The Comte St. Germain - Villain or Vilified

By: S. Nappo

July 2023

Have you ever really considered what makes a character in a story a villain? Are characters labeled villains as a result of their actions or evil nature? Presumably a villain should have committed some heinous act against humanity or at least against the hero of the story. Do you need absolute proof of guilt in order to categorize someone as a villain? Are rumors or hearsay enough to accuse and condemn someone? It is common to find the Comte St. Germain categorized as a villain. In fact, a quick google search of Outlander’s top villains will result in endless lists and the Comte St. Germain is nearly always listed in the top ten. Have you ever really considered how he earned his ranking as one of Outlander’s top villains, especially among other such deplorable characters as Black Jack Randall and Stephen Bonnett? In the course of my research, I found great descriptions of different character archetypes on studiobinder.com. They defined a villain as an evil or wicked character that enacts evil action and/or harms others. A villain may have a justification for their actions that is in line with their own principles, but their actions inflict harm and create ruin in the process. I can easily name several characters from Outlander that fit that description, but I am convinced that the Comte is not one of them.

I first became intrigued by the idea that the Comte St. Germain might not be a villain during what I believe to be my eighth time reading Dragonfly in Amber, during the late summer of 2022. I was shocked, and a bit ashamed, that it took me eight times reading the novel to finally ask the question, is the Comte really a villain? I believe that being a “show watcher” first, I had developed a prejudice against him based on his depiction in the show. He was not the first character that I had a preconceived and distorted view of before reading the books. I have previously written a defense of Frank Randall in an effort to clear his character of unwarranted accusations.

Just as in my previous defense of Frank Randall, I will only be using evidence directly from Diana Gabaldon’s novels/novellas in my character analysis of the Comte St. Germain. The show often changes events and storylines and is not always faithful to the novels. In The Outlandish Companion, Diana Gabaldon denotes the Comte as a historical figure. She writes, The Comte St. Germain was a real character of the times, and one with a reputation for being involved in occult matters—but very little else seemed known for sure about him. I consequently took nothing but his name and his unsavory associations, and beyond that, invented wholesale. In Seven Stones to Stand or Fall she also mentions the Comte, THERE WAS AN historical person (quite possibly more than one) who went by this name. There are also numerous reports (mostly unverified) of a person by this name who appears in various parts of Europe over parts of two centuries. These observations have led some to speculate that the Comte (or a Comte of that name) was a practitioner of the occult, a mystic, or even a time traveler. Let’s put it this way: The Comte St. Germain in this story is not intended to portray the documented historical person of that name. I think it is safe to say that the Comte St. Germain, as seen in Outlander, is entirely a work of fiction created by Diana Gabaldon.

Most of the Comte’s story can be found in Dragonfly in Amber and The Space Between, a novella included in Seven Stones to Stand or Fall. The Comte is, of course, mentioned in some of the other novels as well, but the majority of my research for this character analysis will be found in Dragonfly in Amber and The Space Between. I would strongly encourage you to have read both before reading this character analysis to fully understand the Comte’s part in the story and to avoid any spoilers.

So, what do we really know about the Comte St. Germain and his interactions with Jamie and Claire? Let’s first lay out some facts that we know from Dragonfly in Amber. We learn early on that the Comte is Jared’s chief business rival in Paris. He is described thus, A nobleman by dress as well as by title, Monsieur le Comte was a slender, elegant sort, with heavy brows and thin lips. His entire attitude proclaimed that he was used to getting his way. (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 6) Claire’s first interaction with the Comte was in Dragonfly in Amber when she interfered with his vessel, the Patagonia, as it arrived in port with apparent sickness onboard. Even after Jamie told her not to get involved because it would not be safe, she ignored his wishes and went to examine the sick. It was quickly evident that there was a smallpox outbreak with the crew. Claire’s very public pronouncement resulted in the destruction of the Comte’s ship and all of its contents, which cost him close to a year’s income and the loss of a ship. It was during this encounter that the Comte issued a threat “Have you any notion what you have done?” he snarled. “Be warned, Madame; you will pay for this day’s work!” (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 6)

