Hugh Fitzcairn
Encyclopedia
Hugh Fitzcairn is a fictional character
from Highlander: The Series
, portrayed by actor Roger Daltrey
. An Immortal
, he is a friend of protagonist
Duncan MacLeod
.
are sleeping together, and tells Tessa, "Forgive me, my Lady... (...) Hugh Fitzcairn... I was so taken with your loveliness." Fitzcairn is actually worried about fellow Immortals disappearing unexpectedly. Darius
is the next one, found beheaded in his chapel by MacLeod and Fitzcairn. While investigating, Fitzcairn is abducted by Darius' killers, the Hunters
, led by James Horton, who tells him, "you are an abomination before nature and in the eyes of man." Even prisoner, Fitzcairn retorts, "You know, you really should do something about that temper of yours. One of these days it's going to get you in terrible trouble." Fitzcairn is fastened to a guillotine
but MacLeod saves him at the last minute and Fitzcairn tells him, "The women of the world thank you, my friend." This episode also reveals that while Fitzcairn and MacLeod were in service to Duke diMilano in Italy
in 1639, they first noticed the Watcher symbol that a Watcher disguised as a beggar wore on a pendant.
, England
, as a latent Immortal, Hugh Fitzcairn's first death in 1224 summed up his habit of getting himself into sticky situations over women. He was skewered by a jealous husband. He was first taught in the ways of the Immortal by Henry Fitzmartin. Fitzmartin either shared Hugh's exuberant ladies' man nature or spent his time exasperated by the young man. Fitz was a carefree man. Well loved by his friends, among them Duncan MacLeod
, he was the life of every party and could charm any lady in the room.
Fitz was also a friend of Connor MacLeod
, and Darius
. He flirted with a Montague woman named Selene, who was involved with Connor at the time, and called Connor a "renegade who would break her heart". Connor was so angry at Fitz, he refused to attend Robert and Gina DeValicourt's wedding, a decade later. Centuries later, he helped Duncan with Connor's recovery from a Dark Quickening
, in early 1987. Fitz spoke fondly of "Brother Darius", and remarked to Duncan, that he had been one of the best Immortals.
He was killed in 1995 by Antonius Kalas, who was on personal vendetta against MacLeod, whose objectives were to kill MacLeod's friends and later MacLeod himself. "Fitz" would be avenged by MacLeod when he killed Kalas. He will always be remembered for his carefree, romantic style. Mostly Duncan, with whom he shared innumerous adventures, going from a golf bet with MacLeod where he was found to be cheating and profusely denied it, to the theft of the Stone of Scone
, the stone on which Scottish monarchs were traditionally crowned.
, "the honeyed nectar of the gods." The Watcher Chronicles say of him, "Athos
, Porthos
and Aramis
all rolled into one. (...) Although occasionally his loyalty to the women in his life lasted only until the next light of his pipe, he was tenaciously loyal to his friends. (...) Fitzcairn believed there was no greater goal in life than love, and it was the only thing worth dying for." The Chronicle article about his sword states, "Fitzcairn was a man of impeccable taste with an exaggerated sense of style, who adopted the most fashionable sword of any period. (...) The cup-hilt rapier
seemed to suit his swashbuckling personality and flair for the dramatic."
Executive Producer Bill Panzer recalls that during the production of "The Hunters", actor Werner Stocker was unable to work and explains, "the part of Hugh Fitzcairn, played by another of the rock stars, Roger Daltrey, of The Who
, became enlarged and (...) he was supposed to die at the end of the episode, and we decided to-- we liked him so much, we let him live."
Creative Consultant David Abramowitz says of both actors Roger Daltrey and Elizabeth Gracen
, "They bring magic to the piece. Any time that they are in an episode I know that the episode is going to be fun and I know that it is going to be well acted. And I know that they are going to bring something beyond the page to the film. They have been wonderful." Executive Script Consultant David Tynan thinks, "Daltrey was fun in anything. The trouble was that we had killed off Fitzcairn. But on Highlander this is not the problem that it is with other shows, because one can always go into the past, when the person was alive."
Associate Creative Consultant Donna Lettow says about Fitzcairn's death, ""Star-Crossed" came about because [evil Immortal] Kalas needed to do something really despicable. I don't remember (...) whose idea it was, who said, 'And we should kill Fitz.' But it was brilliant. It is possible that if we had not brought back Fitz to kill him, we never would have brought him back at all, because at the time, we didn't know that Roger Daltrey liked the show. And when they were filming "Star-Crossed" the phone kept ringing; 'Does Fitz really have to die?' And at that time, David [Abramowitz] said, 'Well, yes, for the purposes of the arc, Fitz really has to die, but we could bring him back.'"
