- Title: Highlander – For Tomorrow We Die
- wiki: link
Throwback Thursday takes us back to a man born in the Highlands of Scotland more than 400 years ago and a murderous game between sword-wielding immortals where there can be only one. The first Highlander set up basic rules for immortals to follow along with a sort of honor code that even the most vile obeyed. With “For Tomorrow We Die” the series introduces a character who will stretch those boundaries in Xavier St. Cloud (Roland Gift). Interested only in money, and willing to kill anyone who gets in his way, Xavier’s favorite weapon of choice is poison gas which he uses to rob a jewelry store in the episode’s opening scene. The paths of MacLeod (Adrian Paul) and Xavier have crossed before when the immortal gassed an entire regiment during World War I in order to steal the money the soldiers were to be paid (he also wasn’t above attempting to take MacLeod’s head while he was still recovering from the toxin).
Charming and unscrupulous, Xavier attempts to target MacLeod through Tessa (Alexandra Vandernoot) by gassing an entire art exhibition just to take the Highlander’s head. While Xavier’s plan fails, he’s still able to escape (although minus a hand as the show confirms there are limitations to what even an immortal can heal). His defeat will only embolden him upon his return later in the series where he will make use of even more shortcuts in order to continue playing the game. Gift makes the most of his character here. While Xavier was originally only going to be another immortal of the week, the show decided to leave the door open to bringing him back (with added motivation for revenge against MacLeod).
The episode is also notable for a pair of guest-stars. Spanish actress Mapi Galán plays a rich married woman who grows momentarily infatuated with Richie (Stan Kirsch), but the lovesick Mr. Ryan can’t see Renee has no plans on actually leaving her husband. The other character, freedom fighter Georges Dalou (Jean-Claude Deret) is introduced as an old friend of MacLeod. Unaware of Duncan’s condition, he takes Duncan to be his old friend’s son and offers his assistance. Although his lead doesn’t payoff as Xaiver is able to escape the encounter, the introduction of Dalou lays down groundwork for his return later in the series.
