Character page for the Highlander series.
For Villains (recurring and one-time), go to this list
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Highlander the Series
Main Characters
Duncan MacLeod
Played by: Adrian Paul
Dubbed by: Pierre Dourlens (French)
The main character and protagonist of the show, Duncan was raised as the son of the chief of clan MacLeod until his Immortality was revealed and he was cast out. He lived for some years in the Scottish wilderness before rumors of his existence reached the ears of his elder and kinsman, Connor MacLeod. Connor found Duncan and began teaching and training the younger MacLeod, traveling throughout Europe. Duncan would return to Scotland several times through the ages to help them overthrow British rule, but the defeats suffered by the Scots eventually made him give up. He then traveled all throughout the world, often serving again as a soldier in causes he considered just until an encounter with the monk Darius convinced him to begin rethinking living a soldier's life forever and moving into more peaceful trades. In the present he splits his time between Paris and the (fictional) city of Seacouver, working as an antiques dealer.
For all the time that's been alive and all that he's been through, nothing has shaken Duncan's firm belief in his principles, right and wrong, good and evil. He will defend and fight for any person he sees as righteous, regardless of whether he benefits from it or not, and against anything he sees as wrong.
- Affectionate Nickname: Is referred to as "Mac" quite often by his friends.
- Badass Longcoat: Usually a black one. It's used to Handwave where he keeps his sword.
- Been There, Shaped History: Duncan seems to appear everywhere important in the past four hundred years. For just a few examples: he's fought in the Jacobite rebellions, he was at Waterloo, fought for the Union in American Civil War and been imprisoned in the infamous Andersonville prison camp, partied with Cossacks in Russia, took alchemy and martial arts lessons in China, washed up in Tokugawa era Japan in a shipwreck, lived on the plains with a tribe of the Sioux, was a stretcher bearer in WWI, a reporter in the Spanish Civil War etc.
- Big Brother Mentor: Duncan is a mentor to Richie, but often acts more like a cool big brother than a fatherly sort of mentor.
- The Call Knows Where You Live: Try as he might, Duncan cannot stay out of the game. Connor brings up the death of Duncan's adopted tribe as an example. Duncan retorts that their deaths had nothing to do with the Game. Later flashbacks show Duncan was right, but it was an immortal who killed them regardless.
- Chronic Hero Syndrome: It doesn't matter if they're a complete stranger he's never met, Duncan will attempt to help them.
- Cultured Badass: He runs an antique store, can speak multiple languages, has excellent taste in wine and art, and is an expert swordsman.
- Dating Catwoman: He's the Batman to Amanda's Catwoman, but they do get along fairly well nonetheless.
- Ethical Slut: Duncan is a very, very handsome man who has a lot of love affairs and relationships. He is, however, extremely ethical and chivalrous in his approach and above all else, responsible about it.
- Good Is Not Soft: Duncan's a good man who helps people in need, but he's ready and willing to kill bad guys without hesitation and in cold blood if he has to.
- Hammerspace: There were times in the show when he pulled his sword out between cuts when he had no place to conceal it anywhere.
- Happily Adopted: Duncan didn't even know he was a foundling until his first death. After he was banished from the clan, his mother still insisted "It matters not who bore you, you ARE my son!" Even 400 years later, Duncan's recollections of his parents are loving and respectful. He even still wears his clan name as a badge of honor and saves the modern members of his clan from a evil immortal out of a sense of duty, despite them banishing him as a demon.
- Heroic Neutral: As he once told an old friend of his:Duncan: I'm not looking for any new fights. As it is some of the old ones won't leave me alone.
- Honor Before Reason: Duncan has such a strong code of honor that he's walked into things he knows are traps rather than violate it.
- Houseboat Hero: At least while in Paris.
- I Am X, Son of YI am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod.
- Iconic Item: He occasionally wears a engraved metal hair clip , and is fond of wearing a decorative button of some kind on his hair tie.
- Living Forever Is Awesome: Despite his losses and regrets, Duncan nevertheless makes the most of his immortality. He firmly believes life is worth living even if it is never ending.
- Master Swordsman: Duncan is an incredible swordsman, even for an Immortal. If it has a hilt and a blade, he can wield it. He always prefers his dragon-head katana, but throughout the series he's seen to use numerous swords and other bladed weapons with varying degrees of skill, including a claidheamh mór, basket-hilted broadsword, rapier, boarding cutlass, battle-axe, and even a Sioux war spear. In one episode he dual-wields twin wakizashi; in another, he fights with rapier and dagger in the style that 16th-century swordmaster Gérard Thibault called "the Mysterious Circle."
- Mr. Fanservice: He fights shirtless several times, and gives a full view of his backside at least once. (twice if you count Endgame)
- My Country, Right or Wrong: He always honors his Scottish heritage and has fought for his homeland at different times in history.
- Nice Guy: He routinely goes out of his way to help and be courteous to people for no other reason than because it's the right thing to do.
- Not Himself: The Dark Quickening turns Duncan into an evil version of himself who tries to murder his friends and callously seduces a man's wife.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: It is rather Downplayed, but...if Duncan ever starts smiling during an honest-to-goodness fight, you know you're in for a world of hurt.
- Perma-Stubble: Duncan almost always looks like it's been a couple of days since he used a razor.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Duncan has shades of this, especially when he fights someone who doesn't know he's Immortal. Since even if he loses he's not going to die, and the fact he has four centuries of experience on his opponent means he's unlikely to lose in the first place, he seems to just throw himself into enjoying the fight, using flashier and less-practical martial arts styles, and usually sporting a big grin.
- Real Men Love Jesus: He is a devout Catholic in spite of being banished by the xenophobia of his Catholic kin. In addition, throughout the series, he shows considerable respect for other religious traditions.
- Shoot the Dog: Duncan has on occasion been forced to put someone down, despite what he might otherwise wish, even if he's sad about it.
- Slipknot Ponytail: Difficult fights often result in his distinctive ponytail coming out and his long hair hanging free
- The Coats Are Off: No matter the weather, Duncan always wear a long coat, (in order to hide his sword) but when there's a fight, the sword comes out and the coat gets ditched.
- The Stoic: At times in the opening season he actually had a more lighthearted approach and personality, but for the majority of the show's run, (especially after Tessa dies) Duncan emotes very little and meets events calmly.
- Straight Man: Duncan is cool and rational, as opposed to the sarcastic Methos, the excitable Richie, and the laid-back Joe Dawson.
- Tranquil Fury: Duncan can sometimes demonstrate pure wrath with chilling calm. When he goes after Lucas Kagan, who murdered a woman Duncan had vowed to defend, Duncan is furious the entire time but does not raise his voice once.
- Warrior Poet: Much like Connor, he is a patron for music, poetry, fine arts, not to mention wine and fine cooking.
Methos
Played by Peter Wingfield
The legendary oldest Immortal, Methos has been alive for at least 5000 years. Although a capable fighter, Methos has lived so long because he's clever, cynical, self-serving, possesses a keen insight into people, and generally seeks to avoid conflict by keeping a low profile. Time and experience have only added onto these attributes. (Particularly the cynicism.)
- The Atoner: Downplayed. Claims not to feel guilt for his time as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but still turns on his former brothers-in-arms when they want to spread a plague that would most likely kill thousands of mortals.
- Badass Bookworm: Works at a university when we first meet him, and claims to have been writing almost since writing began, which, considering how uncommon a skill it was in the ancient world, is saying something, especially since he seemed to spend many of his early years doing nothing but killing people and smashing things.
- Big Brother Mentor: To Duncan, when Duncan will actually listen.
- Combat Pragmatist: Including tactics such as shooting Duncan in the back when Duncan is being a little too brash due to Honor Before Reason, or stabbing an opponent in the groin with a concealed dagger.
