Ever since Claire Fraser first found herself catapulted out of her post-WWII life into 18th century Scotland, Outlander has drawn much of its magic from the ongoing ambiguity surrounding exactly how she got there.
Aside from the fact that she traveled via the stones at Craigh Na Dun, the exact mechanics of Claire's journey long remained just as mysterious to viewers as they were to her. But while Outlander author Diana Gabaldon and original showrunner Ron Moore are both smart enough not to get too bogged down in over-explaining a science fiction concept, a few key hints have emerged over the course of seven seasons which do give us some sense of the rulebook when it comes to century-hopping.
Below, a rundown of what we know about how time travel works in Outlander.
What do you need to do in order to time travel in Outlander?
There are a couple of specific requirements. Firstly, you can't just time travel on a whim; both the location and the timing matter.
Craigh na Dun isn't the only location where time travel is possible–the Abandawe cave in Jamaica and the Ocraco*ke stone circle in North Carolina have both come up as alternatives.
Claire and Jamie, before she returned to Frank.
As far as timing goes, travel seems to be easier at certain times of year, seemingly at times related to the changing seasons. Claire first traveled back in time just after the festival of Beltane (the Gaelic May Day festival which falls between the spring equinox and the summer solstice). Brianna and Roger travelled on the winter and summer solstice respectively.
Alright, so let's say you've got your timing and your location on lock. Not so fast–you'll also need to wear a precious gemstone to ensure that you make it through the centuries in one piece, as Claire and Roger discovered from reading Geillis’ accounts of her travels. "That seems to be another consistent rule to get through so you don’t kill yourself," executive producer Maril Davis has confirmed to IGN.
Brianna, ahead of her first time travel journey.
Who has the ability to time travel?
Here's the unfortunate truth about time travel in Outlander—even if you tick all of the above boxes, there's no guarantee you'll actually be able to do it. In addition to Claire, a number of other characters have been confirmed—or strongly hinted–to be time travelers, including Geillis Duncan, Otter Tooth, Claire and Jamie's daughter Brianna Fraser, and her now-husband Roger MacKenzie, and their two children, Jemmy and Mandy.
Meanwhile Jamie himself is not able to time travel, a fact which has prompted much of the show's most heartbreaking drama. (When Frank briefly sees Jamie in the 1940s? That, according to Gabaldon, is his ghost, not his time-traveling corporeal self.)
Though it's not entirely clear why certain people have the ability to travel while others don't, there's a lot of evidence for the fan theory that it's an inherited trait.
Are there any other limitations on traveling?
Another important rule to keep in mind is that time passes at the same rate, regardless of what era you're in. Though Jamie and Claire were separated by centuries in season three, the same amount of time was passing for them both, and both had aged by the same amount.
"The fundamental concept that Diana established is that when Claire goes into the past and spends two years there, when she returns to the 20th century, two years have also passed," Moore has explained to IGN. "So in the 1968 story, in this season when they start thinking about sending her back again, they realize that twenty years have also passed for Jamie in the past. One of the conceits of this show is when you’re traveling through and spending time, that much time elapses on the other side."
Emma Dibdin is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who writes about culture, mental health, and true crime. She loves owls, hates cilantro, and can find the queer subtext in literally anything.
FAQs
Based on the Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon, there are a few "rules" for this type of time travel using magic stones. A traveler will end up approximately 200 years in the past, based on their own time. Time also runs at a consistent speed, and characters age at the same rate.
Does Claire go back and forth in time in Outlander? ›
Claire, pregnant with Brianna goes back through the stones on April 16, 1746 and reappears in Inverness in 1948, still expecting her first child with Jamie. Twenty years go by before Claire travels again, but in 1968 she goes through the stones for a third time to seek out her lost love Jamie.
Is Jamie a time traveler? ›
Meanwhile Jamie himself is not able to time travel, a fact which has prompted much of the show's most heartbreaking drama. (When Frank briefly sees Jamie in the 1940s? That, according to Gabaldon, is his ghost, not his time-traveling corporeal self.)
How old is Jamie Fraser when he dies? ›
How old is Jamie Fraser when he dies? As revealed in a 2014 interview on the Outlander Podcast, Diana Gabaldon shared that Jamie is approximately 25 years old when he passes away, corresponding to the age of the ghost.
