"The last crystal, Luther. Here, it's yours - if you can go through me." - Duncan MacLeod

What seemed like a standalone story at the time was, in fact, the first of the threads that were woven together to provide the background for the "Timeless" arc. In "Legacy", we first encounter Rebecca Horne and the crystals that form the Methuselah Stone. As with all the episodes written by David Tynan, we were guaranteed a story that developed the characters,even if it was practically written overnight - the original story, "The Chalice Of St Antoine", had to be shelved due to it not being written by a writer in France, but resurfaced in Season 3 as another Amanda story, slightly modifed as "The Cross of St Antoine". Emile Abossolo M'Bo later returned, briefly, in the opening to Patient Number 7. All opinions expressed here are my own, as is the retelling of the storyline.

Written by David Tynan

Cast

Keeping track of his various investments is a task requiring concentration for the Highlander, but his attempts to focus on his financial statements are being distracted by Maurice, who is determined to convince MacLeod of the wisdom of investing in a pig being sold by his brother in Gascony. MacLeod's concentration is shattered by the additional distraction of the sensation of an Immortal nearby, whose identity does not remain a mystery for long. Much to Maurice's envy and open curiosity, the Immortal who invites herself aboard the barge is Amanda. She tries to convince MacLeod that this is a casual visit, but he is sceptical and badgers her until she admits that she's in Paris to steal a 17th century jewel collection. Knowing her well, he realises that that was too easy and persists until she admits the real reason for being in the city - her teacher, Rebecca, has been beheaded.

Duncan has known Rebecca as long as he's known Amanda, as he first encountered the two of them together in northern France in 1635. Feeling the presence of an Immortal, he went to investigate and was met by the two women. Whilst they discussed who should fight him, Amanda decided that he was better kissed than killed and, after kissing him, she and Rebecca left him taken aback and without his purse, which Amanda stole as she kissed him. But they soon found that a Scotsman and his money are not so easily parted, as they hadn't gone far before they turned a corner and found MacLeod waiting for them. After recovering his purse, he took his new lady friends for a drink.

But Amanda's association with Rebecca is far older than that. A starving thief in the plague ridden ninth century, she fell and smashed her skull whilst being chased through the streets after being seen leaving a plague house. Dying, she was thrown on a pile of bodies being taken for burning, when Rebecca Horne sensed the new-born Immortal and had her brought to her castle instead. Recovering, she was amazed at her new benefactor and suspicious, not only of Rebecca's desire to teach her, but also of Rebecca's insistence that she take a bath! She was to stay with Rebecca for three years, leaving in 853 when Rebecca had taught her all she could. Before she left, Rebecca gave her a piece of the crystal she kept, a crystal she described as being older and greater than the Immortals, telling her that she gave a piece to each of her students. Now Amanda wears the crystal round her neck, her last reminder of Rebecca.

Duncan accompanies Amanda to the funeral, where they meet John, Rebecca's mortal lover. As they mourn their friend, Duncan feels another Immortal close by, but Amanda says she did not sense it. To distract Amanda from her grief, Duncan takes her to a jewellery exhibition that evening. Whilst they banter about Amanda's thieving habits, Duncan tries to find out why she lied about not sensing the Immortal at the cemetery. Before they can debate the issue, there is a robbery at the exhibition and the thieves steal Amanda's crystal from around her neck. Duncan is now sure that Amanda isn't telling him everything, as he wonders why the thieves would leave a fortune in jewellery, yet make a point of stealing the crystal. His suspicion is confirmed when they meet John at the cloister where Rebecca died. John is looking for the piece of the crystal that Rebecca wore herself and he tells Duncan that she was killed by Luther, one of her students. John is surprised that Amanda hadn't mentioned it.

John tells them that only one of Rebecca's students lived nearby, a man called Henri Valjean. They go to his house, only to find that he has vanished, leaving his house to his housekeeper, to whom he entrusted his crystal. She has given it to her son for safe keeping, but when Duncan and Amanda go his shop, they are lured outside by the presence of an unseen Immortal, whilst two thugs try to steal the crystal. The Immortals give chase and Duncan recovers the crystal. What he doesn't tell Amanda is that he arranges to meet Luther the next day and, to keep her distracted, arranges for Maurice to bring her breakfast. Duncan confronts Luther, who believes that all the crystals will form a talisman that will give him ten times the power of an "ordinary" Immortal. When he finds that Duncan doesn't have the crystal, he vanishes. Meanwhile, at the barge, Amanda and Maurice are talking and Maurice tells Amanda that she loves MacLeod, to her embarrassment. When MacLeod returns, he and Amanda argue about who should fight Luther. She wants revenge, but he has the better chance against Luther.

The following morning, Amanda turns the tables on MacLeod, stealing the crystal from his cabinet. On the quaiside, she finds Luther's goons waiting for her, but they are not prepared to deal with a woman with a sword. Threatening to turn one into a soprano, she arranges to meet Luther. When MacLeod, (who watched her leave whilst pretending to be asleep), tries to follow, he is set upon by the goons, who come off worst and tell him that Amanda chose the place where they were to meet. Amanda and Luther meet at the cloister where he killed Rebecca and fight. Amanda is overpowered by Luther, who is about to take her head and the crystal when MacLeod arrives. He points out that he has the crystal and all that Amanda has is a stone. Luther leaves Amanda and fights with MacLeod, but comes up short against the classic MacLeod finishing combination and dies on his knees. After the Quickening, Amanda is furious with MacLeod for killing Luther, overlooking the fact that he saved her life, but she is easily appeased by his gift of Valjean's crystal, a permanent keepsake of Rebecca.