Ahhhhhh, an episode in which Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod must decide whether 'tis nobler to keep his promise not to kill a reprehensible tyrant (unless they are the final Two), or to end the tyrant's murdering ways by beheading him.
Duncan goes to the ballet by himself and stops Eli Jarmel from shooting the Immortal Drakov (AKA. Arthur Drake). This infuriates Jarmel, whose family was executed at the order of Drakov. A blonde reporter (yet another one) latches onto Duncan because she needs him to get "the story", which includes the very recent assassination of President Chescu by Drakov. In a flashback, we see Duncan's history with Drakov, which mostly involves Duncan's saving an aristocratic family (The Abernovs) from being executed at Drakov's orders around the time of the Russian revolution. At that time Duncan promises Drakov that he wouldn't fight Drakov unless they were the final Two in exchange for the lives of the Abernovs.
Jarmel is mortally wounded as he tries, once again, to assassinate Drakov. He shames Duncan into doing a re-think on the Drakov issue, then he dies.
The reporter threatens to expose Drakov, so is kidnapped. Duncan goes to the rescue and fights Drakov, who loses his head. Duncan gets the reporter out of the plane, cancels the flight, and we last see Duncan and the reporter snuggled up for a cozy evening of getting to "know" each other.
Questions:
1. Didn't Duncan look just magnificent in that flashback with his hair all loose, chopping wood and being so gallant and protective of the Abernovs?
2. The reporter seemed intent upon having something bad happen to herself at the hands of Drake. Rather than researching her story, then writing her story, she put herself out as an antagonist of the man, setting herself up to be kidnapped. Is it normal reportorial behavior to threaten the subject of a story with exposure, rather than just gathering the facts and doing the story? Did anyone miss Randi McFarland, equally as determined but much less ditzy? Didn't Randi deserve a shot at getting to "know" Duncan?
3. Duncan couldn't get a date for the ballet? Discuss.
4. Did Duncan steal those diamonds to give to the Abernovs or did Drake give them to him to give to them as part of their deal?
5. In the end, did Duncan kill Drake A) because of Jarmel's accusations and recriminations B) strictly to save the reporter's life C) he passed judgment and Drake was just the K'Immie of the Week D) some strange mixture of the above known only to the writers and producers?