"Archangel"

Starring:

Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod)
Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan)
and
Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson

Guests:

Peter Wingfield (Methos)
Valentine Pelka (Kronos)
Emily Raymond (Allison)
Edward Jewesbury (Jason Landry)
and
Peter Hudson as James Horton

Written by David Tynan
Directed by Dennis Berry
Production No. 96518-106
Full Credits

[Note: Okay, this is going to sound odd, but at frequent intervals throughout the episode we hear voices chanting: "Christus. Sanctus. Dominus. Spiritus." Whenever this happens, I'll just mention that the voices are chanting, and you'll know that they're saying those three words, or at least some of them in different combinations. It does kinda make a difference, mood-wise, when you're watching it. --Jinjifore]

Duncan looks up at Horton, and flashes on his gravestone, 1945-1993. Cut to scenes from "Counterfeit," of Horton attacking Duncan with a switchblade, and Duncan stabbing him and leaving him dead in the middle of a wide field. Then back to the gravestone, and then to Horton as Duncan says, "You can't be here."

Horton turns and walks away without saying a word, leaving Duncan staring after him in disbelief as Richie catches up.

Richie: "Who?"

Duncan turns to look at him: "James Horton! He's . . ." He turns and points, but Horton is gone, as is the red light. "He was right there." Duncan dashes up the steps.

Richie: "Mac, what are you talking about?" Mac goes on up the stairs. "There's no one there, Mac."

But as Duncan follows, he sees Horton again, and the red light. The voices start again.

Duncan: "How can you still be alive?" Horton reaches the top of the steps and turns. "Answer me, Horton. I killed you."

Below, Richie is watching, puzzled, as Duncan continues to speak.

Duncan: "How?"

Horton, his voice echoing, underlaid at the last with deep growling tones: "The question you have to ask yourself is, 'Is he real? Has Horton really come back from the dead? Or have I gone insane?' How many times do you think you're going to have to kill me?"

Duncan, drawing his sword and moving forward: "Just once." He runs up the steps.

Back at the barge, the voices chant again as the red mist begins to descend over Landry, who's still pacing on the shore. He looks up after Duncan, frightened.

At the steps, Duncan reaches the top and looks around, confused to find no trace of Horton. Richie follows him.

Richie, concerned: "Mac?"

Duncan: "He was here. Horton was here." He returns to Richie's side.

Richie: "Mac, you killed Horton 3 years ago. Look around, there's nobody here but us."

At the barge, Landry spins around as the mist surrounds him, recoiling in horror as he sees the face of the Iraqi statue. The ends of his scarf jerk up and out, tightening it around his throat. He falls to his knees with a scream, which brings Richie and Duncan running. Duncan kneels by the body.

Richie: "I'm going to check under the bridge." He runs off.

Duncan feels Landry's neck, and sees the livid bruises on his throat.

Cut to a stretcher, taking Landry's body away. Duncan and Richie walk by, talking.

Richie: "Dead. And what for? Fifty francs and a couple of pictures of his grandkids. It's too bad. The guy was just a harmless crazy."

Duncan, worried: "Maybe."

Richie: "Oh, come on, Mac. Give me a break. 'He is coming? The time is at hand?' The guy was out of his mind."

Duncan: "He was also terrified. And he knew my name."

Richie, patient: "Mac, Horton is dead. It was dark, we had champagne. You made a mistake."

Duncan: "Nonononono, it was Horton all right. The old man was trying to warn me."

Richie: "You think he was a Watcher?"

Duncan: "No, I checked his wrist, no tattoos."

Richie: "So now what?"

Cut to Horton's gravestone, Duncan talking to a cemetery official.

Duncan: "So when was the body removed?"

Cemetery Official: "Yesterday, Monsieur."

Duncan and Richie are standing by the open grave, pacing around it, Duncan looking down into the gaping hole.

Duncan: "What about paperwork? There must have been an official request to have the body exhumed."

The official chuckles: "In France, Monsieur, paperwork is our national pastime. The remains are to be shipped to the United States, for the burial sometime today."

Duncan steps closer: "From where?"

Official: "Orly (sp?) Airport."

Duncan: "At whose request?"

Official: "The brother-in-law of the deceased."

Richie looks startled, and Duncan is confused.

Duncan: "Joe Dawson?"

The official nods: "Yes."

Richie: "Wait a minute. Are you sure you've got the right guy? He's tall, grey hair, beard, uses a cane."

Official: "That was him. Nice man. But . . . he seemed to be in a great hurry."

Duncan, bitterly: "I'm sure he was." He turns and walks off.

These are the Eurominutes, faithfully transcribed by Paul.

Duncan, bitterly: "I'm sure he was." He turns and walks off.

Official, to Richie: "If the dead cannot find peace, then how can the living?"

Richie: "Thanks."

At the airport, Joe is standing by a coffin, signing a form.

Joe, muttering: "Let's get this over with." He hands the form back. Behind him, Duncan and Richie stride up.

Duncan, grinning coldly: "Well, if I'd known I would have sent flowers." Joe rolls his eyes, realizing he's been caught. Duncan goes on. "My condolences. Anybody I know?" He comes up and puts a hand on Joe's shoulder.

