Our Hero is Connor Macleod, “born in 1518 in the village of Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel”, played by Christopher Lambert, pronounced “lamb-bear”.
Connor and a few others are immortal, in that they can only die by beheading. Three things make this not so unlikely:
• There seems to be a compulsion felt by all
immortals -- some more, some less -- that, in
the end, only one immortal may remain alive.
• Beheading an immortal gains the victor the
“quickening”, and an increase in their power,
knowledge, and ability.
• The immortal who survives to the last gains
“power beyond imagination”, a giant quickening
referred to as the Prize.
The film is primarily set in New York City, with major flashbacks to 16th Century Scotland where Connor was befriended and trained in the ways of immortals by Juan Sanchez Villalobos-Ramirez, played by Sean Connery. Connor is trailed by the Kurgan, played by Clancy Brown, an exceedingly strong and evil immortal.
Highlander 2: The Quickening
Considered by most fans as a poor shadow of the original.
Our Hero is again Connor Macleod, with Christopher Lambert reprising the title role. Back also is Sean Connery as Ramirez.
Set in the future, there is a shield about the planet, protecting its inhabitants from the effects of the depleted ozone layer. Several years later, the atmosphere may have healed itself but the Shield Corporation covers it up. Connor endeavors to turn off the shield and restore the Earth, calling upon his old friend, Ramirez.
A hokey bit of science-fiction is thrown in, trying to say that immortals were transported to earth from the planet Zeist. Fans were unconvinced.
Though questionably a failure as a sequel, Highlander 2 does contain several nice scenes -- such as the well-choreographed swordplay in the final fight sequence -- and is worth a look as an action/adventure film.
Highlander 3: The Sorcerer
Principal photography of this third Highlander entry completed in April 1994 and included such varied locations as Toronto, New York, and Japan. The film is currently slated for a Fall 1994 U.S. release. Though the working title was Highlander 3: The Magician, trailers shown at performances of The Crow displayed the title change.
Christopher Lambert returns as Connor Macleod. Sean Connery does not return as Ramirez, nor does Adrian Paul appear as Duncan Macleod.
The latest reports are that Highlander 3: The Sorcerer is set partially in the past, when Connor travelled to Japan 350 years ago to learn the Power of Illusion from an ancient magician. Our Hero’s nemesis this time is evil-immortal Kane, played by Mario van Peebles, who confronts Macleod in the hidden cave where he is receiving his final lessons. The mountain is destroyed in the ensuing battle and Kane, along with his three henchmen, are buried.
Back in the present day, construction unearths the cavern, releasing Kane who promptly moves to settle the score with Macleod. Complicating matters for Our Hero is investigating archeologist Alexandra Smith, played by Debra Unger, who has Connor recalling feelings he’d hoped were long-forgotten.
It has been reported that Highlander 3 will return to the tone set in the first film. When asked about events raised in the second film, Highlander 3’s producers apparently answered “What second film?” Good news for fans.
Highlander: The Series
Our Lad in the series is Duncan Macleod, played by Adrian Paul, a somewhat younger clansman to film-hero Connor. His objective is simple: to stay alive each week.
The series pilot also features Christopher Lambert as Connor Macleod, who it seems has been Duncan’s friend and mentor. An evil immortal, Slan Quince played by Richard Moll, lurks nearby, waiting to take a Macleod head. Also near is Richie Ryan, played by Stan Kirsch, a troubled teen with the seed of immortality within him who accidentally witnesses the battle. Connor bids Duncan to watch over Richie.
Among the changing list of regular players are:
• Alexandra Vandernoot as . . . Tessa Noel
• Amanda Wyss as . . . . . . . Randi McFarland
• Werner Stocker as . . . . . . Darius
• Jim Byrnes as . . . . . . . . Joe Dawson
• Philip Akin as . . . . . . . Charlie DeSalvo
• Michel Modo as . . . . . . . Maurice
Highlander: The Series is filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, and in Paris, France.
* * *
Following are lists of Highlander episodes. For detailed synopses of each episode’s contents, please refer to HIFAQS.TXT which can be downloaded from CompuServe’s SCI-FI forum (LIB12) or from its original home on the Internet.
In discussing the Highlander mythos, it is often asked “What is considered ‘canon’, or without question?”
