Oh Bonny Portmore,
You shine where you stand,
And the more I think on you,
The more I think long.
Bonny Portmore (168 KB WAV)

[Duncan and Fitz are in L'Amnesia bar.]

Fitz: [eyeing a waitress] I'll be right back.

Duncan: Fitz...

Fitz: [to waitress] My dear, your beauty lights up this bar like a beacon in a storm.

Methos: Hey, gimme a beer! I said, gimme a beer! Oy, you tart, what's it take to get served in this hole?

Fitz: Easy, my friend. Can't you see the lady's engaged?

Duncan: Methos.

Fitz: Delightful chap.

Methos: What's your problem?

Duncan: Me? Nothing.

Methos: You're looking at me as if you know me. You don't know me.

Duncan: Maybe it's your sunny disposition.

[Methos grabs Duncan's wrist, looking for a Watcher tatoo.]

Duncan: Looking for something, hm? How about two out of three?

Methos: Let me give you some advice: You keep your eyes to yourself.

Fitz: So, don't worry about me. You worry about your friend Methos.

Duncan: What happened to him, Fitz?

Fitz: Well, he did what I do all the time, and what all of us do eventually — he fell in love...

Duncan: Where are we?

Fitz: More appropriately, when are we? We made a little jump in time, dear boy. It's 1995 here, round about the first time you met him...

Jillian: Please. Please just let me tell them.

Methos: What are you going to tell them, Jillian? That I am an Immortal and I've been masquerading as a Watcher all these years? They're not going to like that. They are not going to throw me a party.

Jillian: They know you. They like you. You'll make all Immortals human to them.

Methos: Do you think that the Turks didn't know the Armenians were human? Do you think that Hitler didn't know the Jews were? I have listened to the screams of midwives being burned by women that they had nursed through labor because suddenly they thought they were witches. To admit that they were wrong, they would have to admit that they were murderers. It's easier for them to make believe that we are all an abomination and just let the killing go on.

Jillian: There's going to be a war. And you have to do something.

Methos: I am doing something. I'm staying alive. It's all that matters in the end.

[They hug.]

Methos: [sighs] How I love you, Jillian. More than I've loved anyone in so long. I can't remember... That's why I told you, but you have to trust me on this one. You trust me?

[They kiss.]

Fitz: And he trusted her, enough to buy her a ring and ask her to marry him. She was one brave girl, that Jillian.

[Methos is holding an engagement ring. He looks up as he hears someone entering the room.]

Methos: Jilly?

Fitz: She was determined to make Horton see that Immortals weren't all abominations.

[Jillian steps into the doorway.]

Methos: Surprise.

[Horton enters behind Jillian.]

Jillian: [to Methos] Oh darling. Please. Don't be angry with me.

Methos: What have you done?

Jillian: This is our chance to finally stop the killing.

Horton: I'm afraid I can't agree. [Shoots Jillian.]

Methos: Noooo!

[Horton shoots Methos. Suddenly Kronos comes crashing through the window, machine gun blazing. Horton takes off. Methos revives to see Kronos standing over him.]

Kronos: Greetings, brother.

[Astonished, Methos looks over at Jillian.]

Jillian: [quietly] Forgive me. [Dies.]

Fitz: Methos became bitter, filled with hate. And Kronos gave him a vent for that hatred. The Horsemen rode again. And they made the Russian mafia look like the Vienna Boys Choir.

Duncan: But how could that happen?

Fitz: Well, Kronos wanted to put the Four Horsemen together again, and you weren't there to stop them.

Duncan: But Methos had changed.

Fitz: But without you, he hadn't changed enough. Pity for him. And pity for Richie.

Duncan: What happened to Richie?

Fitz: Ooo, now that's another sad story...

A bit of this scene that was left out of the final episode had Methos attempting to kill Fitz. Methos lunges at him with a dagger.

This is what Duncan is referring to in the fight with Methos at the end of this episode when he says "I've seen that one before." However, since this part was l left out of the aired episode, we can assume Duncan is instead referring to Methos pulling a dagger on Stephen Keane in "Forgive Us Our Trespasses."

Fitz: Methos became Richie's teacher, but he taught him a lot more than how to use a sword...

[Richie enters a warehouse and throws down a suitcase filled with money.]

Richie: Done.

Methos: Any problems?

Richie: [grinning] I didn't think a million bucks would be that heavy! [Opens the suitcase and sniffs a wad of money.] Oh yeah!

