Top 30 Best Outlander Moments

#30: Full House of Fraser

“Soul of a Rebel”

Season 8 opens on a disturbing note as Claire murders the human trafficker who claims to have killed their daughter. However the supposedly stillborn Faith built a life, the Frasers lament that they may never know it. Their spirits are then lifted when Brianna, Roger and their children travel from the 1980s for a surprise visit. The 18th century’s hottest couple finally get to be true grandparents as they bake, reminisce, and open gifts from the future. Jamie reading “Lord of the Rings” is particularly charming… providing nobody tells him about “The Hobbit.” The reunion offers much-needed relief for the always overburdened Frasers. That is, until Jamie discovers the date of his death in Frank Randall’s history book.

#29: Jamie Digs a Grave

“Brotherly Love”

It's not an entirely happy homecoming when the Frasers visit Lallybroch during the American Revolution. Ian Sr. succumbs to tuberculosis in his bed, surrounded by his wife Jenny and brother-in-law Jamie. The latter personally digs the grave himself, while talking with his sister about loved ones and the possibility of her some day moving to Fraser’s Ridge. The siblings then contemplate Ian’s spirit as they sit and comfort each other in their ancestral cemetery. It's rare for “Outlander” to so quietly kill off a character as major as Ian Murray Sr. But in doing so, in order to explore the depth of Jamie and Jenny’s bond, the show delivers one of its most poignant moments.

#28: Claire Travels Through the Stones for the First Time

Sassenach

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, or in this case, one stumble through magic stones. This was the moment that started everything, and even though she didn’t immediately land on her feet, it led Claire to Jamie and a life full of adventure. The adventure starts immediately after she wakes up at the foot of the stones with Red Coats and Kilted Scots running around, and guns firing. We also love the monologue where Claire eloquently compares the fall through the stones to being in a car accident– it certainly has the same level of chaos.

#27: Prison Escape

“To Ransom a Man’s Soul”

When Jamie was captured and put into Wentworth Prison with Jack Black Randall as his warden, everyone knew he was in deep trouble. In order to get him out, it took his loyal friends, Claire, creativity and Jamie’s own resolve. Seeing Jamie get tortured is pretty harrowing to watch, but it makes his escape that much more satisfying. It was especially gratifying when Jack gets stampeded by a herd of cattle. Seeing everyone rally together to save Jamie is beautiful, and even though the prison leaves him emotionally and physically scarred, it’s an important part of his story and brings him closer to Claire.

#26: Jamie and Claire Say Goodbye to Ian

“Man of Worth”

We’re sorry to hit you with an emotional scene so soon, but sometimes the most powerful moments come from difficult circumstances. The Frasers finally find Roger after being taken by the Mohawk, but they won’t give him back without a trade. Ian decides to sacrifice his own freedom so that Roger can go back to Brianna, and easily earns himself the best cousin award. It’s a huge sacrifice, and seeing Jamie and Claire tearfully say goodbye to the brave boy is an added punch in the gut. It’s a heartbreaking moment, especially when Ian and Jamie give their final hug and we’re reminded of how strong their bond is.

#25: Remembering Culloden

“The Battle Joined”

Season 2’s accurate dramatization of the Battle of Prestonpans stands out as a harrowing triumph for the Jacobites. The Battle of Culloden seemed unlikely to measure up as the climax of the first quarter of “Outlander.” So it was used as an equally impactful dramatic opening to Season 3. The brutal combat is depicted in a shell-shocked Jamie’s fractured memories as he awakens in the aftermath. It takes a while for him to realize that he has personally slain his nemesis Black Jack Randall. But there's no savoring this personal victory amid the ultimate defeat of the Jacobite Rebellion. The scene of Red Jamie’s survival and vengeance carries a lot of emotions, none of them romantic about the tragedies of war.

#24: Claire Heals John Grey

“Blood of My Blood”

It’s hard to be cordial when someone’s macking on your man. But what happens here between Claire and John Grey is a little more complicated than that. John and Jamie become friends sans Claire, but she and him come face to face in season four when he comes to the cabin. Things are initially prickly between them – John is in love with Jamie, after all. But when John becomes ill, Claire has to heal him. During their time together, the two are brutally honest about their feelings, laying their cards on the table. It’s a real turning point in their relationship, and a very important moment in the series.

