No character is without fault. And if by any chance you stumble upon a fictional character who is absolutely perfect, chances are the narrative won't be too compelling. What makes for amazing entertainment are complex characters who, before being heroes or villains, are human beings. As we all know, people are never perfect because, as the saying goes, "You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches".
But we're not here to talk inspirational quotes. On this list, we're breaking down the worst things each main character in Outlander has done. And yes, that includes the most beloved characters on the show. In spite of what their main personality traits, they all had their bad moments - some more than others, of course. Let's begin the countdown!
Prince Charles: Dooming Scotland
There's been quite a bit of hit thrown at Outlander because of its portrayal of Bonie Prince Charles. Those unfamiliar with Scottish history will have a pretty bad impression. Indeed, the man we see is a completely delusional idiot.
Though no one truly believed Claire and Jamie could change the future, not even in a universe like that of Outlander, one could only hope. At the end of the day, Charles' blind ambition and utter idiocy cost thousands of Scotsmen their lives, despite their choice to fight for him. Had they known him, they would most likely put the weapons down.
Lord John Grey: Telling Claire About Jamie's Offer
We hear you - Lord John Grey is one of a handful of characters that could be considered a saint. He is brave, loyal, loving, and if it weren't for his incessant help, the Fraser family would probably be six feet under by now. However, no character is without fault - not even John Grey.
There was a beautiful instance when he returned to the show and ended up being treated by Claire. In his feverous state, Grey told Claire about the time Jamie offered to have sex with him in exchange for protection for his family. A little bit of a mean move, but we'll let him have it because he is just so pure in general.
Roger Wakefield: Leaving A Pregnant Brianna
Oh, Roger, Roger. This character has had more than one instance when he made everyone seriously doubt whether or not he loved Brianna. His clear wish to have a picture-perfect family life led him to undertake some questionable actions and say questionable things. Put mildly, he's a bit of a controlling misogynist.
While we have to remember he wasn't born in the 21st century, that doesn't clear him of all charges. And especially not when it came down to leaving a pregnant Brianna when he realized there was a chance the baby wasn't his. Did he care about the child at all? Minus 100 points to you, Roger.
Brianna Fraser: Temper Tantrums
Only Dougal McKenzie beats Brianna when it comes to being the most polarizing Outlander character. On one hand, she's Claire and Jamie Fraser's child, the best star-crossed lovers to ever exist (move aside Romeo and Juliet). On the other hand, she's not easy to love or even like.
We get that she got her temper from her mother. However, it seems like the DNA took it up quite a few notches. While Brianna hasn't done anything horrible to date, her temper tantrums are enough to make us roll our eyes out of orbit and switch channels. Please grow up, girl.
Dougal McKenzie: Using Jamie's Trauma To His Advantage
On the topic of polarizing characters, let us introduce you to the one and only Dougal Mckenzie. This man is probably the epitome of a Scotsman, with his deep voice, intimidating posture, and strong political beliefs. There were many instances when we hated his guts, but there were also moments when we saw his heart.
Let's leave the good stuff for another day, though. Arguably the worst thing Dougal has ever done was using Jamie's scars as a vehicle to raise money for a Jacobite army. Going to the extent of putting on display what was a hugely traumatic and painful time for Jamie in order to make coin? Wrong, wrong, wrong. Just plain wrong.
Jack Randall: Raping And Torturing Jamie
We could honestly write a list of all the horrible things Black Jack Randall has done ever since he first stepped into the screen, and it wouldn't be enough to cover everything. Randall might just be one of the most violent, sadistic, selfish people ever created as a character. And in a world where Hannibal Lecter exists, that's saying something.
Of course, no one who's ever watched the show will forget Jack raping and torturing Jamie. The way the show handled it was absolutely phenomenal, and all hats down to the showrunners for that. Very few scenes were as disturbing and heart-wrenching as these, putting Jack Randall at the top of the Outlander villain list.
Frank Randall: Cheating On Claire
Book readers are probably not huge fans of Claire's first husband, Frank. And we can't blame them for that, considering just how horrible of a man he was in every aspect. But when it comes to the show version of Frank, the character was very much softened and given traits that would be foreign to the book counterpart.
While book Frank had some unnamed mistresses, show Frank Randall has only one affair. One affair alone is enough to account for the worst thing he's ever done - even though we can almost forgive him, considering the circumstances. Almost.
Murtagh Fraser: Siding Opposite To Jamie
Murtagh can be put in the same boat with Lord John Grey and his godson Jamie. Every time he's on-screen we just want to hug him, thank him, and bake him some cookies. His loyalty to Jamie and Claire is something most of us could only dream of having from our friends and family. Plus, he's both funny and poetic. A true catch!
But Murtagh's perfection took a little bit of a turn when his political views put him at opposite ends of the spectrum to Jamie. As leader of the Regulator Movement, Murtagh was now in direct opposition to Jamie, who swore fealty to Governor Tyron. This put the vows he had made to his godson's mother in jeopardy. Uncool, Murtagh.
Jamie Fraser: Abandoning His Child
Jamie Fraser, the number one heartbreaker born and raised in Scottland. What would Outlander be without him? Probably nothing, really. But as much as we all want to perceive him as a perfect angel, which he is most of the time, he's also has his questionable moments.
Hitting Claire was a pretty bad move, and marrying Laoghaire was... a choice. However, out of all the things he's done, nothing will be quite as bad as abandoning his illegitimate child. No matter how much we understand the circumstances, being a dead beat dad isn't a good look on anyone. Not even someone as beautiful as Jamie.
Claire Fraser: When She Broke Hearts
Claire can be quite insufferable at times, a trait which she clearly passed on to her daughter. But at heart, Claire is a good, honest person who takes pleasure in helping people. She even tried to change the course of history to keep thousands of people from dying. That's pretty neat!
However, not all of her actions are pure. Remember that time when she wanted to ensure Frank's existence, so she broke Alex's heart? And let Mary wed Black Jack Randall, even though she knew he was a sadistic, dangerous man? Even though things turned out right in the end, what she did was still absolutely selfish and wrong.