Life for Jamie and Claire Fraser has never been a walk in the park. But the Outlander Season 6 trailer has the couple facing possibly more threats than ever before. There's trouble brewing from the impending American Revolution, as well as serious tensions on the Ridge. But in the end, at least Claire and Jamie will be facing it together.
"I don't belong here. Brianna, Roger — they don't belong here. But yet, here we are. All of us. Because I loved you. More than the life that I had," Caitriona Balfe's Claire says in a voiceover. She then adds, seemingly in a different scene, "This, I promise you, won't come between us."
While it's abundantly clear from the trailer, readers of Diana Gabaldon's sixth Outlander book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, know all about the forces that are trying to tear Jamie and Claire apart in Season 6.
Here are some storylines to expect based on the Season 6 trailer. Slight book spoilers ahead.
- Indian Agent to the Crown — "It would be a shame if our Indian neighbors became our enemies," Young Ian tells Jamie. "If you willna help them, then I will." A Redcoat (most likely, Major McDonald) also tells Jamie, "The king's counting on you, Mister Fraser." Looks like Jamie's been recruited as an Indian Agent to the Crown to give guns to the Native American tribes on behalf of the British. But Jamie seems to take Ian's words to heart, telling the tribe leader, "Whoever you fight with, fight for yourselves."
- Jamie's Dueling Loyalties — Thanks to Claire, Jamie knows the outcome of the American Revolution ("If only they knew what we coming," Claire says.) So Jamie states, "I cannae be two things at once Claire — a rebel, a loyalist, an Agent for the Crown and an enemy of the king." So Jamie will have to pick which side of the Revolutionary War he wants to be on this season... and unlike the Jacobite Rising, he's undoubtedly picking the winning side this time.
- The Christies — Mark Lewis Jones's Tom Christie shows he's a leader of the new Fisher-folk and breaks bread on Fraser's Ridge. But with his tense history with Jamie at Ardsmuir, Jamie warns him, "If you're to stay, my word at Frasier's Ridge is law." Tom's kids Malva and Allan are shown creeping around the Ridge with Malva making eyes at Young Ian (and vice versa).
- A Fancy Party — Jamie and Claire get a break from all the drama on the Ridge when they get all dressed up and head to a fancy home for a fancy party. It's gotta be Flora MacDonald's BBQ.
- Richard Brown — The villain of Season 5 is briefly shown in the trailer pointing a gun. As there's also a shot of Jamie and Claire in Big House while it's under attack, Richard Brown's definitely going to come to the Ridge to arrest Claire. (Unless those shots around the 49-second mark are of the moments leading up to the house fire.) Allan Christie is shown being dragged in front of Richard Brown as well... does that mean Allan will be more directly involved in Claire's arrest than he was in the book?
- Fergus and Marsali's Baby — Marsali was pregnant at the end of Season 5 and the couple is shown welcoming another child. Unfortunately, their story will only get darker from there.
- Brianna, Roger, and Jemmy — Life doesn't actually seem that dramatic for the MacKenzies in the trailer as Bree and Roger casually stroll watching their son play in the woods. But with the church being built, the minister's son Roger may step into a bigger leadership role on the Ridge, especially as he appears to lead a casket into the church. Although, Brianna does wonder what will happen to their family if the American Revolution doesn't follow the history books. Is she wary of living in the past?
- Lizzie in Pain — Lizzie is bent over in pain while Brianna and Malva Christie attend to her. Is this her malaria striking? Or, perhaps that other illness that takes over the Ridge? I don't see a baby bump, but it could also be her going into labor. But what explains her running frantically away from the Big House?
- Malva's Deceit — What's the specific "this" that Claire's promising Jamie won't come between them at the end of the trailer? If it's early on, it may be the sexual assault she experienced at the end of Season 5. But if it's later in the season, it's most likely Malva's Very Big Lie.
Though the trailer makes things look bleak for Claire and Jamie, take comfort that, as always, they're in this together when Season 6 premieres on March 6.
Images: Starz