'Methos' Methos Thought

[ithildin]

I initially stuck this in the comments of the 'Methos' episode discussion of last week, but decided to move it up here.

I've often wondered how different the episode might have been, how different Methos might have been, if they hadn't been planning on killing him off at that point in time. What might have been different if he'd been planned as a recurring character from the outset?

Comments

[dejla.livejournal.com]

They might have made him a little more cagey -- a little less willing to tell Duncan who he was. You might have had him disappearing after Joe calls him to say Duncan's going to visit him, and had Duncan run into him when Kalas tries to kill 'Adam' the first time.

Of course, once Duncan recognizes 'Adam' as an Immortal, he might twig right off the top, or he might just assume 'Adam' is tracking Methos for nefarious purposes or for knowledge purposes. At some point in the narrative, either Kalas blows the gaff or Methos is forced to admit who he is.

Obviously, since Methos is out of practice because he doesn't fight, Kalas is dangerous since he could take Methos' head and gain whatever power 5000 years gets you. So Duncan would be driven to protect Methos because he doesn't want Kalas to gain that power, and because he hates Kalas anyway.

I still think you might get Methos disappearing, but in this case he might have to change out of Adam Pierson and into some other persona, and that might affect later stories.

One of the things that works so well with the Methos character is that he seems so innocent and good-natured. You don't see him as dangerous until he takes Kristin's head -- for logical cold-blooded reasons. And then the discovery of the Horseman is a shock because that's not the Methos we know, or think we know.

[mischief5.livejournal.com]

You know, that thought never occured to me. I'll have to give it some thought and get back to you. Hmmm.

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

He might've proven to be even more pragmatic than he is in canon.

Imagine Methos being threatened by Kalas. He pulls a pistol out of his pocket and shoots Kalas to death. Then he walks over, picks up Kalas' sword, and says, "You kids--always bringing a knife to a gunfight. I didn't get to be 5000 years old by taking chances..."

At which point, presumably, _something_ occurs to prevent him from casually offing the season's major villain. Duncan shows up. The police show up. Something.