If Murtagh isn’t your second favorite character (or at least in your top 3- Claire, Jamie, Murtagh…), you should probably re-evaluate your Outlandish priorities. And we’ll help you out- we have the Top 10 Murtagh Moments to give you all the feels.
More from Outlander Fandom
- Why the Outlander coloring books make the perfect Christmas gift
- The Gathering 2024: What’s included in the Craigh na Dun tier?
- The Gathering 2024: What’s included in the Leoch tier?
- The Gathering 2024: What’s included in the Lallybroch tier?
- The Gathering 2024: What’s included in the Fraser’s Ridge tier?
Book readers know Murtagh well. He’s Jamie’s trusty side-kick, God father, and overall bad ass. He’s sometimes scary, sometimes heartbreakingly sweet, and does anything and everything to protect those he cares about. Everyone should have a Murtagh in their life. But what makes him so great? Why should he be one of your favorites? Sit back and relax. We got a few reasons for you.
Outlander- Starz
The moment you realize Murtagh WILL find you.
When Claire and Jenny head out to search for Jamie, after he’s taken by the Redcoats, Murtagh is able to track them fairly easily. He finds them as they are rendezvous-ing with the Redcoats who, unfortunately, no longer have Jamie. Claire and Jenny HAVE, however, kidnapped a Redcoat and are trying to get some information out of him.
The moral of the story here is that Murtagh is a hunter, a tracker, and he’s fiercely loyal to his own. Not only did he desperately need to find the women, he needs to, and wants to, find Jamie. He knows their chances of finding him are increased a hundred fold with him on the trail, so he sets off to do so. Finding the ladies is easy as pie for him, and he tells them as much. Although the situation is tense, it’s also hilarious. Just, you know, don’t piss him off.
… He’ll find you.
Next: A Little Song and Dance
Outlander- Starz
The moment you realize Murtagh is brilliant.
Not only did he hatch a plan to find Jamie, it worked. The outcome wasn’t as he or Claire would have liked- Jamie ended up being captured by the Redcoats while trying to reconnect with Murtagh and Claire, but never mind that. When Claire puts her foot down, demanding to look for Jamie, Murtagh flashes his brilliance: They need to make themselves as conspicuous as possible. So, with a plan in mind and an entire country to search, Claire and Murtagh begin putting on a show for villagers, singing and dancing and reading palms. It’s actually a band of gypsies that ruin it all for them, but eventually Claire and Jamie are reunited and it simply would not have been possible without Murtagh.
Next: Do as I Say, Not as I Do
Outlander- Starz
The moment you realize he’s got his priorities straight.
Murtagh knows what’s important. Jamie may be his one true priority, but by default, Claire also fits into that picture. Claire and Jamie hadn’t been married just yet, but when she went on the road collecting rent with the MacKenzie men, Murtagh proved that not only is he loyal, but he (and the other MacKenzies) will protect their own. When Claire’s honor is in question by a group of drunken idiots, the MacKenzies jump into action to defend her.
And that quote, “You’re a guest of the MacKenzie. We can insult ye, but God help any other man that does,” says it all.
Next: Murder in the First
Outlander- Starz
The moment you realize he’s kinda scary.
He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty and that includes killing people. He killed the messenger (tee hee) when Claire and Jenny almost did but didn’t/ couldn’t. And he basically did it without thinking or feeling guilty about it. The thing about Murtagh is that he’s ultimate purpose is to protect, and he’ll do anything he can to protect the ones he loves. If that means murdering someone in cold blood, he will. In his defense, though, most of the people he’s knifed deserved it. Like the Redcoat.
Next: All in the Name of Love
Outlander- Starz
The moment you realize Murtagh is full of love. Pure, unadulterated love.
He may be brusque. He may be brash. He may be scary, and a cold-blooded killer, but all of these things he does for, and out of a massive amount of love. Mostly, that love is towards Jamie, and it is heartbreaking at times. Like when Jamie, post-Wentworth Prison hell, is ready and willing to die at the abbey because he is so distraught over what has happened to him, Murtagh gets angry. That anger is out of frustration because he loves this kid so much, though. Jamie is as good as a son to Murtagh, and he promised Jamie’s parents he’d take care of him. So how does a grumpy old Highlander try to save his most precious kinsman? By screaming at him, of course.
The level of desperation in Murtagh’s eyes brought tears to my own. If everyone had that much love for another person, the world would be such a better place.
Next: Unrequited Love
Outlander- Starz
And he had serious crush on Jamie’s mom.
About that love…
Jenny gave the ivory bracelets to Claire as a sort of wedding present/ sisterly thing, I suppose. But it’s where they originated from that makes them so special. See, these bracelets were a wedding present from Murtagh to Jamie and Jenny’s mother. But Jenny didn’t know they were from Murtagh- she only knew they were from someone who fancied her mom, and who Jenny said her mother would never say.
When the revelation hits us that Murtagh had a crush (HUGE crush) on Jenny and Jamie’s mother, your heart nearly wants to explode from the feels. Murtagh, the warrior, was in love. And that love was unrequited.
Next: No Shame in His Game
Outlander- Starz
The moment you realize Murtagh has no shame
I talked about how brilliant he was a few slides back, and for this very reason. In order to find Jamie, he and Claire traveled the Scottish countryside performing songs, dances, and reading palms. Murtagh’s part was sword dancing. As you can see here, he takes this very seriously, even when he’s booed and laughed at. See, he doesn’t really care (although, maybe he does just a weeeee bit down in the depths of his soul), he just wants to make enough of a name that Jamie hears about the Highlander sword dancer and palm reading/ singing/ dancing sassenach. He has no shame, he just wants to find Jamie. And for that, he’s the best.