'Outlander': Here's what's happening in the new episodes

The hit Starz series, based on the books by Diana Gabaldon, returned for the second part of its first season on April 4. What can fans of the Scotland-set story expect?

If you've craving shots of sweeping moors or romantic intrigue, you're in luck. 

The Starz series, “Outlander,” returned on April 4 for the second part of its first season. “Outlander” centers on Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe), a married World War II nurse who is transported back in time to eighteenth-century Scotland. There, she encounters Scotsman Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and must try to survive without revealing her origins to anyone.

The series is based on the popular book series by Diana Gabaldon. The most recent book, "Written in My Own Heart's Blood," was published this past June.

The first part of the first season of “Outlander” – eight episodes – began airing this past August and the show has been a big hit for the cable network. According to Starz, the series premiere of the show was the biggest-rated multi-platform audience in its history. “Outlander” has already been renewed for a second season and book fans know the novels will provide plenty of material if Starz decides to go beyond that – there are eight books in the series and the newest, “Blood,” comes in at more than 800 pages.

So what’s coming up for Claire, Jamie, and other characters?

(Spoilers follow for past “Outlander” episodes…)

Viewers know that previous installments saw Claire get married to Jamie and the final episode found her being threatened by Captain Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies), a malevolent authority figure who is also the ancestor of Claire’s World War II-era husband, Frank (also portrayed by Menzies). At the end of the episode, Jamie had arrived to try to help her.

“Outlander” creator Ronald D. Moore told the Hollywood Reporter that there are certainly “dark” events in the new episodes.

“There are some things that are going to happen you're not going to like,” he said. “But we have these other stories, and so sort of go along with us on the ride.”

Meanwhile, according to Yahoo, Heughan said of his character, “In the second part of the season, there is a lot more about Jamie. He's finding his place in the world. He has new responsibilities. He's got to deal with relationships he'd rather not deal with – his sister, his dead father. We start to see his stubborn side, his pride. He's less idealistic. We start to see the chinks in the armor. He's very vulnerable and he learns a lot.”