Amanda and Mac are rockin' the barge in their own inimitable style, and Mac is obviously looking forward to a rematch when Amanda tells him she has to go ... and leaves. She doesn't make it to Cairo, but is kidnapped outside the barge by Immortal Liam O'Rourke, with whom Mac has a past.
O'Rourke and his mortal lover Tara are the terrorists who in 1946 London plant a bomb in a pub that kills a bunch of people. Mac is witness to the whole thing and keeps them from escaping. Tara spends the rest of her life in prison, and O'Rourke escapes from jail to go a-hunting for Mac.
When Mac finds O'Rourke, not only is Amanda being held, but Joe is captive, as well. O'Rourke promises to let Amanda and Joe go free if Mac submits to being beheaded. Much to the chagrin of Joe, Mac agrees and kneels to be beheaded.
Methos arrives to save the day, shooting into the crowd of O'Rourke's henchmen. O'Rourke shoots Mac, who "dies", only to awaken to the friendly face of old pal Hugh Fitzcairn.
To hear him tell the tale, Fitz is now an angel, on assignment to show Mac that his life is worth saving. It's been noticed on the higher levels that Mac has had a roughish time lately and he needs some encouragement to go that extra mile to save his own life. To this end, Fitz is going to show Mac that It's A Wonderful life, after all. He takes Mac to an alternate universe in which there's never been a Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod.
They visit Amanda, who has taken up marrying a series of men, and murdering them for their money. Killing the current husband does her no good, however, because the ubiquitous renegade Watchers bust in and behead her.
Visiting Joe Dawson is no more satisfying, because without Duncan MacLeod in the world, Joe is a drunken hulk of a street musician, and cowed by Horton and the Watchers, who have taken up killing as their mode of operation.
And then there's Tessa...
Questions:
1. Is O'Rourke the villain who is worthy of taking Duncan MacLeod's Quickening, or is Duncan merely so beaten down by recent events that he refuses to even try to save his own life?
2. Is Fitz really an angel or is he a figment of Mac's subconscious that tries to convince Mac to live while he is recovering from temporary death? If Fitz is a figment of Mac's subconscious, what does Fitz represent to Mac? Same question as regards Joe. Ditto Amanda.
3. Going back to the reality of the whole thing, if Mac is merely dreaming the whole alternate universe, what are his deepest thoughts about his own worth? Has his subconscious finally gotten tired of his death-wish and decided to rerun in dream-o-vision an old flick with himself in the starring role?
4. If the alternate universe is a "real" universe, whose bracelet is buried with Debra Campbell? Or did she live a long life with Robert MacLeod? Did Vashti really throw herself on her husband's funeral pyre? Is Charlie still trying to sell the on-the-verge-of-bankruptcy dojo? Did anyone avenge Little Deer? Make up your own questions or answers. Either will do.
5. Mac makes it clear that he is sick unto death of killing, and will not allow others to be sacrificed so that he can live. Is this a noble sentiment, given that he has tried to live the good life as he saw it. Is there a point at which self-preservation should be the ultimate endeavor?