Outlander fans are convinced Frank knew lots about time travel
Outlander’s Frank Randall, portrayed by Tobias Menzies, had a complex relationship with his wife Claire Fraser, played by Caitríona Balfe, especially after she returned from the past pregnant with the child of 18th-century Highlander Jamie Fraser (played by Sam Heughan), with whom she had fallen in love.
However, Frank’s love and devotion to his daughter Brianna MacKenzie, played by Sophie Skelton, were unwavering.
Despite struggling to come to terms with Claire’s incredible tale of time travel and Jamie Fraser, Frank seemed to harbour a secret belief in the story, even going so far as to research the Scot in historical records.
Furthermore, it appears that Frank had a premonition that Claire, and possibly Brianna, would one day travel back in time to be with Jamie.
As a result, it seems that Frank prepared his daughter from a young age for the possibility that she might go in search of her biological father.
Fans took to Reddit to speculate about Frank’s knowledge of Jamie, time travel, and how he equipped Brianna with the skills she would need if she were to travel through the stones.
One user posted on the forum: “He knew Claire and probably Bree would go back when Bree was young, because he started “training” from her from an early age.
“I’m sure she mentioned when she started horseback riding, handling a knife or gun, or fishing (one of the skills) and a rough age but I can’t recall the book or the scene.”
The user elaborated: “He had a great interest in Jamie, Fraser’s Ridge, and the revolution early enough to have researched, written, edited, and published a book before he died.”
They continued: “I still believe Frank’s background in military intelligence played a role in his research.”
Another fan concurred, saying: “Yes, it definitely feels like he knew A LOT more than we know right now because of his background in t he military intelligence, maybe even about time travellers.
“Maybe he believed Claire’s story because of her 18th century outfit or he knew more before then because of his connections with Roger’s father for example.
“My question is, could’ve he known other time travellers too (and also about their abilities) or could’ve he had someone on the “inside” (like someone who could travel in the same time period as Claire and Bree)?”
Meanwhile, another individual confessed: “I also feel like a complete moron 20 years into this not realizing or thinking about Frank at all actively training Bree to be in the past though it is all so obvious now after reading here [sic].”
And yet another remarked: “Frank knew Claire would return to past while Bree was still a little girl.
“I believe he corresponded with the Reverend frequently, and the Reverend kept tabs.
“I believe he knew Jaime was alive the whole time, and didn’t tell her out of fear he could be the catalyst that would set events in motion of Claire going back and taking Brianna. One thing we know for sure, he knew they BOTH went back [sic].”
This points to Frank being acutely aware of his daughter’s destined journey through time, taking steps to facilitate this.
Brianna’s skills, honed by Frank’s teachings, starkly contrast with her husband, Roger MacKenzie (Richard Rankin), who faced challenges due to his lack of practical abilities in historical settings.
Roger grappled considerably with adapting to the past—a series of unfortunate and harsh encounters awaited him, including Jamie’s accidental attack under the misconception that Roger was responsible for assaulting Brianna.
Moreover, Roger miraculously survived a wrongful hanging, an event that left deep psychological scars.
Despite the trials, Roger eventually carved out a niche for himself within the church, finding stability and purpose with his family in times gone by.