eeek eeek eeek SQUAIL ... I mean, Highlander 4x12-4x14!

[sholio]

Squee is back. Squee is SO VERY BACK. Come flail with me! (... assuming I haven't scared everyone away; I hope not!)




4x12 - The Blitz

Okay, up to this point, I haven't had any problem with Anne -- she's not a favorite of mine, but I like her all right. This episode, though? I hate, hate, HATE characters acting stupid to drive the plot, and I nearly skipped the whole episode because I was so annoyed with what the writers had paramedic!guy and Anne do at the beginning. If you run into an unstable structure to save people when you're the only person on the scene, then yeah, it's heroic. If you sneak into an unstable structure in the middle of a large-scale rescue operation after the person in authority tells you not to, without obtaining proper equipment or informing anyone, you're an IDIOT. Dear show, clearly you wanted to give me a scenario in which to be impressed with Anne's bravery and chutzpah, I presume, but WHY SO STUPID AAAAUGH.

I don't think it made much difference that she was pregnant -- others may disagree, but personally I don't believe that pregnant women have any less right than any other kind of person to choose to put themselves in dangerous situations or not, as long as they are in good enough physical shape not to unreasonably endanger themselves or others (though, if you're as pregnant as she obviously is/was, you might want to consider yourself less than physically fit for purposes of clambering around over rubble with things exploding overhead, I'M JUST SAYING). However, man or woman, pregnant or not, causing other people to have to put themselves in danger to rescue you while doing something that you're untrained and unequipped for, when the person in charge of the situation told you not to? That's not just dumb, but amazingly selfish. Or at least thoughtless.

One thing I will grant this episode is that they had paramedic!guy be the one to get squashed in the rubble, not Anne. And no ankle-twisting! I did appreciate that she was uninjured and given agency, er, for awhile anyway.

And I liked how you could hear Duncan's Scottish accent come out a little in the flashback where he and his girlfriend were dying in the rubble -- that wasn't my imagination, right? (Okay. Maybe it was. Not sure.)

Anyway. I'm not sure how you manage to make an episode with EXPLOSIONS and DISASTER and MORTAL PERIL and EMERGENCY CHILDBIRTH kind of dull, but, uh, they managed it somehow. *g*

The end was sweet, though, with Duncan's mother's name and then the house. And doubly so because he's not expecting to get anything back from it. I'm not sure if it's more of a paternal gesture or that of a lover -- that is, if he's doing it more on Anne's behalf or that of her child, or both -- but, oh, Duncan.



4x13 - Something Wicked

So, er ... this one started out making me think it was going to be a filler-ish episode (I seem to say that a lot) and then turned out to be a slow build into OMFG HOLY SHIT DUNCAN NOOOOOOO. The last 15 minutes had me staring at the screen with a hand over my mouth. I just. NO WORDS. The duel-to-the-(not)death with Richie, and Dawson being all cavalry-like with the gun, and the tying up, and the sword, and the trust, and Dawson is now officially the MOST AWESOME PERSON EVER, and, and, and just ... AAAAAAAA DUNCAN NOOOOOOO COME BAAAAAACK.

(I had forgotten it's about time for our regularly scheduled switch to Paris, though ... *g*)

Adrian Paul is totally rocking the evilness, I must say. And, and ... that bit! Where Duncan is tied to the thing! And Dawson's all, "Can't bring myself to kill you, can't leave you tied to the thing forever, so I'm going to untie you and trust you not to kill me because I'm (somewhat) convinced you're not 100% evil" .... eeeeeeeeek. BUTTONS. PUSHED. SO MUCH.

HOLY SHIT DUNCAN AAAAAAA *FLAIL*

*breathes*

There were a number of little adorable bits in this episode too. The scene with Richie and Joe in the bar! ("You're his Watcher, damn it. It's your job!" "Ehhh." *snerk*) The Greenwich Village flashback and greaser Duncan ... hahahahaha OMG. And I should probably have lots of thinky thoughts about how this show tries so very hard and earnestly to make the world of the Immortals a diverse one spanning many countries and continents and ethnicities, and sort of hits the mark some of the time and then misses it by a country mile now and then, but I'm still stuck on DUNCAN AAAAAAAAAAA and now I think I need to go watch the last ten minutes another few times. brb, flailing. aaaaaaaaaaa. *hyperventilates*

Well, I was planning to stop there, but that's a TERRIBLE place to stop, what with Duncan all evil-ish and tormented and on the run and stuff. SO. ONWARD TO PARIS MORE EPISODES.