Kronos: I think our friend is a quick learner.

Methos: Well, I can always spot potential.

Kronos: Time, I think, for a little... test.

Methos: Dawson, you think?

Richie: Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa... Who's Dawson?

Kronos: He's one of the bastards who killed our brothers, Caspian and Silas.

Richie: Hey, whatever you want, I'm your man.

Methos: We want him dead.

[Methos and Kronos approach Richie in the street.]

Methos: We were waiting for you. Got a little bit anxious when you didn't turn up.

Kronos: He doesn't look happy.

Methos: Is he dead?

Richie: I'm sorry. I tried. I couldn't do it.

Kronos: Not a problem.

Methos: C'mon. You look like you could do with a drink.

Richie: Yeah, I could. Thanks.

[Methos, Kronos and Richie step out of the car.]

Kronos: Let's do it.

Richie: What's going on?

[Methos and Kronos draw swords.]

Kronos: It's a reckoning.

Richie: Come on, just give me another chance.

Methos: You're just not the man for the job, Richie.

Richie: I— I'll blow town, man. I swear. You won't even know I exist.

Kronos: [snickers] How true.

[Methos pushes Richie onto his knees.]

Methos: No weak links.

Richie: Oh, Methos, please. I— I thought we were friends.

Methos: We are friends. [Pinches and pats Richie's cheek.] Goodbye, my friend.

Richie: Noooo!

[Methos swings his sword.]

When the writers were originally plotting "To Be" and "Not to Be," the story for Richie was in the first of the two parts and didn't involve the Horsemen at all. That fell through when it looked like Stan Kirsh wouldn't be available. Instead, they planned to just have Fitz tell some sad tale at Richie's gravesite.

At the last minute, Stan became available, but since "To Be" was already written and they didn't want to lose what they already had, the decision was made to put Richie's story in "Not to Be."

Creative consultant (aka head writer) David Abramowitz came up with the idea of "The Two Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Skippy" (to quote Donna Lettow), so the Horseman story was rewritten to fit Richie in.

In the original Horseman story, Methos and Kronos kidnap an American general's kids to get money and the plans to a missile base. But then the Watchers, who had killed Caspian and Silas, foil their plans, so they decide to kidnap Joe in order to get to Horton.

The scene where they plan the kidnapping takes place in a hot tub in the Horsemen's lair, with Methos and Kronos surrounded by women!

Fitz: Now, where were we? Ah yes. Two years later. Joe's gone to hell because he's lost the Watchers, and the Horsemen are about to persuade him to lead them to Horton...

[Methos drives a van up to Joe in the street, blocking his path. Methos steps out.]

Methos: Hey, Joe.

[Joe pulls a gun, but Kronos appears from behind him and takes the gun out of his hand.]

Methos: Long time, no see.

[In a large empty room.]

Methos: Just tell me where Horton is, Joe, and you can go home. But you hold out on me... well, you don't want to hold out on me.

Joe: So you want me to rat out the Watchers? Why would I want to do that? Especially to you.

Methos: What is it, Joe? You're still upset about the kid we sent after you? That was a mistake, Joe. And it was a long time ago. Let bygones be bygones. The Watchers were yours, Joe. They were yours. And Horton, he took them away from you. He made you what you are today. Do you like what you are?

Joe: At least I'm not a murderer.

Methos: What about Horton? How many people has he killed? Surely you want to put a stop to that?

Joe: How many have you killed?!?! If I'm gonna pick sides, I'm sticking with the humans.

Methos: Joe. Joe, Joe. I mean, you and I, we're — we're old friends, but Kronos, he's not your friend. Don't you have anything for me?

[Joe motions for Methos to come closer. Methos leans in. Joe spits in his face. Methos punches Joe in the face.]

Methos: This is gonna hurt, Joe.

[Kronos enters.]

Kronos: Trouble? [Sees Joe and sighs. Points his sword at Joe.] Well, all he needs is a little bit of encouragement.

[A short while later in an observatory.]

Methos: When was he here, Joe? Six months ago? A year? I'm gonna give you one more chance to tell us where he is.

Joe: Try the Yellow Pages.

Methos: [smiles] Do you really need to be a hero that badly?

[Methos draws his sword, then he and Kronos hear a noise.]

Kronos: Maybe there's something here after all.

[Kronos goes off to investigate. Methos prods Joe with the tip of his sword.]

Methos: What's it gonna be, Joe? Your heart? Maybe the belly. Perhaps a little off the top here.

