661 : A Showdown Between The Warlords! Law Vs. ...

Soon after, another Immortal friend, Michael Moore, came back into Mac's life looking for his help in hunting down an Immortal killer, Quentin Barnes, Michael's long time enemy. ("Turnabout"). Also reappearing was Joe Dawson, who tried to enlist Duncan's help against Barnes as well. Barnes appeared to be hunting down and killing the men who tried and executed him years before. Barnes was buried at the prison he died in and had only recently been disinterred. An uneasy peace was struck between Watcher and Immortal, and together, they discovered the terrible truth - Michael is Quentin Barnes, the two sides of his personality fragmented into a schizophrenic existence. As Quentin slowly takes control, Michael begged Duncan to end it, and MacLeod killed his friend as a mercy.

661 : A Showdown Between the Warlords! Law vs. ...

Days later, in "The Fighter", Immortal Tommy Sullivan arrived in town, trying to get support for the next potential champion. Sullivan had been on the fringes of boxing and bareknuckle fighting for years, but as the dead bodies began to mount, MacLeod was forced to conclude that his old friend cannot distinguish between fighting Immortals and murdering mortals who cross him. Reluctantly, Duncan confronted Sully, who refused to back down and lost his head over it.

Joe returned to Seacouver, with things still tense between him and Duncan after events in Paris, and informed Duncan that Richie was also back in town, picking fights with any immortal he encountered. Duncan went to find Richie and left after finding him unrepentant. However, Joe told him that his old acquaintance Haresh Clay was after Richie, who had killed Clay's friend Carter Wellan. Duncan was initially reluctant to involve himself with either Joe or Richie, but when Richie was arrested for breaking into a museum to try and steal a sword, Duncan bailed him out and gave him Ashe's old sword to replace the one he had broken fighting Clay. However, Duncan was still determined to find Clay first and Joe told him the hotel Clay was staying at, also revealing he had left the Watchers. Duncan found Richie there and together they found Clay at Wellan's grave. Duncan convinced Richie to let him face Clay first, not to protect him, but to expunge the shame of hiding on holy ground while Ashe was killed. Duncan and Clay fought, each wounding the other, but Duncan triumphed and, when Clay refused to walk away, beheaded him and took his Quickening. Afterwards, he told Joe to return to the Watchers, saying he would rather have someone like him chronicling them, and left, his friendships with both Joe and Richie restored.[4]

Days later, Duncan was at the marina looking at a boat, but sensed an immortal. It turned out to be William Culbraith. Duncan challenged him and fought him viciously, pursuing Culbraith relentlessly, until he finally delivered a crippling blow. He raised his sword over Culbraith's head, just as Richie arrived, yelling, "Mac! Don't do it!" Mac turned, and Culbraith threw himself off the edge of the dock and into the water. Duncan was cold and furious at Richie who told him that there must be another way than fighting, peace might be the answer. Richie told him that he talked to Methos, who convinced him to lay down his sword and reject the game. Duncan was stunned and then annoyed to find Methos in his loft and confronted him his 'give peace a chance' line. Methos, however was vaguely amused, and told Mac of 'the other Methos' a man who used his name and preached a message of peace. The next day, Duncan went back to the docks and found Culbraith with the Messenger. The false Methos stepped between them, telling Duncan that Culbraith acted "out of pain, because of what others had done to him. But it can end here. You can end it." Duncan was not interested, but when the false Methos mentioned Darius, Duncan left.

A visit from Amanda ended in her being kidnapped from the quay by Immortal, Liam O'Rourke, who wanted to settle his old score with MacLeod. O'Rourke also seized Joe and offered Duncan their lives in exchange for the Highlander's head. Duncan was willing to surrender his life for his friends, but Methos was not so ready to see him dead. In the ensuing gunfight, MacLeod was fatally shot. He woke to find Hugh Fitzcairn, who told him that he had come to give MacLeod a gift, and showed him an alternate world, where he had never been never born. He showed him Amanda, a heartless murderer, who killed her rich husband, but was then killed herself by the corrupted Watchers. Fitz took him to a broken Joe Dawson, who was unable to prevent James Horton from perverting the Watchers and declaring war on the Immortals. In the midst of the murders, a familiar figure walked untroubled by the world she never knew - Tessa was alive. Duncan went to Tessa's gallery, where the attraction between them was as immediate as it ever was. Tessa's husband invited her "old friend" to dinner, but when he left, the emptiness in Tessa's life overwhelmed her and she and Duncan share one night of passion. Distraught, Duncan asked Fitz why he let him see her like this, and Fitz said that it was her fate in a world without Duncan MacLeod, just as it was his fate to die 280 years previously, when Duncan wasn't there to rescue him from the headsman's axe. Their conversation was interrupted by a sullen Methos. Fitz showed him the nightmare of this world - The Horsemen ride, Kronos having rescued Methos from Horton's killers after which they recruited a young Immortal, Richie Ryan, but when he couldn't bring himself to kill Joe Dawson, Methos took his head. Methos and Kronos were also about to kill Joe unless he gave up the Watchers to them. Faced with the world that was "Not To Be" because he lived, Duncan revived in his own reality and faced O'Rourke, rather than give up his life. Duncan fought him, and was victorious. With O'Rourke dead, MacLeod reflected on his life, thanked his friends for standing by him, and faced the rest of his life with a new strength.

Later, Amanda while out clubbing met an Immortal named Steven Keane. He was on the lookout for MacLeod, as he wanted vengeance after killing his friend, the Earl of Rosemont, following the Jacobite Rebellion's aftermath. He also was aggrieved due to Sean Burns's death, which hurt Duncan as it during his Dark Quickening, and he was also close to him. Methos and Amanda both thought Duncan would die in an inevitable clash between the two, however Duncan did prevail in the fight, and offered Keane mercy by not killing him. Methos however, prior to nearly killing Keane himself, that he should be proud of whoever he was, and that nobody was perfect.

Maurice was mortal, and a neighbour of MacLeod's while living by the River Seine in Paris. He first met Duncan during the "Unholy Alliance" between Xavier St. Cloud and Horton. Due to a flood on the river, Duncan's barge was moved to another location, and Maurice had offered to help supervise the police in doing this. He had drunk some wine that MacLeod was storing, and utilised some shower water, but graciously offered not to report Maurice to the police if he cleared up the mess he caused.

Maurice was a short, middle-aged Frenchman, who enjoyed food, wine, and was a noted chef and eventual restaurant owner. He often seemed a pest to MacLeod, as he was often overbearing and nosy, but Duncan knew that he ultimately meant well and was just very friendly and enthusiastic. He proved helpful in finding St. Cloud's home, where he defeated Xavier after centuries of conflict between them. Maurice also took a shine to any friend of MacLeod's, including Richie, Fitzcairn, and Amanda.

A notable case between them was the issue of Maurice's niece, Simone, who was a prostitute working in a brothel/massage parlour in Paris. Simone had been abused both physically and sexually by her father, and with no education nor job had little choice but to end up as an escort. She made acquaintance with an Immortal from Ireland, who had taken time to use her in a fatal robbery of precious art. It was a man whom Duncan had met decades prior, and he had killed his friend after a bank robbery in 1930s Paris.The Immortal eventually murdered Maurice's niece, though he in turn was killed in vengeance by Duncan, and as providing closure to a mourning Maurice after her death.

MacLeod and Hyde met at the latter's house and estate for their final showdown. Hyde had a very aggressive and front-foot style, which Duncan did well to ward off. Though he overcame Hyde via striking at the opportune time, via a blow to his chest. He proceeded to take his head, though after him saying "see you in Hell". 041b061a72