Caitriona Balfe
Actress Caitriona Balfe arrives at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California January 10, 2016. Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

Cast members Caitriona Balfe and Tobias Menzies spoke about the huge impact Claire has in the events in “Outlander” Season 2. Her influence is so great that things may have turned out differently, if she hadn’t time travelled.

[Spoiler alert] "She's worried about messing with the timeline of the family that she married into. It's such a particular neurosis to have," Menzies (Jack/Frank Randall) said in an interview with Vulture. He also added that securing the future was Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) “obsession.”

Balfe admitted that the time travel aspect can make things “complicated” for her character. In this season she was forced to ask her husband to spare the life of a man who raped him, for the sake of her “future ex-husband.”

Curiously, it was revealed on the show that Black Jack is not Frank’s ancestor, as recorded in history books. Jack was only made to get married to Mary (Rosie Day) after his ailing brother Alex (Laurence Dobiesz) requested him on his death bed. Claire is arguably the reason why Mary got married to Black Jack in “Outlander” Season 2.

If Balfe’s character had not met Mary, the latter would not have been raped, and she would have married someone else. The event, however, allowed her to get close to Alex, and later get pregnant with his child.

"Claire is the epitome of the butterfly effect," co-executive producer Maril Davis said. Davis explained that Mary had taken “rebellious steps” by pursuing Alex on her own because Claire was a big part of her life.

Despite her best efforts, Claire could not change the course of history in “Outlander” Season 2. The Jacobite Army is heading for the Battle of Culloden in the finale. Balfe’s character, however, will safely travel back to the future and be reunited with Frank. The highly anticipated new characters Brianna and Roger will be featured in the finale episode.