Highlander!

[deathshead2]

It'd be nice to finally get an explanation for the existence of the Immortals (you know, one that doesn't suck).

Why do you want to know why. It makes the movie better for us to not know anything.

 

[The Question]

Why?

 

[War Lord]

It'd be nice to finally get an explanation for the existence of the Immortals (you know, one that doesn't suck).

I prefer the mystery of how and why. I like it that they exist, but it is unknown as to why or how they came to exist.

 

[deathshead2]

Why they are immortals.

 

[The Question]

No, I mean, why is it better that we don't know?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Same reason people protested when they decided to reveal Wolverine's origin. The Immortals have a mystique about them because of all the mysteries surrounding their origins and why they do what they do. They don't even know why the play the Game, they just do. It makes for a more dramatic story when someone says, "Immortals exist. No one knows where they come from or why they fight... all they know is that in the end, there can be only one," as opposed to "Oh yeah, the Immortals are just aliens who look like humans but don't stay dead. Totally. They fight 'cause this dude told 'em they'd get to go home if they win." There's no mystery in the latter.

 

[The Question]

True. But, just like with Wolverine, if you keep it mysterious for too long it just gets tedious. Of course, the immortals aren't actively trying to figure out why nothing can kill them besides decapitation, so I guess there's an arguement there. With Wolverine, however, he was always trying to figure out who he really was and getting nowhere. That gets repetative after a while.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, the difference is that it's just been glossed over in Highlander. They never really cared about their origins beyond just a passing, "Hey, ever wonder why we're all orphans who just seem to turn up in the middle of nowhere?" The series and movies have always focused more on the characters and their personal struggles.

 

[The Question]

Wait. They're all orphans? I thought their parents were mentioned a few times. Hell, wasn't there a young immortal who called him mom on the phine right before he got beheaded?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

They're always orphans because no one knows where they come from. They just appear. Duncan was found by the McLeods as a child, Connor was found by the McLeods as a child, and I'm fairly certain all of the other Immortals were found by people as children and taken in. It's possible that some of their "parents" never told them that they're not their biological children, but as far as I know they're always just found.

 

[The Question]

Really. I wasn't aware of that. Certainly adds a level of mystery, doesn't it?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That it does. Also, I found some links to back me up, just so you know I'm not talking out of my ass:

1. All immortals are foundlings. They are generally raised by a family, but some are raised by other immortals, hermits, or even cults. Noone is sure how they come into the world, but they are not "born" in the human manner.

All immortals are foundlings.

All Immortals are orphans - foundling children whose real parents are unknown.

Not the most reputable sources, of course, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. It's an idea that's repeated often enough to create a reliable consensus.

 

[The Question]

Didn't know that. VERY interesting. Also explains why some Immortals were raised in certain cultures but bear no or little physical resemblance to the ethnicities of that culture.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yep. They're all orphans. Although, with that in mind, it kind of makes you wonder why there aren't a hell of a lot more Immortals who are stuck as babies. Seriously, I'm supposed to believe that there was never an Immortal baby who ended up in a dumpster or a toilet stall and died their first death from starvation or disease or something?

 

[The Question]

I don't think disease will constitute a first death. Only a violent death, like being crushed or stapped or drowned or hung or beaten to death or burned alive or something like that. I think disease counts as a natural death, which wouldn't cause an immortal's immortality to activate.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Really? I didn't know there were qualifications to how they die that determines whether they'll be Immortal or not. I just assumed there were a bunch of old Immortals who get taken out by the younger, evil Immortals.

 

[wiegeabo]

Yep. They're all orphans. Although, with that in mind, it kind of makes you wonder why there aren't a hell of a lot more Immortals who are stuck as babies. Seriously, I'm supposed to believe that there was never an Immortal baby who ended up in a dumpster or a toilet stall and died their first death from starvation or disease or something?

Immortals are immune to disease. They never get sick, just like the can never have children, even before they become immortal. I remember Richie talking about it with either Duncan or Dawson.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Damn, I gotta watch the series again sometime.

 

[The Question]

Really? I didn't know there were qualifications to how they die that determines whether they'll be Immortal or not. I just assumed there were a bunch of old Immortals who get taken out by the younger, evil Immortals.

There are. If you die a natural death (disease, heart atack, stroke, and so on) you just die. That's why some immortals never have first death and just die of something like that. Violent death is what it takes.

Immortals are immune to disease. They never get sick, just like the can never have children, even before they become immortal. I remember Richie talking about it with either Duncan or Dawson.

Really? Didn't know that. I guess that also explains it.

 

[wiegeabo]

There are. If you die a natural death (disease, heart atack, stroke, and so on) you just die. That's why some immortals never have first death and just die of something like that. Violent death is what it takes.



Really? Didn't know that. I guess that also explains it.

Don't remember ever hearing about that. Although it does seem familiar.

I'll also add that if an Immortal is beheaded without another Immortal nearby (probably within the range they can sense each other) their knowledge is lost. There is no Quickening, and they just die normally.

 

[wiegeabo]

Damn, I gotta watch the series again sometime.

I so miss that show sometimes. Season 3-5 were the best. I always find it hard to watch the first season since they were still getting the production values and continuity down. But it was much improved once the Watchers were introduced. I think by mid-season 2 the show started hitting its prime.

 

[The Question]

Don't remember ever hearing about that. Although it does seem familiar.

All the stuff I've read says first death has to be a violent death. And all the first deaths I've seen have been violent ones.

I'll also add that if an Immortal is beheaded without another Immortal nearby (probably within the range they can sense each other) their knowledge is lost. There is no Quickening, and they just die normally.

I knew that. Although, I always thought it would be cool if a regular human killed an immortal, absorbed the quickening, and was overwhealmed by it, putting him into a coma or killing him outright.

 

[deathshead2]

I havn't seen the show.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I so miss that show sometimes. Season 3-5 were the best. I always find it hard to watch the first season since they were still getting the production values and continuity down. But it was much improved once the Watchers were introduced. I think by mid-season 2 the show started hitting its prime.

Yeah, I remember it took a while to get its bearings. I couldn't stand Tess, either. Maybe that's why I didn't enjoy the first couple of seasons, really.

 

[deathshead2]

Have immotals always use swords to fight each other.Don't they ever use something else.