Highlander (season 5)

Highlander: The Series Season 5
Country of origin	France/Canada co-production
Broadcast
Original channel	Broadcast syndication
Season chronology
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To see each highlander season and a brief summary of each episode please check List of Highlander episodes

This article contains episode summaries for the fifth season of the American drama/adventure television series Highlander; the season's episodes began airing 23 September 1996 and finished on 19 May 1997.

The original airdates (U.S.) are listed here for each episode.

Starring:

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

Episodes

#	Title	Original airdate
5x01	"Prophecy"	5 October 1996
5x02	"The End of Innocence"	12 October 1996
5x03	"Manhunt"	19 October 1996
5x04	"Glory Days"	26 October 1996
5x05	"Dramatic License"	2 November 1996
5x06	"Money No Object"	9 November 1996
5x07	"Haunted"	16 November 1996
5x08	"Little Tin God"	23 November 1996
5x09	"The Messenger"	30 November 1996
5x10	"The Valkyrie"	1 February 1997
5x11	"Comes a Horseman"	8 February 1997
5x12	"Revelation 6:8"	15 February 1997
5x13	"The Ransom of Richard Redstone"	22 February 1997
5x14	"Duende"	1 March 1997
5x15	"The Stone of Scone"	26 April 1997
5x16	"Forgive Us Our Trespasses"	10 May 1997
5x17	"The Modern Prometheus"	17 May 1997
5x18	"Archangel"	24 May 1997

Prophecy

• Original air date: 5 October 1996
• Written by: David Tynan
• Directed by Dennis Berry
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod)
• Guest cast: Tracy Scoggins (Cassandra), Jeremy Beck (Young Duncan MacLeod), Matthew Walker (Ian MacLeod), Gerard Plunkett (Roland Kantos), Anna Hagan (Mary Macleod), Allan Clow (Neil MacGregor), Deryl Hayes (Andrew Beckmann), Tom Heaton (Old Tom), Ernie Pitts (Cop), Cluny MacPherson (Robert Macleod), Kasper Michaels (Partner)

MacLeod encounters an Immortal seer, Cassandra, whom he met as a child in Scotland. Cassandra related a prophecy to the future Immortal, that he would fight and vanquish a great evil. Now, centuries later, the Immortal Roland Kantos is after Cassandra. He has the power to mesmerize people with his voice, and captures MacLeod, intending to kill him once Cassandra is dead. Macleod eventually defeats Kantos, resistant to his foe's hypnotic voice thanks to candle wax he had used to plug up his ears.

The End of Innocence

• Original air date: 12 October 1996
• Written by: Morrie Ruvinsky
• Directed by Gerard Hameline
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Chris Humphreys (Graham Ashe), Chris William Martin (Carter Wellan), Réal Andrews (Haresh Clay), Rachel Hayward (Delila), Gerry Rousseau (Raymond Fairchild), Gary Jones (Hotel Guest)

The last time Richie Ryan saw Duncan MacLeod, MacLeod was about to take his head. He was stopped by Dawson's bullet, but Richie's world was shattered. Now Richie's back -- kicking butt and taking heads. One of those heads belonged to Carter Wellan, and now Wellan's good friend Haresh Clay is out to avenge his comrade. MacLeod has his own long-time grudge against Clay, who humiliated and destroyed one of MacLeod's finest teachers. MacLeod must try to rebuild Richie's trust while they vie to be the one to face Clay in combat.

Manhunt

• Original air date: 19 October 1996
• Written by: David Tynan
• Directed by: Peter Ellis
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Bruce A. Young (Carl Robinson), Eric Keenleyside (Trey Franks), Eric McCormack (Matthew McCormick), Stephen Dimopoulos (Seth Hobart), Aaron Pearl (Myron Corman), Jim Leard (Detective Frayne), Chris Villarruel (Fan), Rhys Williams (II) (Talbot), Kevin Hansen (Clayton Hobart), Jo Bates (Glenda), Dean O'Gorman

Carl Robinson, the former slave turned baseball player, has finally found the good life as a Major Leagues star -- but when Carl is challenged by another Immortal and witnesses find him standing over the decapitated body, Carl is forced to go on the run from the cops. He turns to MacLeod for help when he is pursued by Immortal lawman Matthew McCormick, who has more than just a professional interest in taking Carl into custody.

Glory Days

• Original air date: 26 October 1996
• Written by: Nancy Heiken
• Directed by: Gerard Hameline
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Ian Tracey (Johnny "K" Kelly), Marcia Strassman (Betsy Fields), James Crescenzo (Mr. Luca), Robin Mossley (Jimmy the Weasel), Aurelio Dinunzio (Guard), Michael Kopsa (Tommy), Bob Dawson (O'Grady), Bob Wilde (Dominic Delio), Larry Morrison (Roadie), Mario Battista (Big Gino), Philip Heinrich (Bobby)

MacLeod has to deal with Johnny K, a teenaged hood who doesn't play by the Immortal rules. And Joe has to deal with an old girlfriend.

