Outlander season 7 sees the return of Laoghaire as her history with Jamie Fraser comes bubbling to the surface. This character was first introduced back in Outlander season 1 when she became a rather big pain in Jamie and Claire’s sides. Since then, they have hardly been able to be rid of Laoghaire, who has, for better and for worse, left quite an impact on the story in Outlander, even while offscreen. Laoghaire has been absent since season 4, but the big return to Scotland in Outlander season 7, part 2, meant it was finally time for Jamie to work things out with her for good.
After returning to Lallybroch in Outlander season 7, episode 9, Jamie tells Claire that he wants to visit Laoghaire to discuss their past issues. He did his best to make amends for his mistakes, and Claire was gracious enough to put her anger toward Laoghaire behind her so that her husband could patch up his guilty conscience. During Jamie and Laoghaire’s subsequent conversation, they mentioned nearly every stage of their Outlander history together, making a refresher all the more necessary.
Jamie Took A Public Beating For Laoghaire When She Was A Teenager
Jamie Allowed Laoghaire To Believe That He Was Hers
Laoghaire was first introduced in Outlander season 1 when she was supposed to be publically beaten at Castle Leoch at her father’s request. This was standard procedure and meant to humiliate young people who got into trouble rather than truly hurt them. However, it was for precisely this reason that Jamie volunteered to take the beating for Laoghaire instead. He had been flogged twice before and understood that the public shame was what really stuck with a person. He spared Laoghaire of this in Outlander, which marked the beginning of her infatuation with Jamie.
Laoghaire already had a crush on Jamie, but his taking a beating for her confirmed in her mind that he felt the same way in return. Jamie didn’t help matters much by kissing Laoghaire later—that’s as far as it ever went, but in the young girl’s mind, this made Jamie as good as hers. Laoghaire sought Claire’s help, creating a love spell for Jamie to seal the deal, and Claire good-naturedly pretended to throw something together. However, when Claire later married Jamie to keep herself out of Jonathan Randall’s hands, Laoghaire took this as a personal slight.
Laoghaire Believed That Jamie Was Forced To Marry Claire Against His Will
Laoghaire Tried Her Best To Get Claire Out Of The Way
In Outlander season 1, Claire and Jamie had no choice but to get married since it is the only thing that would keep Black Jack Randall from taking Claire. While this was done out of necessity, the pair had already begun to fall for one another. Jamie later admitted that he fell in love with Claire shortly after they met, and Claire’s own attraction toward Jamie was impossible for her to ignore. Their marriage solidified things, and by the time the two arrived back at Castle Leoch they were husband and wife both legally and emotionally. Of course, not everyone was happy with this arrangement.
Laoghaire seemed to have convinced herself that she was doing Jamie a favor when she began her wiles and manipulation to get Claire arrested and tried as a witch.
When Laoghaire learned that Jamie had married Claire, she was devastated. She thought that her crush had been a victim of Claire’s own witchcraft and that he had been forced into a loveless marriage aga inst his will. Laoghaire seemed to have convinced herself that she was doing Jamie a favor when she began her wiles and manipulation to get Claire arrested and tried as a witch. Of course, this all bit Laoghaire in the butt in the end. Claire managed to escape execution, and she and Jamie left Leoch. The Frasers didn’t see Laighaire again for many years after that, though the girl remained steadfast in her “love.”
Jamie Married Laoghaire After The Battle Of Culloden (But Their Marriage Was Annulled)
Jamie Again Made Laoghaire’s Infatuation Even Worse
Years after Laoghaire nearly got Claire killed, Jamie once again made the girl’s infatuation with him even worse. This was after Claire went back to the 20th century, believing that Jamie wouldn’t survive the Battle of Culloden. Of course, Jamie didn’t expect to survive either, and the life that he returned to was one of loneliness and depression. Hoping to improve her brother’s prospects, Outlander’s Jenny Murray encouraged Jamie to marry Laoghaire, who was widowed with two children. Jamie eventually agreed, and though he grew close to Marsali and Joan, his relationship with Laoghaire was never quite that of husband and wife.
After Claire came back to the 18th century, Jamie’s marriage to Laoghaire was annulled since he would technically have already been married when he wed a second time. However, after Laoghaire showed up at Lallybroch and shot Jamie in the arm, it was decided that she would receive alimony. This continued as Jamie and Claire moved to the Americas (with Laoghaire’s daughter, Marsali). However, if Laoghaire were ever to remarry, Jamie’s payments would end, which is where Outlander season 7, episode 9 comes in.
Jamie & Laoghaire Put Their History Behind Them In Outlander Season 7
They Came Up With A Mutually Beneficial Agreement
When Jamie returned to Scotland in Outlander season 7, episode 9, he wanted to pay Laoghaire a visit to put all their messy history behind them. Over the years, he had recognized the part he played in Laoghaire’s pain. Jamie had led her on when she was a girl because of his own complicated feelings for Claire and had married Laoghaire at a point when he really had no heart to give her. Jamie had never been completely honest with the girl, and he hoped to put things right during his visit. Of course, Laoghaire wasn’t too interested in hearing it. It wasn’t until Joan asked Jamie for help that things were truly worked out.
Rather than get married, little Joanie decided to become a nun. However, she explained in Outlander season 7 that she couldn’t begin this process while her mother was living in sin. Laoghaire had started a love affair with her farmhand but couldn’t marry him because there was no way she could keep her home going and support her daughters financially without Jamie’s alimony. At Joan’s request, Jamie agreed to transfer Laoghaire’s property (which Jamie technically owned) to her name. He would also pay the woman a lump sum to ensure her and Joanie’s financial security. All Laoghaire had to do was legally marry her lover.
There had been a variety of bad decisions on everyone’s part, but this arrangement ensured that everyone could happily move on and stay out of one another’s way.
Laoghaire agreed in Outlander season 7, and though the relationship here is still tense, it was a mark that all the trouble between her and Jamie (and Claire, of course) was at a close. There had been a variety of bad decisions on everyone’s part, but this arrangement ensured that everyone could happily move on and stay out of one another’s way. It’s difficult to say whether Laoghaire will again appear in feature seasons of Outlander, but as it stands, the overarching story has come to a happy close—more or less.