Joe: "This is personal business, MacLeod." He tries to pull away, but Duncan is gripping him tightly. "It really doesn't concern you."

Duncan, through his teeth: "Anything to do Horton concerns me." He lets go and moves to the coffin.

Joe: "Hey! Look, my niece--his daughter--she moved back to Chicago, she wants her father buried there, so I'm helping the kid out. It's a family thing."

Duncan, cheerfully sarcastic: "Oh, a family thing is it?" Walks to face him. "Well, then why did you hide it from me?"

Joe: "I know what he did to you, and I know how you felt about him."

Duncan, still laying on the sarcasm: "Oh, well, that's very considerate." He turns back to the coffin.

Joe, louder: "What is wrong with you?! The guy was my brother-in-law. His daughter wants his body shipped home."

Duncan points at him: "Well, she's going to be really disappointed, isn't she?"

Joe, to Richie, who's been standing and watching, not getting involved: "What is his problem?" Richie just raises his hands, backing off.

Duncan: "I saw him. I saw Horton. He's alive."

Joe laughs: "No, Horton is dead. You killed him yourself. Remember, I was there?!"

Duncan: Yeah, well he looked very healthy last night." He stalks over to a table and picks up a crowbar.

Joe: "This is insane!" Points. "Whatever is left of James Horton is in that box!"

In the background, Horton steps out from behind a pillar.

Duncan: "Oh, well, then we should wish him a bon voyage, shouldn't we?" He whirls and pries at the coffin before anyone can stop him.

Joe: "What in God's name are you doing?"

Richie and a guard try to stop him, but he shoves them off and pries the lid open. In the background, Horton smiles. The lid comes off, and Horton's desiccated corpse, nothing more than a skeleton by now, is revealed. Duncan has just time for one look before the guards drag him off, leaving Richie and Joe standing by the open coffin. Behind them, Horton grins, then his eyes glow red briefly and he walks away.

At the police station, Joe is waiting outside. Richie and Duncan come out of the doors, Richie talking.

Richie: "If it wasn't for Joe, they would have nailed you. Listen, Mac, he convinced them to drop the charges."

Joe, to Duncan, with a touch of sarcasm: "I told them you were a friend of the deceased and you were overcome with emotion."

Duncan: "Nice touch."

Joe: "I don't know what's going on with you, MacLeod. I just hope it's over."

Duncan: "Not yet."

Richie stops him: "Hey, Mac, you saw the guy's body."

Duncan: "I saw somebody's body. You find someone the right size, you put him in Horton's clothes, it doesn't prove that Horton is dead, does it?"

Joe: "Yeah, he's down at the park right now with Elvis and JFK."

Duncan comes back to stand in front of him. "They're listening to Jerry Garcia. What do you think this is, some kind of huge conspiracy?"

Duncan: "You lied to me once before, didn't you? Didn't you?!" Joe looks away, tightening his mouth. "He's family, you said you'd do anything for him."

Joe looks at him, and sees that he's not getting anywhere, and gives up. He looks at Richie, and jerks his head at Duncan.

Joe, to Richie: "Good luck. You're gonna need it."

Richie nods, then turns and follows Duncan, who's already walking off.

Richie: "Listen, Mac, if Horton is alive, where is he? What's he been doing?"

Duncan: "Maybe that's what the old man was trying to tell me."

At the morgue. Duncan is talking to a doctor.

Doctor: "A murder victim?"

Duncan: "Yes, he was brought in last night. I need to know his name."

Doctor, puzzled: "I'm sorry, Monsieur, but there were no murder victims last night."

Duncan: "No, you must be mistaken, there was."

Richie: "A man, about sixty, white hair, thinning on top?"

Doctor: "Oh, the one who collapsed by Notre Dame?"

Richie: "Yeah, yeah.

Doctor: "Jason Landry?"

Duncan: "So you saw him."

Doctor: "He was identified just this morning. But there was no murder. Death was due to natural causes."

Duncan, shaking his head: "No no no no. I saw the bruises, the marks . . . he was strangled."

Doctor, walking past him: "Monsieur, I examined the body myself. Jason Landry died of a stroke. There were no marks of any kind."

Duncan: "Can I see the body?"

Doctor: "I'm afraid not. It was claimed by his granddaughter for cremation."

Duncan: "Well, that's convenient."

Doctor, sweetly: "Did you say something?"

Duncan, matching the sweetness: "Yes, I did." He softens his tone. "I'm sorry. Look, is there an address? I, uh, I want to pay my respects."

She moves off, leaving Duncan and Richie in the hall. Duncan wanders back into the main room, and as he does the body on the table turns and looks at him, the eyes glowing red. Duncan steps back, shocked, as the doctor returns with some papers.

Doctor: "Monsieur?" She holds out the papers, but he ignores her, stepping back around to look at the body again.

Richie: "Mac? Mac. You all right?"

Duncan recovers and takes the papers: "Yeah. Let's get out of here."

Richie: "Twist my arm." To the doctor. "Thanks."

They leave.

