MacLeod — Duncan or Connor?

Yesterday, I ran a little social survey on my Facebook page, and the result was pretty much what I expected. I asked a simple question: “When you hear the surname MacLeod, what first name immediately comes to mind?”

As I thought, the majority of answers were “Duncan.” In fact, some people even asked what other answer I could possibly have expected. And that’s exactly what makes it so interesting.

Of course, when we talk about MacLeod, we immediately think of the story of the Highlander — the near-immortal warrior who can only die if his head is cut off. The whole bit about transferring power between immortals after such a victory isn’t really important in the context of what I’m saying here.

What is important is this: it turns out that many people don’t realize there were actually two Highlanders! Yes, both were called Highlanders, and both carried the MacLeod name.

It all began with the release of the film Highlander in 1986. According to the story, the MacLeods are a Scottish clan, and in 1518, Connor MacLeod (played by Christopher Lambert) was born. In 1536, Connor was killed in battle — only to resurrect, learning that he was one of the immortals. The film follows his life, his training with the immortal mentor Ramirez (played by Sean Connery), and his constant battles with other immortals, all the way up to the modern day.

The film was so well received by audiences that a sequel was made — though it turned out to be far less successful. Nevertheless, the decision was made to launch a Highlander TV series. But instead of Christopher Lambert, the lead role was given to Adrian Paul. Initially, the plan was for him to play the same character — Connor MacLeod. However, Adrian Paul himself suggested introducing a new character altogether, to avoid unnecessary comparisons with Lambert’s already iconic portrayal. More than that, he wanted to build a unique persona, with his own origin story as an immortal. The producers agreed to his proposal.

And that’s how the second MacLeod was born — Duncan MacLeod. Why is he also a Highlander? Well, because originally, he was supposed to be the same character. Plus, they’re both Scottish, from the same clan, both immortal. So really, what’s the issue?

Some sources claim that Duncan is Connor’s younger brother. In the English descriptions, Connor is often referred to as Duncan’s “elder cousin,” which usually translates as a first cousin, though it can sometimes mean a more distant relative. But in reality, they’re probably not brothers at all.

As I mentioned earlier, Connor was born in 1518, while Duncan was born in 1592 — though in the same clan village where Connor himself was born. By that time, Connor had long been exiled from the clan as a “sorcerer” (after his sudden resurrection 60 years earlier). Still, he later became a mentor to Duncan when Duncan discovered his own immortality. Some sources even say Connor “became like a brother” to him. And if we also recall that Duncan was adopted…

But let’s get back to my little survey. Despite Connor’s strong presence in the original film, the TV series about the second Highlander turned out to be the most successful part of the entire franchise. It ran for six full seasons, until 1998, and earned 15 award nominations. Just look at the average ratings on IMDb:

• “Highlander” (1986) — 7.1
• “Highlander II: The Quickening” (1991) — 4.2
• “Highlander” TV series (1992-1998) — 7.2
• “Highlander: The Final Dimension” (1994) — 4.4
• “Highlander: Endgame” (2000) — 4.6
• “Highlander: The Source” (2007) — 3.0

Connor MacLeod appears in the first two films, then briefly in the first two episodes of the TV series, and returns in the third and fourth movies (with the fourth being the only one where both MacLeods are main characters).

Duncan MacLeod first shows up in the TV series, where he remains for 7 years, and then in the fourth and fifth films (the last one without Connor).

And let’s be honest — IMDb ratings of 4.6, 4.4, and especially 3.0 out of 10 basically mean “you can watch it… but why would you?”

And if you remember that the “Highlander” TV series was broadcast on ORT — the main Russian television channel at the time — it makes perfect sense why so many people only remember one Highlander: Duncan MacLeod. Plus, let’s face it, he looked cooler — and had a katana. 😉

Honestly, based on my own impressions (and IMDb ratings), it seems that this role was the peak of Adrian Paul’s career. He’s acted in many other projects and continues to work to this day, but quite often those are in rather forgettable films — or outright B-movie territory, including a few collaborations with Alexander Nevsky. That’s why most of us remember him primarily as the noble, immortal Highlander.

Still, let’s be real — if it’s MacLeod, it’s Duncan. Always Duncan!