Synopsis
The world is falling into chaos. As he roams a crumbling city, Duncan MacLeod, the Highlander, remembers happier times with Anna, a mortal woman and the love of his life. Unable to have children with MacLeod, she left and with her went MacLeod’s reason for living.
Elsewhere, an Immortal named Zai is being hunted by the Guardian. Zai belongs to a group of Immortals trying to find the Source, a story whispered among Immortals of their place of origin. The Guardian is its protector. He joins the other members of the group in a virtual internet chatroom: Methos, Methos's mysterious ancient friend, Reggie, a vodka-guzzling astronomer and Giovanni, a Cardinal and the leader of the group.
A constellation of stars shows a strange and disturbing alignment and it is thought an ancient one known as the Elder may be able to decipher it. He is hiding in a monastery. But, before Zai can join them, he is intercepted by the Guardian and beheaded.
MacLeod meets Joe Dawson, one of the Watchers, a group of mortals who observe and chronicle the Immortals living among them. Joe takes him to the monastery of the Elder where MacLeod finds Anna. Giovanni is less than thrilled to find this mortal woman joining them on their quest.
The Elder is a hideous figure - his skin hangs in loose folds like blankets- and he explains how long ago he found the Source and fought the Guardian. He was defeated and punished with a fate far worse than death. He cannot die but his body continues to age, withering away and turning him into an abomination. He senses something about Anna, her connection to the Source, and as his ancient finger caresses her cheek, she has a vision- a constellation of stars rising over her. Reggie figures out the location and plots their course.
Outside the monastery, Dawson is killed by the Guardian. MacLeod loses his sword fighting him, and they continue the quest on a boat, following the stars.
After reaching land, they stop for the night. Anna rises like a sleepwalker drawn away by a pulsing alignment of stars. She disappears into the night. As they search for her and the Source, they are cut down one by one.
Finally, only MacLeod is left. He reaches Anna just as a column of liquid energy surges around her, climbing up into space to the constellation of stars. MacLeod runs to her but the Guardian blocks his path telling him that the Source will be reborn through her.
A spectacular fight between MacLeod and the Guardian follows.
MacLeod must choose - darkness or power. MacLeod chooses light - and life.
He finds Anna but when she speaks it is with the sound of a chorus. She has become the voice of the Source.
Ordinary human progress is limited by the mortality of great men. The Immortals were created by the Source to have none of these constraints. And the power of the Quickening where one Immortal takes the essence of another through a beheading, would lead to people who can draw on the experience of many lives and many lifetimes. A gift to the human race.
The electrical currents around them grow to a blinding intensity and when they die down we are in the highlands of Scotland. Duncan MacLeod has become mortal and we see him with Anna and their son, Connor Macleod. He is the One, the next generation of Highlander. We will join young Conner as he follows his destiny as the new Highlander.