4x14 - Deliverance

HOLY MOLY, SHOW.

*snaps out of squee-induced coma*

Um. Well, First of all ... oh DUNCAN. ;_; It's so hard seeing him like this, because he's such a sweet guy, so gentle in his, er, violent sort of way, and now he's all ... homicidal and cruel and manipulative and creepy. Having to live with all of this is going to kill him. DUNCAN NOOOOOOOO. *cries*

Okay, I was SO not expecting this to be a Methos ep, because I'd gotten the impression earlier that the Methos eps can more or less be watched independently of the rest of the series, and this one is sort of heavily dependent on what came earlier! I mean, surprised in a very GOOD way, but ... surprised! (And thank you ever so much, Netflix, for spoiling that particular surprise by giving me a preview screen of that bit of the guest stars when I skipped over the theme song. Oh well. 's what I get for trying to skip forward, I guess!)

For some reason it's hilariously awesome to me that Methos drives a -- what the heck is that, a station wagon?

And thinking about it, Methos is the perfect person to deal with the Duncan issue, because only the Watchers know he's in France, and among the Watchers, Methos is probably the only one who can deal with Duncan right now without instantly getting killed.

Sort of.

If only he weren't so bad at it. Come on, Methos! Even Joe knew to tie him up before he came around! And the fight at the psychotherapist's place? Made of awesome, true, and yet, WAY TO SUCK, METHOS. XD Methos's lack of battle competence will apparently never fail to make me grin and adore him, because it's not that he's bad at it and I think the show makes that clear -- it's just that he's up against people who are virtuosos at it. He's very experienced, but a little out of practice and lacking in that extra bit of talent that Duncan's got.

Duncan blowing through the stop sign in the stolen car cracked me up a lot. BECAUSE STOP SIGNS MEAN NOTHING TO ~*EVIL*~!

I spent a lot of this episode wondering how in the world they were going to fix this! Magic holy spring ... uh, not actually an option I'd realized was on the table, but whatever. Good thing Methos could still find it after all these centuries. XD And hee, that is TOTALLY the fight scene at the end of SGA's Doppelganger! Only, you know, ten years earlier, and with swords! All dressed in black, even ...

(I did feel terribly sorry for Adrian Paul in the cavern, being all wet when it was obviously below freezing! The water's steaming when he gets out, post-Quickening, but it wasn't steaming when he got in. *shivers on his behalf*)

Two scenes from this episode are among those that I remember from old vids -- the one where Methos holds out Duncan's sword wrapped in his clan colors, and a bit from the very end when Duncan's in the spring. And I'd actually thought both of those were much spoilerier than they turned out to be, because, well -- didn't expect them AT ALL in this episode until they happened, so can't be too spoilery, right? (Helpfully, at that point I could not tell Duncan and Methos apart in vids, so I had no clue who was in the water and who wasn't.)

RACHEL! Er, embarrassingly, I'd forgotten who she was until she mentioned that she's the one who brought the MacLeod Family Sword to Paris. I'd been wondering where Methos got it from so quickly. But yay! There is something very appropriate about the fact that Duncan's clan helped him out of this, even if a bit indirectly. And Duncan's hopelessly feeble attempt to thank Methos for saving his soul ... hahahahaha DORKS. *squishes them*

Bit o' squee at end: Alexa! She's still alive! Squeeeeeee! ... um, though up until that point I'd been too caught up in the action to actually remember that Methos is not working in Paris right now but traveling the world with Alexa. So he left his terminally ill girlfriend in Athens to rush off to Paris to save Duncan. Erm. Alexa being Alexa, I'm sure she was very sweet about it and all "Of course you have to go save your friend!" and is currently having a blast exploring Athens by herself. And eeeee, she's still alive, and presumably has now been able to see Egypt and more! Doomed they may be, but I adore Methos and Alexa an awful lot. And thank you so much, Show, for mentioning her even in passing, and not just leaving us to wonder about it like some other (*cough SGA cough*) shows are wont to do.

This episode! This SHOW! *clutches it to heart*


Edit: Oh! I just re-watched the end of 4x14 and something clicked -- Methos sort of sneaking up on Duncan in the pool with the katana held behind his back: he came in there prepared to kill Duncan if it wasn't good!Duncan that had won, and he knew the only way he was gonna be able to do it was if he got in a surprise shot before Duncan knew what hit him. (It's also a wonderful little Methos character bit, because that is exactly how he's lived this long: by being sneaky.) And that casts his little laugh of relief in a whole new light, because of what he'd been prepared to do a minute ago. SHOW!

