James Fraser vs Frank Randall

Alright you thirsty 'Outlander' fans, it's time to have the talk.

Claire Beauchamp has a choice in the first season of 'Outlander' between staying in pretty gross 18th century Scotland with a beefcake himbo named Jamie Fraser and coming home to pretty okay 1945 England with a mediocre professor named Frank Randall.

Oh, what a choice.

And I mean that in all sense of irony because the choice is barely a choice to be honest with you. As gross as the 18th Century was, if I could spend every night being cuddled AND protected by a giant redheaded Scotsman who respected me, I would.

Yeah, I may be biased in this choice because I would choose Jamie, but I mean Frank has some okay qualities. I had to rewatch the first two seasons to find them but they are there.

Imagine having being pregnant with anothers mans baby, and then Frank comes in and genuinely loves this baby like they're his own child. Raising them, caring for them, loving them, protecting them. Helps them with their history homework, teaches them about the world, and helps them cultivate their personality.

Frank was as much Brianna's Father as Jamie was. I respect that, and like Claire, I would also find that extremely hot.

Frank has an abysmal attitude toward Claire and their relationship, but he never took that out on Brianna, she was the raft that kept them civil.

Let's make a proper list of what each man has to offer Claire. I think it'll be easier that way for all of us to see what the situation is. I'm going to start with Frank because his list will take me forever.

Frank Randall:

Pros: Cons:

• Caring - Anger Issues
• Smart - Jealous
• Provider - Territorial
• Understanding - Possessive
• Fighter - Selfish
• Adaptable - Emotionally Abusive

Overall, Frank is not a bad person, he's just put in a situation where he makes bad decisions. He was married to the love of his youth, he chose to stay with her. He tried to do the honorable thing and raise a child that biologically wasn't his, but he was selfish. Claire offered him divorce and he said no, and when he did want it she did agree to it but his mistress made it sound like it was Claire's fault and that SHE was the selfish one. Clearly, Frank was lying to the mistress because he did still love Claire on some level. He also kept Claire from going back to Jamie when he found out that he did survive Culloden. They fell in love but didn't grow as a couple together because of World War 2, I think they would've gotten divorced whether Claire fell through time or not.

Jamie Fraser:

Pros: Cons:

• Respectful - Borderline Toxic Masculinity
• Protective - Political
• Fighter - Easily Manipulated
• Genuine Love - Possessive
• Honest - Hard Personality
• Dedicated - Honorable to a fault

Obviously, I am also in love with Jamie Fraser, but I recognize his faults. In his time, women should be compliant to the men, and Claire is fiercely independent no matter the time frame and it drives him crazy. He is possessive like Frank, he wants Claire for himself except he can let her go for her own good whereas Frank couldn't. I say 'hard personality' because he can be fierce in his beliefs with what he believes is right and wrong, there's not a lot of gray area with him. And when I say 'honorable to a fault' its because he basically has to be forced to make a bad decision for the greater good, like when he and Claire tried to stop the funds from getting the Prince Charlie in Paris. It nearly killed him to be deceitful on purpose and it went against his character, which is probably why Season 2 is so compelling but hard to watch.

Overall, they are good men, but Claire and Jamie are soulmates and I don't use that phrase lightly. Mainly because I hate it because it's such a cliche and in real life circumstances I don't believe in soulmates but in literature, I believe Jamie and Claire are soulmates and are meant to be together, it kills me every time when their forced to spend 20 years apart.