While Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie ( Sam Heughan ) head to Paris, France, in Season 2 of Outlander , their trip is anything but a vacation. Along with a new setting, the season will feature a number of different challenges as the time traveling couple attempts to infiltrate Parisian society and prevent the Jacobite Rebellion.
During a recent press conference with the Television Critics Association, Variety is reporting that Heughan dished out details concerning these challenges in the new season. In particular, the Outlander star revealed that the Season 2 will include plenty of dangerous missions for the couple, only without all of the sword fighting and overt acts of violence.
“The danger in Paris and Versailles is less physical with swords and weaponry; it’s more politics and backstabbing and poison. It’s more hidden,” Heughan revealed. “There’s a lot more politics at work and a lot more danger. Then we go back to Scotland, where we go back to the blood and mud and gore.”
Heughan went on the share more about the various challenges Jamie will face this time around. This includes the character reaching outside of his comfort zone and acting like a completely different person than what fans are used to seeing.
“Season 2 has been about discovering a side of the character I didn’t know was there… He’s playing someone else — he’s learning to be quite deceptive, and he does it very well.”
At the same time, Sam Heughan admitted that Jamie will still be dealing with the traumatic events of season 1, which included his imprisonment and sexual abuse at the hands of Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies). His biggest challenge will be living with the memories from his ordeal while at the same time helping Claire out in France. All the while, the couple has a new baby on the way, which should make things even more interesting as the series continues to develop.
As the season progresses, however, Heughan stated that “time is a great healer,” and that Jamie will eventually find a way to deal with his past demons. Despite the horrible experiences, Jamie will be putting everything into his mission with Claire and is determined to prevent the Jacobite rebellion.
Elsewhere, fans can expect Frank Randall, also played by Menzies, to make another appearance in the new season. In speaking about Frank’s role in the series, executive producer Ronald Moore explained how the character is a “fundamental part of the genesis of the story,” and that Claire’s need to see him again is going to be brought back in Season 2.
Aside from the details about the upcoming season, Outlanderis coming off a few nominations for the 2016 Golden Globes. Along with the show being nominated for Best TV Drama, Balfe was up for Best Actress in a TV Drama. Although neither took home an award, the fact that they made into the prestigious award ceremony is an accomplishment in and of itself.
Meanwhile, prior to his appearance at the Golden Globes, E! Online interviewed Heughan while the actor made his way down the red carpet. When asked about his dream cast and who he would love to see make an appearance on the show, Heughan mentioned a few notable Scottish actors and one Hunger Games star.
“I would love to see Robbie Coltrane, or, I mean Sean Connery … get him to come back out and play some great Scottish Lord. Yeah, anyone like that… Maybe Jennifer Lawrence would be quite nice, that would be kind of fun.”
The new season of Outlander is set to air in April on Starz.
Tell us! Are you ready for Season 2 of Outlander ? Let us know in the comments and check out some more clips of Sam Heughan (and a few other stars including Caitriona Balfe and Tobias Menzies) from the Golden Globes red carpet below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV4klnMqBI4
[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images, Video via TV Guide on YouTube]