Duncan MacLeod quotes from Highlander: The Series

Duncan

You're out of the Watchers?

Joe

Maybe it's too late... or maybe it's about time. Like Mrs. Wischnoff used to say in my old neighbourhood -- Meit ein tuchas can Meir nisht danzen a tsvai hossannas.

Duncan

Yeah - With one ass, a man can't dance at two weddings.

Joe

You know you were right. I couldn't be both your Watcher and your friend.

[referring to a slinky] You know what I like about these? If you had enough stairs, they'd just go on forever.

Duncan

Unless they're stopped.

Kinda like us.

Duncan

No, just like us.

Carl

It's freezin' in there.

Duncan

Well yeah, It's the morgue. At least you're still fresh.

Carl

You know, you're real funny, MacLeod. Hey, who picked out these clothes anyway? Your mother?

Duncan

[to Matthew] You should have killed him.

Are you a writer of fiction, Mr. MacLeod? (No) ... That's a shame. Possessed of such an imagination, it seems a shame to squander your talents on my humble self.

Duncan

If I could help you, Inspector, I would.

Would you? Let's review, shall we? You just happen to be here when they are setting up for the Wilkinson speech.

Duncan

No, I was here the day before for a boxing match, and I was...

...A woman you have never seen before has a gun. You take the gun away from her. Then she screams you have a gun, and runs away leaving you holding the weapon. Do I understand correctly so far?

Duncan

I know how it sounds...

Duncan

So what Breslaw was saying about the murders was true?

They weren't murders. They were assassinations. There's a difference.

Duncan

The end result is the same.

Yes, but some people deserve to die. That's the difference.

Duncan

You mind telling me what you find funny about this?

Methos

Not exactly funny, but pretty entertaining, yeah.

Joe Dawson

Just what is so entertaining?

Methos

MacLeod tussling with another of his moral dilemmas.

Duncan

You know there are times I really don't like you.

Methos

That's OK, sometimes I don't like myself.

Joe

I see. Ingrid Henning.

Methos

Hey, ask Joe about her.

Duncan

I don't have to ask Joe about her. I know about her. She failed to kill Hitler in '44 and she's been making up for it ever since.

Methos

It is the ultimate in arrogance to think that one person can alter the course of history.

Duncan

You can't deny that by killing Hitler in '44, thousands of lives would have been saved, maybe millions.

Methos

Yeah, and if you'd killed him in '43 like Rommel wanted, maybe Germany would have won the war. ... History makes men, MacLeod, men don't make history.

What is she to you? A lover? A relation, perhaps? Or just an old friend? Old friends are the worst. They claim more of your soul.

Duncan

I don't agree with what Ingrid's done.

But part of you understands it, yes?

Your lawyer is here, and since I'm not going to charge you, goodbye.

Duncan

My lawyer? This I've got to see.

Methos

Officers... Well, that worked pretty well.

Duncan

Since when are you my attorney?

Methos

Whatever you need. Lawyer, doctor, Indian chief, I've got paperwork to cover it all.

Never gets any easier ... the killing I mean.

Duncan

Maybe it's not supposed to.

Maybe if I die a little tonight ... it will even things out between me and God.

Duncan

I hear Wilkinson's speech is back on for tomorrow night.

This time he is on his own. When I was a little boy everything was black and white, good and evil, you see. Then I grew up and discovered that there was only gray. I'm sorry I had to kill your friend.

Duncan

The Ingrid I knew I'll never forget. But the one you killed, I don't even know who she was. You did what you had to do.

But was I right? If this fascist scum Wilkinson becomes your President in the next 5 or 10 years, how am I going to sleep at night?

Duncan

I would have made the same choice.

Duncan

Ingrid asked me something before she died.

Methos

They usually do.

Duncan

She said, what was the difference between her killing them and me killing her.

Methos

Good question, right up there with chicken and egg.

Duncan

So what you're saying is there is no answer?

Methos

No, there is an answer. But the real question is whether you're ready for it. (Duncan nods) Stephanovitch killed, and Ingrid judged him. Wilkinson killed, and Ingrid judged him. Ingrid killed, and you judged her.

Duncan

So who judges me?

Methos

(long pause) You hungry?

Joe

I guess it's just you and me Richie. I can't believe it's been a year already. I wish I could tell you why this happened. That it all makes sense now...But I can't. I'm sorry.

Duncan

He knows why.

Joe

Well, welcome back.

Duncan

I'm glad you stayed in Paris.

Joe

Somebody had to. [pause] I buried him with his sword. I didn't know what else to put on the headstone... It seemed right.

Duncan

'Friend' is good. Because that's what he was.

Joe

But how to we beat something with the power of life and death?

Duncan

Because we have to, Joe. Because there is no one else.

Joe

What the hell.

Duncan

Exactly.

Somewhat theatrical, I agree. A thousand years ago it would have been enough to have caused a panic in the streets.

Duncan

What do you want?

But this is the scientific age. People don't believe in demons and devils anymore. And maybe that's my best trick yet. [on laptop screen] All that technology...So much useless information... It's almost a sin to want to know so much.

Duncan

We went back to the archives. The symbol turned up in the writings of an ancient German mystic. To him it was a force of hate that could only be defeated by love.

Joe

Fine for Gandhi. But what about us? What else did he say?

Duncan

Nothing. Seems he died before he could finish his memoirs.

Joe

That's great. So what do we do, sit and contemplate our navels while the world goes to hell?