The Comte had a well known reputation for ruthlessness in Paris and nearly everyone Claire met was quick to share their knowledge. What they did not have was any substantiated evidence or first hand experience with the man, only the rumors about his reputation. Jamie himself recalled the Comte’s reputation from his early years spent in Paris. Jamie and Claire’s parlor maid, Marguerite, said “The Comte, Madame, has a very bad reputation…He has sold his soul to the Devil, you know,” she confided, lowering her voice and glancing around as though that gentleman might be lurking behind the chimney breast. “He celebrates the Black Mass, at which the blood and flesh of innocent children are shared amongst the wicked!” (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 7)

Later, at an evening party one of the Queen’s ladies, Madame de Ramage advised Claire to take care concerning the Comte, because he had been heard to speak of Claire. All that Madame de Ramage knew about the situation was that there was some small difficulty in Le Havre. “He has been going about telling people that he believes you to be a witch,” she said, smiling and waving at a friend across the room. “A fine story! Oh, no one believes it,” she assured me. “Everyone knows that if anyone is mixed up in such matters, it is Monsieur le Comte himself.” (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 11)

Given the recent events in Claire’s life in dealing with Black Jack Randall, it was not surprising or unwarranted for her to be overly cautious. She had heard stories of Randall’s infamy and corruption from nearly everyone she met in the 18th century. She saw the culmination of his crimes and perversion carried out against Jamie just mere weeks before. It was only natural that she would take any threat, actual or perceived, from the Comte with all due caution. This caused Claire to be quick to blame the Comte for every mishap that occurred in Paris and she was on the verge of paranoia. Convinced that the Comte was seeking revenge, Jamie went so far as to have Murtagh follow him and report on his activities. Murtagh was duly set to watch the comings and goings of the Comte St. Germain, but beyond reporting that the Comte entertained a remarkable number of persons in his home - of both sexes and all classes - detected nothing particularly mysterious. (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 17)

So what exactly do we, the readers, know of the Comte so far, not a whole lot and neither do Jamie and Claire. Nearly everything they knew of him was based on rumors and speculations. Let’s move on and discuss the allegations against the Comte. Why do we consider him a villain? What exactly did he do to Jamie and Claire to earn his place as a villain in Outlander? There were three events that occurred in Paris that Claire believed the Comte was responsible for. First, she suspected that the Comte was responsible for a group of hired assassins that attacked Jamie and attempted to murder him near the docks. Next, she believed him to be a member of a gang that attacked her and raped Mary Hawkins. Finally, she believed the Comte orchestrated having her poisoned with bitter cascara while at Versailles. (These events are not listed in chronological order.)

The first incident took place in Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 12. Jamie recounted to Claire the story of how he was chased by three assassins on his way to the docks. It was clear that their intention was murder. While Jamie questioned the likelihood that the Comte was responsible, Claire continued to be convinced that the Comte was at fault throughout their entire time in Paris. “Nay, mo nighean donn. The Comte’s a quick temper, but I canna see him going to the trouble and expense of killing either of us, only for revenge. If it might get him his ship back, then yes,” he added, “but as it is, I expect he’d only think the price of three hired assassins throwing good money after bad.” (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 12) Even Jamie had doubts that the Comte would seek revenge by hiring assassins.

The second incident took place in Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 18. Claire and Mary Hawkins were walking home after volunteering at L’Hôpital des Anges escorted by Murtagh and Fergus when they were attacked by a gang of masked men. Mary Hawkins was raped. Claire was only spared from assault when her attacker recognized her as La Dame Blanche and the men fled. After the attack, Claire immediately suspected the Comte was responsible, especially after Dougal perpetuated the rumor that the Comte was a member of a group called Les Disciples that wreaked havoc on the streets of Paris.

