Outlander Frank Randall's secret time travel preparation for daughter Brianna exposed

Irish Daily Star

28-04-2025

Outlander's Frank Randall, portrayed by Tobias Menzies, had a complicated 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), whom she had fallen in love with, reports the
Express
.
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 secretly believe her story and even researched the Scot in historical records.
It appears that Frank had a hunch that Claire and Brianna would eventually travel back in time to be with Jamie. As a result, he prepared Brianna from a young age for the possibility that she might go in search of her biological father.
Fans took to Reddit to speculate about what Frank really knew about Jamie, time travel, and how he equipped Brianna with the necessary skills in case she went 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."
Frank always suspected Claire and Brianna would go to the past
(Image: STARZ)
The fan continued: "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 stated: "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."
Further, they expressed their belief that Frank's military intelligence background significantly contributed to his knowledge: "I still believe Frank's background in military intelligence played a role in his research."
Brianna was equipped with the skills to survive in the past in Outlander
(Image: STARZ)
Another person voiced similar thoughts, suggesting deep military intel roots: "Yes, it definitely feels like he knew A LOT more than we know right now because of his background in the military intelligence, maybe even about time travellers."
They speculated on Frank's belief in Claire's time-traveling tales: "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."
Raising questions about Frank's possible insights, they asked: "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)?"
Frank Randall may have known more about time travel than he let on
(Image: STARZ)
A third commenter revealed a sense of oversight regarding Frank's intentions: "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 they elaborated on Frank's foresight: "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]."
It seems Frank had knowledge all along that his daughter would traverse through time and took steps to prepare her for it.
Frank Randall trained Brianna from an early age for the past
(Image: STARZ)
Frank's teachings to Brianna highlighted her adeptness, especially when contrasted with her husband Roger MacKenzie (Richard Rankin), who found himself at odds with his lack of practical skills in the past.
For Roger, adapting to the past was a harsh lesson for the historian, marked by some particularly tough and brutal experiences, including an accidental attack by Jamie who mistook him for Brianna's assailant.
Moreover, Roger endured an accidental hanging but miraculously survived, although the experience left deep scars.
Over time, Roger found his footing in the historical setting, finding solace and purpose within the church as he settled into life with his family.
Outlander season 7 is available to buy now on Digital and is streaming on MGM+ via Prime Video now