Outlander Executive Producer on What Awaits the Frasers in Their 'Bittersweet' Return to Scotland

They say you can't go home again, and the Frasers are about to find out if that's true.

In the Season 7, Part 1 finale of Starz's Outlander, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) find themselves back on the shores of Scotland and an ocean away from the American Revolution. Standing on the deck of the ship bringing them home for the first time since they left in Season 3, the Frasers and Young Ian (John Bell) are all smiles in the mid-season finale's last shot. But executive producer Maril Davis is already bracing fans for what could be a rollercoaster homecoming.

"Home has changed, literally," Davis tells TV Guide. "Their expectations, what they are bringing with them and their fears about walking back into a place they haven't been to in so long really sets the table. In this case, there are some surprises waiting for them –– some good, some bad."

The reason for the Frasers' return is to bring home the body of Jamie's second cousin, Brigadier General Simon Fraser (Angus Macfadyen), who was killed at the Second Battle of Saratoga in 1777. While the mission is a sad one, coming home is what Claire and Jamie had planned to do after their home at Fraser's Ridge burned down. But they were detoured when Jamie was conscripted into the Continental Army.

Surprises may await them when Outlander returns in 2024, but first they will reunite with some familiar faces. Before Season 7 even premiered, Starz announced a slew of returning guest stars including Young Ian's parents –– his father, Ian Murray (Steven Cree), and his mother Jenny (played by Kristin Atherton, who takes over the role from Laura Donnelly). Perhaps more than anyone, Young Ian has evolved the most since he last saw his parents, something Davis says will inspire one of the most unforgettable reunions.

"When you think about how much has happened to Young Ian since then, his adoption into the Mohawk and where he has come as a character, he has gone from boy to man," she says. "For his mother to see him now as a man, we will see that it is very emotional for her and for him. And there was also Jamie's promise to Jenny to bring Young Ian back home and what that meant."

Outlander Season 7, Pt. 2: Everything We Know

Among the other familiar faces are a few of dearly departed characters including Graham McTavish as Dougal MacKenzie, who died in Season 2; and Lotte Verbeek as Geillis Duncan, who died in Season 3. Davis remains mum on just how the dead rejoin the living. But she did acknowledge that having them back on set was one of the many fun things that await fans in the back half of Season 7.

"These are some of our OG cast members," Davis says. "Lotte and Graham were with us since the beginning and to have them come back is always fun because they are lovely people. Even for Caitriona and Sam, seeing those familiar faces that they started with is nice. For a little while, I think it was a little bit lonely for them after Culloden and just how many of those people didn't make it. Since then, we have gotten so many new cast members. But to bring back some of the OG cast members is fun for the fans –– and for us as fans."

It won't just be characters making their return to the show though. Davis says the production shot scenes at not-yet-revealed locations they originally used in Season 1. 

"It was exciting for us to revisit those places and reminisce, especially as we celebrate the 9th anniversary of the premiere of Season 1," she says. "It feels like a full-circle moment."

But the series isn't leaving the American Colonies and the fight for freedom behind for too long. Davis confirms the Revolutionary War will continue to have a presence in the lives of the characters. But for now, Season 7, Part 2's biggest action will be in the collision of the past and the present in Scotland.

"The back half is about confronting their past when they get home and the realities of the future for them," Davis says. "I think bittersweet is the best way to describe it."

Outlander Seasons 1-7, Part 1 are on the Starz app, and Seasons 1-5 can be streamed on Netflix. The series can also be streamed on Amazon Prime Video or Hulu with a Starz add-on subscription.