It's night at the barge. Duncan, dressed in a heavy coat, is sitting by his chess board, staring pensively at the pieces. Outside, the red mist forms over the barge again. Duncan glances around idly, then does a double take. At the other end of the shelves, almost hidden among the metal brackets and the clutter, Kronos, in full Bronze Age armor and face paint, turns his head and looks at him. Duncan looks away quickly, shaking his head. He blinks, and smiles to himself. Then he looks again, and Kronos is still there. Kronos lifts his head and stares at Duncan, and Duncan stares back, stunned. He flashes to his first sight of him in "Comes a Horseman."

Kronos, voice over from "Revelation 6:8": "You still don't understand, do you, MacLeod?"

Fade back to the barge, Kronos still staring at Duncan, then to the final fight in "Rev 6:8."

Kronos: "I AM THE END OF TIME!"

Duncan, grinning: "You're history."

He puts his sword to Kronos's neck, and takes his head.

Back to the barge. Kronos is gone, the space by the shelves empty. Duncan smiles a little again, shaking his head, then looks up again as he hears slow, heavy footsteps. He sees Kronos, walking slowly across the sleeping area, his steps sounding like some huge, stone creature. He stops at the steps and looks at Duncan again.

Duncan: "Kronos."

Kronos, cool and even: "Well, Highlander. Did you really think you could kill me?"

Duncan stands up: "You're not real. I took your head." Kronos smiles slowly. "You can't be real." He draws his sword, and gestures for Kronos to come to him. "Come on."

Kronos walks down the stairs, as the voices chant, and he melts away in a red shimmer. Duncan looks around, and runs outside. He dashes over the deck and onto the shore, sword out, as he senses another immortal and rushes up to confront Methos, who's just walked up.

Methos, holding up his hands: "Mac, it's me. It's me."

Duncan: "Did you see him?"

Methos, watching him as he stalks past: "See who?"

Duncan, looking around: "Kronos."

Methos gives a short laugh of disbelief, then says, so casually it's darn near sarcastic: "Really?"

Duncan whips around to look at him, and Methos sobers, seeing he's serious. Mac looks down, then turns and walks away.

Methos, sounding genuinely worried now: "Mac? Mac, where are you going?"

Duncan ignores him, and walks off towards the bridge, leaving Methos looking after him.

Act Two

Duncan is speaking to Landry's granddaughter, Allison, at her apartment.

Duncan, voice over as the camera moves towards the window: "I'm sorry for your loss. But if you help me, maybe we can really find out what happened."

In the apartment, Allison and Duncan are sitting on the sofa, talking.

Allison: "You're telling me you think someone killed my grandfather." Duncan looks at his hands. "The police thought it was a stroke."

Duncan: "I know what they said." He looks up. "But I was there. He was murdered." She looks upset. "I'm sorry. But, did he ever mention a man named James Horton?"

Allison, shaking her head: "No."

Duncan pulls out a notebook: "Did he ever show you this symbol?" He shows her a drawing of the Watcher symbol, with the words "Connection with watcher?!" scribbled underneath. "Did he ever describe it to you, write it down anywhere?"

Allison: "No." Duncan, disappointed, gets up and paces as she watches him, thoughful. "Before he died, did he say anything?"

Duncan, intent: "What kind of thing?"

Allison: "What did he say?"

Duncan, reluctant: "He said the end of the world was here, and he said that 'He' was coming." Allison looks away quickly, and Duncan catches it. "What was he talking about?"

Allison gets up and paces to the desk: "You won't believe it. No-one would."

Duncan: "You'd be surprised what I believe."

Allison turns to face him: "My grandfather was an archaeologist." She laughs a little. "No one in the world knew more about those weird, ancient religions."

Duncan, pacing, finally remembers: "Jason Landry. He wrote _The Mythology of Heroes_."

Allison: "Ten years ago. He really believed everything that was in that book. All that stuff about good and evil fighting over the fate of the world and nobody could see it. I know it sounds crazy."

Duncan: "No. No, it doesn't. Go on."

Allison: "He traveled to Egypt, and India and Iraq, searching ancient texts for some hint of how to defeat this great evil he thought was coming. A champion."

Duncan, pacing away again: "'You must stop him, you alone.'"

Allison, staring: "He said that to you?"

Duncan, nodding: "Yes."

These are the Eurominutes, faithfully transcribed by Paul.

Allison: "Come with me."

Then there's a fairly long shot of them walking away from the camera down a corridor.

Cut to outside the apartment, the red mist beginning to suffuse the street, and then the window of the apartment.

These are the Eurominutes, faithfully transcribed by Paul.

They enter the room, the TV is on, Allison walks over and turns it off.

Allison: "I keep it on just for the noise, I think the news is more depressing."

She walks over and picks up a leather bound book.

Allison: "This was my Grandfather's journal . . ." etc.

Inside, Allison picks up an old, leatherbound book. It's quarto-sized, more or less, with a heavily tooled cover and tattered, loose pages. She hands it reverently to Duncan.

Allison: "This was my grandfather's journal."

Duncan looks at it, and finds a drawing of a text similar to the one on the cave wall from the teaser, and a drawing of the statue.

Duncan: "This is Persian."

Allison: "He believed the Zoroastrian myths of ancient Persia held the truth about a cycle of evil that comes to the earth every thousand years."

But Duncan, looking through the book, sees something else. On one of the pages is written: "The next warrior / Mac Leod."

