The loving bond between Immortal Duncan and mortal Tessa is one of friendship, concern and mutual trust, as well physical attraction. One cannot imagine either of them tiring of the other. We see at the beginning of this episode another reminder of how MacLeod shielded her from knowledge of his Immortal combats...when he fought Reinhardt, New Year’s Eve, 1988 and returned to their table at midnight for a New Year’s kiss.
Sadly, not all people or relationships are idyllic.
In this episode, Immortal Reinhardt—not Mr. Congeniality to begin with—grew tired of his mortal Rebecca, deserted her by allowing her to think that MacLeod had killed him.
Rebecca knows nothing of Immortality. She only wants revenge. Reinhardt wants Mac’s head and will use his former lover’s hatred to lure MacLeod to him.
New Characters:
REBECCA LORD — grieving lover of Walter Reinhardt, has devoted her time since his ‘death’ to improving her sword skills. She will make MacLeod pay for killing Walter.
WALTER REINHARDT — a bad Immie, old foe of MacLeod’s from 1728, met again in 1988, engaged at one time to Rebecca.
SGT. BENNETT — just a cop, trying to do his job.
Angie Burke, a friend of Richie’s is the same Angie from “The Road Not Taken”. This time, she rates a last name.
A Cruise Ship
Dec 31, 1988 New Year’s Eve
Below, merry makers—
Await the New Year!
Above, on the top deck,
Listen close, you will hear—
The clashing of swords—
Resounds in the night,
As Mac, Walter Reinhardt,
Renew their old fight.
“Got you, Highlander!” growls Reinhardt,
His sword pierced Mac’s chest!
But Duncan keeps coming,
And we know who’s best!
Mac forces his foe—
To plunge overboard.
Reinhardt lands in the water,
Mac keeps Reinhardt’s sword.
Mac rejoins Tess—
At midnight precisely.
His dark hair in place,
Bloodstain’s hidden nicely.
Tess never suspects—
From Mac’s merry tone,
That she almost began
This New Year, alone.
1992 — Present Day
Outside the antique shop,
Rebecca is passing—
A group of young punks,
Intent on harassing.
She almost gelds one,
With a fast, well placed chop.
Turns, and walks calmly,
Into the shop.
She spies Reinhardt’s saber,
Behind glass on display.
That sword, she knows well,
She was his fiancée,
Expressing keen interest,
She expands the pretense—
Requesting a tryout,
Does the gentleman fence?
Meanwhile, Rich desires—
To succeed on his own.
In his sport coat and tie,
He’s a GQ type clone.
“If I clerk in this shop,
I won’t go very far,
But selling used cars—
I’ll perform like a star.”
And—Tessa’s great talent—
Has been recognized,
She has just been awarded—
A prestigious prize,
They want her fine work—
(The Bicentennial Commission)
For display in the park’s—
Outdoor exhibition.
When MacLeod brings the saber,
For Rebecca to try,
She cruelly taunts him,
He cannot reason why.
They fence, both with steel—
And words...mostly hers.
She knows Reinhardt’s tricks,
And Mac’s memory stirs.
Flashback—Dover Road,
Seventeen twenty eight,
Walter Reinhardt, the highwayman,
Lying in wait.
He shoots the coach driver,
Then this foul cad—
Challenges a young mortal,
Mac rescues the lad.
“Your fight is with me,”
Whispers Duncan to Walter,
But Mac has a date,
And his plans he won’t alter.
“We’ll meet again,”
Says the Scot, as he leaves,
He hurls Reinhardt’s sword,
Far away, in the trees.
Back in the present,
Mac sees the same saber—
In Rebecca’s deft hands,
Her resolve does not waver,
As he leaves, he feels hatred,
Her eyes hold him steady,
“Don’t worry, I’ll soon come—
For you when I’m ready.”
Outside, Later
Rebecca’s harasser,
Lies dead near the shop,
The punk’s been run through...
“By a sword!” says the cop.
To the library, Rich goes—
Mac seeks some connection,
‘Tween Rebecca and Reinhardt,
A piece of detection.
“Stay away from her, Mac!”
Tessa’s instincts, she trusts.
But he goes and observes—
At a dummy, she thrusts.
Rebecca’s at practice,
Her foil stabs its heart.
“Fight me, MacLeod!”
But he opts to depart.
MacLeod still is puzzled—
Has Reinhardt come back?
Then why is Rebecca—
Compelled to attack?
Tess knows her Duncan,
Soft on women, is he.
If he lowers his guard,
A victim he’ll be.
