For the past five years, fans have had the pleasure of following Claire Fraser’s story on Outlander. When fans were first introduced to Claire, she was a young woman who was still trying to come to terms with the world. Claire was also about to start her second honeymoon with Frank after spending several years on the frontline as a nurse.
Fast forward 25 years and she is a completely different woman. She’s confident, successful, and very brave. Claire would also put up a fight when she needs to – especially if her family is in danger. However, this is not to say she was perfect.
Her Vocal Opinions
A lot of fans respect Claire for not following the normal patriarchal expectations. However, the viewers can’t help but hide behind closed fingers when she becomes too vocal as it often leads to her getting into trouble. In season 1, she flaunted her knowledge of the twentieth-century so much that she ended up getting trialed for witchcraft.
In season 2 of Outlander, she got on the wrong side of the Duke of Sandringham and Comte St. Germain after getting their stock destroyed. Even in season 5, she ended up getting into a rivalry with the Brown Brothers. Unfortunately, this rivalry had terrible consequences for Claire as she ended up getting assaulted. It seems the consequences of challenging the patriarchal society just keep on getting worse as time went on.
Her Recklessness
Another aspect of Claire’s character arc that has gradually got worse over time is her recklessness. It seems that Claire has also accrued a penchant for trouble as she has seen to take the law into her hands. In season 1, she orchestrated the Wentworth prison break to help free Jamie.
In season 4, she helped Jamie free Stephen Bonnet and in season 5, she robbed a dead body and performed an illegal autopsy. It’s quite surprising that she hasn’t ended up in prison yet…
Playing God
Claire’s need to play God has also gotten worse over the years, with the surgeon often pushing the boundaries of morality. In season 1, she started with the simplest things, such as using her medical knowledge to cure deadly illnesses. However, as time went on, she wanted to go big and change significant events.
For instance, in season 2, the viewers saw her prevent a pox outbreak. She then wanted to prevent the Battle of Culloden. After that, Claire attempted to create penicillin 100 years earlier and began performing illegal autopsies. Her methods prove she means well but rushing the process seems to get her and her family into trouble…
Self-Righteousness
While many viewers understand Claire’s frustrations with being placed 200 years in the past, her self-righteous attitude has started to rub fans up the wrong way. Particularly as she forgets the likes of Jamie, Marsali, and Fergus aren’t a product. Remember when she secretly mocked Laoghaire for asking for a love potion in season 1?
Or when she laughed at Jamie’s superstition beliefs? What about when she insisted it was wrong to own slaves but had no problems with Jamie buying and essentially stealing the Natives’ land? Claire’s self-righteous attitude does come a bit condescending at times…
She Keeps A Lot Of Secrets
Out of all the characters on the show, Claire is the one who is prone to keeping secrets. Understandably, she kept a big secret from Jamie about her origins. However, once she told him the truth, the viewers were led to believe that they were being honest with one another. Turns out this wasn’t the case…
In season 2, Claire kept Randall’s survival a secret for a while because she wanted to protect Frank. In season 4, she refused to reveal the identity of Brianna’s attacker, which meant Roger was beaten by Claire. If she expects Jamie to be honest then maybe she should start being open too.
Too Perfect
When fans first met Claire, there was still a lot of character growth to be explored. She was young, fiery, and still attempting to find her place in the world. Add to the fact that she was thrown 200 years into the past, Claire had a lot to learn. Although she made quite a few mistakes, Claire managed to learn from them and grow.
However, in season 3, it seems that Claire hasn’t grown very much. She’s always seen as the voice of reason, she never makes any mistakes, and her surgical skills seem to be on point – as if she feels like she knows everything she needs to know. It feels as if her character growth has just been stopped.
Her Actions Affect Other People
Another aspect of Claire’s personality that has gradually gotten worse over time is her inability to see the consequences of her actions. As many fans know, Claire has had her own hidden agendas that have affected those around her. She sabotaged Alex and Mary’s relationship for her own benefit and made Jamie promise not to kill Captain Randall because of Frank.
Despite agreeing to try again with Frank, her inability to let Jamie go ended up putting a strain on her marriage. Even her decision to keep Brianna’s assault a secret ended up having consequences for Jamie, Ian, and Roger. Maybe she should start thinking things through before she acts…
Her Relationship With Jenny
Another aspect of Claire’s character arc that has significantly gotten worse over time has been her relationship with Jenny. As fans know by now, Jenny and Claire haven’t had the easiest of relationships. When they first met, Claire and Jenny were seen to clash. They got along better once Claire helped Jenny give birth.
However, their relationship became strained once again when Claire went back to the twentieth-century. Jenny and Claire were seen to clash again later on as the surgeon discovered Jenny was responsible for Laoghaire and Jamie’s marriage. Although they made up before Claire left for Jamaica, it looks like their relationship will dive once Jenny discovers Claire’s secret.
Her Compassion Seems Unrealistic
Everyone knows that Claire is a compassionate person. It is one of the things most people love about her, However, in terms of writing, her compassionate nature doesn’t exactly feel authentic or real after a while. For instance, in season 2, she attempted to save the Comte despite the nobleman attempting to kill her and orchestrating a rape attempt.
In season 3, the viewers again saw Claire attempt to save the life of a man who tried to rape her. Not to forget how she was still willing to heal Lionel Brown after the vicious assault he orchestrated on her in season 5. Everyone knows how dedicated she is to her Hippocratic oath but why do the viewers never see it waver? It doesn’t make sense from a writing standpoint…
The Writing For Her Character
When Claire was first introduced to the show, she had some of the most intriguing plots in Outlander. She was thrown into the 17th century, forced to adapt to the Scottish accustoms, and attempted to make a return to Frank. She was also involved in some groundbreaking storylines, including a male rape plot and a miscarriage.
However, a lot of her storylines now have become repetitive and a little gratuitous. Over the last couple of years, viewers have seen Claire assaulted and attacked, her being separated and reunited from Jamie and a lot of medical-based stories. It’s a cycle that has been constantly repeated, which has led to some viewers getting bored. Hopefully, there will be more intriguing plots in the next season…