Duncan: "But where would your grandfather have found my name then?"

Allison looks at the page: "He found you."

Duncan: "No, no." Almost laughing, like he can't quite believe it. "Do you have any idea why my name's in your grandfather's journal?"

Instead of answering, Allison walks across the room and puts a tape in the VCR.

Allison: "This was taken in Iraq, six months ago."

She plays the tape, and we see and mostly hear the highlights of the teaser, from Foster's camera's point of view. There's one little added bit of dialogue, right after Foster says, "let's get the hell out of here."

Landry: "You're not the first one to doubt me, Foster. But it's real."

Then the tape shows the glowing spear, and blanks out.

Duncan stares at the screen, stunned and puzzled, but thinking.

Duncan: "You believe this?"

Allison: "He did. My grandfather was obsessed, but he wasn't crazy."

Duncan: "And he thought I was the one that could defeat this thing?"

Allison: "He was afraid it would kill him before he found you."

Richie, voice over carried from the last scene: "The millennium?" Cut to the exterior of the barge, Richie still speaking. "The dead walking? Ancient rituals?"

These are the Eurominutes, faithfully transcribed by Paul.

Richie: "The millennium? The dead walking? Ancient rituals? A battle between good and evil? Mac, he must have been talking about immortals."

Duncan: "Maybe, but Horton wasn't immortal, and it was him I saw at the quay."

Richie: "It's got to all mean something." etc.

He's standing at the table on the barge, looking down at the papers and books scattered over the surface. "It's got to all mean something."

Duncan is sitting down, looking at the far wall.

Duncan, quiet, almost meek: "Yeah, but what? I mean, some guy falls dead in my arms, and I--I'm fighting men that I've already killed, and I'm up all night, trying to figure out that I'm some sort of champion who's supposed to defend the world against . . . against who knows what." He paces back to the other side of the room.

Richie: "Maybe this is all for real."

Duncan, sitting down again: "Don't start."

Richie picks up the diary and walks to him: "No, I'm serious. Look. 400 years ago Cassandra said there was a prophecy about you defeating a great evil, right? She knew who you were, she what would happen. Maybe this is all meant to be. Maybe you are the chosen one."

Duncan looks at him, hearing and seeing Cassandra saying the prophecy from "Prophecy": "An evil one will come, to vanquish all before him. Only a Highland child, born on the Winter Solstice, who has seen both darkness and light, can stop him."

Duncan: "What if I don't want to be chosen?"

Richie: "Well, you might not have a choice."

Duncan: "But I don't believe in fate or prophecies. At least I never did."

Flashback Scotland, 1625

Duncan, voice over as we see him moving through the woods at night: "Long ago, back in 1625. I'd been immortal for only three years. But I still didn't know what I was, why I was alive. I'd survived two hard winters with no clan, no family." The Duncan in the woods stops as he senses another immortal. "Suddenly I felt it. A feeling. More than a feeling. It had happened once before, when I faced Kanwulf the Viking. But no one had taught me about the Game. No one had taught me about who we were, what we are." Duncan moves through the trees, towards a lighted cave mouth. Duncan goes into the cave, and hears someone laugh softly.

Hermit: "It took you long enough. What are you looking at? Come, by the fire." The hermit is sitting on the floor, roasting meat on a spit over the fire. "It's nay fit out there for man nor spirit."

Duncan: "Aye."

The hermit takes a piece of meat: "Help yourself."

Duncan: "I did not know anyone lived in these parts."

Hermit: "Aye, it's a good place for a man to lose himself. They canna find ye up here, the ones who call you . . . demon." He giggles.

Duncan: "No one calls me demon."

Hermit: "You been with nay home nor clan for three years now. But that's over." Duncan kneels down and starts eating as he keeps talking. "Soon you'll find your--"

Duncan: "Who?"

Hermit, sing song: "The one who will teach you what you need to know." He giggles again.

Duncan: "Who are you talking about?"

Hermit: "Your kinsman. Connor MacLeod."

Duncan: "Connor MacLeod's a legend."

Hermit: "Oh, so you say, young Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod." Duncan looks at him. "I have waited in this place for 600 years for you." The hermit dives suddenly to the side and tosses a handful of bones on the floor. "The bones! The bones will tell your destiny." He looks at them. "Aye, you're blessed. And you're cursed. When your time comes you must be prepared to face an evil beyond any you can imagine. And evil is nor the color of black." Looks up at Duncan. "'Tis the color of blood. Every thousand years he comes, and he must be fought. Long ago, I did my part, but now the responsibility is yours."

Duncan: "What responsibility? I have no clan, no people, no place."

The hermit gets up: "But you have your destiny." Walks towards Duncan. "Raise that blade. Strike here!" He puts his hand on his throat. "Take my head. Taste the truth of what you are!"

Duncan: "You're mad, I have no quarrel with you."

Hermit, passionately: "Listen, listen. My road is ending, but yours has far to go." Grabs Duncan's tunic, shouting, "Take my head!!!"

Duncan breaks away: "No!"

The hermit grabs his sword and squares with him: "You must kill me, Highlander."

