'Outlander' season 3: Claire's a 'trailblazer,' says Caitriona Balfe

In a new interview, Caitriona Balfe teased details about her character Claire in “Outlander” season 3. She spoke about how her character is a “trailblazer,” and about how the Sassenach prefers to live on the edge.

Claire will be going to Harvard next season to learn to become a surgeon. For a woman to achieve such was huge in the 50s and the 60s. In an interview posted on the YouTube channel of Helga M, Balfe called her character a “trailblazer” for doing that. The show is already popular for showing strong women characters, and that aspect will continue this year.

Although Claire has a lot to be proud of, there’s a gaping hole in her heart; she’s not with the love of her life Jamie (Sam Heughan). But that’s the only reason she will be unhappy. According to Balfe, her character feels most alive when she’s living on the edge.

Claire was a military nurse during the 40s, and the only other time period she felt alive was in the 1700s, with Jamie. The character will once again embark on a new adventure when she travels back in time. Her skills as a surgeon should come in handy when she goes back.

The relationship between Claire and her daughter Brianna (Sophie Skelton) hasn’t been that cordial, mostly because the Sassenach can’t say anything about Jamie due to a promise she made to Frank (Tobias Menzies). That tenses relationship will be seen briefly again this year, Balfe said. However, Brianna will begin to understand her mother and appreciate her situation after she learns the truth about her father.

There may have been opportunities for Claire to tell her daughter about her biological father, but Balfe explained that her character is someone who keeps her word. So there won’t be any moment in “Outlander” season 3 that shows the Sassenach accidentally slipping details about Jamie. The actress said that her character also appreciates everything Frank had done and is doing for her and the family.