Tobias Menzies Clears Up Season 8 Return Rumors for Outlander

Summary

• Outlander 's upcoming eighth season is going to be its last.
• Although he hasn't appeared since his death at the end of Season 2, fans are hoping for a reappearance by Captain Jack Randall.
• He might be dead, but time travel opens up a world of possibilities.
• The rumors have finally been resolved.

One Actor, Two Characters

British actor Tobias Menzies was the man we loved to hate on Outlander. He first appeared as Claire's mild-mannered (and mildly shitty) husband Frank Randall, who loses his wife when she time travels back to the 1700s and falls for hot Scot Jamie Fraser.

But Menzies is more famous for his second role on the show: that of Frank's sadistic ancestor Captain 'Black' Jack Randall, who cuts a swath through the Fraser family and becomes fixated on Claire and Jamie. By far the most bloodthirsty and disturbed character on the show, Randall was finally defeated by Jamie after a long drawn out battle at the end of Season 2.

Frank Randall is also dead in the show… but hey, it's a time-travel series! So is there any truth to the rumors that we might see Tobias Menzies back in action some time soon?

Saying Goodbye

Fans are particularly hoping for a return because Outlander's days are numbered. The second half of season 7 (delayed due to the Hollywood strike) will be released this fall. In the meantime, Starz has announced that Season 8 will be the final season for the program.

It's a bittersweet moment for fans, who have been following Outlander faithfully since it premiered in 2014. Ten years is a long time to keep up the drama, and Jamie and Claire definitely deserve to ride off in the sunset and finally get some rest (fingers crossed). On the other hand, this means saying goodbye to our favorite couple and our favorite historical fantasy world.

Passing the Books On the Way to the Finish Line

As with Game of Thrones, the Outlander show has officially outpaced the novels on which it was based. That means we'll find out the end of Jamie and Claire's story long before the final Outlander novel is published, a reality which is drawing mixed reactions from readers who would like to remain spoiler-free.

Diana Gabaldon recently published the ninth novel in the series, Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone. Her still-unwritten 10th book will be the final one. As she works as a consultant and producer on the Outlander series, we have the benefit of knowing Gabaldon will work with the show to craft an ending that matches her end game.

A Disappointing Announcement

So, the moment of truth… as our heroes are zipping through time, any chance that they'll bump into a younger, not-yet-dead version of Jack Randall? It happened in the books once, so it's possible!

Unfortunately, Tobias Menzies has officially laid the rumors to rest. At the beginning of March he informed TVLine that we cannot expect to see him returning to the show. We briefly got our hopes up when he said, 'What am I allowed to say?' – but they were dashed back down when he answered his own question with: 'It would be great. [But] no, you will not see me.'

Sorry, fans!

More To Come

Just because the main Outlander storyline is coming to an end doesn't mean you need to totally say goodbye to the world of the show. Prequel show Outlander: Blood of My Blood, which tells the story of Jamie's parents, is already in pre-production.

Source: TVLine.