‘Outlander’: Sam Heughan & Caitriona Balfe on Claire’s Unexpected Salvation (Exclusive)

“Outlander” stars Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe — who play Jamie and Claire on the beloved series — dish with “Extra’s” Melvin Robert on what to expect for Season 7!

The show picks up after Season 6’s cliffhanger with Claire in jail, and Caitriona shared, “Claire is in a very precarious situation, but Jamie is doing his best to try to figure out how to get her out of there.”

Sam added, “But, without giving away too much, her salvation and her rescue might come in a different form, an unexpected one as well.”

The stars also say there’s no break for Claire and Jamie in sight with the Revolutionary War upon them!

Heughan said, “They’ve been through the ringer, right? And I think, well, this is ‘Outlander’ and the war is here… and I think they can’t help but get dragged back into it.”

He added, “They’re always trying to navigate history and trying to do the right thing not only for themselves, but for their extended family and for the people that Jamie has responsibility over. So hopefully one day they will catch a break.”

Teasing the new season, they each summarized what’s ahead in three words. Caitriona chose, “Epic, battles, love,” while Sam went with: “Homecoming, fatherhood, and war.”

The series will wrap after Season 8 and Sam joked, “Season 8 they are just on holiday.” Balfe added in jest, “They get to sail off to some beautiful beach somewhere.”

The co-stars also reflected on how their characters have changed over the past 10 years.

Sam said, “I think Jamie has aged, he’s become more multi-faceted, he’s become, I don’t know, more fragile in some ways, but more experienced. He’s grown up really interestingly. He’s become a strategist. He’s become responsible for many people now, for many people’s lives, so there’s a lot more responsibility. But it’s interesting. We’re not in a procedural. We’re not doing the same thing every day. It really does change. The show actually turns into a bit of a road movie as well later on this season so, yeah, there’s always something to challenge us.”

Caitriona added, “I definitely think Claire is much more mature… emotionally has changed so much. You know, last season was almost like the destruction of her psyche and she’s able to sort of build herself back together this season and she’s in a much better place, but she’s figured out how to protect herself a little bit more and how to… mature and evolve in many ways. You just don’t get that opportunity very often and to live with a character this long, I think it’s just been a real privilege.”

Plus, Sam reveals what item of Jamie’s he’d like to take home when the show wraps up after Season 8.

Heughan joked he would take “anything that’s not tied down” adding, “But no, I think I’ve always said it, I think Jamie’s boots… I just feel like once I put them on, I’m ready to face what Jamie has to do for the day. But I’d quite like to have his boots from Season 1 or 2 and then the boots he’s got now and just have them in my room. They probably smell a bit.” Balfe pointed out he might want to “fumigate them first.”