Description
In the Highlander universe, the energy released by a Quickening is absorbed by the Immortal responsible for the beheading. The series producers explained that if "an Immortal is decapitated by something other than the sword of the Immortal he was fighting, (...) what we thought was, as long as an Immortal is present, he gets the Quickening." If an Immortal is beheaded and there is no Immortal nearby to receive the Quickening (if, for example, the beheader is a mortal), then the Quickening dissipates without effect.. The series producers have also revealed that, "if there is no Immortal present, then the Quickening just goes to the Source," but it is not known yet what the "Source" exactly is.
On rare occasions, the Quickening overwhelms the personality of the Immortal, even turning a good Immortal evil. This occurrence is known as a Dark Quickening in the series version. The converse can also happen; Darius is the only known example of a Light Quickening.
A Quickening can be rejected by an immortal as seen with the beheading of Sully in Season 2 Episode 11 of Highlander: The Series. As this quickening happens, Duncan takes Sully's sword and his own and crosses them above his head. The 'Ghost Vapor' is pushed back multiple times until finally it seems to shoot away from Duncan.
The Immortal characters are able to sense a nearby Quickening, as well as an ability to know which Immortal has been killed. Such abilities are demonstrated in Highlander: The Series, when Duncan MacLeod falls on his knees following the beheading of his friend, Lucas Desiree. Desiree is beheaded by Howard Crowley, and Macleod knows that his friend has died.
Read more about this topic: Quickening (Highlander)
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