 |
‘The Gathering at Hand!’ is a comic book written by Kortan under the pen name Thomas Underhill, based on the same Thomas Underhill’s novels ‘The Quickening’, and ‘The Immortals’, respectively. It was adapted into a comic book by a then unknown publisher in 1986. In 1994, after a live-action series fell through before the 1992 season, an animated series was released. This lasted two seasons. Edmond MacDonnell funded the series, seeing this endeavor both as a way to save Kortan’s own head, and a necessary evil to discredit the mortals who ventured too close to the Gathering. Putting forward that much money and funding such an extravagance without a hitch, after buying out the animation studio and comic publisher, showed him as having such power and influence and resources, that Kortan, or any other threat, Immortal or otherwise would be foolish to cross him. He aided Kortan in amassing the gold (but they were each worth more than 15 million at that point. Man, Kortan’s good with his resources) to distribute as the ‘Jettators’ saw fit, in exchange for their voices and names and faces.
QuickenCon is the biannual convention for ‘The Gathering at Hand!’ where the Immortals Kortan bought to give their identities to his animated series with briefcases filled with sheets of gold attend in costume. Each sheet of gold is donated to a separate charity of the Immortal’s choosing. Kortan could afford this, because he was very careful with the income from the books that the Hunters, Immortals and Watchers (oh my!) kept snatching up to keep from the eyes of the public. It didn’t work, seeing how popular his works have become. ‘The Quickening’ and ‘The Immortals’ have to be reprinted and semiannually, but because they are usually abridged, and the most recent reprinting of an unabridged telling is fifteen years past the last one, collector demand for these things is very high. And that makes the convention an excellent place to sell it secondhand, for an outrageous markup. But you can’t sell an autographed one there, because that’s where people go for autographs in the first place. Lanceley and several other Immortals seen only in the animated series are there signing autographs, dressed in costume and wearing makeup to resemble ageing. Appearing as scantily clad showgirls for various booths are Kate from Endgame, Katherine from Two of Hearts, etc. Security and surveillance double as a means to spy on Immortals who attend, and to keep a leash on Immortals working the event (Kate, Katana, we’re looking at you). Kortan has set up various peace-bonding booths and metal detectors equipped with surveillance equipment, ranging well beyond standard cameras, near each exit and entrance. He has caught Colin MacLeod at each con starting at the fourth. Richie Ryan head hunted there once, and was politely asked not to return. Immortals involved in his other medium ventures (which never made it past a pilot or test audience) have lifetime VIP Passes, that are also prettied up work passes. They occasionally take breaks from their respective booths to volunteer in the fencing instruction room. That room is open as long as the con is. They do not use real swords for their instruction, only replicas not made of steel, designed strictly for learning and perfecting technique and motions. You can learn beheadings, while being free of liability. The event itself also has funding from Edmond MacDonnell.
The characters brought with Kortan and his lieutenants into this story are as follows (and yes, I pulled this from Wikipedia. I’ve trimmed it to exclude redundant characters, and I’m trying to fit the Jettators into canon. No pacifistic oath, no Sharing, no network mandates on their story): Kortan’s followers are Immortals portrayed in the cartoon as Mortals. Jettators are still Immortal (until the Sharing happens. Kate would love that). After each Wiki text, I’ll add my own, dictating their presence in this story, like this.
• Arak: One of Kortan's generals, leader of Kortan's army The Hunters. Mortally wounded Quentin's adopted mother and killed Quentin, triggering his immortality. His left eye and hand are cybernetic. A faithful second in many of Kortan’s mortal duels, although Kortan has never needed him, unless he sprained his ankle, was drunk, or had another physically hindering circumstance, shortly before the duel. This has only happened seven times. His arm was in a cast and he wore an eye patch when his picture was taken to give the animator’s something to work with, and subsequently, he was shown having cybernetic parts. He has replicas of those parts that he can wear, the eye being a multiscanner that transmits, rather than letting him see through it, and his “cybernetic hand” is an animatronic glove, that yields extra force when he deals pressure in his grip, has wire cutter edges, and contains a reloadable flash bomb in its palm. That last feature helped him foil a robbery at QuickenCon. His swords are the blade of the Kurgan, and the Claymore wielded by Conner MacLeod until he used it as Heather’s grave marker, each held in an opposing hand.
