Affirmation
beliefs and values
Much of the appeal of Highlander: The Series lies within its moral gray areas. Right and wrong aren't clearly defined, and our hero usually has a lot to think about before drawing his sword. Duncan is guided by his codes of honour and chivalry, his sense of justice and mercy, and faith. Though Amanda considers Mac a "boy scout", Gabriel Piton in Eye of the Beholder puts it more accurately: " You're a man of terrifying principle."
His enemies must observe Duncan carefully in order to find his weaknesses, which are the same
qualities that give him strength.
Honour Duncan lives by code of honour and chivalry native to his 17th-century Scotland, and strongly adheres to the rules of Immortality. He is dismayed when other Immortals disrespect the rules, do not play fairly, or go back on their word. Maintaining his integrity while fighting Immortals who take rules and honour lightly is often an obstacle.
Mac's sense of chivalry makes him extremely hesitant to kill Immortal women, and he rarely does. This issue is examined thoroughly in the appropriately-titled Chivalry, in which Methos must kill a woman Duncan knows must die.
Judgement Mac's motivation for remaining involved in the Game is to prevent an evil Immortal from winning the Prize. To do this, he isn't afraid to take lives. Although he condones judging others for a time, he must face the reality that he plays judge, jury, and executioner for other Immortals, and others have the right to judge him for past actions.
Once Mac loses confidence in his decisions, he can be vulnerable. While he's wrapped up in a moral dilemma, the enemy has a strategic advantage. But Duncan does believe, in the words of Edmund Burke, " The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." This view compels him to take action.
Vengeance Duncan's condemns revenge, and believes himself to administer justice, preventing evil Immortals - and occasionally mortals - from harming others. If he believes once-dangerous individuals no longer pose a threat, they may live. In Leader of the Pack, Duncan holds Richie back from killing the mugger who shot Tessa. Mac frequently tells his student, his friends, and even opponents, " Revenge isn't the answer."
Yet it's hard not to sense Duncan's blood lust when he pursues enemies who have betrayed him or killed friends. On occasion he's killed mortals out of revenge, most notably English soldiers after the slaughter at Culloden in 1746. Rage fuels the Highlander during some of his most gruelling battles in the Game, and it's glorified more often than reproached.
These tensions and contradictions drive many of the stories, wherein the line between justice and vengeance can't be clearly drawn.
Mercy While nearly every episode seems to end in blood, Duncan has a strong sense of mercy. Only under extreme circumstances will he take a mortal life, and he believes Immortals have no authority over mortals.
He'll spare Immortals if he thinks they are capable of redemption, or have learned their lesson. Some enemies pretend to see the light in order to buy more time. But Duncan does believe people are capable of change, and indeed his friends - Darius, Methos, Amanda - have dark pasts they've overcome. He's willing to help other Immortals do the same, a worthwhile effort.
Law For someone who dedicates his life to fighting for justice, Mac has a rather long police record. His Immortal battles often force him to circumvent the law and become involved in other Immortals' cases. Yet respecting civil law is part of his code of honour. He doesn't steal, deal drugs, and so forth and discourages others from such activities. He does respect the police and believes it's best to work with them, when able. His position is best summed up in The Vampire, when Joe suggests they contact the police about Nicholas Ward. Duncan replies, " We can't go to the police because I'm going to cut his head off!" True enough.
Faith Given the time and place of Mac's birth, it's safe to assume he was raised as a Roman Catholic. There's evidence in the series that he continues to attend mass, and he often consults priests for information and advice - especially when in France.
Yet Duncan has, over the centuries, adopted liberal views and accepted religious diversity. He's even taken up some meditative practises of the East. However, he continues to uphold Christian beliefs and values, and finds solace in churches and in prayer. Near the end of Little Tin God, Joe asks Duncan how he can be sure that certain religious figures were not simply Immortals. Mac replies, "Faith, Joe, faith."
Sacrifice Duncan has always possessed something of a martyr complex. The appeal is twofold: he considers it honourable to sacrifice oneself for a higher cause, and it would allow him to escape the grief that has marked much of his life.
When enemies are aware of Duncan's attitude toward sacrifice and can play on it, they have a distinct advantage. Mac's friends help him seek alternatives to his enemies' ultimatums, as in the series finale To Be and Not to Be. His experiences allow Duncan to understand Connor's grim intentions in the film Endgame.
Sanctuary Throughout the centuries, Duncan has been able to find brief rests from the Game, by remaining on holy ground and refusing challenges.
Two such attempts are his life among the Sioux, and during his relationship with Tessa. In both situations, evil Immortals drag an emotionally fragile and out-of-practise Duncan back into the fight. He eventually he realizes that his loved ones are safer when he stops hiding and accepts the challenges of Immortality.
Life What defines Duncan as heroic is his ability to make his life worthwhile despite the pain and conflict he faces. As he says in The Revolutionary, "the noblest thing a man can do is live." Although Mac occasionally doubts this, it remains the most pervasive theme of the series.