- Crazy-Prepared: Even more so than other Immortals. Has paperwork for multiple identities including a doctor and lawyer, in case he needs them. Because his focus is on ending a challenge to his life as quickly as possible, he also carries multiple weapons on his person, including a gun and a dagger, in addition to his sword.
- Dark and Troubled Past: As a member of the Four Horsemen he committed atrocities across the centuries.Methos: I killed. But I didn't just kill fifty. I didn't kill a hundred. I killed a thousand. I killed TEN THOUSAND! And I was good at it. And it wasn't for vengeance. It wasn't for greed. It was because... I liked it. Heh. I liked it. Do you know who I was? I was Death! Death. Death on a horse! When mothers warned their children that the monster would get them, that monster was me. I was the nightmare that kept them awake at night.
- Deadpan Snarker: Especially when someone implies his age should make him a wise man.
- The Fog of Ages: Played With. Methos has stated he isn't even sure how old he is. His memory goes back five thousand years and "before that, it all starts to blur." However, the "Methos Chronicles" shows that he actually remembers his full life and only claims to have forgotten it. Given his basic nature as an Unreliable Expositor, it is unclear how much of his past he actually remembers.
- Good Is Not Nice: Fights even dirtier than some of the villains, and kills an evil immortal woman when Duncan's sense of chivalry won't let him do the job.
- Guile Hero: One of the main reasons he's survived so long is because he's good at judging his opponents and outsmarting them.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Zig-Zagged. He offers to make one to Duncan after Kalas finds him and soundly thrashes him, explaining that he'd much rather someone like Duncan get all of Methos' knowledge and power than someone like Kalas. Duncan decides to Take a Third Option. . .
which may have been exactly what Methos had planned.He can beat me. He might beat you. He can't beat us. - Heroic Self-Deprecation/Cowardly Lion: Whenever MacLeod seeks his advice on matters of honour, Methos always advises him to run away, insisting that he himself wouldn't risk his life for anybody. Yet at the same time he is risking his life to bring Mac back from the Dark Quickening, and duelling immortals on his behalf. Methos talks like a coward, but he doesn't act like one.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Under the alias of Adam, he joins the Watchers, and gets himself assigned to tracking down... himself.
- Inconspicuous Immortal: He's long since retired from his violent lifestyle and is now making a living as a historian allied with the Watchers - allowing him the opportunity to ensure that nobody ever picks up his trail... and it's worked so well that even Duncan is stunned when he realizes that the shy academic who just offered him a beer is Methos himself. For good measure, Methos prefers not to fight at all if he can help it, preferring to either avoid notice altogether or resort to dirty tricks.
- Living Forever Is Awesome: While he has plenty of regrets, he also treasures continuing to live, have new experiences and new things to learn.
- Manipulative Bastard: Manages to pull off a false Face–Heel Turn and plan the fall of the Horsemen from the inside. Even Duncan isn't 100% sure if Methos didn't plan all of it from the very beginning just to be rid of the other ancient immortals
- Mayfly–December Romance: With Alexa, who only had a year to live when they met.Methos: I know she's dying, okay? You are all dying. Twenty years. Six months. What's the difference?
- Minored in Ass-Kicking: Prefers not to fight at all in the present day, and will avoid challenges if he can, but curb stomped a couple of the opponents he couldn't avoid fighting, nonetheless.Methos: Just because someone doesn't like to fight doesn't mean they can't.
- The Older Immortal: The oldest living man on earth at 5000+ years, even other immortals thought him a myth.
- The Perils of Being the Best: Methos is all too aware of the dangers of this trope, and of the fact that every head hunter and glory seeking wannabe would be gunning for the head of the Oldest Immortal if given half a chance. As such Methos is extremely paranoid and extremely thorough in making sure that he leaves no trail for people to follow and that nobody believes that he really exists. Part of his reason for infiltrating The Watchers and becoming the foremost expert on Methos is specifically so he can make sure he can manipulate what is recorded about him, and make it impossible for anyone to find or recognize him.
- Pragmatic Hero: Is willing to do various underhanded things or Shoot the Dog in order to keep himself and his friends alive, but mostly avoids situations where he has to fight in the first place. Or at least that's the case in the modern day.
- Properly Paranoid: Hides among the Watchers so he can better avoid others of his kind, completely changes his personality in order to blend in with mortals, and hightails it in the other direction whenever he feels an unknown Immortal approaching him. Since he is the oldest of his kind, though, and younger immortals sometimes use unfair means to obtain the Quickenings of more powerful immortals, these precautions are completely justified. If he didn’t hide who he was, he would probably be hunted by every headhunter out there.
- Rebuilt Pedestal: At the end of the Four Horsemen arc, after helping Duncan bring down the other Horsemen by working against them from the inside, they begin to rekindle their friendship.
- Reluctant Warrior: He would prefer to stay out of the Game, but see Underestimating Badassery for what happens when someone tries to force the issue.
- Retired Badass: Or wants to be, anyway.
- Retired Monster: A downplayed example of this trope. Unlike the classic Retired Monster, he shows some evidence of regret and atones by destroying his comrades, who have not retired.
- Seen It All: Justified. As someone who has lived for 5000 years, there is very little that fazes Methos. This is partly because Methos tends not to care what happens to people who aren’t his friends, but still. In one episode, various characters announce the actions they plan to take to keep a friend from being killed in a duel to the death, and then leave Methos sitting there, alone.Methos (looking completely unconcerned about everything): ...I think I’ll go buy some socks.
- Shoot the Dog: How he regards the idea of taking the head of Duncan's Psycho Ex-Girlfriend Kristin.Someone had to do it.
- Shrouded in Myth: Even among Immortals he's considered a urban legend.
- The Social Expert: Methos seems confident that he can turn public opinion in favor of Immortals when it looks like they are going to be revealed to the world in season three. He is also very good at judging how dangerous other Immortals are and using this knowledge to manipulate them into doing what he wants.Methos: [talking to Keane, who has a sword to his throat] Do you mind putting that down, or were you planning to use it?
Keane: What makes you think I won’t?
Methos: I’m a student of human nature. [Later, after Keane leaves without getting any information from Methos or harming him in any way] I love good guys. - Time Abyss: Claims his first Quickening was about 5,000 years before the show's present. In his own words, everything before that starts to turn into a blur. It's fairly often pointed out that because Methos' memory is a blur before that first Quickening, he may be significantly older than 5,000, since not even he knows how long he had already lived prior to that point.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Cheap beer.
- Trickster Mentor: To everyone. He never teaches a lesson straight out if he can help it.
- Underestimating Badassery:
- Several people have underestimated him because he avoids conflict if he can. In one case, the immortal Morgan Walker tracks him down in the present day. Walker thinks Methos is a weakling and expects to easily beat him. Instead Methos curb stomps him, and the last thing Walker hears is Methos saying "Just because someone doesn't like to fight doesn't mean they can't."
- In the timeline where Duncan was never born, Methos went on one hell of a Roaring Rampage of Revenge when Horton's Hunters kill Methos' mortal lover in an attempt to get to him. Methos promptly teams back up with his old partner Kronos and declares war against the Hunters. Their actions are described thusly: "They made the Russian Mafia look like choir boys."
- Would Hit a Girl: He was alive for thousands of years before the idea of chivalry came along. And while he rarely gets involved in violence if he can help it, he shows no more qualms about fighting a woman than he does a man.Kristin Gilles: Who the hell are you?!
Methos: A man born long before the age of chivalry.
Amanda Darieux
Played by Elizabeth Ward Gracen
A sly and manipulative Immortal who has been a thief for most of her long life, Amanda has had several run-ins with Duncan and maintained an oddly good relationship despite her methods and profession being quite at odds with his dedication to old fashioned morality.- Battle Couple: She and Duncan become this later in the series after the Season 3 finale brings the pair the closest they've been in their 300 year long relationship. Though since Immortal duels are one-on-one, they don't fight side-by-side as frequently as you'd think.