• Malone: A former Mime, serves as the "human key" to Kortan's weapons locker and court jester. His original memories were erased by Kortan's "oblivion chamber" device. Despite his childlike behavior he can be quite cunning. And despite everything he appears to be consistently loyal to Kortan. A former student of Charlie Chaplin, Kuyler, that guy who invented special effects(if I find his name, I’ll put it in, but it was really just his camera breaking down, nd a carraige coming into frame when it was fixed), Caesar Romero (through idle chitchat) Various ballet organizers, swordfight choreographers, perfected his band music playing by ear to The Glenn Miller Orchestra, and has more than once been an underground sensation in opera communities on 3 continents. He has been in theatre for centuries, mostly in the guise of various Elizabethan performers, in plays by Shakespeare, but mostly by others. Outside of the arts, he’s been seen in the employ of Thomas Crapper. When he first met Kortan, he was challenged backstage in a theatre, and it was nearly show time so he bowed out and joined the other performers. He was the only Immortal in Kortan’s keep to be disappointed that he and his could not be depicted as Immortals. His weapons of choice are short swords in his pants, that have magnets and spring-loaded blades in the hilts. This let’s them gain a little extra length when he unsheathes them, but still be strong in a fight. He keeps said Kuyler’s sword, as a memento after MacLeod killed him. He was Kuyler’s longest friend and ally. He also taught Iman Falis how to do battle in the gathering. Also retains that blade. He has an extra Immortal power, that lets his brain process everything around him, without priority, like a toddler’s brain could. He wears a mask like his show counterpart to conventions, and in battle, as well as flame retardant wigs and makeup. At the conventions, he works the crowd, and performs a variety of tricks. The nose on the mask can be shoot at his opponent. (A full profile will follow, I swear)
• Asklepios: Leader of the Bureaucrats, #76, of Mogonda, a brilliant scientist. He has a rivalry with Arak; the two are constantly trying to show up one another to gain Kortan's favor. He is a friend with benefits with Valka. This could only be translated into the show with romantic implications from one or both of them. His modern trade is forging custom or replica swords, but he is unmatched in restoring them as well. His blade is a replica of Ganju’s zanpukto from the Bleach series of manga. He has a series of concealed dirty tricks to subdue his foes before he reveals it. He is the only one of Kortan’s lieutenants to ask that his appearance by drastically altered in the shows animation. This has irked some fans, but he always hires compelling and charismatic actors for the QuickenCon. Interesting historical notes: He was a privateer during the American Revolution, and an avid participant in the French Revolution; He served the French Army throughout Napoleon’s reign, fighting in Trafalgar, and the Invasion of Russia, and Waterloo, and standing vigil over him in his exile; He smuggled drugs for a dozen parties in the Vietnam War; and delivered Elvis’s remains to his Graceland Tomb.
• Valka: Bureaucrat #28, helped Esclipous set up a spy network, implied to be in love with Asklepios. When she was young, she ‘experimented’ with Amanda. She is excellent with forgery, regularly rehearses 7 languages to keep her skills sharp, tracks Immortals she has met over time . She wields the blade of Annie Devlin. And those experiments were in the art of thievery, Gentlemen.
• Kirk: Another officer in Kortan's army, he is the keeper of Kortan's colony of tamed anomas (giant ants). In the episode Revenge Of The Shantytown, he launches an attack on the rebels living in the slums around Mogonda, prompting them to return the favor by setting wild anomas loose in the city's lower levels. Attempting to send his own ants to fight them off, he is killed when his 'pets' join the wild ones, turning on their old master and half devouring him. Kane resurfaced, and seeking revenge, used his illusions on Kirk who was killed by Duncan MacLeod, in a fight where neither recognized their opponent, and Kirk fought with Walter Reinhart’s sword (he had bought it in an auction). This prompted revenge from his fellows, who stalked MacLeod for years before killing him in mortal ways 100 times over 54 hours starting at 6 pm on October 30 of 1999. That’s one way to count down to the next millennium.
These are the Jettators. I am insisting that all of them have met Kortan at some point in his life, and he bought their names and likenesses (and voice, if possible) for the series in sheets of gold, one sheet each to be donated to separate charities or groups of the Immortals choosing.