Dramatic License

• Original air date: 2 November 1996
• Written by: Michael O'Mahoney, Sasha Reins
• Directed by: Peter Ellis
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod)
• Guest cast: Elizabeth Gracen (Amanda), Alastair Duncan (Terence Coventry), Sandra Bernhard (Carolyn Marsh), April Telek (Roxanne), Keith Holmgren (Gerald), Stephen J. M. Sisk (Tim), Sheila Tyson (Assistant)

Duncan finds himself cast in a romance novel along with an old opponent. Duncan wants to know how much the author, Carolyn Marsh, knows about him, but his rival wants to kill her.

Money No Object

• Original air date: 9 November 1996
• Written by: James Thorpe
• Directed by: Rafal Zielinski
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan)
• Guest cast: Elizabeth Gracen (Amanda), Tim Henry (Detective Dennis Tynan), Tom McBeath (Sam Grinkhov), Nicholas Lea (Cory Raines), Alex Bruhanski (Reynaldo), John Moore (Farmer)

MacLeod and Amanda are reunited with Cory Raines, the charming, smooth-talking "Clyde" to Amanda's "Bonnie" during their five-state crime spree in the 1920s. Amanda, always ready for a little larceny, is tempted by the carefree and adventurous lifestyle Cory offers her and takes him up on the offer when she realizes MacLeod won't beg her to stay with him. But MacLeod rides to the rescue when one of Cory's schemes goes astray.

Haunted

• Original air date: 16 November 1996
• Written by: Scott Peters
• Directed by: James Bruce
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Kathy Evison (Jennifer Hill), Kevin John Conway (Alec Hill), John Novak (Gerard Kragen), Lisa Butler (Genevieve), Larke Miller (Woman)

Jennifer Hill believes the spirit of her dead husband Alec, an Immortal, is still with her. She comes to Alec's old friend MacLeod and begs him to appease Alec's spirit by killing the Immortal who took Alec Hill's head. Richie finds himself strangely attracted to the grieving young widow -- until she realizes he's the very same Immortal being sought by Duncan.

Little Tin God

• Original air date: 23 November 1996
• Written by: Richard Gilbert-Hill
• Directed by: Rafal Zielinski
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Andrew Divoff (Gavriel Larca), Nathaniel Deveaux (Reverend Bell), Roger R. Cross (Derek Worth), Steve Bacic (Luke), Terry Barclay (Paco), Christopher J.P. Racasa (Enrique), Kira Clavell (Coyantu)

Derek's faith in God helped save him from a violent life on the urban streets. When the young gospel singer is killed in a drive-by shooting, he awakens in the arms of God and is given the gift of eternal life. But what's he to do when his God recruits him as a warrior in the Holy War against Satan...and Satan turns out to be Duncan MacLeod? Duncan must face this delusional Immortal. Recruiting gullible new Immortals to do his bidding, Derek challenges MacLeod on holy ground, the one taboo battleground for Immortals.

The Messenger

• Original air date: 30 November 1996
• Written by: David Tynan
• Directed by: James Bruce
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Peter Wingfield (Methos), Ron Perlman (The Messenger), Robert Wisden (William Culbraith), Awaovieyi Agie (Jeffrey), Patrick T. Gorman (Sergeant Hickson), Mitch Davies (Captain Greenwell), Lloyd Berry (Harry)

An Immortal is going around pretending to be Methos, encouraging other Immortals to give up the Game. Luring Richie into this dangerous frame of mind, MacLeod's fight with William Culbraith -- another Immortal who led the Confederate prison camp Andersonville and whose own personal tragedy led him to give the orders that killed a mortal comrade of the Highlander's -- is interrupted. Dawson warns about this phoney, who convinces Immortals to lay down their swords. But it always ends in tragedy; the converts are then killed by the next Immortal to come along, with the fake Methos continuing on his hopeless mission of preaching pacifism. An incredulous Methos confronts the impostor, and upon realizing he is genuine concludes he is daft. Culbraith, however, has other plans and takes the Messenger's head thinking he is Methos, hoping the Quickening will give him the strength to defeat MacLeod. In the end, however, it is Richie who takes Culbraith's head.