Comments

[trobadora]

Hee! I love your squee so much. And I wish I had those eps available right now because I so want to watch them all! Joe is indeed fantastic; it's been ages since I saw that, but I still remember it well. :D

As for the unexpected Methos ep ... TOO IMPORTANT TO LOSE! :D :D :D

And hee, that is TOTALLY the fight scene at the end of SGA's Doppelganger! Only, you know, ten years earlier, and with swords!

Hee, I hadn't even thought of that, but that is SO TRUE. *giggles*

Even Joe knew to tie him up before he came around!

I think that makes sense, though. He wasn't trying to overpower him; he was trying to get through to him. (I mean, if tying him up and tossing him into the sacred spring could have worked, that would have been a lot easier, but ... in the end, Duncan had to save himself, you know?)

And I'd actually thought both of those were much spoilerier than they turned out to be, because, well -- didn't expect them AT ALL in this episode until they happened, so can't be too spoilery, right?

I'm really curious - what impression did you get from those clips? What did they make you expect? If you don't mind telling. :)

[sholio]

I think that makes sense, though. He wasn't trying to overpower him; he was trying to get through to him. (I mean, if tying him up and tossing him into the sacred spring could have worked, that would have been a lot easier, but ... in the end, Duncan had to save himself, you know?)

Tying him up and tossing him in the spring ... *snerk*. Hilarious mental image, but, no, you're right, and I think you're quite right about all of this, particularly since Methos did have the foresight to take him to a church, and figured that he'd be protected by the holy ground truce.

I'm really curious - what impression did you get from those clips? What did they make you expect? If you don't mind telling. :)

Hee! The pool scene I'd figured was a pretty straightforward aftermath-of-fight, where whoever was in the pool had either fallen in during the fight or had been fighting in the water to begin with, and the other was relieved that he was okay and was helping him out. The other one, with the sword, I had NO idea. Once I'd seen some of the show I realized that it was Duncan's clan colors, but that was even more mysterious -- and then when I saw the sword on the wall in "Homeland" my reaction was basically OH HEY THAT'S THE SWORD FROM THAT CLIP! And then I expected Duncan to take it with him, and he didn't, so I was EVER MORE CONFUSED. At that point I figured that Methos had to go on some kind of quest to retrieve the sword, for Very Important Reasons relating to Duncan (he lost his katana? he needed to have his faith in his ability to fight restored somehow?), but that was about as far as I'd been able to get. :D

(No, I didn't spend any time thinking about this AT ALL, obviously. *g*)

Incidentally, another clip in this batch of episodes that I've seen is from the scene where Joe has Duncan tied to the thing in the dojo -- and I was wildly off base with that one, because I didn't recognize that it was Duncan tied to the thing, and I wasn't at all sure it was Joe ... I'd thought he was holding two swords, not a sword and a cane. So I had thought that it was either an evil Immortal tied up -- well, that was sort of the case, I guess -- or one of the good guys being tortured a la Fitz in the first season.

[trobadora]

no, you're right, and I think you're quite right about all of this, particularly since Methos did have the foresight to take him to a church

Yeah, and he did almost get through to him for a moment; it just wasn't enough. (Yet.)

The clips: Oooh, that is so fascinating! I love that you spent so much thought on these clips, and what you got out of them. Even if it WAS wrong - it's not like you could have guessed dark quickenings and sacred springs! :D

I loved that they used the sword here to remind Duncan of his identity - that Methos in particular had that idea and went to get the sword! ♥ ♥ ♥

because I didn't recognize that it was Duncan tied to the thing, and I wasn't at all sure it was Joe

Okay, now that is really hilarious. :D :D :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

TOO IMPORTANT TO LOSE!

ahhhh that line is so cheesy but I looooove what he does with his voice when he shouts it. Mmmmmmmm.

[trobadora]

There's a reason that line is quoted in fic so often. :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Eeeeee, I've been waiting for you to get to these! That pair of eps is so completely ridiculous and contrived and wtf unexpected magic spring and ahhhh I love them~! Good guys going temporarily evil is always one of my major fiction kinks, and AP has so much gleeful fun being unabashedly fabulously ~WICKED~ (blowing through the stop sign, wahahahah) and Joe shooting Mac* but not being able to take his head (I <33333 Joe so much) and Methos who apparently just relies on being so adorable that even evil!Duncan won't kill him!