[Duncan attacks Kronos. Hearing swords clashing, Methos approaches and sees Duncan standing over an unconscious Kronos.]

Duncan: I'm Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod.

Methos: Never heard of you. [Attacks Duncan.]

Joe: [to Duncan] Kill him!

[Duncan and Methos fight. Methos draws a dagger but Duncan pushes it away and punches Methos.]

Duncan: I've seen that one before.

[Duncan slashes Methos' arm holding the dagger. Methos screams.]

Joe: Kill him! Kill that bastard!

[Duncan knocks Methos to his knees.]

Methos: What are you?!

Duncan: Ghost of Christmas Past. [Swings sword.]

[In the trainyard, Methos is slapping Duncan's face.]

Methos: Come on, come on!

Duncan: Where am I?

Methos: What?

Duncan: [louder] Where am I?!

Methos: You're in Paris. I just saved your life. I had to get you shot to do it, but you got to take the rough with the smooth.

Duncan: We were fighting, you and I. You killed Richie then Joe.

Methos: What are you raving at? Joe is a bit tied up at the moment, and you've been off down the bloody rails. Now, come on.

Duncan: How long have I been gone?

Methos: Only a couple minutes. What's it matter? We've got to get out of here. O'Rourke's merry men are coming right behind me.

Thug: Aren't you the smart one? [Shoots Methos, then to Duncan] Come on, boy. O'Rourke wants ya alive.

[Thug is leading Duncan back along the railway tracks.]

Duncan: You ever hear of people coming back from the dead?

Thug: You're daft. I should just shoot ya now and be done with ya.

Duncan: Then I guess you don't even believe in ghosts then, do you?

Thug: Don't try it.

[Thug feels a tap on the shoulder, turns, and Methos punches him out.]

Duncan: Not bad for a ghost.

Methos: You should see me at Halloween.

Duncan: I think I have a costume for you.

[A short while later, Duncan and Methos are walking back along the railway tracks. Methos is wearing the thug's long coat and hat.]

Methos: You know, this "bad guy just your size" routine never works, MacLeod.

Duncan: All O'Rourke has to do is buy it for 30 seconds.

[O'Rourke sees Duncan and the "thug" returning.]

O'Rourke: It's about time.

Duncan: What? Do you miss me?

Methos: [with bad Irish accent] You cheeky sod, you show a little respect.

[Methos makes like he's going to hit Duncan but fires gun at O'Rourke's henchmen instead.]

O'Rourke: [to Duncan] You gave your word, MacLeod.

Duncan: Let's just say I had a change of heart. Now I hope you can be flexible about this because we can do this the old-fashioned way without any outside interference.

[Duncan and O'Rourke draw swords and start fighting. Methos unties Amanda and Joe.]

Methos: [mutters] I should have shot the bastard while I had the chance.

Amanda: [calls out] MacLeod.

Methos: C'mon.

[Methos leads Amanda and Joe out but they return a few seconds later to watch the fight from the sidelines. Duncan takes O'Rourke's head. After the quickening, Amanda hugs Duncan.]

Amanda: I thought I lost you.

In one draft, Fitz' speech at the end actually contained the words: "Tessa's dead, Joe's about to die, and Pinky and the Brain are about to take over the world."

Duncan: Never. Again. Never again.

[Duncan walks off into the mist alone.]

[On the barge. Methos is opening a bottle of champagne.]

Duncan: You know, I don't know who or what you are, Methos. And I know you don't want to hear this, but you did teach me something. You taught me that life is about change, about learning to accept who you are — good or bad — and I thank you for that.

Joe: I can't imagine my life without you, Mac. I guess I don't want to.

[Joe and Duncan hug.]

Duncan: [to Amanda] I love you. I do.

Amanda: Really?

Duncan: Yeah. You make my heart glad. You always have.

As originally scripted, Duncan's mysterious "never again" was supposed to mean that Duncan would not let himself get lost again, as he did after Richie's death.

The final scene was originally much longer and included Amanda making a comment that she and her teacher Rebecca had known Methos sometime in the past. This was a reference to a letter on the Watcher Chronicles CD-ROM which indicated that Rebecca had an ulterior motive for throwing Amanda out during the "Methuselah's Gift" flashback. It read "I will be there in two days" and was signed "M."

While filming the final scene on Duncan's barge, another boat passed by on the Seine. The sound of a woman singing drifted through the barge's portholes. After this had gone on for several minutes, Peter finally said, "It's the fat lady."