Jemmy Isn’t Roger’s: The Importance of Chosen Family in Outlander

So I’m taking a big swing here in my first claim: Jemmy isn’t Roger’s biological son.

Now, I know that details in the book, specifically the birthmark these two share, are supposed to confirm that Jeremiah is Roger’s son. However, since that can be fairly easily explained by a surprising but not impossible coincidence, and hasn’t shown up yet at all in the show, I choose that explanation. Because between a small plot hole and the incredible thematic relevance of non-biological in Outlander, I’ll choose theme every time.

To justify my claim, and maybe convince you to draw this conclusion in spite of the evidence to the contrary, I will first run down a list of all the characters who are raised by one or multiple non-biological parents.

Claire. Orphaned and raised by her uncle Lamb.
Jamie. Lost his mother young and fostered by Dougal as well as cared for by father-figure Murtagh.
Roger. Orphaned and raised by his great-uncle Reverend Wakefield.
Brianna. Separated from her biological father and raised by Frank.
Fergus. Orphaned and raised by Jamie and Claire, and Jenny and Ian.
Marsali. Fatherless until Jamie becomes her father doubly by marriage and by love.
Young Ian. While still having both his parents, he views Jamie as a father, especially since leaving Scotland.

That would be every one of the main characters. The theme of children being raised with non-biological parents, particularly by men who aren’t their biological father, is a massive through line in this show.

We see Claire’s love of her uncle, and and being raised by him is what prepared her to live in the past. Jamie being raised by a series of strong men with different ideas and morals allows him to be the well-rounded and incredible man he becomes. Roger’s love of history, that brings the entire family together, is gained from the Reverend. Frank’s essentially one truly redeeming quality is that he loved and cared for Bree, and in many ways, that was the strongest and most connected relationship she had. Fergus is the only child Jamie and Claire get the chance to raise together at all. Marsali’s loyalty and love of Jamie is what initially connects her to this new family. Young Ian becomes the man he is because of following his uncle’s example.

Their non-biological parent is obviously massively important in each character’s life. To keep that parallel going, it stands to reason that Jemmy would be Bonnet’s biological son.

Roger claiming Jemmy is a beautiful moment regardless, but the cycle of children raised, at least in part, by people who aren’t biologically their own parents, ought to continue. Of course blood is important; we see that in Jamie and Bree in particular. But what’s more important is the people we choose to love. And I certainly think we need more of that.

So Jemmy should not be Roger’s. It should be a continuation of the theme of children who aren’t their own. There’s a poetry in that, and I want it to continue.