Both of these two incidents have one thing in common though; the Comte St. Germain was not responsible for either one. We find out in Chapter 44 of Dragonfly in Amber that it was actually the Duke of Sandringham who was guilty for both the hired assassins that attempted to murder Jamie and the gang of men that attacked Claire and raped Mary Hawkins. There was also no indication whatsoever that the Duke and the Comte were working together or were associates.

That leaves only one event in Paris that could possibly be attributed to the Comte; when Claire was poisoned with bitter cascara at Versailles. This took place in Chapter 16 of Dragonfly in Amber. Of course, Claire instantly believed the Comte was responsible, but she decided to see Master Raymond to gather more information once she had recovered. He revealed that he had sold bitter cascara to two individuals, neither of which had requested bitter cascara, but rather a more deadly poison. Master Raymond revealed that one purchaser was a servant for the Vicomtesse de Rambeau while the other was unknown. While the name Rambeau may not sound familiar, there are actually two characters by this name that are significant. Claire encountered the Vicomtesse de Rambeau during her first visit to Master Raymond’s apothecary in Chapter 8 of Dragonfly in Amber. The Vicomtesse was purchasing “the black potion” to use against a rival while she simultaneously caused a scene and destroyed parts of the apothecary. The next time we hear the name Rambeau was actually in reference to her husband, the Vicomte de Rambeau, in Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 9. He was the man that followed Claire into an alcove at Versailles and attempted to seduce her by biting her toes. As a result, Claire slapped him in the face with her fan and Jamie sought retribution by sousing him in a fountain.

Master Raymond suggested that it was possibly the Vicomtesse de Rambeau who was responsible for poisoning Claire. He believed that she saw Claire as a rival for her husband’s affections. Raymond was eyeing me curiously. “I would ask you, madonna, have you done something to antagonize la Vicomtesse? She is a very jealous woman; this would not be the first time she has sought my aid in disposing of a rival, though fortunately her jealousies are short-lived. The Vicomte has a roving eye, you understand - there is always a new rival to displace her thoughts of the last one.” (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 16)

However, the Duke of Sandringham is another possible contender for the poisoning. While he never admitted to poisoning Claire, it is not that unlikely that the Duke was responsible given the other attempts he had made on Claire and Jamie. It is possible that Claire just never thought to confront him on this count. During his confession he called Claire “amazingly difficult to kill”. While it’s a matter of opinion, to me you would use this turn of phrase for someone you had tried to kill multiple times, not after just one failed attempt. “Now, then,” he said, with as much firmness as a man who sounded like Mickey Mouse could manage. “Let me begin, Mrs. Fraser—I may call you so? Thank you. Let me begin by saying that I know a great deal about you already. I intend to know more. You will do well to answer me fully and without hesitations. I must say, Mrs. Fraser, that you are amazingly difficult to kill”—he bowed slightly in my direction, that smile still on his lips—“but I feel sure that it could be accomplished, given sufficient determination.” (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 44) Additionally, he speaks of being unlucky during the attack on Claire and Mary Hawkins because it resulted in the rape of Mary. The way he speaks of it leads you to believe there were multiple occasions in which the Duke attempted to eliminate Claire and could therefore be responsible for the poisoning as well. It is possible that it was his unknown servant that visited Master Raymond’s apothecary to purchase the poison. “You filthy, disgusting, outrageous.… pervert!” The Duke seemed bored by this, and nodded negligently. “Yes, yes, my dear. All that, I’m sure, and more. A trifle unlucky, too, at least on that occasion.” (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 44)