He attacks, and Duncan parries, retreating. The hermit pursues him, telling him to "come back here, you wee scamp, your a disgrace to your clan." They fight on, until the hermit finally is able to grab hold of Duncan's blade with his bare hand. He raises it to his throat, and while Duncan tries to tug the sword back the hermit pulls the blade over, taking his own head.

Duncan, voice over as the Quickening begins: "The hermit took his own head with my sword. I had no idea what was happening. It was my first Quickening." Duncan, confused, staggers as the Quickening hits him, sending up a circle of flames around him, burning the hermit's wooden cross. "The old hermit told the truth. Soon after, I met my teacher, Connor MacLeod."

Present Day

Duncan, still voiced over: "But I ignored the rest of his prophecy." Duncan and Richie are sitting on the bench behind the couch, Duncan still looking through the journal.

Duncan: "I have no idea what I'm up against."

Richie: "I think it's, 'What are *we* up against."

Duncan: "No. According to Landry, it's coming for me." He slams the journal shut.

Richie, firm: "Yeah, well, I'm not going anywhere."

Duncan: "Richie, this is not something we're going to argue about." He gets up, but Richie stands, too, and stops him.

Richie: "Hey, Mac. Would you leave me hanging?" Duncan looks at him. "It's my choice, it's not yours."

Duncan: "We don't even know what it is."

Richie: "Yeah, well, you want to find out . . ." He puts his hand on Duncan's shoulder. "I'll be right there with you."

Duncan: "Thanks, Richie."

Act Three

In the street outside Allison's apartment, the red mist begins to creep along the road. Inside, Allison is looking over an old picture album, crying. She hears a noise, and gets up. Outside, Horton steps out of the mist while the voices chant, and a tendril begins to climb to the window, suffusing it with red. Inside, Allison paces cautiously through the room, and hears a door slam again. She knocks over something, and while she turns the look at it the door behind her slowly closes. She backs off, and begins to hear her grandfather's voice, from the videotape.

Landry: "It's him. Are you afraid, Foster? We should all be afraid. The thousand years are up. The demon is coming."

She switches on the television, and Landry exclaims, "Ouch!" then starts to laugh. The screen is showing the statue, and Landry speaks again.

Landry, voice only: "That wasn't very nice!" His face appears on the screen, smiling maniacally, and blood begins to run down the screen. Allison turns as she hears her grandfather say her name, in a normal voice, and finds him standing by the window.

Landry: "I always liked that chair." He vanishes, and reappears, settling into a leather chair behind his desk. "Allison."

Allison shakes her head, backing away: "No." She begins to cry as Landry starts laughing. "No." She backs to the door, but it slams shut, cutting her off.

Landry: "There's no escape."

Allison: "Let me out!" She turns and gasps as she sees Landry standing before the window, which is suddenly streaming with red light. He slowly raises his arms, the shadows making wing-like shapes around him. Then he flashes white, and the room bursts into flames. Allison, trapped, can only scream as she's consumed by the flames, and Landry watches, laughing, the voices chanting

Methos, Joe, and Richie are walking along a wide path. Methos is talking to Richie.

Methos: "Most religions have some version of the savior myth. Demons sent to destroy the earth, and a champion comes to protect it."

Richie: "That is exactly what it says in the journal."

Methos: "But millennium theory is nothing new, Richie. Every thousand years I hear these same stories. I don't know. I have never seen a demon."

Joe, derisively: "A Zoroastrian demon."

Richie: "Well, then, maybe you guys have another explanation for what's been going on here."

Joe: "What's going on, is that Duncan MacLeod's losing it."

Methos, after a pause: "Okay. We'll talk to the granddaughter."

Richie: "Yeah, maybe she can help."

At Allison's apartment, the firemen are carrying her body out in a white cloth. There's still smoke coming from the building, and the place is a chaos of firemen and police. One of the policemen comes up to Methos, Richie and Joe.

Cop: "You live in the area?"

Methos: "No, we just saw the smoke. What happened?"

Cop: "Arson. Someone set fire to the building." He studies them. "We're looking for a man who was seen leaving the place, late last night. Tall, dark hair. Ponytail." Methos bows his head and turns away.

Joe: "Nobody we know."

Richie: "Sorry." The cop nods, and moves off. Richie touches Joe's arm. "Not a chance, Joe."

Joe: "Richie, come on. I know how you feel."

Richie: "Give me a break. Mac was not involved with this, you know it." They walk off, and Methos follows, looking up as Allison's body is carried away.

These are the Eurominutes, faithfully transcribed by Paul.

They walk away but stop at the bottom of that ladder as the body is taken to the ambulance.

Joe: "Who's that?"

Officer: "She was Allison Landry."

Richie: "Thanks."

[Note: Richie seems to spend an awful lot of time this episode saying thank you to people, this is about the 3rd or 4th time. {Yeah, I noticed that! --Jinjifore}]

Methos: "Poor, poor, Allison."

Duncan walks into the barge, looking pretty rough. He goes to the bar and pours a drink, then looks up as he hears Allison's voice.

Allison: "Had a hard day?" Duncan turns to find her lying on the bed, dressed in a black negligee. "Join me."

Duncan walks toward her, puzzled: "Allison, what are you doing here?"

