16 of ‘Outlander’s Most Memorable Reunions, Ranked
On a show like Outlander — which spans through space and time — there’s been plenty of chances for character reunions throughout the first five seasons.
While fans await Season 6 at Starz, which remains delayed due to coronavirus, we’re taking a look back at some of the Outlander‘s most memorable reunions. Sure, the series may be all about Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) love story, but there have been some truly joyous and cringe-worthy moments to revisit.
Below, see how we rank various character reunions from the show’s run and let us know what you think of the list in the comments section.
Outlander, Season 6, TBA, Starz
16. Jamie & Black Jack Randall (Season 2, Episode 5)
After brutally attacking and raping Jamie while he was being held prisoner at Wentworth Prison, it was believed that Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies) was killed. Claire (Caitriona Balfe) learned this wasn’t the case during her visit to Versailles in Season 2 when she met Jack’s brother Alex (Laurence Dobiesz), but in “Untimely Resurrection,” it’s the first time viewers see Jamie and his attacker reunite. Needless to say, it’s very uncomfortable to watch.
15. Claire & Geillis (Season 3, Episode 12)
In Season 1, Claire was rescued from being burned at the stake when Geillis Duncan (Lotte Verbeek) claimed to be a witch. Claire is startled to find Geillis is alive and well nearly 20 years later in Jamaica because she faked her own death. Although this meeting should be somewhat exciting, there’s an edge to their reunion because Claire learned the truth about Geillis’ past after a trip to Scotland in the 1960s. Geillis isn’t afraid to sacrifice others and the audience is even more aware of this because she is holding Claire’s nephew Young Ian (John Bell) captive at the time of their reunion.
14. Claire & Laoghaire (Season 3, Episode 8)
Season 3 is filled with reunions, but perhaps one of the least exciting is between Claire and Laoghaire McKenzie (Nell Hudson). In the past, Laoghaire struggled with the fact that Jamie loved Claire and repeatedly tried to separate them and nearly got Claire killed after accusing that the time traveler was a witch. The bad blood runs deep nearly 20 years later when Laoghaire bursts in on the newly-reunited couple to inform Claire that she’s Jamie’s wife now. Yikes.
13. Claire & Frank (Season 2, Episode 1)
After two years spent gallivanting in the 18th century, Claire returns to the 1940s in order to escape possible death on the Culloden battlefield. Following a teary goodbye with her Highlander husband Jamie, she returns to her own time by touching the standing stones at Craigh na Dun. Once back in Inverness, she reunites with her husband Frank (Menzies) who is concerned when he’s met with a skittish Claire. His uncanny resemblance to ancestor Black Jack Randall doesn’t help things.
12. Claire & the Murrays (Season 3, Episode 8)
While it isn’t the most pleasant reunion, the tension between Claire and her in-laws Jenny (Laura Donnelly) and Ian Murray (Steven Cree) eventually fades after they meet again for the first time in decades. They’re understandably upset when they learn Jamie’s long lost wife is alive, feeling as though Claire could have kept in touch as they’re still unaware that she’s from the future.
11. Young Ian & the Frasers (Season 5, Episode 8)
The last time fans saw Young Ian, he decided to stay with the Mohawk in exchange for Roger’s (Richard Rankin) freedom, so when he turns up at Fraser’s Ridge in Season 5 it’s a joy for his family. But this reunion is anything but happy for Ian who is harboring a lot of pain after losing a loved one that the Frasers are unaware of. The reunion is slightly hollow because of it as Ian’s innate brightness is lacking upon his arrival.
10. Claire & Ned (Season 3, Episode 8)
When Claire arrived in the past, she wasn’t immediately accepted by the Highlanders, but the McKenzie Clan’s lawyer Ned Gowan (Bill Paterson) was quick to show her warmth. The kind old man would converse with Claire and treat her as if she wasn’t a pariah which built a strong bond between them. So it was thrilling in Season 3 to see them reunited at Lallybroch as Jamie dealt with paperwork regarding his now-null marriage to Laoghaire.
