| Sunda Kastagir | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Sunda Kastagir (Amharic: ስንዳ ክስትግር) was an Immortal and long time friend of Connor MacLeod.
Personal History[]
Kastagir was born in AD 1715 in Ethiopia, in Eastern Africa. Little is known about his first death or who his first teacher was, but he proved himself a skilled warrior who enjoyed adventure. In 1750, Kastagir encountered The Kurgan and survived.
In 1776, he traveled to America, and met Connor MacLeod. The two would become good friends. In 1777, MacLeod and Kastagir served in the Continental Army at Valley Forge. Kastagir once joked that he spent one winter looking for General Washington's dentures in the snow.
Kastagir in 1966
In 1800, Kastagir was in the West Indies. While there, he encountered Connor MacLeod again. In 1879, Kastagir was in South Africa, living in King Cetawayo's encampment as one of his warriors. One day, the Zulu captured a survivor from a recent battle, and that they intended to have him fight one of their best warriors. Kastagir discovered that the soldier was Connor MacLeod. Kastagir told him that the Zulu warrior was an Immortal. The next day, Connor and the Zulu warrior battled it out and Connor killed him. MacLeod growled at Kastagir about the champion being immortal. The Ethiopian shruged. "I lied." Then Connor was led back to the cage. He protested, as he thought he'd be let go. Kastagir called after him cheerfully, "I lied about that too." That night, Kastagir helped him escape and lead him to the British forces.
The two Immortals would meet again in Paris in 1966 at an illegal antique auction held on holy ground. There were several other Immortals present, including Guerin Billuad, and Kastagir remarked that it felt like the Gathering was already beginning. He asked Connor if he was living in the United States now, to which Connor replied, yes.
In 1985, the time of the Gathering had begun in New York. Kastagir, who was living in Chad at the time, left for New York. He would encounter Connor at the subway where they confronted a street gang and Connor suggested they meet the next day at the bridge in Central Park to talk. Kastagir said it wouldn't do any good, "there can be only one." Connor asked again and Kastagir finally agreed, since there was no sense in the two of them fighting until the Kurgan was defeated. The next day, Connor and Kastagir met and Kastagir took out a flask. The two men greet each other with a hug. Kastagir offered Connor the flask which he said was "boom-boom". Kastagir and Connor spoke of the Kurgan, their past adventurers, and the Gathering, then left to have one last night of fun. They went to a nightclub where they were joined by Bedsoe.
The following night, Kastagir encountered the Kurgan, and the two men fought in an alley. Despite Kastagir's best efforts, the Kurgan took his head and his Quickening. Unfortunately, the battle was witnessed by a mortal, Kirk Matunas, who later gave a description of the Kurgan to the police. Connor, upon learning about his friend's death, prayed for him the next night while remembering Ramirez and Heather.
Personality[]
Kastagir was a sober man when the occasion called for it, but he had a very impish nature and was prone to wild humor. He preferred strong intoxicants, most of which would turn the stomach of his friend Connor. Kastagir was very prone to mischief, often throwing wild parties which he would reminisce about with great glee (and that his friends would often rather forget about). Kastagir's sword was a Manchu broadsword.
Relationships[]
In the film, Kastagir and Connor are portrayed as being good friends.
The novelization painted Kastagir and Connor's relationship as not being so strong. They mentioned two meetings, talked of loves lost, the lack of children, and the Kurgan. There was nothing more to say and they parted company. They separated to go their different ways. It was the last time they met.
TV Series Continuity[]
Despite the Highlander television series belonging to a different universe (continuity), Kastagir appears in the Kurgan's Watcher database as one of his beheadings in the episode The Watchers. Also, in the Watcher Chronicles, it is mentioned that in 1983, Joma Kikuyu, future Watcher Coordinator of the South African region, was assigned as Kastagir's Watcher, hence Kastagir belongs in the TV series continuity as well.
Dark Quickening[]
Kastagir in 1851
According to the comic series, in 1851 Kastagir beheaded an evil Immortal, and came near to a Dark Quickening. He wrote a letter for Connor, and got to Dry River, Texas. He hid himself in an abandoned mine. Soon Connor arrived together with his cousin, Duncan MacLeod. Kastagir let himself be locked up to fight the Dark Quickening. Eventually he succeeded and thanked Connor and Duncan, then he continued his travels.