Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser (Duncan Lacroix) is an honorable man. Godfather to James Fraser (Sam Heughan), Murtagh works to keep Jamie (relatively) safe. Murtagh does his best to take other people under his wing, though he can sometimes come across as standoffish or distant, this Outlander character has a protective nature and is fiercely loyal to those he cares about in both the old world and the new.
That said, the character has done a few questionable things while attempting to hold to what he believes is right.
Murtagh Uses Claire As A “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” Beacon To Find Jamie
While on the search for Jamie who has gone into hiding amid a hefty price on his head, Murtagh and Claire try to find a skit that would attract the lad to them so that they may reunite. At first, Claire worked as a healer and fortune teller while Murtagh danced. That proved to be unfruitful. So, instead of that idea, Murtagh went out and found old, smelly, dirty clothes for Claire to wear while singing and dancing. This idea not only relied heavily on Claire’s talents while Murtagh watched, but it also put the character in rather putrid clothing for each performance.
They coined this character to be the “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” as it was a nod to a popular song from Claire’s life before going through the stones.
Murtagh Fighting With Claire Over The Stress of Losing Jamie
Amid the long search across Scotland for Jamie, Claire and Murtagh begin to lose patience and hope. After traveling from one coast to another, it seems that Jamie might be lost for good. In this fear, both characters begin to blame one another for their lack of success in finding the man in hiding. They even spew some venomous claims of working harder and sacrificing more than their counterpart.
While both Murtagh and Claire were arguing, fans don’t typically complain about this interaction, as this moment proved how important it was for both characters to find Jamie. In the end, it also allowed them to bond in their tribulations.
Murtagh Vocalizes His Admiration Of The Regulators to John Grey
Murtagh, a valiant former Jacobite and founder of the rebel group, The Regulators, is not afraid to discuss political matters at the dinner table. While the Frasers hosted a former Redcoat and current Fraser family friend, Lord John Grey, Murtagh did not consider his audience. Instead, he not only put his hosts in an uncomfortable spot, since they have signed a land grant contract with the opposing force of The Regulators, but Lord John Grey is also a loyalist. This insensitivity to the people around him made this conversation a rather distasteful topic at the dinner table.
Murtagh Antagonizing The English Redcoats
Per classic Murtagh, he can’t help but antagonize his opponents. Whether it be common Scotsmen who have had too much to drink, colonial loyalist, or even the English Redcoats themselves, Murtagh is known for antagonizing those that do not fight for his cause. While it’s amusing to watch him shamelessly taunt a powerful force. Murtagh walks a fine line that could easily get him harmed. Therefore, in terms of self-preservation, this is not the best idea.
Murtagh Extorting Young Ian For A Repair
Murtagh’s reemergence in the show is when Young Jamie is looking for someone to repair a horse bit. However, an aged and grey Murtagh sees the vulnerability of the young lad and extorts the boy for more coin. For someone who doesn’t like getting taken advantage of, this a rather hypocritical display for Murtagh.
Overall, it’d hard to blame a man who is only looking for a few more coins to get by in life.
Murtagh Finding Bonnet In Secret
While it was a misinformed Jamie Fraser that sold Roger to the Mohawk after thinking Roger had raped his daughter, it was an error in judgment, because Roger was not the character to do that to Brianna. It was Stephen Bonnet. To make the situation right, Jamie secretly sends Murtagh to go find the rapist. There were careful instructions to not tell his daughter about her abuser being mistaken for Roger, so Murtagh neglects to tell anyone of this plan and leaves a traumatized Brianna in the lurch.
Murtagh Grabs Jocasta In A Heated Argument
While Murtagh is helping tend to a very pregnant Brianna, he gets in a heated argument with the hostess, Jocasta, over his foolishness over risking his life for another unwinnable cause. This leads to Murtagh angrily grabbing Jocasta. While a man should never touch a woman in anger, it seemed to work to his benefit, as the next scene with the two characters shows them in bed together—both of whom are acting rather pleased with their experiences.
Murtagh Creates Radical Group Of Regulators
Murtagh is known to be a character that fiercely believes in his moral code. When picking his battles, the honorable Scotsman will always side with the party he relates to. This motivation constructed the rebel group, The Regulators, which attempts to find justice in the tax hikes to colonists and push back against England’s oppressive forces. While this is mean to be an honorable thing, The Regulators are notorious for torturing loyalists, tax collectors, and others that agree and enforce England’s legislature in the New World.
Given that Jamie signed a contract to support the crown, this puts a huge moral barrier between Jamie and Murtagh.
Murtagh Has An Affair With The Sister Of His Long Lost Love
It doesn’t seem quite right that Murtagh Fitzgibbons, who held a love so fierce for Jamie’s late mother (Ellen MacKenzie) to the point at which he would pledge his life to Jamie, would find romantic companionship with Ellen’s sister, Jocasta. But, in the fifth season, that flirtation is confirmed. Audiences can’t help but wonder what Ellen would say. However, maybe she would be happy that Murtagh has found some happiness, even if it’s with her sister.
Murtagh Inciting Torture Of Loyalist Colonists
Whether or not Murtagh was the individual that explicitly told his band of rebels to torture loyalist taxpayers, he still incited the violence. Not only did this make Murtagh a wanted man, but it also ended up costing the man his relationship to Jamie, who had to release him of the vow to protect his godfather.
When all is said and done, Murtagh is an honorable man, but sometimes his stubbornness can do more harm than good. This heartbreaking scene left fans screaming at their television screens, desperately hoping Murtagh and Jamie will find their way back to each other again.
