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The Highlander has returned to Seacouver in this first episode of Season Three. The story is about honor, the defining element of the Highlander’s character and that of Hideo Koto. The two men are of different races and backgrounds but identical in character.
“Mine honor is my life; both grow in one
Take honor from me and my life is done.”
Shakespeare
“Death before dishonor”
Unknown
We learn how Duncan MacLeod acquired his treasured signature dragonhead katana. The katana represents more than a weapon merely crafted of finest workmanship. Its strength comes not only from forged steel, but also from the concepts of honor, duty, and courage imbedded within it. The episode goes full circle, beginning and ending on the same shore.
A beautiful episode both visually and spiritually.
New Characters:
HIDEO KOTO — A mortal Samurai warrior who is saved by MacLeod, then shelters and befriends him, knowing that he must pay for harboring a “barbarian” with his life.
MAIA — His daughter, who has only contempt for the ‘barbarian’ MacLeod.
MIDORI — Maia’s descendant who comes today for Mac’s help, hoping he will honor the oath his ‘ancestor’ swore to hers.
MICHAEL KENT — Immortal, Midori’s husband and possessor. A loveless marriage.
AKIRA — Midori’s lover, does not make it past the intro.
An Expensive Hotel, Seacouver
Beneath silken sheets,
Akira, Midori—
Relax for a moment—
From pursuits amatory.
The phone rings. Her husband!
Panic flushes her face!
He is on his way back,
He “forgot his briefcase.”
But this is a set-up,
Kent’s waiting below—
In the parking garage,
Poor Akira’s too slow.
Two goons head him off,
They deliver their quarry,
“I’m Michael Kent,
Husband of Midori.”
Upstairs, Midori—
Has come to realize—
Michael’s briefcase is with him!
This trap’s his surprise!
She races to warn—
Her lover... Too late!
She must watch, out of sight—
As he meets his grim fate.
To the trembling Akira,
“This katana, I’m holding,
Thirty thousand repetitions—
Of pounding and folding.
Five men with ONE stroke,
It has killed—here incised,”
As Midori stands mute,
Her love falls, sacrificed.
Upstairs, “I know all,
He will not be returning.”
Kent’s voice is cold,
But inside he is burning.
“Make love to me, now”—
He demands of his wife,
She waits till he’s on her—
Then buries her knife!
The Dojo
“MacLeod!” Charlie smiles,
As he welcomes his boss.
“How do you do it?”
Giving his head a toss.
Mac looks toward the office—
Where his friend’s indicating—
There, a Japanese woman—
Very lovely, is waiting.
For a moment her face—
Is a face from his past.
Two hundred years—
Melt away, very fast.
He shakes off the feeling,
To the loft, she’s invited.
When a beauty comes calling—
Mac’s always delighted.
The Loft
She is nervous, “Perhaps—
This is not the right place.”
“Why don’t you find out?’
He’s intrigued by her face.
“Do you know what this means?”
Just a spyglass, in toto.
Mac: “This means the name—
Of your family is Koto.”
“So you know of the legend,
Kotos learn when they’re born?”
Two hundred years past—
An oath solemnly sworn.
“The Kotos can always—
Seek aid from MacLeods.
Believe it, Midori,
Don’t have any doubts.”
Flashback, Japan, 1778
A Samurai warrior—
On his beach, can’t ignore—
A sailor, face down—
Washed up on his shore.
He turns MacLeod over,
Just barbarian slime,
He is certainly dead—
And not worth his time.
Just then, he hears horses,
Three warriors approaching,
He has only his sword,
But they’ll not be encroaching—
On this—his lord’s land,
His honor demands—
He defend with his life—
Against pillaging bands.
MacLeod, now revived—
Jumps into the fray,
He sees Koto fighting,
Holding three men at bay,
As always Mac takes—
The underdog’s side.
Soon the three are defeated,
Then MacLeod beams with pride.
Not so Hideo Koto,
He glares with disdain—
At this gaijin, this foreigner,
And he makes these thoughts plain.
One slice of his sword—
Shears Mac’s at the hilt,
Mac stares down in awe—
At his blade, in the silt.
Mac stands open-mouthed,
Not a word can he utter.
Koto’s katana—
Sliced Mac’s sword like butter!
