A question about Highlander

[Ryujin]

It's been almost thirty years since I last saw an episode. While I cannot vouch for the overall quality of the series, the fact that it was actually watchable puts it heads and shoulders above any of the original movie's sequels.


It would have improved the sequels that's for sure.

"Highlander:The Series" TV series appears to currently be available on Pluto TV. "Highlander: The Raven", which also wasn't too bad, is available on Plex.

 

[Ryujin]

So on the tragedy of living forever: In the novel Peter Pan, at the end of the novel our fun loving flyboy returns to the real world only to find that Wendy is a grown woman with children of her own. He doesn't quite understand what he's seeing and Peter is a little scared of her. We come to learn that Peter barely remembers Tinkerbell and doesn't remember Captain Hook at all. One day, Peter isn't going to remember who Wendy was.

For anyone who is basically a human being, immortality comes with a price. Because Peter is perpetually a boy, he can't learn from his experiences because doing so would mean becoming a man. Peter will never know what it feels like to lose someone he loves because at some point he will simply forget that he ever knew them at all. In some ways that's worse I think.

Kind of makes you wonder if being immortal, with the limitations of being a stupid human, would be worth it. I can't remember the names of many friends from back in high school, now. Imagine trying to remember random people you knew a thousand years ago.

 

[Tonguez]

Kind of makes you wonder if being immortal, with the limitations of being a stupid human, would be worth it. I can't remember the names of many friends from back in high school, now. Imagine trying to remember random people you knew a thousand years ago.

and ironically I've just been listening to an interview with a 98 year old woman, some interest tidbits but also tragic the things and people she forgets - including where she was born, her teachers, friends etc. Then again I'm half that age and I cant remember a lot of names and faces too

and yeah the Peter and grown up Wendy encounter is very tragic

 

[Ryujin]

and ironically I've just been listening to an interview with a 98 year old woman, some interest tidbits but also tragic the things and people she forgets - including where she was born, her teachers, friends etc. Then again I'm half that age and I cant remember a lot of names and faces too

and yeah the Peter and grown up Wendy encounter is very tragic

To be clear I've always been good with faces. I can still see them clearly in my memory like I just saw them yesterday. It's names that escape me.

 

[TiQuinn]

It's been a few decades since I saw the movie, but this morning I was listening to Queen's "Who Wants To Live Forever?" and a thought struck me.

These immortals spend hundreds or thousands of years fighting each other until only one remains. That one last immortal is given a gift: mortality.

Am I missing something? If it's such a punishment to live forever, to see the people around you die, then why do all these immortals fight so hard not to be killed? Why would the reward for outliving every other immortal be the ability to join them in death?

Well…because if they’re the Princes of the Universe, then the last one will become the King of the Universe!

 

[MGibster]

Kind of makes you wonder if being immortal, with the limitations of being a stupid human, would be worth it. I can't remember the names of many friends from back in high school, now. Imagine trying to remember random people you knew a thousand years ago.

There was an episode of Sandman on Netflix that addresses this. In the 14th of 15th century, Dream makes a bet with Death that if given immortality a mortal will just get tired of living. Death says, "It's on like Donkey Kong," (citation needed) and she gives some random Englishman in a pub eternal life on the condition that he agrees to meet with Dream at that pub every century. As the centuries roll by, Dream meets with this guy each century and he's never tired of life. Even when he's lost his wife, family, and all his riches he's still not tired of living on the grounds that life is wonderful because there's always something new and exciting coming along.

To be clear I've always been good with faces. I can still see them clearly in my memory like I just saw them yesterday. It's names that escape me.

I can remember the names of my teachers from 1st through 5th grade but I can't remember the names of all the teachers I had in high school or when I went to college.

 

[payn]

I see no mention of "The Source"...

 

[Ryujin]

I see no mention of "The Source"...

It franchised.

 

[payn]

I just read there was a hot moment Ryan Reynolds would have been Macleod in a reboot.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

There was an episode of Sandman on Netflix that addresses this. In the 14th of 15th century, Dream makes a bet with Death that if given immortality a mortal will just get tired of living. Death says, "It's on like Donkey Kong," (citation needed) and she gives some random Englishman in a pub eternal life on the condition that he agrees to meet with Dream at that pub every century. As the centuries roll by, Dream meets with this guy each century and he's never tired of life. Even when he's lost his wife, family, and all his riches he's still not tired of living on the grounds that life is wonderful because there's always something new and exciting coming along.

I can remember the names of my teachers from 1st through 5th grade but I can't remember the names of all the teachers I had in high school or when I went to college.

I've never gotten around to Sandman, but I've seen that clip through Youtube's knowledge of what I like. Dream yelling at him for presuming they could be friends... only to come back one day and the pub is being demolished. ... I need to go watch that again

And it's Hob Gadling, which I absolutely love as a name.

And, on the Neil Gaiman kick, here's Gaiman reciting the lyrics to Jonathan Coulton's 'Creepy Doll'. You're welcome.