- Betty and Veronica: The Veronica to Tessa's Betty. Tessa is all Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold, Amanda is a conniving and frequently manipulative thief.
- Boyish Short Hair: Her most consistent hairstyle, although it is not matched by a boyish personality.
- Classy Cat-Burglar: She likes high class clothes, fashion, looking great, and has centuries of experience as a thief.
- Combat Hand Fan: In an episode of Highlander: The Raven, Amanda has to face an Immortal who knows all her moves with her usual weapons. So she pulls out a pair of tessen — which he hasn't seen her use — and fights using those.
- Con Man: When Amanda isn't actively stealing, odds are she's running some kind of con. Her "attempt to go legit" consisted of attempting to acquire high-quality plates to print counterfiet money, something Duncan calls out as hardly a real attempt to give up crime.
- Consummate Liar: Easy way to tell if Amanda is lying? Her mouth opens and words come out. Even knowing this, good luck trying to figure out precisely what she's lying about, or what the lie actually is. Typically, by the time someone (usually Duncan) figures the truth, Amanda's already gotten what she wanted.
- Cry into Chest: Did this with Duncan after she discovered her teacher Rebecca had been killed. It is one of the very rare occasions she breaks down.
- Damsel out of Distress: Kalas captures her in the season 3 finale in order to bait Duncan. Too bad her guards didn't know 1,000 years of being a Femme Fatale and thief gave her plenty of time to become an exceptional escape artist as well.
- Femme Fatale: A less villainous example than most (usually).
- Heroic Seductress: Waffles between this and The Vamp depending on how morally ambiguous she's decided to be in a given episode. Her earlier appearences basically cast her as Duncan's "bad habit," a woman he knew full well was bad for him, but he just couldn't help himself. Later episodes established a more balanced relationship between the two, past and present. But Amanda has never been above using her sexuality as a weapon, or sometimes just for kicks. Whenever she decides to target Richie, for valid reasons or just for chuckles, Hilarity Ensues.
- Kill Steal: In her first appearance she decapitates a disarmed immortal seconds before Duncan would have killed him. Partly justified in that the man was Zachary Blaine, her abusive former boyfriend who was tormenting her for most of the episode.
- Male Might, Female Finesse: Is the Finesse to Duncan's Might. Amanda is a much more acrobatic and mobility-based fighter than Duncan, and some of her fight scenes showcase some pretty amazing feats of athleticism. In the card game, Amanda is the Fragile Speedster. This carries over into Highlander: The Raven.
- Mama Bear: To Kenny, at least until she finds out what he really is.
- Ms. Fanservice: She is a very beautiful woman (her actress, Elizabeth Gracen, is both a former Miss America and Playboy model), and has a tendency to end up in very sexy attire. In-universe, Amanda is fully aware of the effect her body has on the average male, and routinely uses that fact to get what she wants.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: Amanda hangs around and is friends with Immortals like Duncan and Methos. She obviously lived 1,000 years by putting up a good fight, but she rarely gets to show off and is often outclassed since the villains have to match the heroes, all of whom are better than her at fighting.
- Demonstrated in the episode "Methuselah's Gift", where Methos and Amanda have opposite agendas and are increasingly angry at each other. They duel with swords, Methos bests her, disarms her, and briefly considers killing her. He spares her life and then explains the motivation behind his agenda. The episode establishes him as a better fighter than Amanda.
- Also her two fights with Kalas. Kalas gives Duncan on his best day a solid run for his money, and he pretty much wipes the floor with Amanda both times they fight. The first time Kalas had a friend ("Not friend. Weapon.") Amanda was unaware of. The second time was just them, Amanda pulled every trick at her disposal, and still barely made it out with her head attached. Note that Amanda is more than twice as old as Duncan, so should be commensurately better than he is, unless one factors in all the Quickenings Duncan's gained over his relatively short life as an Immortal.
Tessa Noel
Played By: Alexandra Vandernoot
Duncan's longtime companion and love interest at the start of the show, Tessa is a skilled artist and empathic soul. In Season 2, she was kidnapped by a rogue Watcher who had abducted the loved ones of Immortals so he could lure them to their deaths. Duncan managed to save Tessa, but while he was trying to learn more about her kidnapper from the man's computer, Tessa was attacked and killed by a mugger.
- Alternate Universe: She survives "The Darkness" in the "Highlander: Imagine" books instead of dying.
- Betty and Veronica: While Amanda is the much older, far more dangerous and glamorous thief, Tessa is sweet, stable and devoted.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Tessa is a very calm character and has no real fighting skills. She's also sometimes capable of surprisingly violent and drastic acts.
- In "See No Evil", she is antagonized by a serial killer called The Scalper and has to be protected. When Tessa sees the Scalper about to kill her surrogate son Richie Ryan, she goes berserk and runs him over with a car. The killer is left in a bloody puddle and has to be rushed to a hospital. It is one of the first episodes where Duncan does not get to defeat an opponent.
- There's also Free Fall; when Tessa realizes that she's with the episode's villain, she hastily turns on her welding torch
Tessa: I may not be able to kill you, but I'll give you a facial you'll never forget! - Damsel in Distress: Several villains kidnapped her to get to Duncan, preying on his desire to Always Save the Girl. She is also targeted by people who do not even know Duncan. In "Mountain Men", Immortal Caleb Cole has been living in the mountains with male companions for far too long and Tessa is the first woman he has seen in years. He abducts her to force her to become his wife. He is little more than a rapist. In "Eyewitness", Tessa is the sole witness to a murder, and the murderer Andrew Ballin wants to kill her to cover his tracks. Ballin turns out to be Immortal, but he is not playing the Game in this case. In "See No Evil", Tessa is a potential victim for a mortal serial killer called "The Scalper" (revealed to be a character called Michael Tanovsky) because she fits the profile of his victims and has a close connection to a previous victim. It is unclear if Tanovsky even knows about Immortals. (The episode has a subplot that the killer is copying the methods of an Immortal serial killer who died 70 years before, but it was never explained how he knew about these methods.).
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: She's sweet, artistic, non-violent, and feminine except when she threatens to burn off your face with a welding torch.
- Killed Off for Real: She's killed in the second season in the same mugging that makes Richie Immortal, thus highlighting the contrast between muggles that die permanently and immortals that come back stronger.
- The Lost Lenore: With her early death, she has more impact on Duncan's motivations dead than alive.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Tessa was only Killed Off for Real because Vandernoot's father became ill, and she felt she could no longer be away from her family during the Seacouver/Canada arcs.
Richie Ryan
Played By: Stan Kirsch
A foster child who grew up as a tough street kid, Richie became a thief and was planning to rob Duncan's antique store in the show's first episode when he witnessed the start of a battle between Slan Quince, Connor, and Duncan. Connor and Duncan recognized Richie as an Immortal who hadn't died his first death yet , so Duncan kept Richie close afterwards, under the pretense that it was because of Richie stumbling onto Immortals. He died at the same time that Tessa did, and afterward became Duncan's full fledged student.
- Ax-Crazy: After Duncan is afflicted by the Dark Quickening and tries to kill him, Richie decides to devote himself to The Game, and goes on a nationwide Immortal killing spree.
- Badass Adorable: He didn't take many heads on-screen, but the Immortals he did defeat included Mako (~700 years), Ivan Kristov (~400 years), and Carter Wellan (~1000 years).
- Chronic Hero Syndrome: He developed a case almost as bad as Duncan's especially for any passing Damsel in Distress. The plots of a number of episodes are kickstarted by this trait.
- Dead Sidekick: In season 6.
- Dropped a Bridge on Him: Richie stumbles across Duncan while the latter is under the influence of Ahriman's hallucinations. Thinking that Richie is an enemy, Duncan decapitates him.
- Foster Kid: As immortals are all foundlings, Richie wound up in the foster system.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: Inverted. It's Richie who dies. Not Duncan.