* (there's a great bit using that in the bloopers, won't spoil it but it's LOLOLOL. though it means every time I watch that scene now I crack up XD)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Also re: your ETA, yup, that's totally what's going on there with Methos...though I really wonder if he actually would've been able to do it; it's Duncan, after all...

[trobadora]

I honestly don't know. Knocked him out and tied him up and sat on him until he could come up with another plan, sure. But actually killed him? I go back and forth on that. If he'd truly believed there was no way to save him ... hm.

[sholio]

And it's METHOS after all, whose track records in fights is ... not great. I say this with all due love for Methos, as you know, but I could totally see Duncan ducking out of the way in time. Actually, if HL fandom is anything like SGA fandom, I would not be surprised to discover that there is an entire genre of AUs in which Duncan stays evil and drags a semi-hostage-ish Methos around Europe with him ...

[sholio]

Good guys going temporarily evil is always one of my major fiction kinks

Oh, mine too, mine too! :D (Actually, after watching this episode I was quietly cataloging those moments in various other stuff I've watched, and, er, I think just about EVERYTHING I've fanned on that has sufficient sci-fi/fantasy elements has a plot like that in it somewhere.)

But ... these episodes! YES! So hilariously over-the-top and wonderful and friendshippy and SO MANY of my narrative kinks all wrapped up in a big doofy ball with a WTF MAGIC SPRING on top! *g* AP did a gloriously fab job with it (I was reminded of Vincent Ventresca doing Darien's MWAHAHAHA I AM SO EVIL Quicksilver madness in "Invisible Man") - and the stop sign SLAYED ME; it may be one of my favorite bits from an episode that was nearly all composed of favorite bits! (Duncan's Evil To-Do List: "Murder. Sexual assault. Ordinary assault. Grand theft auto. Minor traffic violations." With "kicking puppies" penciled in at the end. bwahahahaha, just ... OH SHOW ILU SO MUCH. ♥ ♥ ♥)

And everyone has been so, so wonderful about not spoiling this particular twist for me, even when I was talking about the possibility of a character taking in an evil Immortal's essence and going bad back in season one (you must have just about DIED keeping quiet at that point). That scene with Joe and Duncan at the end of 4x13, starting with Joe shooting him in the dojo -- BUTTONS. MASHED. SO HARD. And all the more because I had no idea whatsoever that it was coming; I was expecting this to be one of their straightforward old-friend-from-Duncan's-past filler eps for pete's sake!

and Methos who apparently just relies on being so adorable that even evil!Duncan won't kill him!

*snorfl*

Methos: I AM TOO CUTE TO KILL!
Duncan: OH SHIT HE'S RIGHT. *wanders off and steals car*

I'm so glad I started watching this show. :DDDD

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Duncan's Evil To-Do List: "Murder. Sexual assault. Ordinary assault. Grand theft auto. Minor traffic violations." With "kicking puppies" penciled in at the end.

XDXDXDXD x a million!

ZOMG you're right, QSM!Darien was totally channeling evil!Duncan - they've got the same completely random LOLWHUT sociopathy. (dangit, now I wanna rewatch I-man, too. One of the reasons I loved that show was how shamelessly often it punched that temporarily-evil button...)

I watched the scene with Duncan & Joe about a gazillion times. Which is about a gazillion less times than I watched the Methos scenes, but still...yeah, you're lucky you have it all on DVD now; they don't wear out like video tapes do (I am not even joking, there were a few bits of of HL tapes that started skipping from the rewinding/rewatching ^^;)

[sheron]

(you must have just about DIED keeping quiet at that point).

The things we do for you!

:P

[tringasolitaria.livejournal.com]

*squealing* I confess, I've been biting my lip waiting for you to get to these episodes. :) So glad you enjoyed them. :D

Poor Duncan, and Richie, and Dawson saving the day! And then Methos coming to the rescue. :)

As far as Anne goes, I agree. Not a favorite, but neither do I have any particular issues with her. But I'd forgotten about her being so pregnant in that episode. ;) LOL!

(I had forgotten it's about time for our regularly scheduled switch to Paris, though ... *g*)

ROFL!

