Most Outlander fans think that Jamie and Claire are the best couple from the show. While their passion for each other is blatantly evident, their love often overshadows another couple that doesn’t get as much attention: Frank and Claire. Fans know that Frank was Claire’s husband before she traveled back in time.
Even though she falls for Jamie, when she comes back through the stones, she tries to make things work with Frank. There’s no denying Frank was a stand-up guy, as he didn’t judge Claire for marrying someone else in his absence. He was also thrilled at the opportunity to raise a child with her, even if it wasn’t his own. Keep reading to see ten of Frank’s most romantic quotes.
He Said He’d Love Claire No Matter What
When Frank admitted to loving Claire unconditionally, he really meant it. The fact that he stayed with her when she was pregnant with Jamie’s child is a testament to that. And then the fact he stayed with her for 18 years despite their marriage being over is even more proof. In fact, in one important scene, Frank tells Claire that he’d still love her no matter what she does. “All I meant was is that even if you, it would make no difference to me. I love you. And nothing you could ever do would stop my loving me,” he replied. Every woman wants to hear words like that!
He Called Their Love ‘Unconditional’
Though some fans may call Claire and Jamie’s relationship true love, there’s no doubt that Frank’s feelings for her were also true. He never hesitated to tell her just how much he loved her, including one scene where he emphasized that his feelings for her were ‘unconditional.’
“I love you, Claire. Unconditionally. No matter what,” he told his wife. Frank proved that until his last day, as he stuck by Claire’s side and raised a daughter that wasn’t his. Many fans agree that the character deserved a better ending or at least the chance to receive the same sort of love back.
He Said They Could Start Over
Frank was understandably shocked when Claire returned. Not only because their reunion was so unexpected, but because she told him right away about marrying Jamie and being pregnant with his child. Still, the next morning Frank had no hesitation in telling Claire that he wanted to raise the baby together, making him a one in a million sort of man. “I want us to be together. Man and wife and child. We start over,” he told Claire, even though she was clearly still heartbroken over having to leave Jamie behind.
He Adored Claire’s Determination
Whether she was in the 18th century or the 20th, Claire never let a man tell her what she could and could not do. One reason we loved Frank so much was because he respected his wife’s determination and free-will. Not only that, but he encouraged it.
He had no problem with her becoming a surgeon during a decade when women seldom had jobs, let alone went to University. One of Frank’s best moments was when he told Claire, “Woe betide the man that stands between you and what you set your mind to.” Unfortunately for him, however, Claire had her heart and head set on Jamie, which is one of the many reasons the two of them didn’t work out.
And He Loved Her Stubbornness
Most people find stubbornness to be an unattractive quality in a partner, but Frank had no problem admitting it was one of the most attractive things about his wife. Swoon! In the first season, when the couple were saying their goodbyes at the train station, Claire told him, “You have to trust me on this.” They both knew they’d likely be separated for years due to the ongoing war. “I’ll be damned by that stubbornness, which I find so attractive about you,” Frank replied, as his wife had already boarded the train. As the train began moving, he said, “Promise you will return to me.” Claire replied, “I will Frank Randall. I promise.”
He Didn’t Force Her To Stay
It would be hard saying ‘no’ to a man like Frank, especially when you’re pregnant and have just returned to a new century. No one blamed Claire for picking up where things left off when she was reunited with Frank. And though he was happier than ever to have his wife back, at no point did it seem like Frank was pressuring her to stay with him.
In fact, in one scene he encouraged her to do whatever her heart was telling her- even if it meant leaving him. “Go or stay, please. But do it because it’s what you really want to do,” he told, making it one of his most romantic yet sad quotes to date.
He Only Wanted To Make Claire Happy
It’s hard not to feel bad for Frank. He only ever wanted to make his wife Claire happy, and even though he went above and beyond once she returned through the stones, his efforts were never good enough. In season one, prior to Claire travelling back in time, Frank says to her, “You have made me very happy, and I hope in time I will make you happy, too.” At this point the couple had been separated for years due to World War II, and Frank knew they had to make up for lost time. Even when they were reunited years later, he still had the same attitude about making their relationship work.
‘Til Death Do They Part
There’s no denying that Frank said all the right things when he was reunited with Claire- and we’re sure he meant them to. Even though she admitted to marrying someone else in his absence and becoming pregnant, Frank was still determined to make things work.
In fact, he appeared to hold their martial vows above all else. “I’m your husband and you’re my wife. I love you, Claire,” Frank said to her during one of their first scenes back together, making it clear he was willing to look past anything she’d done in their two years apart.
Nothing Had Changed For Him
Most people wouldn’t be able to deal with it if their spouse moved on in their absence. While we’re sure it bothered Frank, he truly tried everything to make him and Claire a family again. Even while she was gone, he still considered himself a married man and told Claire that he’d never even looked at another person.
In the scene where they’re first reunited, he literally begs her to give their family a second chance. “I’m your husband and you’re my wife. We can still have a life together. Please,” he told her, before she agreed to try living as a married couple once again.
He Always Kept His Promises
In season three, shortly before Frank dies, he reminds Claire how passionately he loved her. Despite everything they’d gone through- her disappearance, the birth of Jamie’s daughter, and Frank’s infidelities- he still put Claire above all else. In season one he said he’d love her no matter what, and he reconfirmed that to her in season three. “Claire I once told you there’s nothing you could do that would change the way I feel about you. I meant it then and I mean it now,” he told his wife. Claire knew he meant it, which made her feel even more guilty for not being able to reciprocate the same feelings.