Already have an account?
Get back to the

‘Outlander’ Premiere Recap: Bye, Jamie! Claire Fraser Jumps Forward in Time

Sam Heughan as Jamie and Caitriona Balfe as Claire on 'Outlander'
Sam Heughan as Jamie and Caitriona Balfe as Claire on 'Outlander'

Gird your loins, Outlander is back for season 2! Everyone's favorite Highlands bodice-ripper dropped a major time jump on viewers' laps during the Saturday, April 9, premiere, kicking off the show with Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) in 1948. Keep reading to find out why Claire's back in her own time period, and what that means for her relationships with 18th-century Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and 20th-century Frank Randall (Tobias Menzies)—both of whom are her husbands. #Awkward

Bros in Different Area Codes

Welcome to 1948! Claire wakes up in the magical rocks of Craigh Na Dun and is devastated to realize that she's back in her own time. After stumbling down a paved road in a state of shock and looking like she just escaped a local Ren faire, Claire is picked up by a friendly old man, who tells her the British defeated the Jacobites in the Battle of Culloden. Claire inexplicably breaks down weeping, and is carted off to a local hospital, where she's all "what is life, even," and eventually reunites with her husband. No, no — not Jamie (he's stuck in the past). We're talking Claire's first husband, Frank, who she's completely freaked out by due to the fact that a) she's just not that into him, and b) he looks identical to his ancestor, known rapist/murderer Captain Jack Randall.

Despite feeling displaced and confused, Claire accompanies Frank to a local priest's house, where she obsesses over whether or not Jamie died in the Battle of Culloden and completely ignores Frank. Good times.

Baby, Baby, Baby, Oh, Baby

Despite seeming completely disinterested in Frank, Claire is eventually like, "Look, I time traveled and got married to another man, mmmk?" (Note: not actual quote). Weirdly, Frank believes her story and even says he's ready to move forward in their marriage. The problem? Claire tells Frank she's pregnant, and after one supersad moment where he thinks the kid is his, he realizes Claire is carrying another man's child and reacts in the worst way possible: by threatening to punch Claire in the face. So not OK.

Frank eventually calms down, and after a pep talk from his priest friend (in which he admits that he's sterile) decides he is willing to raise Claire's child — but only on the condition that the kid never knows the truth about Jamie. Considering that Jamie asked Claire to move on with her life, she readily but reluctantly agrees to Frank terms.

With their marriage back on, Claire and Frank head to Boston and start a new chapter in their lives, but as Claire steps off the plane and takes Frank's hand, viewers are catapulted back to the 18th century, where she and Jamie have just arrived in Paris. (Note: Time travel is superconfusing, but essentially the rest of this episode is a giant flashback to the events preceding Claire's arrival in 1948.)

The Time Traveler's Husband

Claire and Jamie seem more in love than ever in Paris, but let's not forget about their cunning plan to change history (totally normal #relationshipgoals). While Jamie seems a little stressed about reversing the course of the Jacobite rebellion, Claire is determine to stop the failed uprising and save Highland culture from being wiped out. Phase 1 of the plan? Hooking up with Jamie's cousin Jared (Robert Cavanah), a known Jacobite ally who vouches for them after seeing the scarring on Jamie's back. Not only that, but Jared lets Claire and Jamie stay in his mansion in exchange for running his wine business while he's on a work trip. Double win!

Sounds like everything's going great, right? Wrong. Not only is Jamie still suffering from his sexual and emotional assault at the hands of Jack Randall, Claire makes herself a new enemy when she comes across a smallpox-ridden seaman. Basically, she tells everyone within earshot that smallpox is aboard a docked ship, and its owner, the Comte St. Germain (Stanley Weber), has to witness it being burned to the ground by the Port Authority. Not exactly a smart move on Claire's part, but, hey — in the words of Jamie, "I wouldn't change you to save the world."

Tell Us: Do you think 1948 Claire will make her way back to Jamie?

Outlander airs on Starz on Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET.

In this article

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!