Does Frank know Claire is a time traveler? ›
Claire's time travel secret is known to a select few, including Jamie Fraser, Murtagh Fitzgibbons, and Brianna MacKenzie. Frank Randall accepts Claire's extraordinary tale despite their strained marriage, confirming her incredible journey through historical research.
How does Outlander time travel work? ›
Outlander timeline involves time travel using magic stones, with travelers ending up approximately 200 years in the past. Time runs consistently in both timelines and characters age at the same rate, making it difficult to always keep track of it all.
Why does Brianna go back in time? ›
When she finds the notice of her parents' death in 1776, Brianna sends Roger a box of her belongings and then travels into the past. In 1769, Scotland, Brianna travels to Lallybroch wearing men's clothing. She encounters her cousin Young Jamie, and she introduces herself as Brianna Fraser, daughter of Jamie Fraser.
Why didn't Roger and Brianna go through the stones? ›
Executive producer Maril Davis also notes that, for a multitude of reasons, Roger and Bree believe their family is better off in the present. "They think it's a safer time," she tells EW. "It's not so easy to go through the stones. It takes a toll on your body.
Does Jamie ever go back to the future with Claire? ›
The separation weighs on the family, but even after Jamie suggests Claire go to the future with them, she remains in the past with him, showing that she is done using time travel to escape danger for herself if she can't be with the love of her life.
How does Jamie's Ghost visit Claire? ›
However, the unmistakable feeling Jamie had that he must have been seeing Claire “in her proper time” hints at the possibility of a dream connection that let him see Claire as she was away from him in space and time, even if he was always unable to time travel as Claire and their descendants could.
Jamie has a son named William Ransom with Geneva Dunsany, who died during William's birth. Jamie also has two stepdaughters, Marsali MacKimmie Fraser and Joan MacKimmie, from his marriage to his second wife, Laoghaire MacKenzie.
Who does Claire marry after Jamie dies? ›
A grief-stricken Claire wed Lord John Grey (David Berry) after believing Jamie had died at sea after his ship got caught in a deadly storm. Again, she married for her own protection as the American Revolutionary War ramped up.
Why was Outlander cancelled? ›
Later in the video, Sam Heughan, who plays Jamie Fraser, acknowledged that "every good story has to come to an end." According to Balfe, it just felt like a natural time to bring the show to a close.
Does Jenny ever find out that Claire is from the future? ›
Claire, Jamie and Young Ian return from America to visit, just in time to be with him as he dies, and Jenny whoops and sheds tears at seeing her son again after so long. Claire tells the entire family her true identity of being a time-traveller from the future, but Jenny still views her as a 'witch' or 'faery-woman'.
Does Lord John Grey know Claire is from the future? ›
Claire asks Lord John if he believes she (and Brianna and Roger) are from the future, to which he says that he doesn't, but that he will behave for all appearances as though he does. Approximately two months after their marriage, Jamie appears at Number 17 Chestnut Street. Both John and Claire are thrilled.
Who does Claire end up with in Outlander? ›
But rein yourselves in for a minute, ladies, and let's talk about – well, Jamie, and Claire, and the things from the episode that better darn well show up in the Outlander store. What is this? Yes, Claire is marrying Jamie to avoid being sent back to Randall. Her motivation is fairly clear and straightforward.
What is the series where Claire goes back in time? ›
A World War II army nurse finds herself torn between two lives -- and loves -- when a mystical Scottish landmark hurls her 200 years into the past.
Does Claire go back to the past in season 3? ›
Season Synopsis
The third season of Outlander picks up right after Claire travels through the stones to return to her life in 1948. Now pregnant, she struggles with the fallout of her sudden reappearance and its effect on her marriage to her first husband, Frank.
What episode does Claire return to her time in Outlander? ›
Season 2, Episode 8 – Season 2, Episode 13
Back in Scotland, Claire is pregnant, and Jamie is certain he will perish in the Battle of Culloden. In an act of true love, Jamie insists that Claire returns to her time period for herself and their child.
Does Claire ever go to the future? ›
Claire Fraser
When a pregnant Claire returns to the future in Outlander season 2, she is transported not back to 1945, but instead three years later, showing that time has passed since she first traveled through the stones. In 1968, Claire makes the decision to go back through the stones.