[sholio]

Yeah, apparently all it took to get my squee back for this show was a couple episodes that totally mashed down most of my narrative kink buttons. WHO KNEW. :D

I felt so bad for Richie, who had no idea what was going on! Actually, I was impressed that he lasted as long as he did, because we're often told that Duncan is one of the better fighters out there, and he was fighting to kill -- viciously, too -- while Richie was only trying to defend himself. On the other hand, Duncan's the one who trained him, so of all people it makes sense that Richie would be able to hold his own for a while. But, yeah, the bit where he's about to take Richie's head and then Dawson opens up with the gun ... man, that was an awesome bit. :D

And SUDDEN SURPRISE METHOS! The next episode was just one squee and delight after another. Yay for friends who are too stubborn to give up on you, even when you've given up on yourself. Oh show!

[zillah975]

Methos is such a fascinating character to me, precisely because of what you're saying here -- he's not the best swordsman, he's the oldest living immortal because he's sneaky, not because he's Just That Good. I love that, SO MUCH. I think he's probably as ruthless in his own way as any villain, just he uses his powers for good. :)

[sholio]

I know! One of the many things that I was so, so wrong about was that I was expecting him to be The Most Badass Immortal Who Ever Lived (TM), and I was honestly baffled as to how they were going to craft plots around him, that being the case. But he's not that badass; he's actually a mediocre swordsman who compensates by being smart, clever and crafty, and that ROCKS MY WORLD. :D (I am coming to think of Methos as a sort of trickster archetype; I don't know if that's right or wrong, but it sure does fit with how I see him in a lot of scenes ...)

[sheron]

So he left his terminally ill girlfriend in Athens to rush off to Paris to save Duncan.

It's just SO hard on shippers, ya know? Having to look for stuff to justify the pairing... Oh wait. :-)


Oh! I just re-watched the end of 4x14 and something clicked -- Methos sort of sneaking up on Duncan in the pool with the katana held behind his back: he came in there prepared to kill Duncan

O.O I ....didn't realize this.

I mean, maybe I did realize this years back, but on my rewatch, I didn't think of that at all! I just was so sure Duncan would be ok, that I didn't even think of that. That's an awesome tidbit to notice.

To be honest, I'm with you on the whole escapade with Anne -- the first time through I was shouting Noooo at her, but this time I knew it would be no use *g* However, Duncan giving Anne his house? That rocked so hard. I mean, here's a single mother who doesn't know how she'll handle her job and her kid, and he goes and fixes up a house for her! I couldn't love Duncan more than I did in that moment.

There's also a lot of interesting cannon in these eps, if you consider that the Quickenings are more than just a transfer of energy. Kind of makes me think that perhaps Methos's choice not to fight is also based on how many times he must have had to take a Quickening. He said there might be more room inside him to assimilate another one, but who can really tell?

[sholio]

It's just SO hard on shippers, ya know? Having to look for stuff to justify the pairing... Oh wait.

*laughs*

Kind of makes me think that perhaps Methos's choice not to fight is also based on how many times he must have had to take a Quickening. He said there might be more room inside him to assimilate another one, but who can really tell?

Oh, that's an excellent point! I hadn't thought about that. I do think that his comment about having "more room" was something of a rationalization (why would it matter how old he was, for that purpose?) but, yeah, it makes a lot of sense to me that he would be increasingly backing off from fighting because of concerns about winnowing himself away by taking in the energy of evil/cruel/brutal Immortals.

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

HL squee is back! :)

[sholio]

Yes, yes it is! *squees*

[gnine.livejournal.com]

Heeee, oh Deliverance, have rewatched that ep SO MANY TIMES!!! EVOL!Duncan and Methos running to the rescue and the "I'm too old for this" *snerk* And mentioning that Alexa's still around and pooor, poooor Duncan (more friends bite the dust -_- Duncan really does have baaaad luck with friends!) And just, yes, SQUEE!!!

So sorry to come back from the weekend without net and see your squee had been harshed, SO NOT COOL! But sooo happy to see it back, yay lj filters! And I know a lot of people reassured you, but all the reasons you've been squeeing about loving Methos and the show? Seen it all and I'm still in TOTAL AGREEANCE with you, so....^___^

...And now I wanna go and rewatch that ep...hmmmmm...what plans do I have for tonight? ^_-

[sholio]

The filter has helped A LOT ... and I was worried that I'd be cutting myself off from most of the discussion of the show by filtering, but it doesn't seem to be any less active than when I was talking to the whole Internet, so ... *flappy hands*

Well, the filter helped, and then there was Deliverance, which was PURE SQUEE, so yeah. I was helpless at that point. :D What can I do but fan madly on a show that DOES things like this ... :DDD

(Poor Duncan! But he also seems to have a nearly endless supply of old friends to show up and die tragically.)

