OUTLANDER season 1 featured Claire making a decision to stay with Jamie in the past. But, is there more to this moment?
Outlander season one saw Claire Randall (played by Caitriona Balfe) make the heartwarming decision to stay with Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) in the past instead of returning to the present. However, one fan has pointed out how there could be more to this moment and perhaps Claire stayed because she was unable to travel through the stones. Here’s everything you need to know about this theory.
Did Claire stay with Jamie because she could not travel back through the stones?
Outlander viewers will remember one of the most beautiful moments between Claire and Jamie came in season one.
After the pair were married in order to keep Claire safe, feelings began to grow between them.
However, Claire only really revealed her true feelings for Jamie in episode 11 after he had helped save her from being burned at the stake as a witch.
They escaped and Claire revealed to him the truth about her past and how she is really a time traveller from the future.
Outlander theories: Did Claire stay with Jamie because she could not time travel back?
Outlander theories: Fans love the romantic moment
Jamie believed everything she said before he took her to the stones at Craigh Na Dun himself so she could travel back to Frank Randall (Tobias Menzies).
Fans will recall how he left her at the stones and said he would wait by their campfire until nightfall to make sure she had travelled home safely.
Then in the next scene viewers watched as Claire returned to Jamie, deciding to stay in the past with him after all.
However, as viewers never saw Claire make the decision to stay at the stones, some have pointed out there might be more to the story.
Outlander theories: Why did Claire choose to stay?
Outlander theories: Season one saw Claire in danger from Randall
One fan posted on Reddit about how given Claire did not have a gemstone to travel, as has been necessary in later series, she might have just failed to travel to the present.
User MistyHearts wrote: “When Jaime brings Claire to Craigh na Dun to go back to her own time, and she chooses not to, did she even have a gemstone to use in order to go back?
“I don’t think that Geillis mentioned it to her because of how impromptu the explanation was (being in the middle of an angry court and showing a smallpox vaccination isn’t really the best time to explain how the stones work).
“I realize that if the story went more in depth about the way the stones worked, it would defeat the importance of her decision, but think about it for a minute.
“What if Claire decided to go through the stones, but it didn’t work, so she had to go back to Jaime?
“I’m glad that she decided to stay with Jaime, but I do wonder if how the stones work affected her decision at all.”
Fans will know how changeable time travel can be given how it can be impacted by time of year and the need for gemstones so it is possible Claire would not have been able to travel.
Although some other viewers pointed out it does not seem Claire needs a stone to be able to travel.
User Anglophile1014 explained: “In the books, Claire doesn’t need the stones to travel. They only help her ‘focus’ her journey.”
As well as this, some other fans pointed out how there was more explained about this moment in Diana Gabaldon’s book.
Whiskynwine wrote: “The book was much clearer in regards to her staying with Jamie.
“There was no doubt as to why she stayed, the show version was lacking IMO.
“I love the show but I do think a little more insight into her decision would have been helpful for viewers.”
Therefore, it seems while there was some ambiguity in the moment, Claire did make a decision to stay with Jamie based on love.
Given the importance of the moment for the pair, it’s also possible they might discuss it more when season six returns.