Mac walks behind Koto—
In a homeward direction.
Since MacLeod saved his life—
Koto owes him protection.
The Loft, Present Day
“Would you honor the promise—
Your ancestor made?”
“Time does not matter,
A debt must be paid.”
“I murdered my husband.
Do you still want to try?”
“Yes, I will help—
But I need to know...Why?”
“I saw Michael murder—
The man that I love.”
MacLeod understands,
This is not unheard of.
“My husband was wealthy,
A powerful man.”
MacLeod reassures her.
“I will do what I can.”
The Hotel
When Mac takes her back—
For her things, she almost—
Collapses with shock!
She sees Michael’s ghost!
“Hello, my dear.”
“He’s alive! He’s come back!”
Her claim makes no sense—
Till the Buzz alerts Mac.
Michael Kent’s an Immortal,
A fact she’s not known.
Kent spots Mac and leaves,
Then MacLeod calms her down.
“I killed him, I know!”
She’s disturbed and distraught,
“Maybe your aim,
Wasn’t as good as you thought.”
Kent’s Luxury Yacht
“Check Duncan MacLeod,
Everything you can find,
Where he lives, who he knows,
His assets combined.
I need to find out—
All about this man’s life.
It’s very important,
This man has my wife!”
The Loft
“I married for money,”
Is Midori’s confession
“My husband can’t love,
He knows only possession,
I was merely his object—
Like a pretty accessory,
For my family’s honor—
I remained, it was necessary.”
“Money cannot buy honor,”
Says Duncan, severely.
She regrets his involvement,
Informing him clearly—
“They were going to replace—
Hideo Koto’s shrine—
With a big parking lot,
His dishonor is mine.”
Flashback, Japan 1778.
Hideo gives Duncan—
His first judo lesson,
Duncan doubts he’ll endure—
To the end of the session.
How can it be—
That this pint-sized old man—
Continually throws—
The big Scot on his can?
“Teach me,” Mac asks.
Koto cheerfully complies.
Skill conquers strength,
Forget about size.
Mac learns swordsmanship,
Styled with poetry, balance,
He is honed as a fighter,
Warrior, par excellence.
Hideo: “You may yet—
Have a Samurai’s spirit,”
Mac: “When I leave—
Perhaps I’ll have that merit.”
“You can NEVER leave,
The white man is dreaded,
First they’ll crucify you—
Then you’ll be beheaded!”
“When you see Hideo Koto—
You do not view just me—
But all Kotos that were—
And all Kotos to be.
To my people you’re “gaijin,”
A disease that appalls.
They will call you ‘barbarian’,
You must not leave these walls.”
To his daughter, Maia,
“Take care of our guest,”
Mac feels Maia’s loathing,
But she tries her best.
He sheds dirt in a tub,
Not the Japanese way.
“Wash outside, then soak!”
But he shoos her away!
Maia gets her revenge—
When she serves Mac his food.
He tries to be friendly,
“This looks very good.”
She waits till his mouth’s full,
Then smiles, slightly vicious—
“That’s raw octopus.”
He gulps, “It’s delicious.”
“My father commanded—
I serve you but I—
Do not have to talk.”
Mac’s distressed, “Maia, why?
Have I offended?
Please answer me, Maia.”
“You are ‘barbarian.’
In this land, a pariah.”
The Loft, Present Day
Mac questions Midori,
“Where is Kent, do you know?”
“He has a boat near here.”
“Then, that’s where I’ll go.”
Charlie will guard her—
While Mac is absent,
But Midori sees her duty—
She must go back to Kent.
Kent’s Yacht, the Golden Mystique
“MacLeod! Glad you came,
You saved me some time.”
“Your wife wants her freedom,
She witnessed your crime.”
“My wife is my treasure,
A prize, work of art.
A husband and wife—
Shouldn’t be kept apart.”
Mac: “ I made a vow—
To her family, Koto.
It’s a matter of honor,
I think you should know—
That I will protect her,
And if she is harmed.
I’ll be forced to kill you.”
“We’ll see,” Kent’s not charmed.
The Dojo
Charlie’s holding his own,
That’s apparent to Mac,
Kent dispatched two goons—
To bring his wife back.
“Thanks for your help,”
Charlie says, when he’s done.
