At any time, in any place, Immortal Otavio Consone was a rat. He took exception to his student, and fancy steppin' flamenco dancer, Duncan MacLeod's aspirations to marry Theresa, and would have killed Duncan if Theresa hadn't sacrificed her own desires and married Consone. Two years later, Duncan returned to find that Consone had killed Theresa.
In present Paris, flamenco artist Luisa Hidalgo is being used as a tool to punish her mother Anna, who had refused Consone's proposal years ago. Consone believes in multi-step punishments. The first was the death of Anna's lover, Luisa's father. Then a carefully staged "accident" left Anna unable to dance. Luisa believes that her mother must be made to believe that her lover Consone could possibly have been the murderer of her father so long ago.
So Luisa marries Consone, and Mac must keep her from the same fate which befell Theresa. Mac confronts Consone within earshot of Luisa. Consone admits the truth. Luisa makes her escape with Consone's threats following her.
Duncan challenges Consone to battle in Consone's own sword specialty, the Magic Circle. They fight through the rain until Consone stabs Duncan. Mac moves in, trapping Consone's sword within his body, and takes Consone's head. A fairly impressive Quickening ensues.
Luisa and Anna are happy to hear that Luisa is a widow. Anna still seems to have some revenge issues about Consone.
Duncan and Richie discuss the nature of Duende, at state reached in the dance where only the dance matters.
Questions:
1. Consone made such a big deal about being an aristocrat while MacLeod came from a rural clan. Given that they all start out as foundlings, doesn't that strike you as the height of arrogance? (Neener, neener, neener ... I was adopted by richer people than you were!) Then again, Consone would have been arrogant standing in a pig pen. Discuss Consone as a swineherd.
2. Why did Luisa marry Consone?
3. Which played a more important role in Duende: hair, pants or Duncan's fuzzy widdle tummy?
4. Anna is a tragic figure, left to raise a child alone after her lover is slain by her wealthy suitor; then robbed of her ability to dance by that same suitor. And she seems to have invented an enviable list of ways for Consone to meet his end. Do you suppose she would have approved of Duncan's beheading Consone or was that too easy an end for such a monster?
5. Was Consone a master of all trades? He taught swordwork and seemed to be some sort of flamenco master, as well. At least he seemed to be in charge when Anna was dancing with Rafael, yelling DUENDE! Was he what Duncan was aspiring to be?