Highlander/The Gathering

The Gathering
Season 1, Episode 1
Airdate	October 3, 1992
Production Number	92102-1
Written by	Dan Gordon
Directed by	Thomas J. Wright
Produced by	Gary Goodman, Barry Rosen
Stream
— N/A	1x02 → Family Tree
Highlander — Season One

The Gathering is the first episode of the first season of Highlander.

Starring: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Alexandra Vandernoot (Tessa Noël), Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan)

Special Guest Star: Christopher Lambert (Connor Macleod)

and Richard Moll (Slan)

Co-Starring: Wendell Wright (Sgt. Powell)

Plot Overview

Immortal Duncan MacLeod tries to live a normal life with the woman he loves when she's threatened by another immortal looking to fight him. The Gathering has begun and it's his fellow clansman, Connor MacLeod, who compels him to get back into the Game.

Notes

The Game

• Immortals can sense each other.

• Immortals can only engage in battle one-on-one.

• Immortality is triggered by an initial death.

• Immortals can only be killed by the taking of their head.

• There can be only one. This one will receive all the power of all other immortals, enough to rule the world.

• Immortals do not fight on holy ground, thus making it a safe refuge.

Villain pronounced with a K

• Slan Quince

Music

• Queen - "Who Wants to Live Forever"

• Queen - "Princes of the Universe"

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• A young thief named Richie witnesses the fight between the immortals when he attempt to rob Tessa and Duncan's antique shop. Duncan bails him out on the condition that he not mention what he saw. Connor later says that Richie will need looking after, which Duncan agrees to do.

Characters

• Duncan says that there was a legend from his grandfather's time about Connor, implying that the two MacLeods are only a couple of generations apart. Connor later found Duncan and taught him everything.

• Duncan had lived with a Native American tribe until they were all slaughtered. It's implied he was married to one of the women. Afterwards he then made a home on holy ground and abstained from the Game.

• Duncan is 399 as of this episode, saying he won't be 400 for four months.

• Tessa is concerned that Duncan (or even herself) will eventually want someone else, but he remains dedicated to her, as does he she, even after he kills Slan and embraces the Game.

Referbacks

• Connor mentions how he taught Duncan, as someone taught him. While not named, this was Don Vincente Marino Ramirez, as seen in flashbacks in the first film.

Trivia

The Show

• Christopher Lambert reprises his role as Connor MacLeod from the films. While it's his only appearance in the series, the two MacLeods would reunite in the film Endgame.

• This is the only time an immortal's decapitated body is seen on screen. In all subsequent episodes, a great deal is made to keep everything above the shoulders off screen.

• This episode mentions the Gathering, a climatic event in the first film in which the last remaining immortals congregate to battle until there is a victor to claim the Prize. However, it's mentioning here isn't as specific and not only does the show never mention the Prize, but the Gathering will only be a plotpoint for this season before being unceremoniously dropped.

• Connor's existence in the series led to some confusion since he won the Prize at the end of the first film and became mortal, thus the series couldn't gel with that continuity, leaving some to speculate that the show took place sometime before the events of the first film.

Allusions and References

• Duncan sarcastically asks Sgt Powell if Richie also saw a man in a bat costume and cape, obviously describing Batman.

• Sgt Powell invokes Father Edward J. Flanagan in Duncan's approach to Richie. Flanagan was a priest who founded Boys Town who famously said that there's "no such thing as a bad boy," which Powell quotes.

Memorable Moments

• Duncan's first Quickening - and the first in the series - which sees Slan's decapitated body expels energy, a powerful series of lightning that courses through Duncan's body.

Quotes

• Slan: My challenge was to Duncan MacLeod, not you, whoever you are.

Connor: I'm Connor MacLeod - same clan, different vintage.

• Tessa: So, what has this been for you - this past dozen years? Was it like a summer fling? R & R? "Sorry, darling. Back to the wars, you know." Damn you! Damn your Gathering! Damn your whole race!

Duncan: I'm not your enemy, you know.

Tessa: No. An enemy could never hurt so much.

• Duncan: There can be only one.