- Naïve Newcomer: When Duncan takes Richie in, he has no idea that he's a pre-immortal or that immortals even exist.
- Sidekick: He serves as a sidekick to Duncan giving him another set of hands and someone to bounce ideas off of. Frequently crosses into Reckless Sidekick because Richie can’t stay out of trouble.
- Street Urchin: Starts out this way before Duncan and Tessa take him in after they catch him breaking into the antique shop.
- Training Montage: There are a number of these with Duncan teaching him how to wield a sword.
Joe Dawson
Played By: Jim Byrnes
A Vietnam War veteran who lost both legs during the war but lived after his life was saved by his Immortal squad mate Andrew Cord, Joe Dawson later became part of the Watchers and became the Watcher of Duncan MacLeod himself. Despite Duncan's suspicions of the Watchers (having unknowingly encountered rogue Watchers in the past, and rogue Watchers in the present having been responsible for the murder of Darius), Joe soon proves his character and sincerity to Duncan, and the two become close friends.
- Badass Normal: Even more impressive than usual as he manages to be this trope while a double amputee.
- Bond One-Liner: When James Horton attempts to plead for his life, telling Joe "we're family!" Joe's response? "I'll light you a candle!"
- Cool Old Guy: Joe Dawson is epitome of coolness.
- Defiant to the End: Granted that he winds up not dying.Charles: On your knees
Joe: (laughs) Not in this lifetime. -
Disabled Character, Disabled Actor: Joe, who lost his legs in Vietnam, is portrayed by an actor that lost his legs after being hit by a car. - Face Death with Dignity: Joe knows the rules of being a Watcher and the penalties for breaking them. When the Watcher's tribunal sentences him to death, he accepts it and evens turns down MacLeod's rescue.
- Fireforged Friends: He and Duncan have been through a lot, and while they've had rocky patches, they're dear, dear friends because of it.
- Gangsta Style: He has been known to hold guns like, even though as an ex-soldier he really should know better.
- Handicapped Badass: Joe Dawson has no legs and can still kick your ass all day long. And since he walks with a cane too, he'll do it one-handed!
- Mr. Exposition: He frequently serves as the source of information about Immortals, their deeds and accomplishments.
- Muggles: Joe is just a normal human, albeit one who's clued in to what is going on with Immortals.
- My Greatest Failure: Saving Horton and lying to Duncan is a big one. It allows Horton to return and even team up with the monstrously evil Xavier St. Cloud.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Helped James Horton escape justice the first time he was caught, because Horton is Joe's brother-in-law. How many Immortals - or mortals simply seen as Collateral Damage - died because of that? By the time Horton's taken down the second time, his body count's high enough that Joe's willing to kill Horton himself.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: According to the Watcher's Chronicles on the DVD's, Joe was being considered for Head Watcher of whatever country Seacouver is in. Despite his 'exemplary performance' as temporary stand-in after the chaos of the Hunters being revealed, his connection with Horton was apparently considered too dangerous to make the appointment permanent. The Watcher's Council outright gave him the money to start Joe's Bar as compensation (though they probably phrased it as 'performance bonus' or similar).
- Papa Wolf: He loves his illegitimate daughter Amy and would go to any length to protect or save her.
- Perma-Stubble: Dawson has perennial thick stubble.
- Semper Fi: Honorably discharged after losing his legs to a landmine in Vietnam.
- To Be Lawful or Good: He sometimes finds his morals conflict with the strict laws of the Watchers, and often chooses to do the right thing in the end.
- The Bartender: Owns his own blues bar.
- The Watcher: Well, one of them.
Friends and Allies of the Main Characters
Darius
Played By: Werner Stocker
An ancient Immortal who was once a Goth warlord, but after a light quickening he changed his ways and renounced violence. He would spend much of his life to come living on holy ground so as to avoid the game, although some of his duties as a priest would have him leave the safety of holy ground. On one of these occasions, tending to the wounded and dead at Waterloo, he would meet Duncan and give Duncan some food for thought regarding continuing to spend his life as soldier through all the centuries.
- Actual Pacifist: Darius no longer carried a sword and rarely if ever left holy ground. He was effectively out of the Game and never fought.
- The Atoner: He used to be a warlord until his Heel–Face Turn. He has spent the following centuries atoning for his sins.
- Badass Preacher: Subverted. He is a pious preacher with fighting skills, but he has spent centuries refusing to commit violence.
- Been There, Shaped History: In tie-in novels, it's revealed that Darius played a large role in sacking Rome.
- Evil Mentor: Prior to his Heel–Face Turn, he mentored Grayson (formerly Claudianus)
- Hero Killer: Discussed in one episode of the series and expanded upon in the novel Shadow of Obsession. Darius killed the oldest Immortal of the era (410 AD), a holy man named Emrys who sought to protect the city of Paris. The resulting Quickening led to his Heel–Face Turn.
- Killed Offscreen: We only see Horton and his followers entering and then leaving the church, shortly followed by Duncan and Fitz arriving to discover Darius' body.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Werner Stocker, the actor who played Darius, abruptly became unavailable to film the season one finale due to an illness which would eventually kill him. Although the character's death had already been planned for the end of that season, he was intended to have a much more active role in his final episode, culminating in a dramatic onscreen death. The episode was hastily rewritten to accomodate Stocker's absence and the reality of his illness and death made the scenes related to his character's death quite emotionally intense for the cast and crew.
- Real Men Love Jesus: Played with. During all his time on the show, Darius is a Catholic priest; however a line in his first episode mentions that Darius has previously been a Buddhist and a Hindu.
- Retired Badass: He used to be a badass warlord. He lived a peaceful life in retirement.
- The Older Immortal: Grayson is referred to as one of the few remaining ancient Immortals. Darius is implied to have been Grayson's teacher, and thus would almost certainly have some years on him. One of the Expanded Universe novels makes this explicit; Darius is canonically one thousand, nine hundred, forty-three years old.
Hugh Fitzcairn
Played By: Roger Daltrey
An English Immortal and old friend of Duncan's, Hugh Fitzcairn has spent the centuries as an adventurer, rogue, and all around ladies' man. He and Duncan have shared many adventures and traveled together throughout the centuries, and remain friends in the present. In the modern day, Hugh works in Paris as a well-regarded chef.
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: He genuinely freaks out when the Hunters under Horton have him and is all but pleading for his life. The difference between this reaction and his Defiant to the End attitude when threatened by fellow Immortals seems to be related to the prospect of his Quickening being "wasted" in the absence of an Immortal to recieve it, an idea he finds utterly horrifying.
- The Casanova: Hugh was a womanizer for centuries. When married in the 1920s, he cheated on his mortal wife frequently.
- Defiant to the End: His dying words to Kalas when he realizes it's over for him? "Go to hell."
- Distressed Dude: Duncan has had to save him from danger on a number of occasions.
- Friendly Target: He was targeted and killed by Kalas because of being Duncan's friend.
- Killed Off for Real: Kalas beheads him in Season 3 to torment MacLeod. See Friendly Target above.
- Lady Killer In Love: Believed himself to be this with Naomi. Whether this romance would have gone differently is impossible to know, but he takes the loss of their life together extremely hard.
- Never Learned to Read: Not quite never, but it took Duncan centuries to convince Hugh that reading was a skill worth acquiring.
- Posthumous Character: Kalas kills him in Season 3, but he makes several appearances in flashbacks afterwards.
- Revenge by Proxy: He's on the receiving end of this. Kalas systematically destroys his life to face him in battle, all to hurt Duncan.
- Riches to Rags: In the 1920s, Hugh was a wealthy man. He lost everything in the Wall Street Crash of 1929.
- Supreme Chef: He'd have to be to hold his own at Le Cordon Bleu.
- This Is Something He's Got to Do Himself: He invokes this when Duncan tries to ward him off facing Kalas, calling out: "My fight, laddie!"
