Let’s face it, Jamie Fraser is every girl's dream guy. He’s strong, imbued with honor and he isn’t all that bad looking! Then there is the plethora of romantic quotes which seem to come so effortlessly from his mouth. It’s no wonder Claire will travel back and forth across time just to be with him.
It should also come as no surprise that Jamie has a host of fans – viewers who watch him closely and know a thing or two about him that casual viewers might well have missed. Here are 10 curious facts about this enigmatic character you may not have noticed.
Ever the charmer
He is stubborn and faithful but only true fans would realise just how charming Jamie actually is. This is shown by his uncanny ability to get Claire out of trouble – every single time without fail, it would seem.
Claire has this way of getting into fights and Jamie manages to consistently ooze charm to help Claire get out of some of these tense and dangerous situations. Somehow, he manages to get her out of these predicaments relatively unscathed. How he manages to consistently charm those who want to harm Claire remains a mystery.
Loyal to his Scottish heritage
What fans love about Jamie is that he is a complex character, who shows courage in unexpected places and makes choices which aren’t always predictable.
This is demonstrated in the Season 2 finale, when he chooses to fight in the battle of Culloden, risking his life while fully aware that the Jacobites (his clan) will lose the battle. Still, he chooses to stand by his fellow Scots. True fans might question why he didn’t decide to escape through the stones with his true love, Claire, but his patriotic spirit must have won through in the end.
A modern view of relationships
It's evident from his relationship with Claire --which colors much of the Outlander storyline-- that Jamie has an incredibly modern take on male-female relationships – even though he is the product of 18th century Scotland.
Ardent fans will know that he loves Claire with depth and purity – also perceiving her as an equal. This perception of her (as a woman) is ahead of his time and out of kilter with his upbringing and culture. A man from 18th century Scotland, with Jamie’s looks and stature, typically wouldn’t think about his woman in such a way.
Rooted in the present
Jamie skirts around talk of the future. He typically doesn’t ask Claire about the future unless she brings up the topic. It takes a true fan of his to notice this about him. Strangely, he doesn’t seem to have many questions about life 200 years into the future to ask his true love.
When she does happen to mention life in the future, he opens up and asks questions – but other than that, he shows no immense curiosity about her time period, 200 years from the time they are now living in together.
The loved ones he lost
Fans of Jamie would have noticed he typically doesn’t like to talk about things or people he has lost. This is most evident in his decision not to talk about the harrowing events of the Battle of Culloden. When he and Claire reunite in Season 3, they have plenty to catch up on.
This includes details of what happened during the Battle of Culloden. They both lost friends and family at the time of this battle: Angus, Rupert and Dougal… to name a few. Still, Jamie remains tight-lipped about these losses.
Jamie's son
True fans of Jamie will wonder about the identity of his illegitimate son Willie’s mother. She died in childbirth, according to Jamie. Still, the fact that he mentions his son to Claire reveals he cherishes honesty and virtue, showing he is willing to risk much to keep truth and integrity in his prized relationship.
The fact that Claire doesn’t ask more about the mother of the boy’s identity is a mystery to most fans of the Outlander series. This is strange given Claire’s naturally inquisitive nature.
Marriage to Laoghaire
Jamie’s biggest fans will forever wonder why the sweet and brave and true Jamie ever decided to marry Laoghaire, Claire’s arch rival. Does the shocking marriage to her show a side to Jamie yet to be discovered? It’s only after he is reunited with Claire in Season 3 that details of this brief marriage to Laoghaire are revealed.
The explanation he gave was that he was lonely and was encouraged by his sister to marry her. Still, this was a great let down for Claire. It would seem Jamie doesn’t fair well alone and makes a terrible bachelor!
Complex character
True fans will know there is more to Jamie than a flat, one-directional character who spurts romantic quotes. He chose fighting in the Battle of Culloden over being with Claire and his child, sending them away through the stones.
In another part of the script, viewers learn of his one night stand through which his son Willie was conceived. This comes as a surprise, since Jamie doesn’t seem the type to frequent the beds of unknown women. Still, his decision to father Willie for the first part of his life is typical of Jamie's honorable character.
He can be a bit jealous
Jamie has a tight hold on Claire, which at time borders on jealousy. To quote him: “Damn right I begrudge! I grudge every memory of yours that doesna hold me, and every tear ye've shed for another, and every second you've spent in another man's bed!”
As composed as he usually is, Jamie can lose his temper when jealousy flares up a little high. For example, when hearing of Frank and Claire’s relationship, he lost his temper, before uttering the words… "Damn right I begrudge!"
Jamie’s visions
True fans will know that Jamie Fraser often has visions and dreams about his family, seeing visions which often come to pass. For example, this was how he knew that the Jacobites would lose in the Battle of Culloden. Still, he went to war, standing alongside his fellow Scots.
While this might seem a gift, fans will know that these visions often leave the brave, honourable Jamie somewhat distressed. At least he has Claire to console him… that, and the stones which allow him to cheat time and fate.