History Franchise / Highlander

* ''WesternAnimation/HighlanderTheAnimatedSeries'' (1994-1996) mostly ignores the established canon, though Connor [=MacLeod=] and Ramirez (from the original film) both make an appearance. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the Immortals have agreed to a truce. Once everyone else has taken the oath, however, a {{jerkass}} Immortal named Kortan [[ILied takes advantage]] of the binding truce to become [[TakeOverTheWorld ruler of Earth]]. Several centuries later, new Immortal Quentin [=MacLeod=] is born. He is [[CurseEscapeClause not bound by the oath]], making him the sole warrior able to face Kortan. His mentor Vincente Ramirez leads him on a quest to find the other Immortals and receive their knowledge, before Kortan does. Tagging along is Clyde of the Dundee, Quentin's adoptive sister. The series eventually spawned a game ''Highlander: The Last of the [=MacLeods=]'' for the ill-fated UsefulNotes/AtariJaguar CD.[[/index]]

* FriendlyEnemy: Some Immortals, such as the [=MacLeod=] protagonists, have (very) old friendships with others, as they can relate to each other in a way mortals cannot, and weave in and out of each other's lives over the centuries. Duncan and Amanda even have an on-and-off romantic relationship. But they all still know that sometime, they will either be killed by someone else, or eventually, will have fight each other to the death.

* ''Series/{{Highlander}}'' (1992-1998) -- Popularly referred to as ''Highlander: The Series'', it stars Duncan [=MacLeod=] (Creator/AdrianPaul), another Immortal and kinsman of Connor [=MacLeod=]. It coined the term "The Game", which refers to the Immortals' ongoing battle. The original film is canon, [[BroadStrokes apart from]] Connor winning The Prize; The Game is still ongoing. Later seasons go further and suggest that it [[ForeverWar will never really 'end']]. The series also introduces the Watchers, a [[TeamSwitzerland neutral group]] who have observed and chronicled Immortal activities throughout history; one of their agents is Joe Dawson (Jim Byrnes), a maverick who bends the rules from time-to-time [[OlderSidekick to keep Duncan alive]]. The other major character is Methos (Peter Wingfield), the oldest Immortal on record, whose [[ImmortalImmaturity immaturity]] masks a [[MrExposition wealth of knowledge]]. For the most part it was well-received and internally consistent.

* ''Film/HighlanderEndgame'' (2000) attempts to merge Duncan's story with Connor's, and it ends up contradicting both. Duncan and Connor are targeted by Jacob Kell (Creator/BrucePayne), a [[SinisterMinister religious zealot]]-turned-Immortal with a grudge against Connor. His gimmick is that doesn't play by "The Rules" and can kill other Immortals wherever and however he pleases, but the cause behind it is unexplained. (The eruption of Mount Vesuvius was previously hinted to have been caused by two Immortals breaking The Rules.) ''Endgame''[='=]s poor editing left fans confounded and casual viewers completely adrift. Like ''The Quickening'', ''Endgame'' saw an extended cut which at least gives it some semblance of order.

* ''WesternAnimation/HighlanderTheAnimatedSeries'' (1994-1996) mostly ignores the established canon, though Connor [=MacLeod=] and Ramirez (from the original film) both make an appearance. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the Immortals have agreed to a truce. Once everyone else has taken the oath, however, a {{jerkass}} Immortal named Kortan [[ILied takes advantage]] of the binding truce to become [[TakeOverTheWorld ruler of Earth]]. Several centuries later, new Immortal Quentin [=MacLeod=] is born. He is [[CurseEscapeClause not bound by the oath]], making him the sole warrior able to face Kortan. His mentor Vincente Ramirez leads him on a quest to find the other Immortals and receive their knowledge, before Kortan does. Tagging along is Clyde of the Dundee, Quentin's adoptive sister. The series eventually spawned a game ''Highlander: The Last of the [=MacLeods=]'' for the ill-fated UsefulNotes/AtariJaguar CD. Seriously.[[/index]]

* AlternateContinuity: There are at least three -- the (first three) films, the TV series (plus spinoffs and sequel movies), and the animated series. These are the broadest possible divisions as each one contains multiple {{Retcon}}s within themselves.

* CanonDisContinuity:

* FriendlyEnemy: Some Immortals, such as the [=MacLeod=] protagonists, have (very) old friendships with others, as they can relate to each other in a way mortals cannot, and weave in and out of each other's lives over the centuries, but they still know that sometime, they will either be killed by someone else, or fight each other to the death.