• Don Vincente Marino Ramirez: The Jettator tasked with guiding Quentin and making sure the other Jettators keep the oath. He trains Quentin in the art of combat as well as philosophy and some history. Many episodes feature flashbacks of his life. Rameriz had been killed by the Kurgan, and was not available to object at the time of the show’s production. Because any who knew him had to keep wuiet to protect everyone, Kortan was free to institute a parody of him. This was out of spite in exchange for an old grudge between the two Immortal foes.
• Mangus: Possesses the knowledge of architecture and the apparent leader of the Jettators - it was he who informed Kortan of the Highlander's coming seven centuries ago. Kortan then stole his blueprints and used them to build his city of Mogonda, where Mangus continued to hide out and spy on the enemy. When Quentin arrived to rescue the Dundees, he let them into the city through the sewers, but only by sacrificing himself in a duel and allowing Kortan to steal his powers was he able to ensure their escape. Mangus has studied under Frank Lloyd Wright, and other, less famous architects over the course of his life. When the show was finished he went to work on the restoration of monuments in Athens. He can pull a Kusarigama out of thin air, apparently. This might be a parlor trick, but the weapon itself is real.
• Yoshoda: The greatest of the Jettators, leads a monastic life teaching people martial arts. His knowledge is key to using that of the others to defeat Kortan, but he tests Quentin's ability to resist corruption by having a disciple manipulate Quentin, and judges that he hasn't yet earned the right to have Yashoda's knowledge, but promises to reconsider if Quentin matures. There is not a Highlander he has not drunk under the table, nor is there a Highlander who has bested him in even a friendly duel. He is the one who gave Conner too much booze at one of Sunda Kastagir’s parties. That leads to a certain duel, where Conner was p3ned a dozen times before he wisely backed out. His weapon is a nagatina that he can quickly assemble by attaching parts to one another. This serves the double purpose of adjusting the length of his weapon, making it easy to adapt to his surroundings, and letting him behead his foes, before they can get close enough to reach him with their own blades. His gold sheets each go to a different chapter of the Chin Woo Athletic Association, where he was a sensei when Kortan’s man approached him. He resumes teaching there after the show is over, claiming to having been off in training, interrupted occasionally to partake in tournaments local to his training grounds to get a better understanding of his strength.
• Stevenson: An enigmatic immortal with the knowledge of hydroelectric power. In a desperate attempt to save his eternal life he betrayed the Highlander and instigated a plan to hand him over to Kortan. When he failed, however, Kortan killed him and stole his knowledge for himself. Chef by day, organizer for QuickenCon by night. Despite being in the service of Kortan, does not have Kortan’s protection. He is not allowed a sword by Kortan, but he has fashioned a hunting knife out of carbon and graphite materials, with a thirteen-inch blade, that he conceals on his person. Five years ago he took up residence in St. Joseph’s Chapel, as maintenance, groundskeeper, and landscaper. 15 years ago he combined extensive training and experience as a ballerino (the guy type, however you spell it) with grisly knife fighting experiences to create a knife dance that dodges long swords in close quartes, and gets in close enough to take a head. This is the only style with a blade that could threaten Yoshoda.
In order to man up and become an unholy killing machine, he equipped himself with leather gloves and mask and straps and half sleeves covered in osmium spikes and shrapnel. He donned a kilt and chastity belt, one to carry abundant pockets without hindering his movements, the other to provide a willpower-killing image if anyone was dumb enough to look up when he flew over them. He fashioned a second knife and incorporated a sheath for each in his kilt, where he could reach them, but no one else could without his knowing. He topped this off with a combination of ballet slippers and steel-toed slip-off shoes that he can kick at an enemy. Seriously, WTF? He’s equipped for some sort of Son of Sam musical.
• Ilrick: A Jettator with the knowledge of medicine. An unassuming novelist who spends his free time jotting notes on holy ground, (lives next door to a Jewish Temple), he is a deceptive master of peripheral vision.