- Undead Tax Exemption: Averted. Hugh has not acclimated to changes in technology, especially computers, all that well. He needs Duncan to help him forge documents and certifications, otherwise he wouldn't be able to keep up the act for long.
Maurice Lalonde
Played By: Michael Modo
MacLeod's neighbor in Paris, Maurice is a jolly fellow who loves good food and fine wine.
- Big Fun: He's big, he's jovial, he's fun, he's Maurice!
- French Jerk: Completely averted. Maurice is one of the nicest characters in the series.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: At first, Maurice was slightly annoying when MacLeod initially met him. He quickly won over Duncan with his unfailing politeness and willingness to help in any situation.
- Hidden Depths: He's mostly played for goofy comic relief, but Maurice is a genuinely well-meaning guy with a history of alcoholism and family problems.
- Nice Guy: Maurice is a truly kind, gentle man who never means anyone any harm and tries to stand by Duncan even when he's out of his depth because "Maurice is not one to leave a friend in trouble."
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Maurice is never more serious than in Reasonable Doubt, when he tries to desperately help his troubled niece Simone, which indicates how grave the situation really is.
- Supreme Chef: The man likes his food, and knows how to prepare it properly.
Cassandra
Played by: Tracy Scoggins
An ancient Immortal who was born sometime during the Bronze Age, she had just discovered a talent for healing when her village was attacked by the Four Horsemen and her people slaughtered. She awoke from her first death in the power of the Horseman called Death, aka Methos who explained Immortality to her and told her that she would live only as long as she served and amused him. Regardless, the two grew surprisingly and genuinely close until the cruel Kronos demanded that Methos share her with him as a spoil of war, as the Horsemen shared all their other spoils. She was horrified when he agreed, and she fought Kronos and managed to mortally wound him and flee. Methos watched her go and made no effort to stop her, hinting that he wanted her to escape the life she was trapped in.
For many years afterward she escaped notice, learning further skills as a healer, control of a Compelling Voice, as well as developing visions of the future. After her student Roland Kantos turned on her after learning some of her talents, she became obsessed with a prophecy that told of his defeat, and spent decades living in the wild highlands of Scotland, where she believed the one who would fulfill the prophecy to defeat Kantos would be born. She encountered Duncan there as a young boy, and came to believe the prophecy was about him. She encountered him again many years later, and helped him both against Kantos and later the reunited Horsemen.
- Compelling Voice: Her biggest talent.
- The Medic: Shortly before her village was destroyed by the Horsemen and she learned about being Immortal, she showed an unusual skill for healing others.
- Non Action Immortal: Despite her longevity, she's not much of a fighter, and seems reliant on her Compelling Voice to do most of the work for her.
- Sexy Mentor: Is one for Duncan.
- Solitary Sorceress: In the past, including when she encountered Duncan as a boy.
- Stockholm Syndrome: Developed it towards Methos during his Four Horsemen days, and it is implied that he in turn developed a sort of Lima Syndrome to her eventually. When he agreed to give her to Kronos, however, she was outraged and came to hate him in the many years since. When she sees him again in the present day, she immediately tries to attack him.
- The Older Immortal: One of the oldest living Immortals at the start of the show, at almost three thousand.
- Voluntary Shapeshifting: Her encounter with a young Duncan implies she's capable of this, but never confirms it.
- The Worf Barrage: Her Compelling Voice gets used on Kantos, who knows how to block it due to being a master of it himself, and Kronos, who is old/badass/sociopathic enough to simply shake it off.
Charlie DeSalvo
Played By: Philip Akin
A retired Navy SEAL turned dojo master, Charlie became friends with Duncan, and facing prolonged financial difficulties eventually sold his dojo to Duncan, although Duncan requested that Charlie remain there as a manager and martial arts sensei. Charlie soon became very suspicious of the strange circumstances that always followed Duncan, especially after he witnessed Duncan be shot in a way that should have been fatal but show no signs of injury soon afterward.
- Back for the Dead: After returning from being Put on a Bus, (see the trope entry) he comes back for one episode to reveal that he and Mara were set up by Immortal Arms Dealer Andrew Cord, who intentionally sold them defective arms, then killed Mara when she confronted him in the aftermath of their group of revolutionaries being slaughtered. Charlie vowed to kill Cord for this, but not knowing about Immortals, he was doomed from the start.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Charlie grew up as a mixed race kid in a tough neighborhood who had to fight off kids from both sides growing up, then he went into military.
- Deadpan Snarker: At times. Perhaps the most notable is when Xavier St. Cloud, with mock politeness, calls himself an old friend of Duncan's, and then has his mercenaries shoot the dojo to pieces.Charlie: I don't think your "friend" likes you.
- Defeat Means Friendship: Charlie developed first a grudging respect and eventually a deep friendship with MacLeod after being unable to defeat Duncan in hand to hand combat.
- Elites Are More Glamorous: Spent 12 years in the military, during which time he became a Navy SEAL.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Regarding Immortals. He knows something deeply weird is going on with MacLeod, but he doesn't learn the true nature of it until he's in his dying moments.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: He's a former Navy SEAL, badass sensei and dojo master... who just so happens to be surrounded by Immortals, some of whom have centuries of practice in warfare, not to mention superhuman speed and strength.
- Put on a Bus: After falling for Mara, he leaves Seacouver to aid her with her revolution.
Carl Robinson
Played By: Bruce A. Young
A black man born in American South during the 1800s, he lived as a slave until his master killed him with the suspicion that Carl had gotten the master's daughter pregnant. After reviving Carl escaped and learned about Immortality. He encountered Duncan in the 1920s when Duncan saved him from being lynched by the KKK, and the two remained friends for years afterward. Carl had dreams of pitching in Major League Baseball, and during the 50s played in the Negro Leagues. In the show's present he had succeeded in becoming a minor league pitcher, but he became the subject of a manhunt when he was spotted in the aftermath of fighting the Immortal Myron Corman, and had to leave the country after his death was faked with the help of his first teacher, now an FBI Agent.
- Clear My Name: In Season 5, Carl is spotted standing over the body of Myron Corman, an Immortal he killed in self-defense, and becomes wanted for murder. In the end though, he realizes that there's no real way to clear his name, and is forced to fake his death and leave the country.
- Cool Sword: Carl wields a Chinese Dao, similarly to how Duncan prefers a katana.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Was once a slave.
- Kick The Son Of A Bitch: Killing Seth Hobart, his old slavemaster. It was unnecessary since Carl had already escaped, but it's not hard to understand why he did it.
- Made a Slave: Worked as a slave in the American South, eventually escaping and killing his slavemaster.
- Nice Guy: At heart, Carl is a truly good man. When Trey Franks, his friend and baseball coach, falsely confesses to killing Corman in order to clear Carl's name, Carl refuses to allow it, willingly taking the blame and faking his death to ensure that Franks is freed.
- Trauma Conga Line: Nothing goes right for the poor man. He was once a slave, was nearly lynched by the KKK, and is later hounded by an evil Watcher. When he finally achieves his dream of becoming a star baseball player, he's spotted standing over an the body of an enemy Immortal—who he killed in self-defense—and becomes wanted for murder, eventually having to fake his death and leave the country. No wonder he's always pissed off.
Anne Lindsey
A surgeon who became Duncan's first serious love interest after the death of Tessa. He resisted telling her about Immortals for a long time, until after she saw him "die" during a fight with Kalas. By the time she encountered him again and he informed her about Immortals she had become pregnant, and although both were initially willing to give their relationship a chance to continue, further encounters with Immortals left her shaken and deciding she couldn't continue that life.
- Brainy Brunette: Doctors definitely have to be smart, and she can certainly rock the dark hair.
- Dead Guy Junior: Duncan helped deliver her baby; Anne named her daughter Mary after Duncan's mother.
- Friendly Target: Kalas attempted to destroy her life and professional reputation by forging orders in her handwriting and with her signature that led to the deaths of patients.