* LoopholeAbuse: While almost no Immortal would dare fight on holy ground, some of them are more than willing to bend the rules a bit. Like waiting to ambush a rival the moment they leave the area or sending in mortal human subordinates to attack in their place.

* MasterSwordsman: FridgeLogic would imply that ''any'' Immortal who lives long enough would eventually have to become one, but the [=MacLeods=], Ramirez, and Graham Ashe (Ramirez's teacher) are explicitly referred to as such.

** In the Series, Brother Paul (an Immortal) had set up a monastery specifically as one of these, a sort of safe retreat for Immortals weary and PTSD-ing from The Game to come and rest, recharge, collect themselves, and venture forth again in something resembling mental and spiritual health. [[spoiler:The co-founder of the monastery, Kalas, ambushed Immortals as they were leaving and took their heads, Brother Paul was [[{{Understatement}} somewhat displeased]] when he learned of this.]]

** We were born to be Music/{{Queen|Band}}s of the universe.

** Subverted. None of the immortals' severe wounds appear to leave scars, except neck wounds (the Kurgan's slashed throat in the movie, and Kalas' slashed vocal cords in the series), probably due to the connection between decapitation and death for them.

* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: ''The Source''. Nearly every character from the television series, nay, the ''franchise'' is presumed dead in the film's dystopian world. Yes, even [[spoiler:Connor]], who bit the dust in ''Endgame''.
** Rather heartlessly, [[spoiler:Methos]], a highly popular character, is last seen running off in to the woods, presumably to be ''killed offscreen.''

* SuperStrength: While they don't display it as consistently as they should, the Immortals in ''Highlander'' are more than just Humans with the ability to regenerate and recover from fatal injuries and potentially live forever. Immortals are stronger, faster and tougher than Humans, and this grows as they age, train and acquire more Quickenings. Being able to cut off the heads of other Immortals, much less any human being requires a great deal of physical strength, seeing as how hard it is to do consistently. The Kurgan himself displays this when he's able to chop down a huge chunk of the tower that Connor lives in, and when he manages to stab a man and lift him up into the air with his sword. It's more obvious how much stronger and powerful Immortals are in ''The Search for Vengeance'' when you're not constrained by a special effects budget like they would in live-action films.

* VictorGainsLosersPowers: One of the side effects of the quickening after one Immortal beheads another one. Not that pronounced in either the films or the series, but it's implied that the major villains (particularly The Kurgan) have so much skill and knowledge due to their high number of kills.
** It's usually downplayed, but there are two notable explicit invocations. In the variously-titled Highlander 3, Kane gets the illusion powers of The Sorcerer Nakano after taking his head, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero after Nakano offered his Quickening to Connor, who refused to strike down his friend and mentor.]] In the series, the Immortal Coltec, who makes it his mission to take the heads of truly evil Immortals, takes one too many and suffers a Dark Quickening, not only turning evil but embracing the same crimes the various evil Immortals he had killed indulged in. [[spoiler:Duncan is forced to kill him and suffers the same fate, temporarily.]]

** Ramirez was born in Ancient Egypt and lived over two thousand years before he was beheaded by the Kurgan in 1542. In that time he had three wives, including a Japanese princess named Shakiko (whose father Masamune forged his [[CoolSword badass ivory-handled katana]]). Eventually he inevitably outlived Shakiko and swore off ever marrying mortal women again, even warning Connor against it. The way he talks about Shakiko even two millennia after her passing, he clearly still misses her dearly.
** ''Endgame'' also shows how marrying immortals doesn't always work out either. Duncan falls in love with a woman who is a nascent immortal, and he deliberately causes her violent first death (on her wedding night no less) to activate her immortality without explaining his rationale. This causes her to freak out, run away and join forces with the BigBad.

* ''Film/HighlanderEndgame'' (2000) attempts to merge Duncan's story with Connor's (although it ends up contradicting both). Duncan and Connor are targeted by Jacob Kell (Creator/BrucePayne), a [[SinisterMinister religious zealot]]-turned-Immortal with a grudge against Connor. His gimmick is that doesn't play by "The Rules" and can kill other Immortals wherever and however he pleases, but the cause behind it is unexplained. (The eruption of Mount Vesuvius was previously hinted to have been caused by two Immortals breaking The Rules.) ''Endgame''[='=]s poor editing left fans confounded and casual viewers completely adrift. Like ''The Quickening'', ''Endgame'' saw an extended cut which at least gives it some semblance of order.