Do we have any reason to believe that it was not the Comte who poisoned Claire? Jamie decided to invite the Comte over for a dinner party in order to watch him to see if there was any indication that he was behind the poisoning. Just to make things interesting, the Comte St. Germain had also been invited. “St. Germain!” I had said in astonishment, when Jamie had told me the week before. “Whatever for?” “I do business with the man”, Jamie had pointed out. “He’s been to dinner here before, with Jared. But what I want is to have the opportunity of watching him talk to you over dinner. From what I’ve seen of him in business, he’s not the man to hide his thoughts.” He picked up the white crystal that Master Raymond had given me and weighed it thoughtfully in his palm. “It’s pretty enough,” he had said. “I’ll have it set in a gold mounting, so you can wear it about your neck. Toy with it at dinner until someone asks ye about it, Sassenach. Then tell them what it’s for, and make sure to watch St. Germain’s face when ye do. If it was him gave ye the poison at Versailles, I think we’ll see some sign of it.” (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 18) While Claire never had the opportunity to show off her crystal, there was still no indication during the dinner that the Comte was responsible for any of the attacks on Claire. She had a hard time reconciling that he could sit calmly at the table at dinner and show no sign that he was responsible for the poisoning or the attack on the street, especially given that he seemed, like her, to have a glass face. My hand went again to the crystal at my neck, but the Comte didn’t look at me. A hot flush had risen from his lacy stock, and he glared at Mr. Hawkins with open dislike. Jamie was right; not a man to hide his emotions. (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 18)

There was never proof for who was responsible for poisoning Claire at Versailles, whether it be the Comte St. Germain or someone else. Due to the threat issued by the Comte, Claire was quick to place blame his way. However, can we so easily dismiss the notion that it could have been either the Vicomtesse de Rambeau or the Duke of Sandringham? The Vicomtesse had the means, motive, and a history of attempting murder by use of poison purchased from Master Raymond. The Duke of Sandringham had made attempts on the lives of both Jamie and Claire, is it possible that he was responsible for this one as well? He certainly also had the means and motive. Is the mere possibility that it could have been the Comte that poisoned Claire enough to qualify him as a villain?

The intention of this character analysis is to discuss whether the Comte St. Germain was a villain acting against Jamie and Claire, but I think an interesting counterpoint to consider is how Jamie and Claire’s actions have impacted the Comte. As I have explained above, there is not any concrete evidence that the Comte acted out against Jamie or Claire, despite having made a threat against Claire. However, we know for a fact that Jamie and Claire deliberately worked against the Comte in an attempt to sabotage his business venture and for personal reasons.

While not with malicious intent, Claire first precipitated the destruction of the Comte’s ship and all of its contents in Le Havre. Jamie had the Comte followed and watched by Murtagh. When they discovered that the Comte was partnered in business with Prince Charles, they plotted to make a second ship of the Comte’s appear to have smallpox aboard in an effort to thwart their investment. They succeeded in deceiving the captain of the ship and were able to appropriate an entire shipment of port. Finally, Claire all but condemned the Comte during the sorcerer’s duel in front of King Louis when she questioned his involvement with Les Disciples and by sleight of hand, Master Raymond poisoned a cup of “dragon’s blood” and passed it to Claire to give to the Comte resulting in his apparent death.

Claire had an internal struggle of conscience during the sorcerer’s duel, but ultimately was not able to get any answers from the Comte. She watched his demise believing he was guilty of attacks that we now know he was innocent of. Meanwhile, I was turning over alternatives in my mind. This man had threatened and attacked me, and tried to have Jamie assassinated—whether for personal or political reasons, it made little difference. He had in all likelihood been the ringleader of the gang of rapists who had waylaid me and Mary. Beyond all this, and beyond the rumors I had heard of his other activities, he was a major threat to the success of our attempt at stopping Charles Stuart. Was I going to let him get away? Let him go on to exert his influence with the King on the Stuarts’ behalf, and to go on roaming the darkened streets of Paris with his band of masked bullies? (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 27)

Even after everything Jamie and Claire did to the Comte during their time in Paris, I am not convinced that he ever sought revenge against them. The Comte’s story continues in The Space Between. It is told alternatingly between three characters’ points of view: Michael Murray, Joan MacKimmie, and of course the Comte St. Germain. It may have come as a shock to many readers the first time they picked up the novella, but the Comte is not dead. He survived the sorcerer’s duel despite everyone's beliefs. Perhaps even more surprising, the Comte was a time traveler who had been hiding in the past on and off for 30 years after his presumed death.