#23: Fergus’s Confession

“Faith”

The episode in Season 2 called “Faith” is one of the series’ most gut-wrenching for many reasons. It’s where Claire loses her daughter following Jamie’s duel with Black Jack. But it’s also where we learn exactly why Jamie felt like he had to challenge Jack despite Claire’s wishes. While Jamie is in jail, Fergus opens up to Claire. Thus, we learn what really happened. At a brothel, Black Jack caught Fergus stealing from him, and assaulted him. Jamie heard the screaming, and couldn’t let it slide. It’s a pivotal moment for both Claire and the audience, bringing Jamie’s reasoning into clearer focus.

#22: The Storm Rescue

“Eye of the Storm”

The Season 3 finale of “Outlander” is filled with twists and turns. And just when you think everything is going to be alright, a storm hits. We mean that literally! As Jamie and Claire are sailing back to Scotland, a terrible storm literally hits their ship. During the commotion, she’s tossed overboard. By this point, the pair have lost each other too many times to count. You can bet Jamie isn’t going to let it happen again. He goes in after Claire and saves her from drowning, and we feel his terror through the words he speaks. Ultimately, the two wash up on the shores of America. It’s a new world and a new day for our lovers, and a heartwarming emotional rollercoaster for all of us!

#21: Honey Pot

“Not in Scotland Anymore”

“Outlander” is one of the steamiest shows on television. But one of the things we love about the intimate scenes between Jamie and Claire is how the writers are able to infuse humor into them. In Season 2, the duo encounter the sexually open country of France – more open than the Scotland they know, that is. Claire decides to surprise Jamie by shaving her downstairs area. When he discovers this, he’s more confused than anything else. We love whenever Sam Heughan gets to show off Jamie’s innocent side, and this scene is perfectly funny and sexy at the same time.

#20: “It Doesn’t Hurt a Bit”

“The Ballad of Roger Mac”

The historic Battle of Alamance during the American Revolution holds particular significance to Jamie. He’s reluctantly fighting for the British when he is saved from a Patriot bullet by none other than his uncle. For all of Murtaugh’s lifelong dedication to fighting colonialism, it was superseded by his vow to his sister to protect her son. Consequently, the honorable man is shot by one of his own for saving a Redcoat. The heartbreaking irony emphasizes the true tragedy of war in an otherwise thrilling action sequence. With his dying breath, Murtaugh tells Jamie, [“Dinna be afraid, a bhalaich. It doesn’t hurt a bit to die.”] It was one last bit of wisdom from uncle to nephew.

#19: Wolf’s Brother

“Hour of the Wolf”

Only when joining his uncle Jamie’s mission to negotiate with the Cherokee does Ian discuss his time with the Mohawk. The tribe embraced him for his devotion to their culture. He even married Wahionhaweh, whom he referred to as Emily. Sadly, though, her struggles to carry a baby to term forced the outsider to surrender to another man and leave his chosen family. The lengthy flashback is deeply poetic in its storytelling and the formal establishment of Ian as a leading man. There is of course more tragedy ahead for “Wolf’s Brother.” But when he later tracks down his old tribe, he makes the fantastic discovery that Emily did give birth to his son.

#18: The Other Woman

“First Wife”

One of the greatest moments in “Outlander” is when Claire and Jamie are reunited after decades apart in season three. Frank has died and it seems that Jamie never remarried, so the two should be good to go, right? Wrong! It turns out Jamie has taken another wife. And that wife is Laoghaire, who had tried to have Claire executed the first time she came through the stones – yikes. When Claire finds out, she and Jamie get into a screaming match. Gradually all that passion turns to… well, passion. However, that transition happens before they’re really done hashing things out. Luckily, they have Jenny to break the tension.

#17: Lionel Brown Kidnaps Claire

“Never My Love”

Claire’s article about birth control is met with such controversy around Fraser’s Ridge that Lionel Brown has his men kidnap her. She is then repeatedly subjected to sexual assault. Claire copes by fantasizing about living in the 20th century with Jamie, away from the brutality of his time. Her husband in fact exemplifies it when he rescues Claire, then vengefully orders his men to execute her kidnappers. The ordeal earned both praise and backlash from audiences for its use of violence to advance drama alongside uncompromising commentary on patriarchal moralism. When Claire later confesses to abusing ether to medicate her PTSD, only with tender support is Jamie able to truly save her.

#16: Claire Chooses Jamie

“The Devil’s Mark”

Throughout most of Season 1 of “Outlander,” Claire is more than committed to her husband Frank. But as time wears on, her feelings for Jamie begin to confuse her. When she finally comes clean to her second spouse about being from the future, he agrees to take her back to the stones. But when directly faced with the choice between Frank and Jamie, the decision becomes clear to Claire. In the dead of night, she returns to Jamie and chooses to stay with him. It’s one of the most romantic moments in “Outlander”’s history, and one we won’t soon forget. We don’t think any of us have ever heard such sweet marching orders.

