The Kurgan

Real Name: Unknown

Identity/Class: Immortal human

Occupation: Killer

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Connor MacLeod; Ramirez; Sundra Kastagir; Osta Vasilek; Yung Dol Kim

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Victor Kruger

Base of Operations: mobile

First Appearance: Highlander (1986)

Powers/Abilities: The Kurgan was an immortal, capable of healing virtually any wound (except those to the throat) in minutes. Even if a wound was instantly fatal, he would come back to life a short while later. The only way to permanently end his life was to decapitate him (which Connor MacLeod finally did). This difficulty in killing one another leads to Immortals having massive sword (and axe) fights with each another. Certain rules have evolved over the millennia: the fights must only be between two Immortals - third parties cannot interfere once battle is joined; and no Immortal can fight on Holy Ground. Like other Immortals, the Kurgan didn't age.

The Kurgan could also sense the presence of other immortals, although he only got a vague sense of their proximity, not where or who they were. When he killed other immortals through decapitation, he received their life essence in the form of a "Quickening", a sort of electrical light show. Centuries of practice made him an incredibly adept swordsman.

History: Born thousands of years ago on the Steppes of Russia, the man known as the Kurgan was raised to fight almost as soon as he could walk. At some point he was killed, only to learn he could not die like other men; he was an immortal, one of a handful who walked the Earth untouched by age or infirmity, healing almost any wound in minutes, and only able to die a final death if decapitated. He eventually encountered another immortal who told him of his fellows, mentored and trained him, and taught him the rules of immortality, the "Game": they lived to one day fight a final contest against one another until only one remained and claimed "the Prize"; that they could not fight on holy ground, they could not attack in numbers, but must face each other in single combat; and that the winner of a fight to death between immortals would gain the loser's "Quickening", their lifeforce and experience. Armed with this knowledge, the Kurgan slew his tutor, and set out to hunt down and kill the other immortals for their Quickenings. As news of his exploits spread amongst the undying, and the years passed, his birth name was lost and forgotten, and he became known as the Kurgan after the name of his long dead tribe.

In the 1500's he somehow sensed the presence of pre-immortal Connor MacLeod in the Scottish Highlands. The Kurgan allied himself with the MacLeod clan's enemies, and on the field of battle, he ran Connor through with his sword. However, before he could take the stricken man's head, Connor's clansmen drove him off. His easiest chance lost, the Kurgan departed the region for a while, possibly to pursue easier prey. He returned a few years later, again after Connor's head, but instead encountered Connor's mentor Ramírez; in the ensuing duel, Ramírez nearly took the Kurgan's head, slashing through most, but not all, of his neck. The Kurgan eventually prevailed and took Ramírez Quickening, but the throat wound he had taken left a permanent scar and left him with a gravelly voice.

Centuries later, in 1986, the final Gathering of the immortals began. With only a few of them left, they began to be drawn to one another, congregating in New York City. The Kurgan left a trail of headless corpses behind him as he made his way to the city, where he killed Yung Dol Kim and Sunda Kastagir, and had several inconclusive bouts with his old nemesis MacLeod. Eventually the two faced one another for the final time; though he fought ferociously, the Kurgan learned the younger immortal had developed into a master swordsman in his four centuries of life, and the Highlander finally finished the job Ramírez had begun, severing the Kurgan's head from his shoulders.

Comments: Played by Clancy Brown.

Thanks to "Methos" for sending me the image used on this page.

CLARIFICATIONS: None.

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

Back to US Independents Page

Home

All images and characters depicted on this site are copyright their respective holders, and are used for informational purposes only. No infringement is intended and copyrights remain at source.