Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Highlander character
Tak Ne
Alias Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez
Age 2,437 (at time of death) (Highlander); 2,920 (second death) (Highlander II)
Found 896 BC, Ancient Egypt (original birth date unknown) (Highlander II)
Mentors Nakano, Graham Ashe
Pupils Otavio Consone, Connor MacLeod
Portrayed by Sean Connery
First appearance Highlander
Movies 1, 2

Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez is a character from the fictional universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actor Sean Connery. He is an Immortal.

Ramírez only appeared in Highlander, Highlander II: The Quickening, and was mentioned in Highlander: The Series.

Contents

[edit] History

Ramírez, whose true name is Tak Ne, was born in Egypt in 896 BC, and became Immortal after being run down by an out-of-control cart in the streets of his city. The fearful populace, upon learning of this, banished Tak Ne, and he began to wander the world, encountering many other Immortals, good and evil alike.[1] Among the most powerful of all the Immortals on Earth was The Kurgan, whom Tak Ne battled a number of times throughout early history, including encounters in Babylonia, Greece, and ancient China, including the Battle of Plataea, where Tak Ne fought under the Spartans, and managed to shatter the Kurgan's blade.[2]

Ramírez married three different times, until he finally decided the grief of losing his loved ones was no longer worth the resulting emotional pain. Among his wives was Shakiko, a Japanese princess, whose father, the great swordsmith Masamune, gave Ramírez a "dragon head" katana in 593 BC, a sword originally intended for Masamune's adopted, pre-Immortal son, Ren. The resulting grudge would be carried by Ren against Ramírez for the next 2,500 years.[3] During this time, he also trained with the ancient Immortal Nakano, from whom he learned the arts of metallurgy.

Ramirez in Highlander
Ramirez in Highlander

By 1541, he was living in Spain, working as the Chief Metallurgist to King Charles V under the name Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez. He sought out the Highlander, Connor MacLeod, and took him under his wing, teaching him the rules of the Immortals. Most importantly, he warned him of The Kurgan, who gave him his first death. In 1542, while Connor was away hunting, the Kurgan returned. Though Ramírez had not been his intended victim, the Kurgan was not fussy, and a battle ensued, and while Ramírez nearly managed to decapitate his foe, he ultimately lost both the fight and his head. Connor buried Ramírez next to his home in Glencoe and, after Heather died, he started using his mentor's katana, placing his own broadsword as Heather's grave marker.

[edit] Resurrection

In 2024 AD, Connor MacLeod was an aging old man who had won The Prize, killing the Kurgan along the way. He had also learned the origin of the Immortals. They had been exiled from their society in the distant past, and had reborn as Immortals. The one that had exiled both Ramírez and Connor was the tyrannical ruler of their society, General Katana. Katana, to avoid the risk of MacLeod returning to his world (as was his right for winning The Game), sent two henchmen, Reno and Corda, to kill MacLeod. They failed, which resulted in Connor's rejuvenation through the Quickenings that ensued. Also, during the Quickenings, Connor summoned Ramírez, who was resurrected, now fully aware of his and all of the Immortals' origins. He tracked MacLeod down to New York, and helped him and Louise Marcus in their fight against Katana and the corrupt Shield Corporation. Ramírez eventually gave his life again to allow Connor and Louise to escape a deadly trap.

[edit] Current continuity

Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez was referenced in Highlander: The Series, in that two individuals encountered by Duncan MacLeod had also previously known Ramírez. The first was Graham Ashe, an Immortal who had been Ramírez's mentor. The second was Otavio Consone, an Immortal who had was one of Ramírez's other students.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gregory Widen, Peter Bellwood, and Larry Ferguson, Highlander film screenplay (1985); J.T. Krul, Highlander: Way of the Sword comic book series (2008), Dynamite Entertainment, Issue #4, pp. 1-5. Ramirez's ancient past is revealed in both sources, including his original Egyptian birth name.
  2. ^ Highlander film screenplay; Highlander: Way of the Sword comic book series (2008), Issue #3, pp. 2-6.
  3. ^ J.T. Krul, Highlander: Way of the Sword comic book series (2008), Issue #3, pp. 3-4.


[edit] Appearances

Movies - Highlander, Highlander II: The Quickening

Languages