‘Outlander’ Season 7 Episode 8 Ending Explained: Who Kills Simon Fraser? Will Mr. Bug Kill Rachel? Where Did Roger and Buck MacKenzie Go?

Outlander Season 7 Episode 8 “Turning Points” ends not with a bang, but a song. Outlander Season 6 singer Griogair Labhruidh returns to the Starz show’s soundtrack to croon the classic ballad, “Tha mi sigith ‘n fhogar seo,” or “I am weary of this exile.” The song might signal that Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) have found a semblance of a happy ending — for now — but Outlander fans know that trouble is brewing on the horizon elsewhere…

**Spoilers for Outlander Season 7 Episode 8 “Turning Points,” now streaming on Starz**

After years living in colonial America, Claire, Jamie, and Young Ian (John Bell) have finally returned to Scotland.Jamie has been tasked with taking the body of his cousin Simon Fraser (Angus Macfadyen) back to Scotland for burial. The Outlander mid-season finale on Starz ends with the travelling trio spotting the Scottish coast from their ship as Labhruidh sings in Gaelic. It seems that all is well for these three faves…or is it?

What Claire, Jamie, and Young Ian don’t know is that their loved ones are in peril. In the future, Brianna (Sophie Skelton) has just bid adieu husband Roger (Richard Rankin) and Buck MacKenzie (Diarmaid Murtagh). The two men are traveling back in time using the stones at Craigh na Dun to rescue Jem (Blake Johnston Miller), who has been kidnapped by Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton). All we know is that Roger and Buck successfully pass through the stones. Where they wind up is anyone’s guess.

Back in the colonies, Ian’s beloved Rachel Hunter (Izzy Meikle-Small) makes a fateful encounter in the woods. The sweet Quaker meets a mysterious stranger who takes an interest in her and Ian’s dog Rollo (whom Ian left in Rachel’s charge). Hardcore Outlander fans will remember this is Mr. Bug (Hugh Ross), who harbors a vendetta against Ian.

So what does the end of Outlander Season 7 Episode 8 portend for the rest of Outlander Season 7? Here’s the Outlander Season 7 mid-season finale ending explained…

Outlander Season 7 Episode 8 Ending Explained: Who Does Rachel Meet? Is That Mr. Bug?

At the end of Outlander Season 7 Episode 8 “Turning Points,” Rachel meets Mr. Bug in the woods. The last we saw of the old Scotsman was in Outlander Season 7 Episode 3 “Death Be Not Proud.” There, he crashed his wife’s funeral to harass the Frasers, his former long-time employers. See, things soured between Jamie and Mr. Bug when it was discovered that the Bugs had been secretly hoarding some of the Jacobite gold that had originally been meant to help Bonnie Prince Charlie take back Scotland from the English.

Jamie and Young Ian attempted to ambush Mr. Bug as he retrieved his gold from its hiding place, but Ian accidentally killed Mrs. Bug (Sarah Collier) in the process. Murdina Bug was dressed as her husband. The oh-so-chivalrous Ian would not have shot his arrow if he’d known it was Mrs. Bug.

Naturally, Mr. Bug was upset. Young Ian told Mr. Bug that he was willing to give his own life up in exchange for Mrs. Bug, but the old man refused. “Too easy,” Mr. Bug said. “Would you give me your hound to kill?” Ian is horrified that Rollo could die for his crime and says so. Mr. Bug coldly declares that a flea-ridden dog is not a wife. When Ian has something of value to lose, Mr. Bug says he’ll see him again. The implication is Mr. Bug wants to kill the woman Ian loves.

Guess who Ian loves? Rachel.

The last we see of William (Charles Vandervaart) and Ian’s mutual crush, Rachel Hunter, she is en route with the Continental Army to Valley Forge. She now has Ian’s dog Rollo as a companion, which might ironically spell her doom. That’s because Arch Bug spots the dog and clearly recognizes Ian Murray’s loyal pet. Mr. Bug has to realize that Young Ian would only trust Rollo in the care of someone he truly loves.

Mr. Bug now knows that Ian loves Rachel…and Ian is in no position to protect her.

Does Jamie Kill Simon Fraser During the Battle of Saratoga on Outlander?

We’ve known ever since Jamie joined Daniel Morgan’s (Barry O’Connor) rifle corps that he would be pitted directly against two relatives on the Redcoats’s front line at Saratoga: son William (Charles Vandervaart) and cousin Simon Fraser. In Outlander Season 7 Episode 8 “Turning Points,” it finally happened.

When Benedict Arnold (Rod Hallett) joins the fray, he spurs the snipers on to take down Simon Fraser since he is the Redcoats’ most capable and charismatic commander. Jamie has his cousin in his sights, but purposely misses to spare his kinsman. The twist? In firing to his right, he actually blows the tricorn hat off son William’s head. The realization rattles Jamie. While he collects himself, a nameless American rifleman shoots Simon.

After the Americans win the battle, Jamie and Claire are invited to the Redcoat camp under a flag of truce. It seems Simon is dying and wants to be with family in his final moments. We learn that the Fraser cousins were closer than we thought; they recall playing together as boys.

Part of General Burgoyne’s surrender includes the provision that the Americans will shepherd Simon Fraser’s body home to Scotland for burial. It’s a task, as we know, that falls on Jamie.

Do Roger and “Nuckelavee” Buck MacKenzie Successfully Travel Through the Stones to Save Jem on Outlander?

We don’t know! All we know is that Roger and Buck successfully traveled somewhere through the stones. Will they wind up back in Buck’s time — the 1770s — where they can save Jem from Rob Cameron and potentially reunite with Claire, Jamie, and Ian??? Or did something go awry?

Weirdly this might be the biggest cliffhanger of them all: where exactly did Roger travel to via the stones at the end of Outlander Season 7 Episode 8? We won’t find out until Outlander Season 7 returns in early 2024….