MovieChat Forums > Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) Discussion > Could all the sequels make sense if...?

Could all the sequels make sense if...?

posted 14 years ago by Dlp07
7 replies | jump to latest

OK, admittedly I haven't seen all of the TV series or The Source and fans of the series swill probably want my head for this because it allows for Highlander II to exist (although some of them don't consider III- or even the original?!- to have happened either) but this is my theory of how all the sequels could actually make sense together.

As a general film fan (rather than a massive Highlander franchise fan) I consider the original a true great of Action / Fantasy cinema and do not relish the idea of an inevitably characterless remake. I'm not even going to attempt to make any sense out of the animations (although I've heard The Search for Vengeance is actually the best Highlander since the original). The second and third films are entertaining but extremely flawed at the most basic level: story.

Endgame I just found a messy follow- up to the TV series with it's low budget and pedestrian villain (although, frustratingly, there were some good moments and ideas in there) and I'd imagine The Source is just more of the same. Despite the titles, neither offer much in the way of an ending or any kind of resolution at all now that it looks like it's all over, so...

1985: The original film takes place. The Gathering begins. Vasilek, Fasil, Kastigir, the Kurgan and Connor think they're the last five immortals left in the world. Connor takes the Kurgan's head and the quickening’s so incredibly powerful he thinks he must have won the Game and become the One.

1991: Seven years later (just about) Highlander III takes place. Brenda didn't die in the car crash but has left Connor. Kane awakens and Connor realises he clearly isn't the One. He kills Kane then decides he is again. But Alex leaves him, taking their adopted son with her.

1992 - 1998: The series happens. There are obviously loads more immortals in the world (Connor got back with Brenda in '95 but she died of radiation).

1998- Endgame takes place. They're just rounding it off to the nearest decade when they say Connor's been gone ten years, it's actually just seven. Anyway, Duncan kills him to defeat Kell.

1999- The Source happens (it's set in a near future dystopia so that’s your late 90's of Highlander II).

1999- Sometime between The Source and the shield going up in Highlander II, someone- perhaps Duncan- does what Connor does with Ramirez in Highlander II and resurrects him.

1999 - 2024- At some point (probably quite early on to allow time for ageing) the Gathering ends and the resurrected Connor finally does actually win the Game.

2024- Highlander II happens, bringing the sequels full circle.

Or you could just forget all that and pretend only the original exists!

[–] wears-alan 14 years ago

Ok, will do!!

[–] Dlp07 14 years ago

Probably the best plan to be fair! I'm just a bit OCD when it comes to continuity!

[–] wears-alan 14 years ago

To be honest, me too!!

[–] JediRob 13 years ago

Works good enough. Good job!

[–] BelmontHeir 12 years ago

Good job, man! You actually found a way for most of this stuff to make sense. For me personally, I just view Highlander I and Highlander II: Renegade Version as a pair and try to ignore the other stuff. Yeah, I know most people don't like H2 but...there are some good ideas sprinkled in the movie and I like seeing Connor have an adventure in a futuristic city. I think Renegade Version could have fit better with the first one if Connery wasn't in it. He's really only in the movie because Christopher Lambert and him were buddies, but it just muddled continuity.

[–] Duragizer 12 years ago

The only way you can tie the various sequels and series together in anyway that makes any sense is to say they all take place in various timelines occupying the same multiverse. Anything more than that is doomed to be hopelessly contrived.

Life is like a box of chocolates. A cheap, thoughtless, perfunctory gift that nobody ever asks for.

[–] dan-willi84 10 years ago

The immortals being extra terrestrials needed a better backstory, something that would make more sense. Something that could had been explained in an opening crawl. Here is what I think.
The Immortals were not actually extra terrestrials whom were immortal on Earth and They were a pre human race that had lived on Earth since the beginning of time and had lived among the cavemen and were worshipped as gods and After discovering that they could only die when they are beheaded. The Immortals had decided to leave Earth and settle on another world. On Zeist, the Immortals new planet they lost their immortality and were mortal and the new human race that evolved from apes, never knew that humans that were like gods had lived on the Earth and had left Earth to settle on a other world and instead of extra terrestrial names, they were given normal human names. The Immortals had created a Zeistian society, which with their advanced technology, they could observe and study the evolution of the human race and also travel to Earth to different periods in history. Zeist was ruled by a council of preists, dedicated to bringing balance to their holy power "The Quickening" and watching over the human race. Among the council members that ruled Zeist were Ramirez and Katana. A special law had been established among the Immortals on Zeist. It was agreed, sometimes Immortals that broke the laws would not be executed and would be sent back to Earth to different periods in history and would be reborn with no memories of their lives. On Earth, they would be immortal again and they were would fight each other in a battle to the death, where the last immortal left standing is given "The Prize", with the power of The Quickening, the winner could either remain on Earth and loose his immortality and grow old and die or return to Zeist and the winner could use The Quickening to resurrect any Immortal who had been beheaded in battle, by calling his name, whilst undergoing The Quickening. But, Katana had become corrupted and overthrew the council, which 3 council members pledged themselves to Katana and Katana becomes an evil dictator. After Katana learnt of a prophecy that a "chosen one" will defeat and overthrow him. Ramirez began forming a band of rebels to fight back against Katana and the spaceship that had brought them to Zeist became their meeting place. But, Ramirez knew that one of the rebels was the chosen one and that only he could lead the rebels against Katana and that only he can't find the "chosen one" through the power of The Quickening and McLeod, whom fought with the rebels, was that chosen one.