Allison stands up and starts toward him: "Isn't it obvious?" As he's staring, the phone rings, and he picks it up. The voice on the other end laughs.

Allison, from the phone: "It's me, Allison. I'm dead." Duncan looks up, and she's gone from the bedroom. "Now you see me, now you don't." He looks around the barge, but no one's there. He sits down, taking a healthy gulp of his drink on the way.

Suddenly, Allison's hands are over his eyes: "Guess who?"

He pushes her off, and she falls, knocking over a vase so that it smashes on the floor.

Duncan: "I'm sorry . . ."

Allison: "Is that any way to treat a lady?" Duncan stares at her as she gets up, walking toward him. "Don't you think I'm pretty?"

Duncan: "What do you want from me?"

Allison puts her hands on his chest: "Nice pecs." Duncan backs away quickly. "Are you going to kill me again?" Waits. "Why'd you burn my apartment?"

Duncan: "I didn't."

Allison: "Don't you remember? You came over and you wanted all my grandfather's books and papers, and I wouldn't give them to you, so you burned the place down."

Duncan pushes her away: "It didn't happen!"

Allison: "The police think it did."

Duncan pulls his sword from his coat: "It didn't happen!"

Allison takes the blade, guiding it to her neck: "Go on. Take it!" She pulls the sword down with her as she sprawls on the sofa, running her hands up and down the blade. "But afterward, you have to make love to me." She smiles. "Don't you want to save the world, MacLeod? Or maybe you'd just rather save yourself." Duncan is still staring. "Or maybe . . ." In Horton's voice, now, "I'm not real at all!"

Duncan falls back as she gets up, but when he lifts the sword again she's gone. And after he casts around the barge, looking for her, he turns and finds the vase right where it was before, untouched.

Duncan, thinking: This never happened? He picks up his drink, still sitting on the arm of the couch. None of this was real. But it was. He sits down, looking around. I'm losing it.

These are the Eurominutes, faithfully transcribed by Paul.

[I dunno which "Act" this is supposed to fall under, so I put it at the end of Act three. --Jinjifore]

Richie, Joe and Methos are in a cafe.

Richie, to Methos: "You agree with Joe, you think Macleod is crazy."

Methos: "I think he's hallucinating Richie. He's seeing people he's killed, and who knows what else he's doing."

Richie: "He did not set that fire." Pause. "What if all this stuff is real?"

Methos: "So, there are demons running around. Dead people walking."

Richie: "You're walking. How many times have you been killed?"

Methos: "Richie, that's not the same, and you know it."

Richie: " No, no, no, no. I don't know it! Nobody knows the reason why immortals exist and maybe this is it. Maybe we're here so that one of can fight this thing."

Joe: "Yeah, this has been going on for thousands of years, and no-one has ever heard of it, not watchers, not Immortals."

Richie: "Basically, yes."

Methos and Joe exchange looks.

Richie: "Aw, forget it, I'll see you guys."

He gets up and walks out.

Methos: "Blind loyalty, very common in the young."

Joe: "Yeah, I guess that's why we feel like rats."

Act Four

It's night at the barge. Inside, Duncan is crouching by the fire, flipping through the journal.

Duncan, thinking: I didn't want this. I never asked for it. I'm done with it He throws the book on the fire, then grabs it back and throws it on a table. He's pacing away when he senses another immortal, and hears the door open. He turns and finds Joe and Methos.

Duncan: "So, where are the men in white coats?"

Methos makes a sound that's almost a laugh and looks down, burying his hands in his pockets.

Joe: "We think you're in trouble, Mac."

Duncan, smiling without any mirth: "Trouble. You think I'm in trouble."

Methos: "Mac, you need help."

Joe: "You can't do this alone."

Duncan: "I'm not insane!" He walks up to them. "I saw them. Horton. Kronos. I heard them. I don't know what they were, but they were real."

Methos, evenly: "And you think they were demons."

Duncan: "Yea--" He breaks it off, not sure what to say.

Richie is walking through the rain towards the barge. A car pulls up, and he looks inside to see Horton in the backseat, holding a gun to Joe's head.

Richie: "Joe? Horton? Son of a bitch . . ." The car pulls away, and Richie runs after, as the voices start chanting again. "Hey, come back here! Stop! Stop!!!"

At the barge, Duncan turns away, rubbing his face.

Joe: "Please let us help you, Mac."

Duncan: "Look, I've been reading about this, thinking about it." He picks up the book. "Look at the state of the world. War, famine, chaos. There has to be something to this prophecy."

Methos: "And . . ."

Duncan tosses the book down: "I don't know. Look, if this is all in my mind, if I am crazy . . ." He waves a hand, and smiles, saying gently, "It's too late. If not, then there's nothing you can do."

Richie runs to a phone booth and calls the barge.

Duncan picks up the phone as it rings: "Hello."

Richie: "Mac, it's me. Look, I saw him, I saw Horton. He's got Joe."

Duncan looks at Joe, standing not five feet away: "That's impossible."

Richie: "No, look, I know what I saw. I think they headed into the old racetrack."

Duncan: "No, Richie, do nothing, nothing. Get back here."

Richie: "Sorry, Mac." He drops the phone and leaves.

