Why would Claire tell Brianna about Black Jack Randall and Wentworth?

Something that annoyed me in Outlander Season 4 was the reveal that Brianna knew about Jamie’s ordeal at Wentworth Prison. Despite it being in the books, it’s a storyline that doesn’t sit right. Why would Claire tell her daughter something so personal?

During Outlander Season 4, Brianna and Jamie had the chance to bond over their shared experience of being raped. However, there was an element to this that annoyed me — and it annoying me in “Drums of Autumn” too. Why would Claire think it was right to tell Brianna what Jamie had gone through.

The novel does try to explain it or give some sort of reason for it, which is something the show never did. Brianna tries to explain that Claire shared the truth when they were in the 20th century, when Claire believed Jamie had died.

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And that was the reason. Claire never thought that Brianna would meet her father. Nobody ever thought that Claire would head back to the past and Brianna would follow her through the stones. Since Brianna was never supposed to meet Jamie, he was never meant to find out that Claire had told Brianna his darkest secret.

Yet, this still isn’t a good enough reason to me. Even as a parent, there are certain topics that I wouldn’t bring up to my daughters, even if there was the likelihood of them never seeing their father.

Jamie told Claire everything that happened in Wentworth in confidence, believing she’d never share it. This was his deepest, darkest secret and she told Brianna everything. Regardless of the belief that Brianna and Jamie would never meet, this should have been a secret Claire kept to herself.

There was no need for Brianna to know this. I think it would have been much better had Jamie told Brianna on his own accord, giving the two something (albeit dark) to bond over. This would have made it Jamie’s choice rather than Brianna bringing it up with no tact.

What did you think about Claire telling Brianna about Wentworth in both Outlander and “Drums of Autumn?” What would you have liked to see happen instead? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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