The Valkyrie

• Original air date: 1 February 1997
• Written by: James Thorpe
• Directed by: Richard Martin
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Peter Wingfield (Methos), Musetta Vander (Ingrid Henning), Jan Triska (Nicolae Breslaw), Fulvio Cecere (Alan Wilkinson), Martin Evans (Claus von Stauffenberg), L. Harvey Gold (Igor Stefanovich), Peter Hanlon (Karl Brandt), Patrick Keating (Adolf Hitler), Dean Balkwill (David), Jim Leard (Detective Frayne), Noah Heney (Brownshirt), Raoul Ganeev (Guard)

Ingrid Henning failed in an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler during WWII. Since then, she has made it her mission to take out rising monsters before they can achieve political power, having concluded that Hitler's position protected him. Now, Henning is after a racist politician whose star is rising. MacLeod must confront his one-time comrade before her crusade takes the lives of innocent people.

Comes a Horseman

• Original air date: 8 February 1997
• Written by: David Tynan
• Directed by: Gerard Hameline
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Valentine Pelka (Kronos), Peter Wingfield (Methos), Tracy Scoggins (Cassandra), Richard Ridings (Silas), Marcus Testory (Caspian), Greg Michaels (Tippet), David Longworth (Paxton), Sotigui Kouyate (Hijad)

MacLeod renews an old battle with the Immortal Kronos, who turns out to be thousands of years old and more than MacLeod can handle. To make matters more complicated, Cassandra is after Kronos to settle a score of her own. During the Bronze Age, Kronos led a small band of Immortals called the Four Horsemen on a raid that destroyed the seer's village and enslaved her. When Methos is revealed to have been one of the Horsemen, MacLeod tells him their friendship is over. The oldest living Immortal is forced to join up with Kronos, who has reunited the Horsemen. He manages, however, to break up what was supposed to be the decisive battle between MacLeod and Kronos, saying it could have gone either way.

Revelation 6:8

• Original air date: 15 February 1997
• Written by: Tony DiFranco
• Directed by: Adrian Paul
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Valentine Pelka (Kronos), Peter Wingfield (Methos), Tracy Scoggins (Cassandra), Richard Ridings (Silas), Marcus Testory (Caspian), Bertie Cortez (Dr. Cernavoda), Bertrand Milliot (Inmate), Nathalie Gray (Nurse)

The Four Horsemen are reunited. Cassandra is their prisoner. And worst of all, Methos has apparently rejoined his old comrades. As MacLeod makes plans to rescue Cassandra and face Kronos for the last time, Methos tries to learn why his companions have gotten back together after thousands of years while attempting to make his peace with Cassandra -- who was his "pet" during her first captivity in the Bronze Age. Kronos' plan is revealed: he intends to use an engineered virus to wipe out most of humanity and conquer the survivors as part of an eternal empire. Methos eventually betrays his former comrades, with he and MacLeod simultaneously battling Kronos and Silas to the death in their own respective fights. The result is a double quickening as MacLeod and Methos win the day. Cassandra wants to avenge herself upon the redeemed and remorseful Methos, her former tormentor, but Duncan exhorts her to let him live. The centuries have truly changed Methos after all, and he had in the end helped to save humanity. Afterward, Methos implies that he had set up the entire confrontation with Kronos hoping MacLeod could do what he himself never could -- take his Immortal brother's head.

The Ransom of Richard Redstone

• Original air date: 22 February 1997
• Written by: David Tynan
• Directed by: Gerard Hameline
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan)
• Guest cast: Sylvain Rougerie (James Foulard), Sonia Codhant (Marina LeMartin), Tom Russell (Edward Cervain), Gary Hetherington (Carlo Capodimonte), Frank Middlemass (Baron Lemartin), Astrid Veillon (Desiree), Matthew Thompson (James), Georges Gay (Parking Attendant)

The Chateau LeMartin has been in Marina's family for generations, but now the slimy Carlo Capodimonte threatens to foreclose on an old loan and take the chateau for himself. Desperate to save the family heritage, Marina kidnaps an American millionaire in order to pay off the loan. Unfortunately for Marina, the rich and charming "Richard Redstone" she has tied up in the cellar is none other than Richie Ryan.

Duende

• Original air date: 1 March 1997
• Written by: Jan Hartman
• Directed by Richard Martin
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan)
• Guest cast: Deborah Epstein (Luisa Hidalgo), Carmen du Sautoy (Anna Hidalgo), Dolores Chaplin (Theresa), Anthony De Longis (Otavio Consone), Claudie Arif (Duenna), Marie Vernalde (Young Anna), Arturo Venegas (Don Diego), Monique Messine (Housekeeper), Felipe Calvarro (Rafael), Elisa Tonati (Gilda), Elsa Franco (Isabella)

Spanish swordplay, like Spanish dancing, is equal parts passion, skill, and strict discipline. The Immortal Otavio Consone is a master of both. An arrogant Spaniard who 150 years ago tried to teach MacLeod the sword art called "The Mysterious Circle," Consone vied with MacLeod for the hand of a beautiful senorita, with tragic results. Now MacLeod must protect a Flamenco artist and her daughter from Consone's revenge.