9. Jamie & William (Season 4, Episode 6)
In Season 3, Jamie fathered a son that he was forced to abandon for fear of him being labeled a bastard. So Lord John Grey (David Berry) agreed to care for William as his adoptive father with the boy’s biological aunt Isobel (Tanya Reynolds). Thinking he’d never see his son again, Jamie was shocked to see Lord John Grey in the woods of North Carolina with William by his side. Despite some brief awkwardness between the long separated parties, Jamie and William’s reunion was an overall sweet moment.
8. Claire & Fergus (Season 3, Episode 6)
Shortly after Claire arrives in the 18th century and meets Jamie again, she encounters a now-grown Fergus (Cesar Domboy). The former orphan was taken in by Claire and Jamie during their time in Paris and was like a son to her, so his excitement in seeing “milady” again is too cute for words.
7. Jamie & Lord John (Season 3, Episode 3)
As a prisoner at Ardsmuir, Jamie meets Lord John Grey for the second time years after they were introduced amidst war. In Season 2, Jamie encountered John as a young man, taking the English soldier as prisoner and plying him for information. Despite meeting each other a few times at the prison years later, Jamie and Lord John’s real reunion takes place as the Highlander holds the red coat with a sword to his throat. Despite the tense nature of their exchange, it’s a shocking start to what becomes an enduring friendship.
6. Jamie & Murtagh (Season 4, Episode 5)
During a trip to one of North Carolina’s more populated towns, Jamie meets his godfather Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix) for the first time in years after they were separated at Ardsmuir prison. Their meeting occurs after Young Ian tells Jamie that a blacksmith tried to rip him off and so the Fraser attempts to reason with this man only to discover it’s Murtagh. While Ian is confused since he’s never met his uncle’s godfather, Jamie and Murtagh couldn’t be happier. Murtagh’s even more thrilled once he learns Claire has returned to the past as well.
5. Brianna & Roger (Season 4, Episode 13)
In one of the show’s more romantic reunions, Roger returns to Brianna (Sophie Skelton) after he was taken prisoner by the Mohawk. Freed by Jamie and Claire, he was unsure about returning to her or going back to his own time in the future. Eventually he decides that he belongs with Bree and will step up as the father of her child, even if it’s not his own. The paternity was uncertain once Roger learned that Bree had been raped by Stephen Bonnet (Ed Speleers) on the same night they consummated their handfast marriage. Bree’s joy upon seeing Roger ride down the trail to River Run is nearly unparalleled in other reunions from the show.
4. Claire & Murtagh (Season 4, Episode 5)
Following Jamie’s reunion with his godfather, Claire was informed that Murtagh didn’t have any plans to visit them at Fraser’s Ridge. Thankfully the old man didn’t stick to his word as he sneaked up on Claire while she was picking wood. To announce his arrival he decided to whistle the tune to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” a song she introduced him to in Season 1. Claire’s smile couldn’t be any bigger when she spotted her friend a few yards away and their resulting hug gave us all the feelings.
3. Brianna & Jamie (Season 4, Episode 9)
While Jamie never technically met his daughter as a child, Claire was pregnant with Brianna the last time he saw her which qualifies his first meeting with Bree as a reunion. In Season 4, when Bree travels back in time to track down her parents in North Carolina, she first encounters Jamie while he’s relieving himself in an alley. While it isn’t an ideal meeting, the emotions shared between Jamie and Bree in that moment are palpable.
2. Brianna & Claire (Season 4, Episode 9)
One of Outlander‘s most heartbreaking moments takes place in Season 3 as Claire makes the difficult decision to leave her daughter behind in the future as she seeks Jamie in the past. Considering that Claire’s resigned herself to the idea that she’ll probably never see Bree again, their reunion in Season 4 is that much better because of it. Claire’s undeniable shock is worth every second of screen time, especially once she realizes that her family is together for the first time since before Bree’s birth.
1. Jamie & Claire (Season 3, Episode 6)
Could there be any reunion better than Claire and Jamie’s Season 3 print shop scene? After years spent apart through space and time, Claire finally tracks down her Highlander hubby. Following a brief fainting spell upon catching sight of his wife, Jamie recovers enough to learn that his long lost love has returned to him. If ever there was a perfect moment for this couple, it’s when they share a tear-filled kiss and welcome one another back in each others lives.
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