Although it enjoyed a much-higher budget, it was panned by critics, spurned by fans and rode high on "Worst Movies" lists for a long time. T
Besides a bad case of DoingInTheWizard that [[VoodooShark raised more questions than it answered]], the film was plagued with creative and budgetary problems, which resulted in a private entity taking over post-production and finishing it on the cheap. Several years after the theatrical screening, the director re-edited ''The Renegade Cut'' for release on home video -- ''twice''. The edits had all references to space aliens [[{{Retcon}} removed]].

Although it enjoyed a much-higher budget, it was panned by critics, spurned by fans and rode high on "Worst Movies" lists for a long time. The film was plagued with creative and budgetary problems, which resulted in a private entity taking over post-production and finishing it on the cheap. Several years after the theatrical screening, the director re-edited ''The Renegade Cut'' for release on home video -- ''twice''. The edits had all references to space aliens [[{{Retcon}} removed]].

[[caption-width-right:300:''[[Music/{{Queen|Band}} Here we are, born to be kings; we're the princes of the universe.]]'']]

* ''Film/HighlanderEndgame'' (2000) attempts to merge Duncan's story with Connor's (although it ends up contradicting both). Duncan and Connor are targeted by Jacob Kell (Bruce Payne), a [[SinisterMinister religious zealot]]-turned-Immortal with a grudge against Connor. His gimmick is that doesn't play by "The Rules" and can kill other Immortals wherever and however he pleases, but the cause behind it is unexplained. (The eruption of Mount Vesuvius was previously hinted to have been caused by two Immortals breaking The Rules.) ''Endgame''[='=]s poor editing left fans confounded and casual viewers completely adrift. Like ''The Quickening'', ''Endgame'' saw an extended cut which at least gives it some semblance of order.

** We were born to be Music/{{Queen}}s of the universe.

* HotScientist: Brenda Wyatt the forensic scientist, Louise Marcus the environmental scientist, Dr. Alexandra Johnson the archaeologist. Connor seems to have a thing for sexy nerds.

[[caption-width-right:300:''[[Music/{{Queen}} Here we are, born to be kings; we're the princes of the universe.]]'']]

* TakeUpMySword: Literally, as most Immortals get their WeaponOfChoice from their mentor, either as a gift or by claiming their weapon after they suffer MentorOccupationalHazard. More generally, the "good" Immortals teach their students to stand up to and defeat the "evil" Immortals.

* ViewersAreGeniuses: If you pay attention to the histories of some of the Immortals and where they have been, their particular WeaponOfChoice makes so much more sense.

* WeaponOfChoice: Each Immortal uses a different style of sword, usually related to what they grew up using. Some are very exacting about what kinds and qualities of sword they will use. Notably, Xavier St. Cloud uses a katana in his first appearance, but switches to a lighter rapier in his second. Makes sense, since his first appearance ended with him losing a hand, and rapiers are easier to use one-handed than katanas.

* ''Anime/HighlanderTheSearchForVengeance'' (2007) is an {{anime}} unrelated to any of the films or other adaptations. It starts in AD 125, somewhere in UsefulNotes/RomanBritain. A small village is wiped out by Roman troops led by Immortal Marcus Octavius. He is a NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist who thinks an Empire is [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans necessary to build a utopian society]]. This battle leads to the rise of another Immortal, Colin [=MacLeod=]. He is mentored by Amergan, the ghost of a druid. Colin devotes his life to seeking vengeance by killing Octavius. The film follows them in brief scenes taking place during a period of two millennia. The film was a critical hit and is thought to have a far more complex plot than most of the live-action sequels.[[/index]]

* RealMenLoveJesus: Both Connor and Duncan are, astoundingly, still devout Catholics in spite of the fact that the superstitious xenophobia of their Catholic kin is precisely what caused them to be hated and feared exiles driven from their homes.
** To be fair, ''they'' were pretty freaked out themselves with what was happening to them. They just don't seem to hold a grudge (maybe because they ''are'' devout Catholics) and, well, the "driven from their homes" part probably had less to do with the people being Catholic than the fact that both Connor and Duncan had somehow come BackFromTheDead- it was the people who had the problem, not the faith.