The Stone of Scone

• Original air date: 26 April 1997
• Written by: Michael O'Mahony and Sasha Reins
• Directed by: Richard Martin
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod)
• Guest cast: Roger Daltrey, (Hugh Fitzcairn), Elizabeth Gracen, (Amanda)

According to official statements by the British government, the theft of the Stone of Scone, the legendary royal throne of Scotland, from Westminster Abbey in 1950 was simply a rowdy schoolboy prank. But was it? Or was it actually the bungled work of three rather hapless Immortals, attempting to fulfill a promise made centuries before?

Forgive Us Our Trespasses

• Original air date: 10 May 1997
• Written by: Dom Tordjmann
• Directed by: Paolo Barzman
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod)
• Guest cast: Elizabeth Gracen (Amanda), Peter Wingfield (Methos), Chris Larkin (Steven Keane), Michael J. Jackson (Sean Burns), Barbara Keogh (Grandmother), Geoffrey Bateman (Richard Dunbar), Marine Jolivet (Inspector Begue)

After the Scottish massacre at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Duncan MacLeod was a man possessed, obsessed, with killing the English bastards who had destroyed his people. Now Immortal Steven Keane has come to make MacLeod pay for his murderous crimes. Amanda urges MacLeod to take Keane's head and be done with it, but in his heart MacLeod knows that Keane is right -- he is a murderer -- and that Keane is judging him just like MacLeod has judged so many others.

The Modern Prometheus

• Original air date: 17 May 1997
• Written by: James Thorpe
• Directed by: Adrian Paul
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Peter Wingfield (Methos), Michel Modo (Maurice Lalonde), Jonathan Firth (Lord Byron), Jeffrey Ribier (Mike Paladini), Tracy Keating (Mary Shelley), Katie Carr (Claire Clairmont), Christopher Staines (Percy Shelley), F. Braun McAsh (Hans Kershner), Don Foran (Jerry)

Lord Byron, once one of the greatest and most scandalous writers of the 19th Century, is now a rock star. Methos remembers when his escapades led to a senseless fight that ended in a quickening witnessed by Mary Shelley, author of "Frankenstein." Byron's debauchery and substance abuse have only increased with time. He lures an up-and-coming musician under Joe Dawson's tutelage into his dangerous lifestyle, and MacLeod becomes involved. Tragedy finally strikes, with Dawson's musical protégé dying from a drug overdose. Methos finally realizes that his former pupil is beyond hope, and MacLeod fights Byron to the death.

Archangel

• Original air date: 24 May 1997
• Written by: David Tynan
• Directed by: Dennis Berry
• Credited Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod), Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan), Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson)
• Guest cast: Peter Wingfield (Methos), Valentine Pelka (Ahriman/Kronos), Peter Hudson (Ahriman/James Horton), Edward Jewesbury (Jason Landry), Emily Raymond (Allison Landry), Reinhild Steger (Medical Officer), Patrick Gordon (Immortal Hermit), Richard Temple (Foster), Michel Scourneau (Cemetery Official), Pierre Rousselle (Detective), Bruno Grimaud (Customs Man)

Two archaeologists, Foster and Landry, are exploring a tunnel and they come face to face with a statue. Landry the more experienced and superstitious recognizes the statue as the ancient Zoroastrian demon Ahriman who plagues the world every thousand years by coming into human form. Foster is killed and Landry escapes. Landry warns Duncan that he is the champion who is to defeat Ahriman but both he and Richie think the man is crazy. But later Duncan sees James Horton, Kronos and other people he had killed before. Methos and Joe think he is losing it but Richie is willing to stay by his side whatever it takes. When Richie sees Horton taking Joe in a car to a racetrack with a gun to his head Richie calls Duncan and tell him he is going after them. Duncan who is with Joe at the time sees that it's a trap. He gets to the racetrack and is confronted by Richie, Horton, and Kronos. Ahriman has taken their form. He fights them but they disappear every time he attacks them. Then the real Richie appears and Duncan, thinking it is Ahriman, delivers the fatal blow. Joe and Methos arrive just as Ahriman in Richie's form laughs and leaves. Duncan runs away and Joe is left crying on Methos' shoulder. Richie is gone forever.

See also

• Highlander: The Series (season 1)
• Highlander: The Series (season 2)
• Highlander: The Series (season 3)
• Highlander: The Series (season 4)
• Highlander: The Series (season 6)
• Episodes of Highlander: The Raven