"Live, Highlander. Grow stronger. Fight another day" - Methos

It all started here, with the man himself appearing on screen in only the last 10 minutes of the episode that bore his name. It's interesting to see how much of the Methos we would come to know was there from the get-go, in one form or another, and to see how he grew. With Kalas on the loose in Paris, it is the Highlander who turns hunter after the death of Hugh Fitzcairn in Star-Crossed. The dying gestures of Kalas' latest victim send Duncan to meet a living legend, a legend whose 5,000 year life is in jeopardy. But is Methos as unwilling as he seems to allow MacLeod to fight his battles for him? All opinions expressed here are my own, as is the retelling of the storyline.

Written by J P Couture

Cast

Joe Dawson rings Duncan to warn him that Kalas has been seen in Paris and Duncan tells the unusually uninformed Watcher about Fitz's death. Joe tells him that Kalas was last seen coming out of a jazz club in St Germaine, "Nosferatu", but that his Watcher has vanished. Duncan goes to the club, but gets no joy from the bartender, who denies having seen anyone matching Kalas' description. As he turns to leave, Duncan sees the band practising and the singer, Danielle, is singing an old torch song, one that Duncan hasn't heard in a long time. When he asks her about it, she tells him the owner has a thing about it. Duncan is not surprised and knows who the owner is. Kalas.

Duncan heard the song on the night that the great tenor, Antonio Neri, had his Paris debut. He escorted Maria Campolo, the niece of a friend and a talented singer in her own right, to Neri's house. As they arrived, a trio in the hall were playing the song, but Neri himself was performing in the salon. As Duncan entered, he felt an Immortal and realised that not only was Neri an Immortal, but Neri was Kalas, who Duncan hadn't seen since Paul exiled him from the monastery in 1658, ("Song Of The Executioner"). Maria dueted with Kalas, who was impressed by her voice. He and Duncan exchanged cryptic asides, Kalas seemingly unconcerned about their history, but he insisted on dancing with Maria, who he convinced himself was Duncan's lover, whilst Duncan watched. When Maria told Duncan that Neri was arranging for her to audition for the Paris Opera, he told her that she was going to New York to study at the Metropolitan Opera and would be unavailable.

Maria returned to see Neri later, to apologise for turning down his offer of help. Kalas was charming and understanding, right up to the moment he tried to strangle Maria. When Duncan returned as well, in time to prevent Kalas finishing the job, Kalas cast off all pretence and made it clear that he wanted to destroy Duncan's life as the Highlander had destroyed his. The two Immortals fought, evenly matched in their hatred, although Kalas had the edge in skill, forcing Duncan through a glass door and trapping him on the floor. Fending off Kalas with his sword, Duncan grabbed a shard of glass and slashed at his enemy, slicing open his throat, Choking on his blood, Kalas fled, leaving Duncan to take the recovering Maria to safety.

Hearing the song again, Duncan realises that Kalas is the owner and that the bartender lied. When the barman tries to throw him out, Duncan holds his head under a beer tap until he tells him where Kalas has gone. Shakespeare and Co. Duncan goes there and finds the bookstore door open and the shop seemingly empty. A noise from the back leads him to a dying Watcher, who traces the letters M E before he dies. Duncan rings Joe to say he has found the missing Watcher, but Joe tells him that Roger was fished from the river. The man at the bookstore is Donald Salzer, a historian working on the Methos Chronicle. Duncan is incredulous, having always believed Methos to be a myth, but Joe tells him that he's real. He sends Duncan to meet their top Methos scholar, Adam Pierson, but there is a surprise waiting for MacLeod. The Watchers' expert on Methos is..... Methos.

Methos and Duncan go for a walk and Methos is seemingly unconcerned about Kalas, even though he hasn't faced an Immortal for 200 years. He refuses to let Duncan fight his battles for him and leaves the Highlander in pensive mood. That night, returning to the barge, Duncan is surprised by a dishevelled Methos, who tries for his head, but is easily defeated. Methos tells Duncan that Kalas was waiting for him, having found his journals and deciphered enough to connect Pierson and Methos. Kalas, having spotted the first Watcher, is working his way through them to find out what they know and where Methos is. By accident. he has hit the jackpot. Methos does not believe he can defeat Kalas, lacking Duncan's fire and passion, but believes that the combined power of them both can and offers the Highlander his head.

The following day, Duncan goes to Methos' apartment, where he finds Kalas waiting. Kalas readily jumps to the conclusion that MacLeod was after Methos as well and has taken his head already. The two Immortals fight, both intending to take the other's head, but Methos has other plans. The police interrupt the fight and arrest Kalas for Donald Salzer's death, on Adam Pierson's identification. Methos tells MacLeod that he wasn't prepared to take the chance on Kalas winning. When MacLeod goes to his apartment, he finds that Methos has vanished, taking the Chronicles with him. He rings an understandably frustrated Dawson, who can't believe that Methos fooled him. Duncan tells Joe that Kalas is in jail, but he can wait.