Duncan: "Richie! Richie, you don't know what you're facing." He hands the phone to Joe. "Keep him on the line, he's got them at the old racetrack." He runs out.

Joe calls Richie's name a couple of times, then realizes he's gone. He looks at Methos, and hangs up.

At the racetrack, Richie finds the car, all the doors open, empty. He goes inside, sword drawn.

Richie: "Joe?"

He walks through the dark, empty, corridor, looking.

Outside, the car's headlights are glowing red, and the red light is spreading over the building as Duncan runs in (Er, I didn't see him, but you can hear his footsteps). Once inside, Duncan looks around. He hears the sound of an escalator running, and we see it, moving down to the floor where Duncan is, the red light glowing at the top. Duncan walks up to the bottom, and sees Richie coming down, sitting on the steps, his head bowed to his hands.

Duncan: "Richie?" He waits, but Richie doesn't respond. "You all right?" He hesitates. "Richie, it's me."

Richie raises his head, and his eyes glow red as he stands, raising his sword. He chuckles.

Richie, softly: "I know."

Duncan, raising his sword: "You."

Richie: "You? Me? Me you? Is that how you see me?" He beats at Duncan's blade. "You don't even understand your place in any of this, do you?"

He attacks Duncan, and they fight. Soon, Duncan gets an opening. But he freezes, sword raised.

Richie: "What's the matter? You don't want to hurt your little buddy?" He slashes Duncan, and laughs. "Some champion."

They fight again, and Richie cuts him again.

Duncan: "What the hell are you?"

Richie, expansive: "I'm your friend!" Cocks his head. "I am not your friend." He turns into Horton.

Horton: "I'm the man you can't kill."

Duncan growls and attacks, but now he's still fighting Richie. He slashes him across the stomach.

Duncan, panting: "Everyone can die, one way or another."

There's laughter, and Richie straightens up, only now he's Kronos. They fight, and Duncan wounds Kronos, but the fight keeps going. Duncan finally slashes at Kronos's head, but Kronos is suddenly gone and Duncan loses his balance, falling to one knee. He looks around, breathing hard, and turns to the escalator again to find Horton descending. As soon as he turns, Horton raises a gun and shoots him, and Duncan falls heavily.

Richie, in another part of the track, hears the noise and walks faster, calling for Joe.

Duncan rolls over, his hand red with blood, watching Horton descend.

Duncan: "What the hell are you?"

Horton: "I am Set." Now he's Richie.

Richie: "I am Ahriman." Now he's Kronos.

Kronos: "I am everything your people call demons and devils."

Now all three are coming down, and one by one they step off, holding their weapons, Horton his gun and Richie and Kronos their swords.

Horton: "I am Anger, I am the Dark!"

Richie: "I bring Chaos and Fear and Doubt and Anarchy."

Kronos: "I existed before Time began, and I will exist when Time is ended."

They start to circle Duncan, and as they walk the three of them become six, pacing around him, holding their swords and guns at him.

Richie: "For you, all that matters is that you cannot stop me."

Duncan, kneeling in the center, looks around and all he can see are their faces, all of them laughing at him. He lashes out, and he's suddenly alone, sparring with empty air. He whirls, crouching, and limps aside, searching.

Still in another part of the track, Richie walks down a corridor, looking for Joe.

Duncan, still limping, slashes at Kronos as he dashes by, then at Richie, then Kronos again. They run past him, too fast for him to do any more than swing wildly at them. He turns again, and sees only their faces, surrounding him, laughing. Duncan keeps fighting, slashing at them as they continue to harry him, running circles around him. Then he turns, and sees Richie standing there. He rushes him, and takes his head in one blow.

Duncan stands, watching the body drop to its knees, then fall over slowly. Duncan looks around, swaying slightly, and red smoke begins boiling from under the escalator. It surrounds him, and the Quickening begins. Richie's face appears, screaming, and we see scenes from his first Quickening in "Under Color of Authority." Through the whole Quickening, it's Richie's voice that we hear yelling. As the lighting and explosions start, Duncan flashes on images of Richie's face, flicking in rapid succession as the lighting and other pyrotechnics flash around him. Richie screams with his first Quickening again, and then it's over and Duncan falls to his knees, swaying, over Richie's body.

Tag

At the racetrack, the last flashes of the Quickening are dying away, flickering through the windows. Joe and Methos walk out into the hallway and head towards the lights.

Duncan, still kneeling over Richie's body, looks at his left hand and then at the body, confused. Behind him, Richie steps out from behind a pillar. Duncan turns his head.

Duncan, his voice high, and desperate: "Richie?" He looks up at him, then back at the body as the demonic voices start laughing.

Richie strolls around the pillar and leans jauntily on his sword, watching as Duncan starts rocking over Richie's body. Behind him, Joe and Methos walk around the corner. (They don't seem to see the demonic Richie, but I don't know if it's just because they're not supposed to or because the pillar blocks him from their line of sight.)

Duncan sways back on his heels, his face blotched with tears, and Kronos and Horton both appear to look at him, and smile and then all three leave.

Joe and Methos walk up to Duncan. Duncan reaches over and picks up his sword, and holds it over his hands, offering it up to Methos. He tries to say something, but can only choke out one syllable before Methos turns away.