- I Just Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Duncan eventually came to this point of view about her.
- Pregnant Badass: in the last weeks of her pregnancy, Anne goes into a wrecked building in the aftermath of a natural disaster to help find and treat survivors (as far as she knew, she was the closest, possibly only doctor nearby). The stress sends her into labor, and Duncan helps deliver her baby amid the wreckage (see Dead Guy Junior above).
Kol'Tek/Jim Coltec
Played by: Byron Chief-Moon
A Native American shaman and medicine man known for being able to absorb the anger or evil from others to give them peace. He was also known for going out of his way to hunt down evil Immortals, and eventually killed so many of them that the Quickenings from so many evil Immortals became a Dark Quickening and changed him, making him as evil as they had been. Duncan attempted to help him but was unable to bring him to his senses and had to kill him, which in turn caused Duncan to absorb the Dark Quickening and undergo a similar experience.
- Demonic Possession: After the Dark Quickening, he starts to cycle through the personalities of the Immortals he has killed over the years, all of whom were extremely bad guys.
- Evil Costume Switch: Swaps his brown fringed jacket for Kant's black leather.
- Evil Is Hammy: Before the Dark Quickening, Coltec is a low key, stoic man. After being overcome by the Dark Quickening, he really ups the ham and loses all restraint.
- Good Is Not Soft: Dawson says Coltec is "as close as an Immortal gets to being a saint", and Duncan clearly admires him and values his friendship. He's also a stone cold badass who makes a point of hunting evil Immortals.
- Hero of Another Story: He seems to have wandered for a while, helping others and killing evil Immortals as he encountered them.
- Magical Native American: A Native American who has literal magic powers and can draw evil and anger out of others.
- More than Mind Control: He claims this, but it's never confirmed either way.
- Nice Guy: Was perfectly pleasant and heroic before his Dark Quickening.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: His duels with Korland and Kant each last less than a minute, implying that either they're both terrible fighters or Coltec is an excellent one. Considering that MacLeod has a very difficult time beating him, it's probably safe to lean towards the latter option.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Coltec acting aggressive is a big sign that something is very badly wrong.
- Religious Bruiser: He's a formidable fighter who still follows a pre-Columbian-era religion.
- Retired Badass: Unlike Darius, he still lives in the world, but hasn't taken a head in decades until he runs into Harry Kant.
- The Older Immortal: He's about twice as old as MacLeod.
- The Stoic: Doesn't get riled, even during Immortal duels.
Rebecca Horne
Played by: Nadia Cameron-Blakely
Amanda's first teacher and mentor. She appeared in an episode where Luther, a pupil of hers who had turned evil, was attempting to claim a mystic stone in her possession, which legend said could make an Immortal invincible. Rebecca had been giving pieces of the stone to her various students, whom Luther had hunted down and defeated to claim their shards. She tried to face Luther, but he took her mortal husband hostage and forced her to give up her own life to save his.
- A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil: Luther.
- Hero of Another Story: Rebecca is firmly on the side of good and, from what we see in flashbacks, she spent a fair amount of time adventuring around the world and training new Immortals as she encountered them.
- I Have Your Wife: On the recipient of this; Luther takes her husband John captive and will only spare him in return for Rebecca offering her head. She does so.
- Lady of War: A very wise, elegant woman and—if MacLeod is to be believed—a skilled and deadly fighter. Unfortunately, we don't get to see this onscreen.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: She's taught Amanda, among others, and is killed by one of her former students.
- Posthumous Character: Rebecca is killed her in introductory scene, but appears in several flashbacks spread throughout two episodes.
May-Ling Shen
Played by: Vivian Wu
A teacher of Duncan's during his travels in China, she showed him some finer points of both armed and unarmed combat. Although a highly skilled fighter whose students were practically awed by her, she was killed by the much younger Immortal Michael Christian, whose Watcher had fallen in love with him and helped him ambush other Immortals at times when they were unarmed or helpless.
- Blood Is Squicker in Water: Dies in a swimming pool.
- Lady of War: An elegant woman who has mastered the sword and mentored multiple Immortals.
- The Perils of Being the Best: She was ambushed at a time when she was unarmed because a young Immortal who otherwise would have never been able to defeat her wanted the Quickening of such a famous Immortal.
- Posthumous Character: She dies three minutes into the episode but appears in two flashbacks.
- Sexy Mentor: To Mac.
Sean Burns
Played by: Michael J. Jackson
A former Irish monk who centuries later found his true calling in psychology and the healing of minds, Burns was an old acquaintance of MacLeod and numerous other Immortals that he helped throughout the years, including Stephen Keane. When Duncan was suffering from the Dark Quickening, Burns offered his help to Duncan, but Duncan killed his former friend instead. Ironically, the Quickening from Burns gave Duncan just enough control over the Dark Quickening to seek out a more permanent cure.
- Fiery Redhead: Subverted. He's an unassuming guy who rarely loses his cool.
- "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: He recognizes the effect of the Dark Quickening and urges Duncan to embrace his true goodness. Unfortunately, Dark Quickening Duncan takes his head. However, Sean's spirit helps the true Duncan fight and defeat his evil side in the end.
- The Mentor: He was Steven Keane's teacher and advised him to let go of his anger towards Duncan. It worked...for a while.
- Nice Guy: Sean is a gentle, kind man who helps others with their problems.
- Non-Action Guy: He's never seen involved in or showing any inclination towards combat. He's all about learning, and especially learning about the human mind.
- Posthumous Character: Much like Rebecca Horne, Sean Burns is killed in his introductory episode, but makes many more appearances in flashbacks.
- Red Is Heroic: He's a redhead who is a mentor figure for several Immortals, and Duncan and several others consider him to be The Paragon.
- The Shrink: He's been interested and involved with psychology since the WWI era, at the very least.
Marcus Constantine
Played by: James Faulkner
A former Roman general who repented violence and war after encountering Darius, and has been living his life in relative peace since. He appears in one episode of the series and, later, in one of the novels.
- All There in the Manual: He's a one-off character in the television series. Most of the information about him comes from the Watcher CD Rom and a subsequent novel.
- A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil: Avram ben Mordecai was a Jewish warrior at Massada who died there and was taken in by Marcus as a result....unfortunately, in the modern day, Avram is a fanatic hellbent on disrupting peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians..
- The Atoner: Marcus sees his work as a historian as a way of preventing the mistakes of the past, including the Roman imperialism he once took part in, from being repeated.
- Badass Bookworm: A retired Roman general turned academic.
- Heel–Face Turn: He had one in the past after encountering Darius. Unfortunately for his wife, Nefertiri can only see him as the villain from her memories.
- Mayfly–December Romance: In Pharaoh's Daughter, he's married to a mortal woman named Angela.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: Killed by one of his former students.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: He had Nefertiri's sarcophagus recovered with the intent of giving her a second chance at life, and to atone for what he did to her in the past. Unfortunately, Nefertiri can only see him as the traitor from her memories and murders his wife to make him suffer like she did, and she would have tried for him too if Duncan didn't kill her.
- Retired Badass: He has eschewed The Game for years and just wants to live in peace.
- The Older Immortal: There are only a handful of Immortals still around who date back as far as Marcus.
- Tragic Mistake: His last mistake is sparing Avram in the book Zealot, letting him live when Avram swears to end his crusade, only for Avram to plant a knife in his heart and take his head.
- What Might Have Been: in the commentary for Pharaoh's Daughter, it's mentioned that Marcus was originally planned to be a substitute for Darius, to be a much older Immortal that Duncan could go to for references and advice. Things didn't work out with the actor, so instead they came up with Methos.
Graham Ashe
Played by: Chris Humphreys
An ancient Immortal who was the mentor of Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos RamÃrez, Graham Ashe became a friend and teacher to Duncan MacLeod when the latter was fresh to Immortality. Ashe had a reputation as a great swordsman but was in truth becoming disinterested in fighting and The Game, preferring instead to enjoy his long life. His head was taken in 1657 by Haresh Clay, a prominent head hunter.