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

"The Blitz": God yes, Anne is frustratingly stupid here. I wish the writers had come up with another way to get her trapped underground, if that's where she needed to be. The Blitz flashbacks were sad the first time I watched the ep, but on re-watches I mostly fast-forward to the end. Duncan gives Anne a house! A five bedroom house, even. The guy doesn't do things halfway.

"Something Wicked" and "Deliverance": Your question about whether Quickenings could turn an Immortal bad has been answered! This is the reverse of what happened to Darius at the gates of Paris, only Darius accepted the Light Quickening and allowed the transformation to become permanent, while Duncan fought the Dark Quickening and defeated that side of himself. Back in the day I never gave much credit to Darius for his transformation from ruthless warrior to humble priest, since it was an external force that made him a new man. Which isn't to say I doubted his goodness--I just didn't give him credit for the effort it must have taken to embrace the transformation. As hard as Duncan worked to defeat the evil in himself, there must have been a good man already inside Darius to want to be changed. Otherwise he never could have lived all those centuries, day in and day out, as a non-violent man of God.

As for Methos maybe having "more room" inside him... The "Methos" ep does imply that age = power. That's why Kalas hunts Methos, because presumably Methos' Quickening would give him more power. I don't know whether that means Methos could handle the Dark Quickening better than Duncan, though.

Btw, I've friended you here on LJ so I wouldn't miss your posts! *g*

[sholio]

Btw, I've friended you here on LJ so I wouldn't miss your posts! *g*

Squee! I'm glad you've come!

(I'll be back to crossposting on DW eventually, whenever I get over my shyness and/or fear of being spoiled enough to feel safe to come out from under flock again ... *g*)

ANYWAY. Yes, "The Blitz" was not a good episode for Anne. Actually, I was only paying a modicum of attention to it; some episodes hold me rapt, some make good background music for doing other things. Duncan's gesture at the end is so sweet, though. And, yeah, Duncan is not a halfway kind of guy.

Back in the day I never gave much credit to Darius for his transformation from ruthless warrior to humble priest, since it was an external force that made him a new man. Which isn't to say I doubted his goodness--I just didn't give him credit for the effort it must have taken to embrace the transformation. As hard as Duncan worked to defeat the evil in himself, there must have been a good man already inside Darius to want to be changed. Otherwise he never could have lived all those centuries, day in and day out, as a non-violent man of God.

That's a very interesting point! I think you're right, though, and even at the time I saw that episode I don't recall getting the impression that it had been a total 100% change in his character -- more like it pushed him in that direction, rather than holding him and frogmarching him there. *g* Actually, the way I saw it then, I wouldn't have expected a 100% role reversal like we got with Duncan in "Something Wicked", either; my impression at the time of Quickenings was that they brought some of the slayee's essence along with their "power" (whatever the heck that means), which could tarnish the morals of a good person or improve a brutal one, but I really didn't see it as being that ... sudden.

... though I suppose that if it worked the way that I thought it did, then the "evil" Immortals who go through their lives killing lots of good guys would be gradually improved by it as well, and that doesn't seem to happen. (As well as being extremely counter-intuitive as to how murder affects a person. It's a good point that's been made occasionally, even if it's usually made by people using this point as a weapon, that killing a lot of other people cannot be good for your psyche, even if it's in self-defense ... It's more like a wartime type situation for the protagonist Immortals, where they're constantly having to defend themselves from people who want to kill them, but still, that's got to take its toll ...)

As for Methos maybe having "more room" inside him... The "Methos" ep does imply that age = power. That's why Kalas hunts Methos, because presumably Methos' Quickening would give him more power. I don't know whether that means Methos could handle the Dark Quickening better than Duncan, though.

Yeahhh ... I hadn't really seen the two as being connected, but you're right, they might be! In "Methos" I'd understood Kalas to mostly be after the accumulated power of all the Quickenings that Methos had taken in over the years. But it's certainly not as if it doesn't make sense that way as well.

I'm pretty sure that Methos was at least partly rationalizing in that scene, though. He's got an awful conundrum in front of him -- any Immortal in that situation would; how do you kill such a being without becoming him? -- and I'm pretty sure he's trying to convince himself, as well as whatever is left of good!Duncan, that it would work ....

[ceitie.livejournal.com]

Deliverance is one of my favorite Highlander episodes of all time! I love Methos coming grumbling to Duncan's rescue, and I have to admit that I find Evil!Duncan somewhat *cough* sexy. In a creepy way. Yep.