Tynan tells about the series finale: "The show was not intended to be completely dark; I tried to inject some humorous moments. Having Fitzcairn was inspired. I was surprised that we could get him. But when his name popped up, it was, 'Good God, of course, that's the obvious choice; Fitz!' Fitz is an angel in "To Be" and "Not To Be". And Roger Daltrey, the lead singer of The Who, as this impish character that he's become on Highlander, is a lot of fun." Associate Creative Consultant Gillian Horvath says, "It was great to have everyone in the finale who was important to Highlander over the years. And having Fitz, and Roger Daltrey, being part of that... you look at the episode and say, this is the payoff of a whole lot of setup."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, portrayed by actor Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
. An Immortal
Immortal (Highlander)
Immortals are a group of fictional characters seen in the movies and series of the Highlander franchise. Since they are immune to disease and stop aging after becoming Immortal, they can live forever and they only die when they are beheaded....
, he is a friend of protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod is a fictional character from the Highlander multiverse. Duncan MacLeod serves as the protagonist for the TV continuation of the Highlander franchise, which comprises Highlander: The Series and its spin-off movies, Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source...
.
Appearances
Fitzcairn is introduced in the season one finale episode "The Hunters" (1993) as a ladies' man and bon vivant; he is first seen entering MacLeod's barge while MacLeod and his girlfriend Tessa NoëlTessa Noël
Tessa Noël is a fictional character in the television series Highlander: The Series, portrayed by Alexandra Vandernoot. A mortal artist and sculptor, Tessa is the French lover of the protagonist Immortal, Duncan MacLeod, played by Adrian Paul...
are sleeping together, and tells Tessa, "Forgive me, my Lady... (...) Hugh Fitzcairn... I was so taken with your loveliness." Fitzcairn is actually worried about fellow Immortals disappearing unexpectedly. Darius
Darius (Highlander)
Darius is a fictional character from Highlander: The Series, portrayed by actor Werner Stocker. He first appeared in the season one episode "Band of Brothers" and is featured in four subsequent episodes of the same season, as well as in one Highlander novel...
is the next one, found beheaded in his chapel by MacLeod and Fitzcairn. While investigating, Fitzcairn is abducted by Darius' killers, the Hunters
Watcher (Highlander)
Watchers are a secret organization that watches the Immortals in the Highlander: The Series and all subsequent related series and movies.They were introduced in the season 1 finale as a cliffhanger for the following season...
, led by James Horton, who tells him, "you are an abomination before nature and in the eyes of man." Even prisoner, Fitzcairn retorts, "You know, you really should do something about that temper of yours. One of these days it's going to get you in terrible trouble." Fitzcairn is fastened to a guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
but MacLeod saves him at the last minute and Fitzcairn tells him, "The women of the world thank you, my friend." This episode also reveals that while Fitzcairn and MacLeod were in service to Duke diMilano in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1639, they first noticed the Watcher symbol that a Watcher disguised as a beggar wore on a pendant.
History
Born in 1190 in SussexSussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, as a latent Immortal, Hugh Fitzcairn's first death in 1224 summed up his habit of getting himself into sticky situations over women. He was skewered by a jealous husband. He was first taught in the ways of the Immortal by Henry Fitzmartin. Fitzmartin either shared Hugh's exuberant ladies' man nature or spent his time exasperated by the young man. Fitz was a carefree man. Well loved by his friends, among them Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod is a fictional character from the Highlander multiverse. Duncan MacLeod serves as the protagonist for the TV continuation of the Highlander franchise, which comprises Highlander: The Series and its spin-off movies, Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source...
, he was the life of every party and could charm any lady in the room.
Fitz was also a friend of Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod, also known as The Highlander, is a fictional character in the Highlander film series, as well as the television programs Highlander: The Series, and Highlander: The Animated Series...
, and Darius
Darius (Highlander)
Darius is a fictional character from Highlander: The Series, portrayed by actor Werner Stocker. He first appeared in the season one episode "Band of Brothers" and is featured in four subsequent episodes of the same season, as well as in one Highlander novel...
. He flirted with a Montague woman named Selene, who was involved with Connor at the time, and called Connor a "renegade who would break her heart". Connor was so angry at Fitz, he refused to attend Robert and Gina DeValicourt's wedding, a decade later. Centuries later, he helped Duncan with Connor's recovery from a Dark Quickening
Quickening (Highlander)
The Quickening is a phenomenon in the Highlander films and television series. When an Immortal is beheaded, there is a powerful energy release from their body which is called a Quickening. Lead Highlander: The Series actor Adrian Paul explains, "The Quickening is the receiving of all the power and...
