Murtagh and Jamie’s relationship has been an emotional anchor for Outlander
One of the most enduring and endearing relationships on Outlander since the beginning of the show has been that of Jamie and his godfather Murtagh—it’s why it was such a smart decision for the TV series to stray from the novels and keep Murtagh alive after the Battle of Culloden in Season 2. There’s a deep, meaningful relationship there from the outset and it only grows as the two face a whole litany of tragedies together. That type of history and dynamic between two characters yields an emotional intensity that isn’t easily replicated. In short: Murtagh and Jamie just love each other so much! The oath Murtagh makes to Jamie’s mother promising to protect Jamie always is the stuff of legend at this point, but even from the get-go, you can tell Murtagh’s loyalty to Jamie is about much more than a promise—he loves him like a son and Jamie loves Murtagh back like a father. He protects Jamie both physically (he saves his life at Culloden and Almance, to just name two examples) and emotionally (having Murtagh by his side at Ardsmuir had to help a little, right?). There’s no other bond like theirs on Outlander. It’s what made their surprise reunion at the blacksmith’s in Wilmington so moving and Murtagh’s death in Jamie’s arms at Almance so gut-wrenchingly tragic. Jamie’s suffered many losses in his lifetime (honestly, too many—how does this man get out of bed in the morning?) but this is one that’ll change him. What a void for both Jamie and Outlander itself to attempt to fill!
The development of Murtagh and Claire’s relationship is Outlander at its best
While Murtagh never actively disliked Claire, he certainly saw her to be no more than a real nuisance when she first was forced to tag-along on secret Jacobite missions. Did he approve of Jamie marrying her? Of course, he’s the world’s best godfather. But let’s be honest, he doesn’t really warm up to Claire until the two of them find themselves united in scouring the Scottish countryside performing “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” when a certain beloved redhead is captured by English soldiers in Season 1. They bond over their unconditional love for Jamie, and that mutual respect slowly turns to a real affection for one another by the time the two are in Paris; cemented, surely, when Murtagh learns that Claire is a time traveler and his reaction is not one of disbelief or fear or anger, but one of great empathy—he tells Claire that she must be carrying a great burden knowing what is to happen to them all. I mean, come on! If you don’t love Murtagh at that point, are you even paying attention? This slow burn of friendship and familial love really pays off when Murtagh shows up in Season 4 and surprises Claire on Fraser’s Ridge with a little whistle callback to their Bugle Boy days. The joy on her face when she sees Murtagh! Their embrace after 20 years! That perfect little pose he uses to punctuate “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy!” Murtagh is a man of many talents and that list includes both great jazz hands and melting people’s hearts.
Murtagh is a lover
You know, leave it to this silver fox to bring some real heat to this show before going off and getting killed. It was very rude, to be honest. Now, it’s not like we didn’t already know Murtagh had a penchant for swoony romances: In Season 1, he confides in Claire that he pined for Jamie’s mother Ellen (without saying her name, but Claire knows) long after she rejected him and chose to be with Jamie’s father and that’s why he swore an oath to her to protect Jamie until the day he dies. Can you even think about those ivory bracelets without getting a little misty-eyed? Romance and tragedy are baked into Murtagh from the very beginning, even if he does attempt to come off as grumpy and gruff for a while. So maybe Murtagh showing up and sweeping Jamie’s aunt, Jocasta Cameron (Maria Doyle Kennedy), off her feet in Season 4 shouldn’t be a surprise, but it was—and how emotionally affecting it turned out to be. From their first sexual tension-filled fight that leads to them smashing faces (as is tradition) to Murtagh professing just how deep his love for her is the night before her wedding to Duncan Innes, it was impossible not to root for these two—even though, with Murtagh being a wanted man due to his involvement with the Regulators, their romance was doomed from the start. Sure, Claire and Jamie are the sexy center of Outlander, but Season 5 was full of more romance than normal thanks to Murtagh finding love after all these years. Things are sure to be a little less swoony with Murtagh gone.
He’s also a fighter!
Murtagh feels a duty and love toward Jamie that he takes very seriously, and the same can be said for how he feels toward his fellow Scots. In Season 1, he’s integral to the mission of Dougal MacKenzie (Graham McTavish) to help the Jacobite cause, and even though he knows that Culloden is going to be a tragic end to the Highland clan way of life, he doesn’t hesitate to fight for the cause. So it makes sense that by the time we catch up with Murtagh in North Carolina, he’s not only part of the group of Regulators opposed to England’s taxes on the colonies and corrupt officials taking advantage, he’s also their leader. Some of his tactics surprise even Jamie in their extremism, but his belief in his cause is unwavering, even when it winds up putting his life in jeopardy. His fiery passion will be missed—especially as more people begin to rise up for similar reasons as Outlander reaches the brink of the Revolutionary War.
Jamie’s going to need someone as loyal as Murtagh for what awaits Fraser’s Ridge in Season 6
Murtagh was loyal down to his core—it’s what gets him killed in the end on multiple levels: His loyalty to the cause of the Regulators means he won’t abandon them even when Roger warns him that they lose the Battle of Alamance in a big way; his loyalty to Jamie and the oath he made Ellen means he’s off his game after saving Jamie’s life during the battle and winds up getting shot. He dedicated his life to Jamie and with the Revolutionary War knocking at the Frasers’ door and some upcoming personal problems book readers might be anticipating with the introduction of the Christie family in Season 6, it seems like having someone at your side who has your back no matter what would really come in handy. We saw Jamie begin to process his grief after losing Murtagh in Season 5, but that loss will surely be even more pronounced as Jamie continues to find himself in situations where he (and the audience) will be thinking “if only Murtagh were here.” Suffice it to say, that Murtagh-shaped hole in all of our hearts isn’t going anywhere. Next, Celebrate Outlander With These 50 Quotes From the Show