Methos, quiet and irrefutable: "Absolutely not."

Duncan, brokenly: "Take it. Please." He lets the sword fall as Methos walks away.

Montage over some extremely cool song of Jim Byrnes' of Richie riding on his bike, interspersed with scenes from his time with Duncan [see Notes]. We see him learning to fight, walking with Duncan and Tessa, with Duncan on the barge, and with Duncan walking along the street, checking out a babe. Then more scenes of Richie and Duncan encountering each other, Duncan hugging Richie on the deck of the barge, walking with him across the street, and shaking his hand and pulling him into a hug inside the barge. Then the two of them sharing a bottle of brandy and smiling, and then Richie, leaning by himself against a tree, smiling.

Back in the present, Duncan leans forward and takes off one of Richie's gloves. He stands, choking something in a different language (which I'm told is a Lakota phrase, but I don't know what it means), waving the glove at the body. He walks off, leaving Joe and Methos there, and leaving his katana by Richie's body. Methos turns as he hears Joe begin to cry, and walks over to put his arms around him, holding Joe while he sobs on his shoulder. Beside Richie's body, the katana glows red.

Notes

This was a toughie. I watched the show for the first three years because of a certain spunky young red-head, and it was pretty darn painful to have to write this stuff down. I tried not to get too melodramatic, but it's a little hard when you're having to take frequent Mr. Panda breaks. I'll miss you, kid.

This segues nicely, too, into a question that a lot of people have asked me. There has, in fact, been some debate about whether Richie is "really" dead, and a few people who missed the episode have asked me what I think. This is stepping out of my objective mode, but I'll give an opinion based on what I thought I saw: He's dead. As a doornail. And he isn't coming back (not as Richie, anyway!). Just my opinion, mind. I've read some interesting theories as to why / how he might not actually have bought it, but at the moment I'm convinced, based on what I saw in "Archangel," that Richie was killed.

I'm sorry about having to say "and then the red mist appears" every other paragraph, but it really was all through the episode. And there were weird sound effects galore, lots of deep groaning and growling noises whenever something supernatural was happening, which was a lot.

I did the best with the names of the deities, etc. Me and The Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology, that is. I got Ahriman for the inscription in the teaser but the first two names stumped me unless Alope is the Greek goddess after all.

Thanks to two kind, sharp-eared folks, I have the lyrics for Richie's montage song, sung by Jim Byrnes sniffle:

Where do I go now?

How can I set it free?

Where do I find the words

What do you mean to me?

Just what is it I want?

What the hell can I do?

Why must I lie to myself?

How do I get back to you?

Who was it put up this wall?

Why can't we tear it down?

Why such a lonesome old town?

Ohh!

Why in this lonely old town

Hey Ohh

Here's a list of the scenes from the montage [corrections and additions welcome!]

Duncan teaching Richie to fight in "Eye for an Eye."

Richie walking down the street with Duncan and Tessa in the tag of "Watchers."

Richie following Duncan across the barge deck, from "Counterfeit, Part Two."

Richie checking out a girl after the foreign film in "Reluctant Heroes."

Duncan and Richie meeting up in the hotel during "End of Innocence."

Duncan hugging Richie around the neck on the barge, from the tag of "Eye of the Beholder."

Duncan and Richie starting to cross the street in the tag of "Line of Fire."

Duncan pulling Richie into a hug after he comes back in "Prodigal Son."

Richie and Duncan drinking the brandy in the tag of "Prodigal Son."

Richie leaning against a tree, smiling, from "The Innocent." [Note: Okay, it's obvious that the shot is from the scene in the park, where Duncan is fixing Mickey's train, but the actual exact shot shown here doesn't appear in the U.S. version. At least, not in mine . . .]

Thanks to the a.t.h. nitpickers brigade, for filling in the scenes from "Counterfeit, Part Two," "Eye of the Beholder," and "The Innocent." I knew I could count on ya'll . . .

Well, this is it for season five, folks! It was fun, and I'm still can't believe that I actually did them all. And now, of course, it's time for season six, and "Avatar!"

Jinjifore

These pages are written by Jinjifore and are translated into HTML and maintained by Ian.

Disclaimer: All the dialogue, characters, situations, and darn near everything else belong to a bunch of fine and talented folks at Rysher Entertainment and Panzer/Davis, and in particular the dialogue belongs to the credited writer of this episode. Me, I just wrote the rest down in my own words, which belong to me, but the episode itself was made by the aforementioned people and is owned by them. This humble synopsis isn't meant to infringe on their rights, and I'm sure as heck not making any money from doing these.

Feel free to copy and distribute as long as this copyright notice and disclaimer are included, except where local bandwidth laws apply.

Also, check out Ian's home page.

Celtic clip art courtesy of the Celtic Art Web Page.

Celtic clip art courtesy of the Free Celtic Art Page.
Last Rev: H8E [ 14 Aug 97 ]

"Archangel"

Table of Contents:

Teaser
Act One
Act Two
Flashback Scotland, 1625
Present Day
Act Three
Act Four
Tag
Notes

Back to the Index Page

Teaser

Act One

Act Two

Flashback Scotland, 1625

Present Day

Act Three

Act Four

Tag

Notes

Jinjifore