#15: Jamie Saves Claire from Randall

“Both Sides Now”

Claire is a pretty smart cookie. But, much like Jamie, she can get a little hotheaded sometimes. Haunted by a traumatizing encounter with some British soldiers and seeing an opportunity, she makes a frantic choice to head for the stones. However, she’s soon taken by none other than the lackeys of Black Jack Randall. During a terrifying meeting with the evil Redcoat, none other than Jamie swoops in to save Claire from harm. Sam Heughan is wonderful in this scene, equal parts menacing and heroic against Tobias Menzies’s maniacal evil. It’s also just one of the many events that leads to our favorite duo becoming closer in body and soul.

#14: Jamie’s Flogging

“The Garrison Commander”

Claire’s anxious first meeting with Black Jack Randall raises a heated debate of morality in colonialism. The British Army captain eventually exposes his stance on the matter by explaining the origin of the scars on Jamie Fraser’s back. A flashback reveals that Randall was tasked with administering 100 lashes to the young dissident for attempting to escape Fort William. He wound up delivering 200 to intimidate onlookers, even if he couldn’t break Jamie’s spirit. This horrifying story marks a crucial turning point in Claire’s sympathies for the Scottish people under her people’s oppression. More importantly, Randall interpreting his bloody act as a beautiful form of intimacy tells Claire everything about the dangerous sociopath she’s dealing with.

#13: Violent Vows

“The Reckoning”

After Jamie rescues Claire from Black Jack Randall for the first time, the first thing he thinks to do is to strike her for her recklessness. And she's having none of it. Jamie finally comes to terms with her anachronistic stance against corporal punishment as just another danger she has to endure. Thus, he swears on his dagger that if he ever harms her again, he should die by it. Claire, in turn, vows to never bring violence into their home, until she accepts her husband's vow in the heat of passion in the bedroom. As remarkably tasteful as this exchange is in addressing domestic violence, Claire claiming the last word on the matter has its cathartic value.

#12: Brianna and Roger’s Wedding

“The Fiery Cross”

After all they’ve been through together and apart, it’s nice to see them finally come together and tie the knot. It’s a beautiful occasion, Roger and Brianna are glowing, and can we just take a moment to appreciate how Jamie gets his daughter ready for the big day? He gives her his mother’s pearls, all the traditional things like something blue, and he does everything he can to show how much he loves her. Is someone cutting onions here? It’s the most important wedding since Claire and Jamie’s all those years ago, and we are here for it!

#11: The Witch Trial“The Devil’s Mark”

Claire has gotten herself into a lot of tricky situations over the years, and she almost didn’t escape this one. While Jamie is gone, Claire and Geillis are accused of witchcraft, which was a very dangerous accusation back in the 18th century. Things are looking pretty bleak for Claire, until Jamie comes in swords blazing– a truly swoon-worthy moment if we’ve ever seen one! The trial and subsequent rescue gives Claire the confidence to tell Jamie the truth about the whole time travel thing and her husband Frank, and ultimately brings them closer together.

#10: Jamie Sends Claire Back to the 1940s

“Dragonfly in Amber”

Sometimes when you love someone, you have to make difficult choices. Before the finale of Season 2, we know that Claire will somehow end up back in her own time. But seeing how she ends up there is difficult to witness. Before the Battle of Culloden breaks out in earnest, Jamie makes the decision to send her and their unborn child back to the future. He knows he’s probably going to die, and that Claire and the baby will be safer with Frank to take care of them. The intentions here are good, and the reasoning being logical doesn't make it easy. The two share an intense and heartbreaking farewell in front of the stones, and we’re still recovering.

#9: Jamie Gives Fergus His Name

“Uncharted”

When we first meet Fergus, it’s easy to be charmed by his cocky energy. But as we get to know him, we realize there’s a sad kid under the surface who just wants a family. Claire and Jamie are able to give that to him right from the jump, but this moment solidifies their bond forever. During Marsali and Fergus’s wedding, it becomes clear that the latter needs a last name in order to make their marriage official. It’s just a name, and doesn’t take away from the fact that Fergus is basically already his son. But it’s such a quiet and powerful moment, we couldn’t pass it up.