Remember cute Angie,
From “The Road Not Taken?”
She is buying a car—
From Rich! No mistakin’!
Rich has her convinced—
That this car is a plum,
He’s been tricked by his boss.
Who’s a big wad of scum.
Mac is convinced—
Of Reinhardt’s return,
But Rebecca is Tessa’s—
Major concern.
While they discuss it,
MacLeod gets a call.
Tessa’s art has been ruined,
Each defaced with a scrawl.
“Double un, deux, trios”.
Duncan knows the form well.
A message from Walter?
How can he tell?
The cop suspects Mac—
Of being in the middle,
Of murder, deceit,
The entire tangled riddle.
Rebecca will take—
The revenge she has planned,
The man who killed Walter,
Will die by her hand.
She steals Reinhardt’s sword.
Though Tess tries to halt her,
“This sword proves that Duncan,
MUST have killed Walter!”
Rich found Reinhardt’s death—
Was a timely decision.
If he hadn’t disappeared,
He’d be rotting in prison.
What role has Rebecca?
Duncan’s calmness is gone.
Is she good? Is she evil?
Reinhardt’s ally? His pawn?
Later
A magnificent gift—
Is delivered to Tess.
A beautiful, sexy—
Black sequined dress.
She’s putting it on,
As Duncan comes in,
Ouch! Within seconds—
It’s burning her skin!
Firmly taking control,
Duncan tears off the dress,
Guides Tess to the shower,
And soothes her distress.
“HE sent this dress...
I am sure,” Mac goes on.
Tess agrees, with reluctance...
Rebecca’s his pawn.
Used Car Lot
Angie’s car is a lemon,
And she’s angry with Richie,
But his boss is at fault,
His palms were too itchy.
But if Rich will deliver—
A Mercedes, in person
“Angie’s car will be fixed,”
That’s his boss’s assertion.
Rich drives to the spot,
That the customer picked,
The customer is Reinhardt!
Poor Richie was tricked.
Walter pulls out a gun,
Not the cash Richie sought,
Rich is forced to phone Mac,
He’s a hostage, now caught.
“Please ‘Mr. MacLeod,’
Pleads Rich on the line,
“Rebecca has got me,”
His words send a sign.
Mac senses a trap—
In Rich’s stiff greeting,
Mac’s certain it’s Reinhardt—
Whom he will be meeting.
Mac perceives he’s expected—
To rush to Rebecca.
What can he tell her?
How will it affect her?
He informs her that Reinhardt—
Is alive, and quite near,
Bares his chest to her blade,
“Take revenge, kill me here!”
Walter peers through the window,
Exultant, observing—
As MacLeod and Rebecca,
Do battle, unswerving.
Katana strikes saber—
With a rhythmic sound—
Until—a sharp cry!
And Rebecca is down!
Mac kneels close beside her,
Remorseful and spent.
“How does it feel—
To kill a young innocent?”
Walter stands gloating,
His plan so well laid—
Till Rebecca springs up...
It was all a charade!
She’s furious at Reinhardt,
Her mood won’t be lenient,
Walter shows her no pity,
“You were merely convenient.”
He knocks her out cold,
Then he and Mac know—
They’ll now end their battle,
That began long ago.
They crash through the window,
On the lawn, they persist,
“Got you again, Highlander!”
Holding to Duncan’s wrist.
Will history be repeated?
Mac’s prepared, he won’t falter—
He’s foreseen this maneuver,
And beheads his foe Walter.
The quickening explodes,
A landscaper’s nightmare!
Flowerpots and shrubbery—
Pulverized, a bright flare,
The well-tended grounds—
Are soon devastated.
Duncan sinks in the greenery,
For the moment, prostrated.
Later
Rebecca, contritely—
Must apologize.
Reinhardt used her love—
Only to victimize.
She strove to avenge him,
But now that it’s over.
She regrets that MacLeod—
Was not her first lover.
MacLeod walks away,
Pulls his coat close around him,
Perhaps as a buffer—
Against thoughts that hound him.
Why must their Game hurt—
A blameless bystander?
Homeward, lost in thought—
Walks the saddened Highlander.
Peace, Emit
© 2001-2003
Under the Kilt from Highlander: The Official Site:
David Abramowitz, Creative Consultant
“Starred Vanity, she was an interesting young woman, but wasn't as light on her feet with a sword as one would have hoped.”
Don Paonessa, Creative Consultant, Post Production
“For Post in a lot of these shows, what we did was structuring things and straightening out story so that we could make the scenes work as well as possible.”
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