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: When Clay has him defeated, he asks for mercy, because he wants to continue a life of learning and growing.
- Broken Pedestal: Just watch the look on Duncan's face when Ashe begs Clay for his life. His faith in his mentor is shattered.
- Living Is More than Surviving: Voices this opinion.
- Living Forever Is Awesome: He wants to spend his Immortal life experiencing new things. He views The Game and his fights as just being a chore he has to do in order to do the things he truly enjoys.
- Master-Apprentice Chain: Mentions that he considered Juan Ramirez to be one of his better students. Ramirez went on to teach Connor, who taught Duncan, and so on.
- Master Swordsman: He had the reputation but lost any passion for fighting and combat, leaving him ripe to be defeated by a more determined opponent.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: Like many of Duncan's past mentors/influences, he winds up dead in the same episode where he's introduced.
- Wrote the Book: At one point during their sparring, Ashe chides Duncan for using a technique in a situation that the technique isn't suited to, and it turns out the move in question was one Ashe originally devised.
Benny Carbassa
Played by: Tony Rosato
An Immortal hoodlum who turns Duncan over to a mobster to save his own skin.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: Duncan seems to be one of the few people who can stand to be around Benny, and his feelings for him never appear to get much higher than "amusedly tolerant".
- Non-Action Guy: We never see him with a sword.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: Benny's not a villain per se, but he's able to take MacLeod by surprise on the boat simply because he's the last guy you'd expect to get violent.
- Put on a Bus: Very literally; he's given a ticket to Chicago at the end of the episode.
Ceirdwyn
Played by: Kim Johnston Ulrich
A Iceni female immortal born in ancient Briton. She first died fighting the Romans during Boudica's revolt. She was eventually mentored by Roman General Marcus Constantine. She in turn mentored fellow contemporary Brit Alex Raven and centuries later Matthew McCormick. Duncan MacLeod encountered her during the 18th century. During the present story line she and her mortal husband were mugged and gunned down. She goes looking for revenge but MacLeod talks her out of it. In return she convinces MacLeod to tell Anne Lindsey about his own immortality and let her make her own decision about rekindling their relationship.
- Action Girl: Died fighting during Boudica's revolt (presumably the Battle of Watling Street).
- Crusading Widow: wants to take revenge against the gang that killed her husband. She kills one of the perpetrators but is talked out killing the rest by MacLeod.
- Due to the Dead: Seen giving funeral rites to a fallen comrade and his pregnant wife shortly after her first death.
- Tribal Face Paint: Wore this back during 60 A.D. as a matter of course (being a Celtic warrior and all). The clan markings go back on in 1995 once she begins her quest for vengeance.
Hamza el Kahir
Played by: John Suda
An Arabian Immortal and a good friend of Duncan's, Hamza el Kahir was beheaded by Xavier St. Cloud in 1653.
- Always Someone Better: Hamza's not a bad fighter, but he's very aware of how much better Xavier is.
- Face Death with Dignity: Before he faces Xavier, he calmly bids goodbye to Duncan, asking his pupil to remember him before he heads to face Xavier in the desert.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Willingly accepts a challenge that he knows will result in his death rather than allow Duncan to be killed in his place.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: When Xavier challenges him, Hamza believes it better to get the hell out of dodge, only sacrificing himself when Duncan heads to face Xavier.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: A mentor of Duncan's killed by Xavier St. Cloud.
- Religious Bruiser: An impressive swordsman and an early convert to the Muslim faith.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: His first reaction to being challenged by Xavier is to get out of town as fast as possible, hoping to lose him in the desert.
- The Teetotaler: Due to his religion. He laughingly dismisses ale as a "vile concoction".
- Unknown Rival: He certainly knows who Xavier is, but it's ambiguous if Hamza knew he was actively being hunted.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: He's mentoring Duncan and the two genuinely care for each other, but each spends a lot of time bemusedly wondering how anyone could possibly enjoy/endure the food, climate, and customs of the other's country. The spinoff novel Highlander: Scimitar contains even more of this.
Warren Cochrane/Warren Goddard
Played by: Dougray Scott
A proudly Scottish Immortal and one of Duncan's old friends, Warren Cochrane was a fervent Jacobite, supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie's 1746 attempt to claim the throne of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Though that failed, Cochrane remained a staunch supporter of Scottish independence. In the present day, he has resurfaced in Paris with amnesia, and it's up to Duncan to help Warren remember who he is and figure out what trauma has left him in that state.
- Berserk Button: Insulting Prince Charlie or the Jacobite cause is a major one for him. When Duncan suggests that Charlie cannot lead the Scots to victory, Cochrane slugs him in a fit of rage. In the present day, his student Andrew Donnelly openly mocks Charlie, which causes Warren to snap and behead him.
- Death Seeker: When he remembers that he beheaded his student, he cannot bear the truth and attacks MacLeod, hoping to be put out of his misery. MacLeod refuses, either because he wants Cochrane to face what he's done or because he doesn't want to kill an old friend.
- Fatal Flaw: Cochrane is unable to let go of his past devotion to Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite cause, which ultimately proves to be his undoing. When his student Andrew Donnelly—having finally had enough of Cochrane's obsession—starts insulting Charlie and mocking Cochrane's lifelong devotion, Warren explodes and takes Andrew's head in a fit of anger.
- Heroic BSoD: When he finally remembers that he beheaded his student, he is crushed by the revelation.
- Identity Amnesia: Warren cannot remember a thing about who he is at first, but his mortal wife Nancy tells him that he's "Warren Goddard", the false identity that he's been living under in the modern day. Duncan eventually helps him remember who he truly is, though the truth turns out to be far more painful than either of them suspected.
- Patriotic Fervor: Utterly devoted to the Jacobite cause, and to Scottish independence.
- Perma-Stubble: In the modern day, to make him look more disheveled and unhinged.
- Trauma-Induced Amnesia: It's eventually revealed that his amnesia was caused by Warren lashing out in a moment of anger and beheading his Immortal student Andrew Donnelly, who was mocking his devotion to Bonnie Prince Charlie. The guilt from this drives Cochrane to block out his memory.
- Walking Spoiler: It's really hard to discuss him without revealing the dark secret that caused his amnesia.
Minor Recurring Characters
Sgt. Thomas Powell
Played By: Wendell Wright
A Seacouver police detective who runs into Duncan several times early on in the series.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Is a recurring presence in all but one of the first four episodes of the show and becomes somewhat familiar with Duncan and Richie in that time. Despite this, he pretty much disappears without a mention as to why.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: In "Innocent Man", he's pretty quick to realize that Leo Atkins didn't kill Lucas Desiree and does his best to stop the sheriff Howard Crowley from persecuting him.
Stosh Kominski
Played By: Jay Brazeau
Another member of the Seacover police force who encounters Duncan and friends on occasion.
- Deadpan Snarker: Shows just a shade of this after the hostage crisis is averted, as he leaves the scene exhausted.SWAT Team Leader: What do you think happened out there?Kominski: I'm saving it for my memoirs.
- Retcon: His first conversation with Duncan in "Free Fall" indicates that he's the Commissioner. However, "Bad Day in Building A" places him as a Lieutenant.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Calls out the SWAT team leader in "Bad Day in Building A" several times for operating in a gung-ho manner that regularly risks the lives of the hostages.
Det. Ray Bennett
Played by: Tim Reid
Another member of the Seacouver police force, Ray Bennett is a good and honest cop.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Similar to Sgt. Powell, he appears in three early episodes and then vanishes.
- Fedora of Asskicking: Pretty much never seen without his brown fedora.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: He's a good cop and comes across as a pretty decent guy.