#8: Island Reunion

“Uncharted”

Two lovers running into each other's arms on the beach is a common scene in romance, but Jamie and Claire had a unique way of getting there. After Claire gets kidnapped by the British navy to treat a ship full of Typhoid, she jumps from the ship and eventually gets washed up on the shore. She spends several days searching for Jamie and doing all she can to survive on her own, encountering many terrifying obstacles along the way. By the end, seeing them reunite is a relief, and gives our hearts a much needed break. Just seeing how relieved they are to be in each other’s arms again is enough to give you the warm fuzzies.

#7: Roger and Brianna Reunite

“Man of Worth”

What can we say, we love a good reunion! In this case, it’s Roger and Brianna who are apart for almost a year, and each of them go through hell. Brianna is sexually assaulted by Stephen Bonnet and has a baby, while Roger is beaten, by Jamie no less, and traded to the Mohawk. Their relationship was up in the air for a while, but in this moment, we know everything will be okay and that true love conquers all. While apart, they realize they are stronger together, and we hope it stays that way!

#6: Murtaugh Is Alive

“Savages”

While we love Jamie and Claire, another true star of “Outlander” is none other than Murtagh Fitzgibbons. Murtagh stands in as a father figure (godfather, to be precise), and a confidant for Jamie for much of the series. But after the two are in prison together at the beginning of Season 3, Murtagh disappears from the show for a bit. Jamie is left thinking his friend is dead, until he walks into a blacksmith’s shop in America ready for a confrontation. When he sees that the blacksmith in question is none other than Murtagh himself, we all fall apart. We had been without his comforting presence for so long, and it was wonderful to have him back at last.

#5: Losing Faith

“Faith”

The tension during the Frasers’ exploits in France culminates in Jamie being arrested for dueling Black Jack Randall. The stress causes Claire to go into a premature labor that her baby seemingly doesn't survive. She must nonetheless compose herself to secure Jamie’s release by participating in a trial that claims a friend’s life, then laying with the King of France. Jamie ultimately empathizes with his wife’s trauma through the shared loss of their daughter Faith. The funeral they hold before returning to Scotland is one of the most moving moments the show has ever had. Hence fans’ divided response to Claire learning 30 years later that Faith lived to have her own daughters. The impact of the initial loss still runs deep.

#4: Black Jack Randall Breaks Jamie

A brutalized Jamie is not out of the woods after Claire rescues him from Wentworth Prison. As he contemplates taking his own life from shame, his wife forces him to face what Black Jack Randall did. Jamie thus opens up about how he was finally broken through torture and sexual assault. The graphic depiction of this sensitive subject polarized audiences, including actor Sam Heughan. But Claire supporting her hero was praised for its crucial character development, as well as courageous themes on gender dynamics and surviving trauma. By the time Season 1 ends with the Frasers setting sail for France and Claire announcing that she’s pregnant, Jamie’s will to live is stronger than ever.

#3: Brianna Finds Jamie

“The Birds & the Bees”

There is a lot of significance rolled into this scene that manages to make us both laugh and cry. This is the moment that Bree meets her biological father face to face.They were separated by 200 years, but through the magic of the stones they finally meet, and what a meeting it is. Of course Jamie happens to be peeing on a wall when his daughter finds him, but the moment quickly becomes emotional when she reveals who she is. We collectively lose it when Jamie calls Brianna his babe, and watching them finally hug for the first time puts this moment over the emotional edge.

#2: Jamie and Claire’s Wedding

“The Wedding”

Just like Claire wouldn’t have met Jamie without first falling through the stones, she may have never let herself love him without being forced to marry him. It’s not a modern fairytale situation, but we love how Jamie does everything to make her happy, and shows how thoughtful he is. He hunts down her gorgeous dress, has a ring made and he tenderly guides her through the traditional Scottish wedding ceremony. The wedding night brings them even closer together both physically and emotionally, since they talk and bond before getting to the steamier part of the evening. Sometimes the best things in life require a little push.

#1: Claire and Jamie’s Reunion After 20 Years

“A. Malcolm”

These two were apart for 20 long years, but for us it felt like a lot longer. After Claire realizes Jamie was alive, she travels back through the stones again to find him. When she finally walks into his printshop, Jamie is so overcome with emotion that he faints. Once he wakes up, we get to witness the satisfying reunion we’ve been waiting for, full of emotion and a kiss that was two decades in the making. Clearly the years apart didn’t dim their love, but we’d appreciate it if they weren’t separated for that long ever again!

Which “Outlander” moments still sweep you away? Venture into the comments below?