The Space Between is the only story in which we get the point of view and inner monologue for the Comte. No longer do we need to rely solely on what other people think of him or the rumors that were the main source of information before. We finally get inside his head, learn his motivations, and can begin to make our own conclusions regarding his character. Once again, let’s lay out some facts that we learn about the Comte. The Comte St. Germain, also named Paul Rakoczy, is a time-traveler. Master Raymond did not in fact kill him during the sorcerer’s duel, rather he gave the Comte a poison that caused him to appear dead for around 10-12 hours before awakening. After the sorcerer’s duel, the Comte time traveled to the past to hide rather than flee the country. While not religious, the Comte considered himself a philosopher, a natural scientist, a rationalist, and an alchemist. Unfortunately, we do not know the time the Comte originally came from, but we do know that he had made the passage multiple times before.

I think it is important to add a disclaimer about The Space Between before I continue. The Space Between was originally published in an anthology called The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination, edited by John Joseph Adams. It was later included in A Trail of Fire, a collection of four of Diana Gabaldon’s short stories published exclusively in the United Kingdom and then finally in Seven Stones to Stand or Fall which was a collection of seven Outlander stories published in 2017. It has been found that there are significant differences in the editing between the multiple editions and publications of The Space Between. Some versions have been found to be missing major sections of the story. If you find that I am quoting a part of The Space Between that you just can’t find in your copy, don’t panic. We most likely just have different publications or editions.

So, let's dig into The Space Between. The year was 1778 and the Comte was back in Paris. He was attempting to discover what poison Master Raymond gave him during the sorcerer’s duel that would make him appear dead for 10-12 hours and then reawaken. It would seem that the Comte was struggling with his own mortality. He felt that his time was running out, despite his efforts to turn back the clock. He was hoping to discover the secret to traveling forward in time with the hope that it would restore his youth. His plan was ultimately to attempt to leave a piece of himself behind in the world by impregnating a prostitute named Madeleine, who also happened to be a time-traveler, in hopes that their child would inherit their unique abilities. Additionally, the Comte was looking for Master Raymond, whom he heard was also back in Paris. He speculated that Master Raymond, the frog, was one like him that could travel through time and he yearned for the chance to talk to Raymond and get answers.

Even though the Comte had been absent from court, the rumors that had always surrounded him were still being spread. Madeleine expressed concern when she realized he intended for her to become pregnant, but this time he was able to defend himself against the accusations. “You’re a magicien; everyone knows that. You take newborn children and use their blood in your spells!” “What?” he said, rather stupidly. He reached for his breeches but changed his mind. He got up and went to her instead, putting his hands on her shoulders. “No,” he said, bending down to look her in the eye. “No, I do no such thing. Never.” He used all the force of sincerity he could summon, pushing it into her, and felt her waver a little, still fearful but less certain. He smiled at her. “Who told you I was a magicien, for heaven’s sake? I am a philosophe chérie - an inquirer into the mysteries of nature, no more. And I can swear to you, by my hope of heaven” - this being more or less nonexistent, but why quibble? - “that I have never, not once, used anything more than the water of a man-child in any of my investigations.” (The Space Between)

While out conducting business in Paris, the Comte inadvertently overheard a conversation involving Claire Fraser and realized that she was also still alive. He believed Claire, La Dame Blanche, also to be a time traveler due to the events that occurred during the sorcerer’s duel. He hadn’t been looking at the frog; the last thing he had seen through darkening eyes was the woman - La Dame Blanche - her face over the cup she’d given him appalled and white as bone. But what he recalled, and recalled again now, with the same sense of astonishment and avidity, was the great flare of blue, intense as the color of the evening sky beyond Venus, that had burst from her head and shoulders as he died. (The Space Between) The Comte mistakenly assumed that Joan MacKimmie was Claire’s daughter, living in Paris. He became desperate to talk to Joan just as he wished to talk to Master Raymond. The Comte was hoping to learn from Joan the whereabouts of La Dame Blanche and also to discover if Joan had inherited the time travel trait from Claire, as he had hoped to pass the trait on to his child with Madeleine.

