Outlander season 7: Who is Buck MacKenzie in Outlander?

In Outlander season 7 episode 6, “Where the Waters Meet,” the last few seconds of the episode bring us, and Roger, to a surprising halt. In case you don’t know who that fella running away from Roger Mac is, that would be Buck MacKenzie. And how do we know? Thanks to the casting announcement ahead of the season’s debut. So who is he?

Back in October 2022, the official Outlander Twitter account shared exciting cast additions and returning ones for season 7. One of them is actor Diarmaid Murtagh, who plays Buck MacKenzie. We got a quick glimpse of the character in episode 6, but it looks like we’re going to get answers about his appearance next week as the seventh episode‘s synopsis reads: “Roger and Brianna question Buck MacKenzie’s intentions in the 20th century.”

The name might sound familiar, but you don’t remember just who he is. That’s ok, that’s what we’re here for! So who is this character and why did Roger have such a big reaction to seeing him? He definitely recognizes Buck. We’ve got the answer for you below!

Who is Buck MacKenzie in Outlander?

If you think back, we actually met Buck MacKenzie back in season 5 episode 7, “The Ballad of Roger Mac.” During the heartbreaking episode, Roger goes to warn Murtagh that the Regulators don’t win against the British. But of course, Murtagh can’t back down now that they’ve gotten to this point and his men are counting on him. As Roger starts to head back to the militia, he encounters Morag MacKenzie – the woman he’s a descendant of that he first met on Stephen Bonnet’s ship in season 4.

He tries to warn her to leave with her husband, but they have nowhere to go. Roger offers up Fraser’s Ridge as a place for them to go and gives her a hug goodbye. But things take a very bad turn for Roger when Morag’s husband comes upon them. Roger tries to explain that it was an innocent hug, but this is a very different time and the husband sees red. As the two get into a bit of fistfight, Roger’s cockade showing that he’s on the British side makes him even more made. Roger is knocked out and we find out in the next episode that it was thanks to Morag’s husband that Roger was hanged and almost died as he’s the one who turned him in, pretending Roger was with the Regulators.

So who is Morag’s husband? That would be the one and only Buck MacKenzie. Aka a direct relative of Roger’s as well. Of course Buck didn’t know that. But still. If you didn’t remember who he was when seeing him in season 7, that’s because the show decided to plant a fun easter egg and actually had Graham McTavish, who played Jamie’s uncle Dougal in the first two seasons, also play the role of Buck. Why would they do that?

We’re going to go way back to the first season. If you remember, Dougal and Geillis Duncan had an illegitimate baby. When Geillis was accused of being a witch and tried for murder, they allowed her to wait out her sentence until she had the baby since she was pregnant. Eventually, she made it out but when the baby was born, he was taken to be raised by another family. That baby? Buck MacKenzie!

So there’s so many emotions and questions going on in Roger’s head I’m sure. He’s facing the man who is technically family, but who was the reason behind his very traumatic event. Buck also somehow time-traveled to the future and found himself at Lallybroch in Roger and Bree’s time. How and what is he doing there? This makes for a very interesting and exciting plot!

Outlander season 7 airs new episodes Fridays on Starz.