• Erol: A Jettator with knowledge of oil, dynamite and other secrets of the Earth. He went into hiding to avoid Kortan's henchmen. When the Highlander arrived at his old base they found only Melvyn, an insane ex-employee driven crazy by the loss of his daughter Dana. Believing MacLeod's sister Clyde to be Dana he promptly captured her - thankfully Quentin was able to locate the real Dana inside the city of Mogonda and so save them all. Killed by Hunters not long before the end of the second season had aired. His body was dumped on Seacouver’s City Hall’s front steps the next day, while his head was mailed to the Police headquarters. There is a fund in his name for helping families of murder victims. Two booths for the fund are set up every QuickenCon. Please Give Today.
• Lanceley: A Jettator with the knowledge of history. A old Friend of Ramirez, who sought his help when Nubia was unearthed, to bring truth and accuracy to the findings of the ‘experts’. It was then that he learned of Ramirez’s death at the Kurgan’s hands. Heartbroken, he resigned from the excavation, but returned to it in the following century. Has bested Darius in armed combat, and following his bowing out of the excavation, was one of his most frequent visitors. He gave his share of the gold to dedicated, earnest, and unbiased researchers (researching Nubia, among other things), and the National Geographic Society. (I’d like to do a profile for him, particularly because his episode “History Lesson” is on YouTube, right now) Rumored to be gay, but has shown interest in neither men or women, and the rumor was revealed to be floated by Malone.
• Olak: The Jettator of the winds. At first he refuses to hand over his knowledge when Quentin's fear of heights places the son of one of his men in serious danger in duel within the city of Mogonda. When Quentin is able to overcome that fear and rescue the boy from certain death above a pit of giant ants ("anomas") however, he reconsiders. His 'quickening' ritual is the first we see on screen. Olak uses an assumed name in this life, and is the one who convinced Kortan to have the Immortals wholly uncredited for their work. Ignorantly killed by Conner MacLeod during headhunting (and not realizing he would be given an option to refuse), who gained his power, but none of his knowledge. He was declared legally dead as soon as possible, with no explanation ever given. His death is one of the things driving Kortan’s hatred for MacLeod, who doesn’t even know Kortan exists. His disappearance coincides with the ’fictional’ setting of the Gathering.
• Volta: A Jettator with the knowledge of nuclear power. Was disfigured due to radiation (he has blue skin). He has a unique and fascinating mutation, where his entire skin is a callous. He was born with skin so unanimously thick that the lines in his hand and footprints were visible to the naked eye. After consuming shrapnel of osmium, he barely missed an Immortal’s ‘death’ and was summarily ordered bed rest, despite defecating the shrapnel within a week (man has a high-fiber diet). Luckily this all happened after he contributed his voice to the show. He began studying nuclear power when he survived the Nagasaki blast that killed his wife and in-laws. It disfigured his skin further, but when that healed, he was left with greater pigment than he’d had before, like a sun tan. His swords are 2-bladed katanas forged from silver and aluminum. They have rechargeable battery packs in the hilts, and two more worn on each forearm to amplify their electric output. They were each forged by Asklepios.
• Eva: A woman with the knowledge of how to create and project holograms. She has been known to entertain Hugh Fitzcaim, a regular attendee of the parties held by Sunda Kastagir, has seduced Sean Burns, Coltec, (and Richie, but don’t tell Duncan), exchanges poetry with Methos, and entertains a schoolgirl crush she has on Joe Dawson. Since 1995, she has been pursuing online college/university degrees with a compliant fiend paying by credit card. A daughter figure to Rachel MacLeod, although they are approximately the same age (but one matured emotionally much quicker. Guess which one), Rachel has paid for most of her studies. Eva has studied holographics in various labs and think tanks since the nineties, and once she inherits Rachel’s will is prepared to go into it full time. Although she’d rather keep up Rachel’s line of work.
• Orane: A blue-haired woman who rules an undersea city and has knowledge of oceanography. Implied to be an old lover of Ramirez. ‘Comforted’ Ramirez (and Conner, and many other Immortal widowers) after the passing of each of their wives. Evidently, the emotionally distraught man in need of a ‘pick me up’ and a rebound is very attractive to her. For attaining cast for the show, her presence was used as a motivator for Ramirez and other Immortals, including Conner.