Throughout The Space Between it is evident that the Comte was only seeking knowledge, not revenge. He was desperate to unlock the secrets to his powers, learn how time travel worked, and discover whether he could possibly turn back the clock on his life. Despite what Master Raymond had done to him during the sorcerer’s duel, he only wished to find him and ask questions. When he discovered that Claire Fraser was also still alive, he again only wished to learn what she knew of their powers and ability to time travel. There was no indication that he was out for violence or revenge. He had already been interested in the woman; now he was possessed. Not only did he want - need - to know what she knew; she was important to Raymond in some way. (The Space Between)

When the Comte finally met with Master Raymond, one of the questions he asked Master Raymond was why he did not kill him. He cast caution to the wind and demanded boldly, “Why did you not kill me?” Raymond grinned at him; Rakoczy could see the flash of teeth and felt yet another shock: he was sure - almost sure - that the frog had had no teeth when last seen. “If I had wanted you dead, son, you wouldn’t be here talking to me,” he said. “I wanted you to be out of the way, that’s all; you obliged me by taking the hint.” “And just why did you want me ‘out of the way’?” Had he not needed to find out, Rakoczy would have taken offense at the man’s tone. The frog lifted one shoulder. “You were something of a threat to the lady.” Sheer astonishment brought Rakoczy to his full height. “The lady? You mean the woman - La Dame Blanche?” “They did call her that.” The frog seemed to find the notion amusing. (The Space Between) Why did Master Raymond consider the Comte a threat to Claire? The Comte appeared shocked by the implication that he meant her harm. What’s interesting about this scene is that Master Raymond actually appeared younger than he was when last seen. In addition to the appearance of teeth, the Comte noticed that he also had black brows that were once white, darker flowing hair, and a more elastic step. Is it possible that Master Raymond was at a later point in his life and was actually older when they crossed paths in 1744? Could Master Raymond have thought that the Comte was a threat to Claire not because he meant her physical harm, but because the Comte could have recognized Claire as another time traveler and the knowledge or resulting consequences could have changed the course of history for them both?

We finally have a sense of the Comte’s motivations, but what, if anything, did he do in The Space Between that could label him as a villain? The Comte seemed to be going about his own business until his story converged with Joan and Michael. It was his interactions and dealings with Joan that gave him the appearance of villainy. The Comte took Joan from the convent where she was a postulant. He then locked her in a room of his house before taking her to an abandoned underground chalk mine, which happened to be a time portal. Despite the situation, once Joan had time to think rationally she realized she was not really afraid of the Comte. She was terrified, and indignant, too. But now that she’d calmed down a wee bit, she thought that she wasn’t really afraid of him, and that seemed odd. Surely she should be? But she’d believed him when he said he meant her no harm. He hadn’t threatened her or tried to frighten her. But if that was true…what did he want of her? (The Space Between) Perhaps what is even more telling about the Comte’s intentions for Joan, is the Comte’s inner monologue. “Don’t worry,” he said to the girl, hoping to reassure her. “I only want you to look at something. Then I’ll take you back to the convent - assuming that you still want to go there?” He lifted an eyebrow, half-teasing. It wasn't really his intent to frighten her, though he already had, and he feared that more fright was unavoidable. (The Space Between) We hear from both sides, the Comte’s and Joan’s, that she wasn’t afraid of him and that he didn’t intend to harm her. The fact that we have previously learned that the Comte has a glass face and Joan believes he is telling her the truth leads me to believe he was being sincere in what he said.

