The new Outlander prequel, Blood of My Blood, has captivated audiences with the love stories of Jamie’s parents, Brian and Ellen, and Claire’s parents, Julia and Henry. As fans dive deeper into the series, they have begun crafting elaborate theories that connect hidden dots and propose mind-bending possibilities for the future. These fan ideas explore everything from secret identities to massive time loops, reshaping how viewers watch the show.
Jamie’s Brother Might Actually Be Claire’s Brother
One of the most shocking theories suggests a hidden family connection that would make Jamie and Claire’s relationship even more intertwined. The idea proposes that Jamie’s older brother, Willie, who died of smallpox in childhood, was not Brian and Ellen’s biological son. Instead, he was actually Claire’s baby brother, William.
In Blood of My Blood, Julia and Henry have a baby boy named William. The theory suggests that for his safety, William is secretly adopted and raised by Brian and Ellen Fraser. If true, this would mean that Jamie grew up with Claire’s biological brother, and he ultimately named his own son after him. This creates a deeply tragic yet beautiful circle, as Claire would have a connection to the brother she never knew through the man she loves.
Claire’s “Dead” Parents Are Raising Her “Dead” Daughter
Another popular theory creates a poignant family reunion across time. It suggests that Claire’s first daughter, Faith, who was stillborn in France, did not actually die. Fans speculate that the healer Master Raymond used his powers to save her.
The theory then connects this to Claire’s time-traveling parents. After Julia and Henry went through the stones, they may have been given a baby girl to raise—their own granddaughter, Faith. This would mean Claire’s parents, who never got to raise her, are instead caring for the daughter she thought she lost forever. The appearance of the song “I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside” in Outlander Season 7, a tune Claire sang to Faith, supports this idea for many fans.
The Source of All Time Travel Powers
Some fans are looking far back in history to explain the origin of the time travel ability. A widespread theory proposes that Master Raymond is not just a time traveler but the ancient source of the time travel gene. Believed to be an immortal from around 500 BC, he is thought to have seeded this genetic ability throughout history.
This would mean that both the Fraser and Beauchamp families are his distant descendants, which is why Jamie and Claire were destined to find each other. The blue healing aura that both Claire and Master Raymond possess is seen as the genetic marker of this ancient bloodline. This theory reframes the entire Outlander saga as part of an elaborate plan set in motion millennia ago.
Claire’s Parents Were on a Secret Mission
Were Julia and Henry’s actions truly an accident? Some theorists believe their journey was deliberate. This theory challenges the idea that Claire’s parents stumbled through the stones by chance. Instead, it suggests they knew about the stones and their powers before their trip to Scotland.
Fans point to the suspicious decision to leave baby Claire with Uncle Lamb during what was supposed to be a romantic holiday. The car crash may have been a cover story for their planned disappearance into the past. The most detailed versions of this theory propose they were sent to correct a historical event or retrieve something of great importance, with their separation being part of the mission.
The People Claire Thinks Are Her Parents Are Imposters
This theory presents an even darker twist on Claire’s parentage. It proposes that the real Henry and Julia Beauchamp did die in the car crash. The people who traveled back in time and are presented as her parents in the prequel are, in fact, completely different individuals who have assumed their identities.
This would mean Claire has no genetic link to the time travelers she believes are her mother and father. Her own time-travel ability would then come from another, unknown source. This could lead to a revelation in Outlander Season 8 that Claire’s true parentage connects her to other characters already established in the story.
A Crossover Event Is Coming in Season 8
Despite showrunners stating the two shows will not directly intersect, many fans are convinced a major crossover is inevitable. The timing of Blood of My Blood‘s release just before the final season of Outlander seems too deliberate to be a coincidence.
This theory suggests that Season 8 will feature flashbacks or revelations that directly tie into the events of the prequel. While it might not involve characters physically appearing in both shows, the stories could be linked by shared information that changes how we view Jamie and Claire’s entire journey, perhaps revealing that their love story was secretly guided by their parents’ actions.
The Forget-Me-Nots Were a Message from the Past
A smaller, yet emotionally powerful theory focuses on a specific detail from the original Outlander. When Claire first encountered the standing stones at Craigh na Dun, she noticed a patch of forget-me-not flowers growing nearby.
Fans now speculate that these flowers were not there by chance. They believe Julia and Henry planted them as a living message for the daughter they were forced to leave behind. The flowers would serve as a permanent, growing reminder of their love and memory, meant to subconsciously guide Claire or offer a small comfort from a past she never knew.
“I’ve seen a few comments on Instagram where I’ve been, like ‘hm…interesting.’ But also, some of them are theories that we don’t even know the answer to,” said actress Hermione Corfield, who plays Julia Beauchamp, confirming that the cast follows fan speculation.
The Grave at Lallybroch Is a Time Travel Anchor
This theory takes a metaphysical approach to one of the series’ earliest mysteries: Jamie’s gravestone at Lallybroch that Frank Randall saw in the 1940s. Fans propose the grave is more than just a marker; it is a key part of a massive time loop.
The idea suggests that Jamie’s burial site at his family home creates a temporal anchor point, allowing his spirit or consciousness to exist across different times. This could mean he acts as a guardian of the stones, subtly influencing events to ensure his parents’ love story unfolds correctly, making him both the product and the protector of their romance.
Julia’s Baby is a Known Historical Figure
A prophecy delivered in Blood of My Blood has sparked speculation about the future importance of Julia’s baby. Lord Lovat’s seer, Maisri, described a vision of “Two bairn, one after the other. I see a lass, all alone, with dark curls and clear blue eyes.”
Fans are dissecting this prophecy, theorizing that Julia’s child is not just an original character but could be someone with a known role in history or someone who has already been mentioned in the broader Outlander universe. The baby’s future actions could have significant ripple effects on the political landscape of 18th-century Scotland that Jamie and Claire will later navigate.
The Show’s Cast is Aware of the Theories
The actors themselves are plugged into the fan community and are aware of the buzzing speculation. Jeremy Irvine, who plays Henry Beauchamp, teased that the start of Season 2 is not what anyone expects.
“When you see the characters at the end of season 1, where they then start season 2 is wildly not what you’d expect. I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Irvine said, hinting at dramatic twists to come that may confirm or shatter popular theories.
The Author’s View Versus the Show’s Story
It is important to note that Blood of My Blood has already taken major creative liberties with the established backstory from Diana Gabaldon’s books. In her novels, Claire’s parents are dead and were not time travelers. Gabaldon has approved the show’s changes, treating the scriptwriting as a separate creative process.
She has stated that while the prequel is inspired by her ideas, the television writers, led by showrunner Matthew B. Roberts, have crafted their own narrative, particularly for Julia and Henry’s story. This separation means the wildest fan theories about the Beauchamps are possible in the show’s universe, even if they will never appear in the books.
Also Read: Outlander: Blood of My Blood Season 2: What We Know About the Next Chapter