Randi McFarland
Played by: Amanda Wyss
A Seacouver reporter who repeatedly ran into MacLeod and noticed that he was a Weirdness Magnet, she became convinced that he was some sort of Secret Agent for the government and attempted to get the true story for quite some time.
- Intrepid Reporter: Constantly nipping at Duncan's heels in search of a story.
Inspector Raymond LeBrun
Played By: Hugues Leforestier
A French detective who has a somewhat antagonistic relationship with MacLeod, as the two have crossed paths a few times.
- Arch-Enemy: The assassin Kuyler is his, as he's been chasing Kuyler for years.
- By-the-Book Cop: All his conduct as an officer is and inspector is done by the book, but getting on his bad side is not a good idea.
- Handicapped Badass: His right arm is shattered by a bullet meant for MacLeod, leaving him unable to fire a gun with that arm. LeBrun believes this will ruin his chances for advancement, but he's still able to cause plenty of trouble for MacLeod.
Other Immortals
Ursa
A mentally handicapped Immortal who lives under the Opera de Paris, Ursa falls in love with singer Carolyn Lamb, who manipulates him into kidnapping a rival singer.
- Anti-Villain: He's not evil, but Carolyn Lamb is manipulating him into kidnapping Jenny Harris.
- Raised by Wolves: MacLeod theorizes that Ursa grew up alone in the woods.
Alan Wells
An Immortal who owns a scrapyard and lives with his wife Helen and the mentally challenged Immortal Mikey.
- Fair Cop: Alan is a handsome man and was a police officer in life.
- Happily Married: He and Helen are a loving and happy couple.
- Nice Guy: He's in a relationship with a mortal woman and they've been taking care of Mikey for some time. When Tyler King shows up, Alan's instinctive first move is getting the two of them to safety.
- Poor Communication Kills: He tells Mikey and Helen to keep quiet as he faces Tyler King. Unfortunately, Mikey takes this to extremes when Helen panics upon Alan's death. It doesn't end well for poor Helen.
- Sacrificial Lion: Killed off to establish the episode's villain as nasty.
Mikey
Played By: Pruitt Taylor Vince
A mentally challenged Immortal with the mind of a child and a deep seated love of trains, he was under the protection of Alan Wells until Wells was killed by Tyler King.
- Berserk Button: Trying to restrain Mikey can have painful repercussions.
- Expy: He's essentially Lennie from Of Mice and Men. Huge, mentally challenged individual? Check. Looked after by a smarter, more normal sized person? Check. Accidentally kills a woman? Check.
- Gentle Giant: But he can suddenly become far less gentle.
- Heroic Sacrifice: He realizes how much trouble he's caused Duncan and Ritchie, and voluntarily lays down on some train tracks to end his life.
The Messenger/"Methos"
Played By: Ron Perlman
An Immortal of unknown origin who is sick of The Game and combat among Immortals, he has been preaching a message of peace among Immortals and seeking to get them all to live in harmony and pool their knowledge and abilities for good. As part of his attempt to get other Immortals to listen to him, he claims to be Methos, in the hopes that his message will be given greater respect and weight coming from the legendary Oldest Immortal than from a random guy.
- Actual Pacifist/Suicidal Pacifism: The man walked it like he talked it.
- Badass Pacifist: At one point he demonstrates that while he believes in peace and relies on his refusal to fight back to cause aggressive Immortals to back down, he's not incapable of self-defense. He tosses Richie around like a rag doll and can use pointed, well chosen words to get even angry and homicidal Immortals to listen to him. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with Culbraith, who has long since stopped caring.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Up to the moment of his death, he really thinks he's gotten through to Culbraith, not realizing all of Culbraith's old decency is dead and gone.
- Irony: The Messenger has no idea that he just encountered the real Methos when talking to that one snarky, cynical guy who wouldn't give a name.
- Legendary Impostor: He pretends to be Methos because he believes his message of getting Immortals to give up the Game and live in peace will be taken more seriously if it comes from the legendary "Oldest Immortal" as opposed to a random guy.
- Living Is More than Surviving: He voices this opinion, claiming that Immortality isn't worthwhile if you don't try to do something with your life, as he is with trying to promote peace.Can anyone live for 5,000 years and say they did nothing? Risked nothing? Merely stayed alive with nothing else to show for it? It'd be pointless.
- No Name Given: He's credited as The Messenger, but calls himself Methos. His true name is never revealed.
- One-Steve Limit: Duncan assumes he adopted the moniker for his own reasons, while "our" Methos points out that it's a name, and doesn't exactly have a patent.
- Tragic Mistake: He truly believed the good man Culbraith once was still existed, rather than the cold, cruel shell that he had become.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: He comes to town, convinces what Immortals he can to lay down their swords, and moves on to spread his message. Those who come around to his way of thinking tend not to live for very long, as those who wouldn't lay down their swords soon kill them. The stories surrounding this "Methos" are what got Kronos' attention and gave him an area to start searching for his old partner again.
- The Unreveal: So who was he? Where did he come from? What was his real name? Why is he using Methos's name? Where did he learn his incredible skills and how did he delve so deeply into pacifism? Is he a fraud, or is he really delusional? So many questions never to be answered. The most we ever get is Richie deciding that even if the Messenger wasn't Methos, he was still a good man.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: He tells others that they are better than even they known. Unfortunately, when he tries it on Culbraith, all of Culbraith's decency is dead. When the Messenger offers his neck and tells Culbraith he doesn't believe he was wrong about him, Culbraith simply gloats "Believe," before beheading him.
Frank Brody
An Immortal who took Kenny in, believing him to be a young Immortal.
- Nice Guy: Frank avoided the Game and had only killed Immortals in self-defense, and took Kenny in to protect him.
- Like a Son to Me: He came to regard Kenny as a surrogate son.
Dallman Ross
- Cassandra Truth: He knows what Kenny truly is: an evil, ruthless force in the body of a little boy, but few people believe him.
- Failed a Spot Check: He sadly dies when he fails to notice Kenny creeping up on him, believing that Duncan had returned.
- Happily Married: He was, to a kind woman just as nice as he was. Then along came Kenny...
- Nice Guy: He and his mortal wife took Kenny in, thinking they were protecting him.
- Poor Communication Kills: Look, Ross, we know you're still grieving and justifiably upset here, but a little less foreboding growling "give me the boy" and a little more "the kid is an 800 year old monster who killed my mortal wife and I'm not the bad guy" might have gone a long way here.
- Revenge: Kenny killed his mortal wife, and Ross has been hunting him ever since.
- Sacrificial Lion: His character exists to be killed by Kenny, thus establishing the latter as a major threat.
Hans Kershner
A German Immortal who was cuckolded by Lord Byron, sought revenge, and was beheaded by his quarry.
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: He's incredibly full of himself with his skill. Granted, this is more justified than most and he only loses thanks to a unique set of circumstances.
- Deadpan Snarker: In his semi-official fanfilm, Hans has one hell of a wit, snarkily informing a young immortal that she should save shouting "There can be only one!" for after an actual decapitation.
- Death Seeker: In the fan film Highlander: Hans Kershner, starring F. Braun McAsh himself, it's theorized Hans went into Byron's duel wanting to die.
- Hero of Another Story: Hans was apparently a noble warrior and 'Ritter' (or knight) with a legacy of heroism behind him. In Highlander: Hans Kershner, we get to see some of this.
- Interesting Situation Duel: Kershner's fury over Byron seducing his wife apparently made this one for him. His Watcher maintains that these were the only circumstances under which Byron could possibly have won their duel.
- Master Swordsman: According to his Watcher file, he was a student of Graham Ashe, with all the skill that you would expect.
- Murder the Hypotenuse: Is willing to kill Byron for cuckolding him.
- Near-Villain Victory: He fatally wounds Byron just before he's beheaded.
- The Worf Effect: Hans primarily exists to show that for all his foppish behavior and nihilism, Byron is more dangerous than he lets on.
