The time is ticking ever closer to the finale of the eighth season of the beloved fantasy series Outlander. On Friday, May 8, Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire’s (Caitríona Balfe) journey will come to an explosive end in a season that saw them back home in an altogether different Fraser’s Ridge after leaving the Revolutionary War. In the premiere episode for Season 8, “Soul of Rebel,” almost three million multi-platform viewers watched in just seven days, excluding international viewers, which marks a four-year high for the fantasy series, according to a report. It’s safe to say that, after twelve years, the love for this ambitious fantasy tale hasn’t died.

The most recent installment, Episode 5, “Send for the Devil,” marked the halfway point in this final season when it aired this past Friday. As pieces of the puzzle continue to come together in this time-hopping tale, the tension is becoming palpable. Written by Luke Schelhaas, a synopsis for Episode 5 reads, “With the Siege of Savannah raging outside the city walls, Brianna and Roger find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict; Jamie confronts his demons at Lodge Night.”

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, critics have awarded Outlander‘s eighth and final season a perfect 100% score. Collider’s Carly Lane was also positive about the last outing in her review, awarding it an 8/10 score and writing, “As an avid watcher since the beginning, who has remained through Outlander‘s highest highs and lowest lows, it makes sense that the final season resembles more of a warm, reassuring hug for viewers rather than a brutal gut punch.” Outlander‘s success has now stretched to incredible lengths, officially surpassing an astonishing 600 days on the Starz streaming charts in the U.S.

‘Outlander’ Might Not Be Done Yet

As each episode passes, the reality of many people’s favorite show coming to an end sets in. However, in a recent interview, executive producer Maril Davis spoke about the potential of continuing the series to line up with Diana Gabaldon‘s novels. “I would – I mean, never say never. Who knows, five years from now, three years from now, what we’re all doing,” Davis said. “The door would be open for me, I think, if the timing was right, people wanted to, there was interest. So, who knows.”