After eight seasons, Starz’s “Outlander” wrapped up with Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) timeless love story getting a powerful (yet ambiguous) ending.
While the last moments of the finale, which aired on Friday, May 15, show Claire and Jamie, seemingly dead, opening their eyes and taking another breath (read their full interpretation of that here), those who stuck around for the post-credits scene got another treat.
The scene, directed by Balfe, takes place in the early 1990s as a group of “fans” stand in line at a bookstore where a new author, Diana Gabaldon, is signing copies of her debut novel, “Outlander.” Gabaldon, who penned the books the series is based on, published the first edition in June 1991.
“Having Diana there mattered to us. She’s the source of every word we’ve ever written on the show, and we couldn’t imagine ending it without handing the story back to her,” showrunner Matthew B. Roberts tells Variety of the scene. “She created this universe — it felt right that the last image of ‘Outlander’ be hers.”
Robert Wilson
As the camera pans, the room is filled with cameos from Roberts, executive producer Maril Davis and writer and executive producer Toni Graphia.
In addition to that, everyone else in the scene — the fans in line and those in the bookstore — are crew members including: John Casey (props), Suzanne Smith (casting), Carly Parris (production buyer), Davie Stewart (Sam’s Driver), Luke Coulter (camera), Catrina Luna (construction accountant), Chris Cameron (locations) and Carol Ann Crawford (dialect coach).
There’s another easter egg for eagle-eyed viewers. All the books featured on the shelves of the bookstore — and in the hands of those who are featured onscreen — have titles written by the crew members based on their specialty in the series.
“We felt that after eight seasons and twelve years, the people who actually built this world deserved to be in it,” adds Roberts. “Every face in that bookstore is someone who’s been with us from day one, and every book on the shelves is a job they did with a title created just for them. It was the only thank you big enough.”
Robert Wilson
The scene ends with another special wink to fans with one “fan” — script supervisor, Margaret Graham — asking Diana what the journal is that is beside her on the signing table. (The journal was first shown during the penultimate episode as the journal in which Claire is writing down her story.)
“Just a wee bit of inspiration,” Gabaldon responds.
Below is a list of some of the book titles written by production staff:
Toni Graphia (EP, writer) — “That’s Not How I Imagined It”
Suzanne Smith (casting) — “The Tall One Will Do”
Stuart Bryce (set dec) — “Requiem for a Barrell”
Carol Ann Crawford (dialect coach) — “Dinny Fash: Scottish Colloquialisms”
Luke Coulter (camera) — “Looking at the Eyelines”
Scott Napier (DOP) — “It’s Too Shiny”
Jon McCormack (key grip) — “Get a Grip”
Patrick Conroy (producer) — “TV & Film Budgeting for Diddies”
Jamie Fleming (accounts) — “The Case of the Late Invoice”
Watch the post-credits scene below:
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