The answer, unfortunately, is complex. Because the films and the television series have entirely different production teams, there is no unified “canon”.
However a common concensus has been arrived at by the Watchers of CIS and other groups of fans.
Films
Highlander (HL1), often subtitled by the Watchers of CIS as “There can be only One,” is considered canon. However, much controversy remains regarding the “Laws” of being Immortal as we were first introduced to them by Juan Sanchez Villalobos-Ramirez.
Highlander 2: The Quickening (HL2), also known as “The Sickening” or “That Which We Shall Not Name,” is not considered canon. The general concensus, at this time, is that a case of bad haggis caused Connor, after receiving the Kurgan’s quickening, to have a bad dream of one possible future. Even the producers are denying that HL2 ever occurred.
Highlander 3: The Sorcerer (HL3) is, at this writing, an unknown quantity. Rumor has it that the producers aim to tie HL3 directly to the first film. More after its release....
Television
All events of Highlander: The Series (HL:TS) are considered canon, though separately. The producers of the series state that it takes place in an “alternate universe” and therefore isn’t bound by the events of the film(s). The Watchers of CIS continue, as do other fan groups, to try to resolve the series to the film(s).
For example, immortals in HL:TS seem to experience a real “death” when dealt a fatal blow -- pain, unconsciousness, loss of vital signs -- and only later “reviving”. In the film(s) a fatal blow, though certainly painful, has little or no effect on the immortal.
The Laws
Several Laws govern an immortal’s life. The exact origins of these Laws is unknown; one is even called “tradition”, which creates much speculation.
• Immies can only truly be killed by beheading.
• Immies cannot have children.
• Immies will not fight on holy ground.
• In the end, there can be only One.
Known Facts
Though not truly Laws, many other consistencies have been observed in immie-lore:
• Immies can sense other immies (“the Buzz”) to
varying degrees.
• When an immie beheads another immie, they receive
all of that immie’s knowledge and power in what’s
called “the quickening”.
• Immies don’t know where they come from (certainly
not Zeist!) or why they’re immortal.
• Immies must duel one-on-one.
• Battles are private; "Our Game is not for
spectators".
• Only a violent death triggers the immortality
present since birth (often referred to as their
“First Death”).
More Info!
• For info on the official Highlander fan club:
For membership & convention information send an
SASE to:
THE GATHERING
THE OFFICIAL HIGHLANDER FILMS & SERIES FAN CLUB
P.O. BOX 123
AURORA CO 80040-0123
• For info on the official Adrian Paul fan club:
PEACE - The Adrian Paul Fan Club
12439 Magnolia Blvd. #159
North Hollywood, CA 91607
• To write to other actors in HL:TS:
SSA PUBLIC RELATIONS
15060 VENTURA BLVD
SUITE 360
SHERMAN OAKS, CA 91403
• To voice your comments regarding HL:TS:
KEITH SAMPLES
RYSHER TPE
3400 RIVERSIDE DRIVE
SUITE 600
BURBANK, CA 91505
• Questions about Highlander (HL:TS) “canon”:
WILLIAM PANZER
RYSHER TPE
3400 RIVERSIDE DRIVE
SUITE 600
BURBANK, CA 91505
• For info on the Highlander film serialization:
Ordered through: Tiptree Distributing
Phone: 0621-819-600 (see your phone
book for direct-dial info)
Title: Highlander
Author: Gary Douglas
Copyright: 1986
Publisher: Severn House Publishers, Ltd.
ISBN No.: 0-7278-1396-X
Cost: approx $19.50 US
(depending on the exchange rate).
VISA/MasterCard accepted.
This book is NOT LISTED in “Books in Print”!
• For info on Highlander replica swords:
For $4.00 (U.S.) one can obtain a dealers catalog
directly from Marto U.S.A. The catalog has both
medieval and oriental swords.
Marto U.S.A.
2874 Hartland Rd.
Falls Church, VA 22043
(703) 698-8603
(703) 698-8606 (FAX)
• For a faux Highlander soundtrack:
There is no “official” Highlander soundtrack; but
the following CD contains all songs, except “New
A congregation of followers of the continuing adventures of the Clan Macleod, found on the CompuServe Information Service in Section 12 of the Science Fiction/Fantasy Forum (GO SCI-FI). We exchange messages on All Things Highlander. We claim no official status whatsoever and disclaim everything.