You may be wondering, what was the Comte’s reason for taking Joan in the first place? I believe his reason was two-fold. First, he desperately wanted to find La Dame Blanche and talk with her (again without any malicious intentions). The Comte believed that Joan was Claire’s daughter with Jamie and that she could lead him to Claire. Second, he wanted to know if Claire had passed her time traveling ability on to her offspring. That was his ultimate goal in impregnating Madeleine and the scientist in him would naturally want to see if the traits were passed on to the child of another time traveler. He attempted to make a connection with Joan to see if he could sense her aura and learn if she was a traveler, but his touch failed to kindle her. The Comte was intrigued however, by Joan’s knowledge of the Auld Ones, which she surely picked up from Highland legends. This knowledge led him to doubt himself when he failed to see her aura. He then decided to take her to the time portal to see if she could hear the stones. “Be still,” he said very quietly, though she wasn’t making any noise. “Listen.” She listened as hard as possible - and thought she did hear something. What she thought she heard, though, was footsteps, far in the distance. Behind them. Her heart seized up for a moment. “What - do you hear?” she thought of asking. He glanced down at her, but not as though he really saw her. “Them,” he said. “The stones. They make a buzzing sound, most of the time. If it’s close to a fire feast or a sun feast, though, they begin to sing.” “Do they?” she said faintly. He was hearing something, and evidently it wasn’t the footsteps she’d heard. The footsteps had stopped now, as though whoever followed was waiting, maybe stealing along, one step at a time, careful to make no sound. “Yes,” he said, and his face was intent. He looked at her sharply again, and this time he saw her. “You don’t hear them,” he said with certainty, and she shook her head. (The Space Between) The Comte had no intention of taking Joan through the stones with him, as he himself did not intend to travel until after he was certain he had impregnated Madeleine.

What I really love about the Comte in The Space Between is the almost magical element that Diana Gabaldon has created for him. He had an air of mystery surrounding him while at the same time coming across as very rational and scientific. Joan believed him to be an Auld One just like the folk at Lallybroch believed Caire to be. Joan stood stock-still, amazed. Michael’s arm was still around her, but she scarcely noticed. “He is!” she whispered. “He truly is! They both are!” “Are what?” Michael gaped at her. “Auld Folk! Faeries!” (The Space Between)

Diana began laying the groundwork for the Comte early on in Dragonfly in Amber. The Comte had so many parallels to Claire from the very beginning that could easily be overlooked, but are really quite staggering to see laid out. Claire, out of time and place, was often called a witch although we know that she simply was a nurse (and later a surgeon) from a different time. The Comte St. Germain was also heavily rumored to be involved in occult practices, but now we find out that he too was a time traveler and also a scientist. Claire was often described as various versions of a white lady, including La Dame Blanche, Dame Aliset, and the White Raven. Similarly, the Comte was described in Dragonfly in Amber as always wearing the color white. Perhaps a symbolic choice with deeper meaning. He was dressed in his finest, all in white, as usual; a white stiffened satin coat over cream-colored silk vest and breeches. A tracery of seed pearls decorated his cuffs and lapels, gleaming in the candlelight. (Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 27) Both Claire and the Comte had the beginning signs of the blue light power. Claire catches glimpses of it over the years. The Comte likewise has a glimpse of it in himself. Even so, when he finally opened his eyes and took his hands away, he saw a trace of blue light, the barest trace, glowing briefly between his knuckles. That frightened him, and he hurried away, hiding his hands beneath the shelter of the cloak. (The Space Between) Similar to Claire’s skills as a diagnostician, the Comte was able to visualize the inner workings of the human body. “Madeleine, my dear.” He cupped her chin and kissed her gently on the lips, drawing her close so that her belly pressed against his. He held her long enough, kissing her eyelids, her forehead, her ears - so that she made high squeaks of pleasure - that he could feel his way inside her, hold the weight of her womb in his mind, evaluate her ripening. It felt warm, the color in the heart of a dark crimson rose, the kind called sang de dragon. A week before, it had felt solid, compact as a folded fist; now it had begun to soften, to hollow slightly as she readied. (The Space Between)

I would be remiss not to mention the fact that the Comte St. Germain is mentioned in several of the novels, both in passing and as a major storyline. However, I do not believe these mentions either hurt or help matters in this case, because once again we are only hearing rumors and speculation about prior events that involved the Comte. We also discover in The Space Between that the Comte had a prior relationship with Geillis. While it is interesting and even somewhat enlightening, I don’t believe the Comte’s relationship history with Geillis is relevant to whether or not he is a villain.

