just so near and dear to our hearts. With us waiting for the final season, season 8 which doesn't have a release date yet, this prequel will definitely be great to have during Droughtlander. And though I usually go in skeptically when it comes to prequels, I think this one is going to be epic!
Outlander: Blood of My Blood premieres Aug. 8, 2025 on Starz.