“I couldn’t intrude,
You were having such fun.”
The Loft
Mac and Charlie can see—
No Midori in sight.
On a shelf, stands a spyglass—
Catching the light.
“This is her message—
Freeing me from my vow.”
After two hundred years—
Can Mac walk out now?
Flashback, Japan, 1778
MacLeod gives Hideo—
In friendship, a token.
“Six generations—
Dover craftsmen, unbroken—
Have created this spyglass,
But it cannot compare—
To the craftsmanship shown—
In that sword that you wear.”
“This katana is over—
Two hundred years old,
The finest sword made,
An honor to hold.”
Koto sees through the glass,
Horsemen with his lord’s crest!
He now summons Maia,
“You will honor our guest.”
At the tea ceremony—
Mac’s afraid to offend,
“Maia, why do you hate me?
Your father’s my friend.”
“The Shogun has ordered—
No gaijin may live,
My father defied him,
Now his life he must give.”
Mac finds Hideo—
Working on his bonsai,
“Maia said, saving me—
Means that you must die,”
“My lord has his rights,
To obey, is my duty,
But, he has been generous,
He will not execute me.”
“He’ll grant me the privilege—
My own life to take.
I ask you, my friend—
To assist, for my sake.
If the ritual knife falters,
I’ll dishonor my name.
Kill me with a pure stroke,
And save me from shame.”
MacLeod can’t accept this,
“Go! You must hide!”
When Koto refuses—
MacLeod’s mystified.
“I’m Immortal,” pleads Mac.
“Your problem is solved,
When they come, you can kill me.”
But Hideo’s resolved.
“You cannot save honor—
By telling a lie.
I ask one more favor,
Before I must die—
My family...” “I’ll protect them,
I give you my word.”
“Then, when it is over,
You may keep the sword.”
The rumbling of thunder—
Adds a note, grim and eerie,
Koto centers his knife—
For the ritual hara-kiri.
He plunges it deep,
Mac does not hesitate,
His friend must not suffer,
He cuts true and straight.
Hideo Koto’s Shrine, Present Day
Japan
When Midori walked out—
Of the dojo that day.
She returned to her husband.
Duty led her that way.
But Mac knew her heart,
He knew she’d come here—
To the shrine of the ancestor—
She held most dear.
Mac senses the Buzz,
Kent checks on his prey,
“Let her go Kent!
And we’ll both walk away.”
Midori remains—
As they leave Holy Ground,
Katana to katana,
How deadly the sound.
Slow purposeful moves,
Their fight, a deadlock.
Then Duncan’s katana—
Gets wedged in a rock.
Kent thrusts with his sword,
It’s imprisoned by Mac—
Between his strong hands.
He deflects the attack.
Mac holds Kent’s katana—
But hurls it aside,
Only Koto’s katana—
Is the one qualified—
To fulfill MacLeod’s vow,
He beheads Michael Kent,
In the water he falls,
Hideo Koto rests content.
Later
“How can I thank you,”
Her hands rest in his.
“You already have.”
She sees how it is.
Mac remembers, not far—
From this spot, he was taught,
The path to true honor—
Can never be bought.
Peace, Emit
© 2001-2003
From The Official Highlander Website: Under the Kilt:
David Abramowitz, Creative Consultant
“One of my favorites, ever. I love this episode of how MacLeod gets his sword. I thought he was never better. The scene where he takes the old samurai's head as a point of honor was a life-defining moment for Duncan MacLeod.”
Ken Gord, Producer
“The return of Robert Ito, who was also in ‘Revenge of the Sword.’ And we had Tamlyn Tomita. I think this one is also on my top five list. It was a well-done show, with gorgeous sets and we did the water Quickening. We were thinking of dropping water on Adrian from a helicopter, but I'm glad we decided not to. And this is F. Braun McAsh's first show. I found Braun in Vancouver and I was skeptical at first, especially after having the legendary Bob Anderson, because how could this great sword master just sort of appear locally? But I thought he really knew his stuff. And now we all know and love Braun. But he just won me over; he was so knowledgeable. And when Bill Panzer came to town, I said, "Bill, there's this guy and he can do it." And Bill was as skeptical as I had been. Braun did a little two-minute kata for us and got the job. And we never looked back; he's wonderful.”
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