In a shocking twist on Outlander’s seventh episode of its eighth and final season, a fire at Fergus’ (César Domboy) print shop in Savannah takes his life rather than the life of his son Henri-Christian (Benjamin Moss), which is what happens in Diana Gabaldon’s eighth book, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.
Fans of Gabaldon’s books were shocked by the switch, but Domboy says he knew about Fergus’s demise going into the season.
“Basically, when [showrunners] Matt [Roberts] and Maril [Davis] approached me to ask me to do a final season of Outlander that wasn’t planned originally, and welcomed me back on the show, we discussed what Fergus’s arc would be,” Domboy tells Parade in an exclusive interview. “They said what happens in the book with Henri-Christian wasn’t really matching with ending the show like that, and that we could beautifully wrap Fergus’s storyline, having him doing the ultimate courageous move to save his kids instead. I was very happy with that. I thought it was really, really cool to wrap his storyline.”
Both Domboy and Lauren Lyle, who plays his wife Marsali, managed to keep the surprise a secret for more than a year, since Outlander wrapped in September 2024, and Lyle thinks there’s something legendary about it.
“I also think it’s iconic as an actor, to be a character in a show that gets killed in the most romantic of ways,” she said.
And Domboy added, “What I can tell you is that I wasn’t mad or sad, because I knew I made it before the last episode. So come on, you know what I mean?”
“It also gives Marsali a really beautiful, love story ending as well,” Lyle adds. “She grieves the love of her life, rather than it being so horrific that it’s her child. She’s able to grieve something that, for the Outlander world, is so laced in love and romance. I think it’s almost more impactful in a way that she’s left with — there’s a line in it — she’s left with pieces of him in the kids.”
Closer to Fergus’ storyline in the book is his rejection of a dubious offer by Percy Beauchamp (Michael Lindall), who comes to Fergus with a deal. He has proof that Fergus, who was raised as an orphan in a brothel in Paris, is actually the son of the Comte St. Germaine, who disappeared years earlier. As the Comte’s legitimate heir, all Fergus has to do is come forward and claim his inheritance and then sell Percy a parcel of land that the Comte owned in North America to found a French colony.
But Fergus, who was adopted by Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), passes on the offer, saying, “I am already the son of a great man.”
“Fergus is definitely not a businessman,” Domboy jokes. Then more seriously, he says, “This is one thing I can tell you. It’s too hard for him. There’s a saying [that goes], ‘There’s money that costs too much to earn,’ and I think this is that kind for Fergus. He cannot wrap his head around having to recognize being the son of a man that he has hated his whole life. And also, it’s a way for him to really acknowledge that he’s the son of Jamie Fraser, and this is worth more than anything to him.”
Fergus’ romantic approach to life may not be the same for Marsali. By sacrificing his life to save his kids, Fergus has given them something more important than money, but also left them with a void. His death now opens up the decision to Marsali, whose eldest son Germain (Robin Scott) is now the legitimate heir. And she no longer has a husband to support her.
“I think Marsali knows that she needs to look after her family, and will do whatever she needs to do to do that,” Lyle says. “A woman of the time will do what they need to do to survive. She’s always done that. I also think she’s got a little bit of bite from [her mother] Laoghaire, like doing maybe the harsher thing, or doing the more selfish thing. She’s like a lioness with her kids, and she’ll just do what she needs to do to make sure that they’re safe, like any mother would.”
Fergus’ death brings an end to the love story between Fergus and Marsali – at least on the TV series – but they are popular enough that they earned a ship name. Their loyal fans christened them “Fersali.” Here’s their goodbye:
“It’s never farewell to the fans,” Domboy says. “The show’s over. But they’ll stay with us ,and we’ll stay with them forever. We’ll see them around the world. It was a pleasure. I’m forever grateful for that fan base. And I love them.”
And Lyle adds, “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like it, and I’m not sure that I ever will again. Who knows? It’s a genuine honor to be in people’s living rooms and to meet everyone and to see the impact it’s made around the world. And for them to have changed my life. I do feel like Outlander has changed my life, so I’ll forever love Marsali Jane MacKimmie Fraser, and all the space that came with Fersali as a couple, I really wouldn’t have done it with anyone else.”
Outlander will air new episodes each Friday at midnight ET on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms; and at 8 p.m. ET/PT/7 Central on the linear network.