, in early 1987. Fitz spoke fondly of "Brother Darius", and remarked to Duncan, that he had been one of the best Immortals.
He was killed in 1995 by Antonius Kalas, who was on personal vendetta against MacLeod, whose objectives were to kill MacLeod's friends and later MacLeod himself. "Fitz" would be avenged by MacLeod when he killed Kalas. He will always be remembered for his carefree, romantic style. Mostly Duncan, with whom he shared innumerous adventures, going from a golf bet with MacLeod where he was found to be cheating and profusely denied it, to the theft of the Stone of Scone
Stone of Scone
The Stone of Scone , also known as the Stone of Destiny and often referred to in England as The Coronation Stone, is an oblong block of red sandstone, used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland and later the monarchs of England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom...
, the stone on which Scottish monarchs were traditionally crowned.
Characterization
Fitzcairn thinks of himself as "kind and brave". The script of "The Hunters" says he is "no slouch" at swordfight. He appreciates meadMead
Mead , also called honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It may also be produced by fermenting a solution of water and honey with grain mash, which is strained immediately after fermentation...
, "the honeyed nectar of the gods." The Watcher Chronicles say of him, "Athos
Athos (fictional character)
Olivier d'Athos de la Fère, Comte de la Fère is a fictional character, a Musketeer of the Guard in the novels The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père....
, Porthos
Porthos
Porthos, Baron du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds is a fictional character in the novels The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After and The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père. He and the other two musketeers Athos and Aramis are friends of the novel's protagonist, d'Artagnan...
and Aramis
Aramis
C. René d'Aramis de Vannes is a fictional character in the novels The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After and The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père...
all rolled into one. (...) Although occasionally his loyalty to the women in his life lasted only until the next light of his pipe, he was tenaciously loyal to his friends. (...) Fitzcairn believed there was no greater goal in life than love, and it was the only thing worth dying for." The Chronicle article about his sword states, "Fitzcairn was a man of impeccable taste with an exaggerated sense of style, who adopted the most fashionable sword of any period. (...) The cup-hilt rapier
Rapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
seemed to suit his swashbuckling personality and flair for the dramatic."
Concept and development
The script of "The Hunters" describes Fitzcairn as appearing "to be in his early forties, square set, ruddy complexion, a thick thatch of straw colored hair, wearing a white Irish weave fisherman's sweater. He smokes a pipe."Executive Producer Bill Panzer recalls that during the production of "The Hunters", actor Werner Stocker was unable to work and explains, "the part of Hugh Fitzcairn, played by another of the rock stars, Roger Daltrey, of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, became enlarged and (...) he was supposed to die at the end of the episode, and we decided to-- we liked him so much, we let him live."
Creative Consultant David Abramowitz says of both actors Roger Daltrey and Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Ward Gracen is an American actress who won the title of Miss America in 1982. She was born Elizabeth Grace Ward but should not be confused with another Elizabeth Ward who worked as a television actress during the first half of the 1980s....
, "They bring magic to the piece. Any time that they are in an episode I know that the episode is going to be fun and I know that it is going to be well acted. And I know that they are going to bring something beyond the page to the film. They have been wonderful." Executive Script Consultant David Tynan thinks, "Daltrey was fun in anything. The trouble was that we had killed off Fitzcairn. But on Highlander this is not the problem that it is with other shows, because one can always go into the past, when the person was alive."
Associate Creative Consultant Donna Lettow says about Fitzcairn's death, ""Star-Crossed" came about because [evil Immortal] Kalas needed to do something really despicable. I don't remember (...) whose idea it was, who said, 'And we should kill Fitz.' But it was brilliant. It is possible that if we had not brought back Fitz to kill him, we never would have brought him back at all, because at the time, we didn't know that Roger Daltrey liked the show. And when they were filming "Star-Crossed" the phone kept ringing; 'Does Fitz really have to die?' And at that time, David [Abramowitz] said, 'Well, yes, for the purposes of the arc, Fitz really has to die, but we could bring him back.'"
Tynan tells about the series finale: "The show was not intended to be completely dark; I tried to inject some humorous moments. Having Fitzcairn was inspired. I was surprised that we could get him. But when his name popped up, it was, 'Good God, of course, that's the obvious choice; Fitz!' Fitz is an angel in "To Be" and "Not To Be". And Roger Daltrey, the lead singer of The Who, as this impish character that he's become on Highlander, is a lot of fun." Associate Creative Consultant Gillian Horvath says, "It was great to have everyone in the finale who was important to Highlander over the years. And having Fitz, and Roger Daltrey, being part of that... you look at the episode and say, this is the payoff of a whole lot of setup."