She might not be as popular with fans as Jamie or Claire Fraser, but every fan of the Outlander series would agree the show wouldn't be quite the same without Brianna Fraser or (Brianna MacKenzie as she is later known). Brianna's story is unique in that she grew up in modern times, only finding out about time travel much later on, when her mother Claire opened up to her.
Viewers have to respect the headstrong character who believed her mother and proceeded to go on an adventure through time. Here are 10 hidden details about Brianna Fraser which only her true fans will know.
A fiery Scottish temper
True fans of Brianna will know that she has a temper on her – to put it mildly. Fans will probably already be aware that this is just what makes her such a polarising character. She's a powerful and often controversial personality, one viewers will tend to either take an immediate liking to or be put off by from the start.
Simply put, she seems to feel entitled and relates to others with a certain haughtiness. Still, if you like Brianna, this is probably one of the things that attracted you to her in the first place. This temper arguably comes from her mother, Claire.
Her Relationship With Frank
Brianna is a real daddy's girl at heart. Love him or hate him for his strict temperament and cool aloofness, Brianna is crazy about her non-biological father Frank (even if he took her to shooting lessons well into her teens).
Readers of the books will have discovered in greater detail just how deep this relationship between father and daughter is. In one episode of the series (which we won't spoil), audiences are shown just how much Frank means to her.
She is headstrong
Quite clearly, Brianna often doesn’t fit into the old Scottish ideal of how a woman or potential wife should act. This is not always to Roger’s approval. Still, Brianna has her ideas of how things should be, and she isn’t afraid to defend them by lashing out with her will and fiery Scottish temper.
We saw one example of Brianna defending her ideals when she makes a decision not to get engaged at a young age. Along with other decisions (such as her choice to attend university), this may seem revolutionary to Roger, but they are the product of a woman who knows who she is and what she wants.
It's complicated!
It appears that Brianna's story parallels her mother's in a number of ways, and in many instances, nothing is truer than the old saying 'like mother, like daughter.' To give an example, both women fall in love with men who place them in the centre of a very complicated love story.
For Brianna, this man is Roger McKenzie - intelligent and interesting, steeped in history. For Claire, it is Frank Randall. In both instances, complications due to time travel affect the unfolding love of the couples.
She's a toughie
It takes a true fan to know that Brianna, dresses and all, has a tough inner core. When she was just 12 years old, she was taught to shoot a gun by Frank.
He then gave her a rifle for her thirteenth birthday and a shotgun a couple of years later. Not the typical gifts from a loving father, but maybe her fiery temperament had something to do with the unusual choices. Her father continued to take her to shooting lessons well into her teens, too.
Brianna's caul
Brianna's story has been nothing short of extraordinary. She also had an unusual start to life. The series' narrative says that she was born with a caul. This is a membrane which covers the face --or the entire body in some cases-- when the baby emerges from the womb.
Pretty as she becomes as the show develops, she thus made her grand entrance into the world looking somewhat freaky! Perhaps this was symbolic of the fact that this baby girl would grow to be anything but ordinary.
What's in a name?
Brianna has quite a name on her. More specifically, it is Brianna Ellen Randall Fraser MacKenzie. There is a story behind her name as elaborate as the name itself.
The name Brianna is a female adaption of the name Brian, which is the name of Jamie's father. When Claire said good-bye to Jamie to return home through the stones, he asked her to name the baby she was carrying at the time (Brianna) after his father. She kept her word. The middle name Ellen has been adopted from her grandmother.
An eye for detail
Brianna is artistically talented and is also a great builder, having studied for a degree in mechanical engineering at university. Her ability to bring order out of chaos has a calming impact on the show's narrative and on the other characters' lives.
Others recognise her gift, and she has even been commissioned to work on paintings for residents of Cross Creek. Perhaps this sensitivity to the arts is what makes her so emotional and fired up. Still, if you’re a true fan of Brianna, chances are you don’t mind.
A softie at heart
Maybe she’s a softie, or she’s just used to getting her own way. It might even be her inner romantic core, but fans of Brianna probably applauded her when she managed to sneak Roger’s childhood toy, Uncle Angus, out of the house with her when they did a big house cleaning ceremony.
Roger thought of the toy as something to be discarded, but not Brianna. This toy, a stuffed Scottie, captured her heart and she dusted him off and took him with her, eventually placing him on her own bed in the guest room.
Teamwork does it
There's been a lot of investment in the character of Brianna, with the series narrative showing her growing up from infancy into a bright and dazzling young woman.
Several actresses have played the role of Brianna, at various stages of her development. Lucy Maxwell portrayed the baby Bree, Niamh Elwell starred as her at the age of 6, Gemma Fray played Brianna from the ages of 8 to 10 and then Sophie Skelton stepped in to play her adult counterpart.