There are many reasons why Outlander was quick to become such a beloved show amongst fans. It's not only the impressive scenery, the stunning outfits, the political intrigue, and the tragic love stories. But, rather the incredible string of characters that have come and gone over the years. The fact that the show has been renewed for its fifth and sixth seasons simultaneously is more than enough of a testament to the importance it has to the audiences.
Yet, as much as many people pride themselves on being authentic Outlander scholars that could ace the hardest quizzes out there, some things are bound to escape their attention after four seasons and several adventures. These details hold quite some importance! Curious to see what you might've have missed when it comes to the main characters of Outlander? Keep reading!
Jamie's Growth Through Clothes
Jamie Fraser is everyone's favorite Scottish man. There is absolutely no contest, and, whether that is because of his handsome face and incredible physique or due to his pure heart and borderline crazy bravery, it will depend from one person to another. It's been a true adventure following the growth of Jamie as a character.
The first instance where we can actually pinpoint this growth happened in the first season when he weds Claire. Up until that moment, Jamie was still a small shadow of the man he was about to become, but as soon as he showed up on the screen, dressed up and cleaned up, we finally got a glimpse of this transition—and through a costume, of all things!
Frank's Condition
Many fans of the original source material for the show were caught by surprise with the changes made to Frank on the show. A character that was rather flat and deeply flawed to the point of being annoying became a complex man who loved and lost, only to love and lose again in spite of being reunited with his wife.
Frank raised Brianna as is she was his own. Fans will remember Claire's surprise when she Jamie first got her pregnant since she thought herself to infertile. The only logical conclusion here is that Frank is most likely sterile since he and Claire had tried and failed to conceive several times. Raising Brianna was probably the only chance he'd ever get at fatherhood.
Geillis' Mind
Geillis is one heck of an interesting character. When we were first introduced to her during the first season of the show, opinions varied, mostly because no one knew exactly what to make of Geillis. Was she actually a witch? Why was she so incredibly patriotic? Where did she come from?
Claire later found out Geillis was also from the future, and, on the third season of Outlander, we realize she went through the stones on purpose, and she killed a person in the process. In retrospect, Geillis' actions all become quite questionable, and, when we mix that with her words, it's easy to see that she is most likely insane.
Brianna's Temper
It wasn't exactly easy for audiences to fall in love with the character of Brianna in the first place. Being so wrapped up in Claire and Jamie's love story, being taken forward several years in the future after a heartbreaking separation would make it hard for anyone to immediately warm-up to new characters immediately.
But there was also another reason why fans had such a hard time, one that it's hard to identify. That is, of course, Brianna's fiery temper. Yet, let's not forget that she did get this temper from two very important people: headstrong nurse extraordinaire Claire and brave warrior Jamie. They are her parents, after all!
Claire's Exclamation
Even though Claire is pretty much the main character of the show, she can be quite polarizing at times, and that's a really good thing because you can't keep a show going if your characters aren't interesting and complex. She's kind, brave, and strong, but she can also be selfish and incredibly infuriating at times.
From more external elements likes costumes to deeper characteristics like her unmatched ability to talk back, anyone who wishes to embody her should have a series of things down to a T. Of course, that included Claire's favorite exclamation: Jesus H. Rosevelt Christ. Pay attention next time you're rewatching Outlander and you'll be surprised by the amount of time she utters it.
Frank's Love
Once again, we talk about Frank. Mostly because he tends to be a rather hated character, especially by the people who were fans of the books first. Even people who'd only watch the show would immediately dislike for Frank simply because he posed a threat to Jamie and Claire's relationship.
This hate often blinds people to see beyond what they wish to see, but one thing that's true about Frank is that he truly loved Claire., so much so that he kept looking for her, accepted her time-traveling story, raised the child she conceived with another man, and accepted living separate lives even though they were married in the eyes of the rest of the world. Frank had his flaws, granted, but there's no denying he had a great capacity for love. And love he did.
Claire's Outfits
Few things were as exciting as witnessing Claire's style evolution throughout the four seasons of Outlander. Going from 20th century England to 18th Century Scottland, then Paris, then England and Scottland back again... well, let's just say that was probably quite the challenge for the costume design department.
One smart thing that the team decided to do was give Claire a signature piece for each season of the show. If you go back and pay attention, you'll notice that in each specific era and country where she is present, she'll be wearing a specific style with signature dresses and accessories.
Brianna's Development
In an attempt to bridge the gap for television audiences, the show made a big departure from the second book, Dragonfly In Amber, when they decided to open the season with Claire going back to the 1940s as opposed to immediately introducing her in the 60s with a grown-up daughter and a dead husband.
This alone would never be enough to make us warm up to Brianna as soon as we saw her, but the show also acted smartly in this instance. While the books don't make references to Brianna's childhood, on the show, we were given the chance to get a few snippets of Jamie and Claire's daughter as she was growing up. One of these even took place in the midst of the season, on the episode where Claire miscarried.
Murtagh's Heart
Is there anyone more lovable in the whole of Outlander than Murtagh? The character became so incredibly popular amongst audiences thanks to his expanded dialogue and presence that the show decided to once again make a significant departure from the books and bring him back to life.
One of the things that makes Murtagh so special is his kind heart. The more you pay attention, the more you realize just how much Jamie's godfather loves him, Claire, and how much he loved Jamie's mother. His disheveled appearance can be deceiving, but make no mistake; Murtagh has one of the purest, most poetic hearts out of all the characters.
Claire's Intellect
Well, it's no secret to anyone that Claire is incredibly smart. Not only is she a nurse when we first meet her, but when she goes back to her own time, she goes against the grain and becomes one of the very few female surgeons at the time. But we're not just talking about book smarts, we're talking about all sorts of smarts.
Even in the 1940s and 1960s, Claire is a person who truly is ahead of her time. It's thanks to her wits that, in more than one instance, she manages to save Jamie's life and so many others. She speaks her mind and isn't about to be forced into submission, and she's quick to figure out when someone's tricking her or poses a danger to herself and those she loves. Oftentimes underestimated, Claire is the smartest of them all.