• Fredrickson: Knowledge of genetics. Cloned himself to preserve his knowledge in case Kortan found him, but his clone turned evil. The clone Fredrickson was eventually killed while fighting Quentin, but because it was indirect (or perhaps because he was a clone) there was no Quickening. Grassroots advocate of stem cell research. Keeps up with biological, genetic, and psychological research. Currently aiding Matsuda by developing AI with mortals.
• Matsuda: An Asian Jettator with a knowledge of cyborgs (more properly androids, as his creations were merely artificial machines). He lost a hand to Kortan, and built a cyborg warrior to kill Kortan for him. Gave his gold to National Geographic Society, a number of technology and mechanical Journals, and projects on technological or mechanical advancement. Currently employed by Mechanized Propulsion Systems Inc. (http://www.mechaps.com) They were sadly founded too late to be one of the recipients of his gold.
• Mahata: An old man with knowledge of entomology. Killed by the Kurgan. No one had rights to his identity, so Kortan seized it for himself.
• Brana: Has knowledge of linguistics. A coward, he found courage when the woman he was in love with was kidnapped by Arak, one of Kortan's men. He has tried his hand at acting, but gave that up when he couldn’t get the part of Cypher in X-Men 3. Other failed roles include Daniel Jackson in Stargate: Infinty, (a bloody cartoon, for Pete’s sake), various roles as interpreters, and the Lifetime Network is the only one that has consistently hired him. Yeah, even the Watchers have missed parts of his resume. Lame. Not killed yet, either. It seems the villains think him lame, too. Not one challenge in 20 years. LAME! Will eventually die at the hands of Colin MacLeod while trying to take his head to prove himself. Dying on his 100th Birthday (----ing kids) his sword is lodged in Colin’s chest when his head comes off and the Quickening subsequently alerts Marcus Octavius of Colin’s presence. The sword keeps Colin from properly revivng until it’s removed by Gregor Powers, and by that time Marcus will be long gone.
• Cornell: A blind Jettator with knowledge of astronomy. He changed his name to Orion and hoped to fight Kortan during an eclipse, where he would have the advantage. However, he had given up his knowledge and immortality to Quentin before then, and stood no chance against a powerful Immortal like Kortan because he also lost the enhanced senses he had developed during his time as an Immortal. Cornell’s name in this is Orion Cornelius (the inspiration for his loophole). Not actually blind, his eyes healed from their otherwise debilitating wounds upon his first awakening. Would have fought and tried to kill Kortan, but he had Kortan’s gold redistributed throughout his neighborhood, which was falling apart, and in real danger of demolition. This protected the home of his foster daughter, and everyone else living there. Kortan brought this to his attention in the midst of their battle. For attacking him when he had come to talk business, Kortan broke his sword with the briefcase, and subsequently sent the blade of his sword through both of Cornell’s eyes in one swing. He went on to depict him as both blind and thwarting himself in his own scheme to kill Kortan.
• Sahevy: A Jettator with a master of botany. In the episode in which he appears, The valley of the Thorn Pods, he is initially thought to be a traitor to the Order of the Jettators for unleashing carnivorous thorn pods on the Valley where he lived; later it was revealed that he was not responsible, and was in fact helpful in stopping the pods. His Quickening ritual is the one we see on the opening credits. Kortan most unwillingly receives this man’s Quickening, when a grenade detonates in his mouth, taped shut by the ‘Nam vet with the machine guns who gets impaled by the Kurgan in the first Highlander movie, but survives to give his description to the police. He kills Sahevy because he was influenced by Ahriman, whom Savehy resisted by sheperding Immortals, Watchers, and their relatives to the Sanctuary, which was hidden, and Immortals under Ahriman’s sway for any reason would be unable to fight. The gunman blew a hole in his head, and when he revived, a grenade was stuck in his mouth. The mouth was promptly taped shut. A Hunter who was among the Watchers trying to aid the other Watchers then dispatched Sahevy’s killer with a battle-axe. Kortan was walking by to catch the resulting Quickening, although he needed Sahevy alive, to help mask the Gathering. This calls Kortan’s attention to the cult, which results in whole charters being called to the same place, dying by poisonous gas, and the Immortals, newborn or experienced wake up to find a butt load of Hunters waiting to find them, led by an agent of Kortan’s, to absorb their Quickenings.
|
 |
Reply
