Despite Jamie and Claire being the most popular ‘ship on Outlander, fans couldn’t help but hold a soft spot for Claire and Frank. Before Claire was married to the Highlander, the WWII nurse was happily married to Frank and was committed to returning to him after she fell through the stones. Frank, too, never gave up on her return.
However, their relationship was beyond repair when Claire decided to spend the rest of her life with Jamie. Yet, it didn’t stop Claire from trying to make sure Frank got his chance of happiness. Would you like to see some examples? Keep reading to discover the 5 worst things Claire did to Frank, as well as the 5 most heroic things she did for him.
WORST: Choosing Jamie
One of the worst things Claire did to Frank (and the most obvious entry on the list) had to be when Claire chose Jamie. In “The Devil’s Mark,” the love triangle between Frank-Claire-Jamie came to a close when the future surgeon chose to stay in the eighteenth-century instead of returning to Frank.
While Claire was happily starting her new life with Jamie, Frank was still looking and waiting for her return. Couldn’t she have managed to find a way to communicate to Frank that she was okay? Who knows what would have happened to him if she didn’t return.
HEROIC: Agreeing To Lead Separate Lives
In the season 3 episode “All Debts Paid,” Frank and Claire no longer appeared to be in a romantic relationship and are beginning to lead separate lives. Despite the pair raising Brianna together, Frank admits to Claire that he had begun to see someone to which Claire says she doesn’t mind.
Later in the episode, the viewers learn it was Claire’s idea for the two to lead separate lives. It is also revealed that Claire won’t press for a divorce because Frank believes he wouldn’t be able to see Brianna. However, if news got out that Frank had been having an affair, it would have caused a scandal for their family. Yet, Claire was willing to risk that so he could be happy.
WORST: Having Another Man’s Baby
Fans will agree that Claire and Frank’s reunion was one of the most awkward scenes in the entire series. In “Through a Glass Darkly,” Frank receives news that Claire has been found and rushes to meet her at the hospital. While he is there, he tells Claire that he has reserved a couple of rooms at Reverend Wakefield’s place.
Later in the episode, Claire begins to tell Frank where she has been for two years and what happened after she fell through the stones. While the viewers can see that it’s hard for Frank to digest that his wife had fallen in love with another man, he is utterly devastated to learn that she is pregnant with his child. It’s not even surprising that Frank takes some time to process what should happen next.
HEROIC: Staying Quiet At Frank’s Gathering
One of the hardest things Claire has ever had to do was hold her tongue in front of Frank’s colleagues so she didn’t embarrass him. In “The Battle Joined,” Claire joins Frank at one of his work events, where the history professor can be seen debating about American politics.
Claire takes an interest in the conversation and tries to put in her two cents. However, the Dean shuts her down with his sexist and patronizing comments, telling Frank he will have to watch her reading habits. When the Dean insinuates his belief that her place is in the home, you can see her biting her tongue. Yet, she agrees to his statement as to not show Frank up.
WORST: Telling Frank She Wasn’t In Love With Him
One of the worst moments in Claire and Frank’s relationship had to be when the surgeon admitted she would have never loved him in the way he wanted. This was after Claire returned to the twentieth-century and her and Frank’s relationship was broken beyond repair.
In the penultimate fight, Frank asks Claire if she would have loved him if enough time had passed and Brianna wasn’t a constant reminder of Jamie. Considering that he was moving to England and starting a new life, it would have been easier if Claire had just lied. Instead, she tells Frank no, and that it would never happen. Ouch.
HEROIC: Willing To Let Frank Go
One of the most heroic things Claire did for Frank was when she gave him a choice about their marriage. In “Through The Glass, Darkly,” Claire told Frank that she was pregnant with Jamie’s child. She also says that he deserved to know so he could decide his future.
Considering that Claire wouldn’t have been able to support herself and a child, it was quite brave of her to let Frank know that she didn’t want him to feel obligated into staying. It’s not even the last time she asks Frank if he wants an out on their relationship as she can see how miserable he is (“All Debts Paid”). Despite what his mistress believed, Frank made all his own decisions.
WORST: Sleeping With Frank To Fill A Void
One of the lowest points of Frank and Claire’s relationship was when the surgeon began to sleep with Frank to fill the void Jamie left. In “Surrender,” Claire began to struggle with the separation between herself and Jamie and turned to Frank for comfort. On the first night they reconnected, Frank was led to believe it was because she “missed her husband” - thinking it was himself.
However, it soon becomes clear to him that she means Jamie when the historian notes that she closes her eyes whenever they are intimate. He then accuses her of picturing Jamie and not him, which causes Frank to walk out on her. If Claire wanted to hurt Frank then she certainly succeeded.
HEROIC: The Brianna Situation
One of the most heroic things Claire did for Frank was helping to protect his image in Brianna’s eyes. In “Dragonfly in Amber,” Brianna found out the truth about her paternity when she came across the article that reported her mother’s return.
As fans know, Claire and Brianna got into a fight, which escalated quickly when Brianna accused Claire of having an affair while she was married to Frank. Instead of revealing Frank’s infidelities, Claire allows Brianna to lash out and is forced to listen to her daughter wish she was dead instead of him. Claire doesn’t even reveal the truth about Frank’s other life until Brianna spots his mistress at his memorial service.
WORST: The Final Fight
In “All Debts Paid,” Frank and Claire’s relationship ended after the historian demanded a divorce and told her that he was moving to England. He also told her that he was going to ask Brianna to come with him while Claire remained in America.
She demeans the relationship between Brianna and Frank by saying he had no right to take her daughter when he isn’t her real father. She also tells him their relationship would never have gotten back on course because she would have always loved Jamie. Sadly, these are the last memories Frank would have had of Claire, as he died soon after.
HEROIC: Ensuring His Existence
Despite Claire choosing to remain in the eighteenth-century with Jamie, she still proved her love for the historian when she ensured Frank could live. In “Untimely Resurrection,” Claire was forced to work against the clock as Jamie challenged Jack Randall to a duel that could have ultimately affected the future.
Worried that Frank wouldn’t exist if Jamie killed the Captain, Claire made Jamie promise to put his vengeance on hold for a year. She also ruined the relationship between Alex Randall and Mary Hawkins because she believed that Jack was Frank’s rightful ancestor. After everything, she still wanted to do right by Frank - even if it was at the cost of her family.