One of the largest storylines involving the Comte in later novels is his possible relation to Fergus. If you care to revisit the section, most of the story is included in An Echo in the Bone, Chapter 58 where Percy recounted the decades old story of his wife’s sister, Amelie, to Lord John. Amelie Beauchamp was the eldest daughter of the Baron Amandine and she was supposedly seduced by an older man and then became pregnant. The older man is, of course, none other than the Comte St. Germain. Percy claimed that Amelie later vanished from her home taking her jewels with her. Percy also claimed that he discovered that the Comte and Amelie were secretly married when he found a certificate of marriage in the family bible. He sought to look into the matter himself and discovered a murdered priest, a story of a rolled up rug containing Amelie in the middle-stages of pregnancy being delivered to a brothel where she supposedly gave birth to a son and then died a year later of influenza, and of course a dead comte. The son born of Amelie and the Comte was believed to be Fergus and the legitimate heir of the Comte St. Germain. I think it would be irresponsible to use any of this story against the Comte even though many speculate that it was the Comte who murdered the priest, dumped Amelie at the brothel, and then abandoned Amelie and their son. We just don’t have any proof or facts. Recall that Percy is not necessarily a character to be trusted and he possibly has ulterior motives. There is one line in The Space Between that leads me to believe that despite what Percy may have believed, the Comte truly cared for Amelie and he possibly was not even aware that she was pregnant. He had only once before felt this sense of closeness to a woman. That was Amelie, lost these many years…He felt a sudden thump as his heart skipped a beat. Had she been with child? (The Space Between, A Trail of Fire) I believe that the Comte’s story is not quite over and we will eventually see more of him in either the final novel(s) or in Master Raymond’s story, but we simply do not have enough facts in this matter to make any judgments on him.

So, let’s recap the Comte’s alleged crimes. In Dragonfly in Amber we know that there were three attempts made on Jamie and Claire’s lives that the Comte was suspected of. Two of those attempts turned out to be the Duke of Sandringham. The third attempt was never proven to be the Comte; in fact, there were two other suspects that were more likely the guilty party. In reality, the only thing that happened in Paris that the Comte was guilty of was issuing a threat against Claire after the destruction of his ship and again as an act of desperation during the sorcerer’s duel. In The Space Between the Comte takes Joan from the convent. However, it is evident that he meant her no harm and that he intended to return her to the convent after determining whether or not she could hear the stones.

Now let’s revisit the definition of a villain we learned earlier. A villain is an evil or wicked character that enacts evil action and/or harms others. A villain may have a justification for their actions that is in line with their own principles, but their actions inflict harm and create ruin in the process. This definition certainly does not describe the Comte at all, however one might argue that Jamie and Claire could be the villains in the story of the Comte.

Throughout Claire’s time in the 18th century she was often called a witch and treated with suspicion and apprehension because of her peculiar manner and her knowledge of the future. Isn’t it ironic that Claire treated the Comte with the same suspicious nature? With Dragonfly in Amber being written with Claire as the first person narrator, it was easy for us to believe her and follow her line of reasoning regarding the Comte. It was natural for us, the readers, to believe the Comte was a villain, because Claire believed that he was. Now we know that this wasn’t the case.

It was never my intention to try to convince you that the Comte was actually an honorable character in the story; he wasn’t. He was a man with flaws who made many mistakes. He was hot-headed and self-centered. Even though the Comte may not have been an admirable or even likable character, I would be hard-pressed to call him a villain. It was never proven that he did anything to warrant such a distinction. So, isn’t it time we all agreed to have him removed from the top ten list of villains in Outlander?