The first half of Outlander's super-sized Season 7 is nearly over, meaning that fans are on the verge of another Droughtlander hiatus for the rest of the year. It's already clear that the show has an intense midseason finale planned after the most recent episode's reveal of a new villain, but one star shared some thoughts that are worth a smile instead of dread for what's on the way. John Bell, who has been playing Ian Murray since all the way back in Season 3, is still known as "Young Ian," and the actor spoke with CinemaBlend about the nickname sticking.
When I spoke with the cast of Outlander at the Season 7 press event, John Bell shared some lighthearted insight between addressing Ian's priorities and dropping some foreboding comments. I asked the 25-year-old actor if he thinks his character will ever stop being known as "Young Ian," and he laughed and said:
Not so young Ian anymore! I don't know, I like being Young Ian. I'm gonna be holding on to it as long as possible. But it's okay, you're allowed to find Ian sexy now. I'll give you that.
To be fair, Ian could hardly have been any younger when he first appeared in Outlander. He was born during the Season 3 episode called "Surrender" when Jamie was nearly caught at Lallybroch, prior to the bloody twist of Fergus losing a hand. John Bell debuted in the role a few episodes later, after a time jump and Claire's return to the past.
In the seasons since, Ian has been kidnapped by pirates, nearly used as a blood sacrifice by Geillis Duncan, taken in by the Mohawk, fought in battles, got married, and is now part of the American Revolution with his aunt and uncle with a vow of vengeance hanging over him. He's certainly not a youngster anymore, but John Bell is a fan of the "Young Ian" nickname!
For all that Young Ian is now involved in war, he recently got some happy news: his former Mohawk wife had actually given birth to their son years before. While Ian won't be part of the boy's life, he was clearly glad to know that he had a son and was in fact able to have kids. It remains to be seen if Jamie and Claire ever actually make the journey to Scotland to return their nephew to his mother, although it's worth noting that a new actress has been cast to play Jenny Murray in Season 7.
Unfortunately, only one episode is left before Outlander heads into another hiatus. Even though the show got a super-sized order of sixteen episodes for Season 7 after Season 6 was cut short, Starz will air the back eight episodes at some point in 2024. An official premiere date for Season 7B has not yet been announced, and I'm sure I'm not the only one hoping that the show will return earlier rather than later next year.
For now, you can look forward to the midseason finale of Outlander Season 7 on Friday, August 11 at 8 p.m. ET on Starz before the rest of the 2023 TV schedule is Sassanach-free. You can also revisit earlier days of Outlander when Young Ian when much younger, with the first five seasons streaming with a Netflix subscription.
