Question about Money

[eveningblue]

Are there any episodes in which it is mentioned, even briefly or in passing, how either Methos or Duncan amassed their fortunes?

Aside from canon, are there any fanon explanations?

Comments

[giandujakiss]

Is it even canon that they have fortunes? Duncan we know is at least reasonably well-off, but do we know that he's actually rich? As for Methos, he mentions that he won't stay in a hotel that his Pierson identity could afford, but he doesn't say that he's rich, does he?

[eveningblue]

The evidence, to me, is just how easily they spend their money.

Duncan buys a Ming vase for his pals on their wedding anniversary, one of only seven (or is it six?) of its kind left. He also gives away priceless swords like there's no tomorrow.

Methos buys round-the-world tix for himself and Alexa.

Money never seems to be an object, and they don't seem to need to have jobs, so it does seem as if they're both wealthy.

[juniperphoenix]

They would be able to make quite a bit of money just from interest. In "The Vampire" Duncan meets with some businessmen who warn him that their venture may take a while to become profitable, and he says that's okay because he's interested in "long-term" investments. ;) There's also an episode (I forget which one) in which Duncan goes to the bank to withdraw from an account he started about 90 years previously. The teller was amazed by the amount of interest it had accumulated.

[eveningblue]

he says that's okay because he's interested in "long-term" investments. ;)

HA!

Excellent! I must see this one, and the bank one too.

[fides]

I might be imagining it (or getting it muddled up with another show) but I thought there was one episode where Duncan goes to a bank to check into an account which had been open by his 'grandfather' and finds (not unsurprisingly) that it has grown conciderably thanks to interest. I think this is shortly followed by a bank robbery, an innocent bistander getting shot, and thus the plot for the rest of the episode.

:-)

Fides

[kethali]

Nope, not imagining. It's the episode with Maurice's niece and Kagan--3d season, Reasonable Doubt, I believe.

[eveningblue]

Wow, I've somehow missed seeing both "Reasonable Doubt" and "The Vampire." How could this have happened?? Thank you for this!

[fides]

That's the puppy! Thanks.

I didn't think I was mis-remembering but between fanfic and having seen that plot line done in other shows (futurama etc) I wasn't 100% positive that I wasn't having mental hallucinations. Nice to know I wasn't making it up.

:-)

Fides

[em_kellesvig]

There's also an episode where you see Duncan on his computer going over his investments. Maurice tries to get him to invest in his brother's truffle-sniffing pig. Finale, perhaps? I can't remember now.

[eveningblue]

Yes, and there's also an episode in which Richie is going over books in the office at the dojo and complaining that they're always losing money. I think Duncan implies that he's not really interested in making any money with the dojo, but I can't remember for sure.

[pat_t]

There were little hints in the show about Duncan spending large amounts of money and never batting an eye. In one show he and Tessa are leaving a place and he has a sword he has just spent $10,000 on. Not only does he not bat an eye, but neither does Tes. And then when he goes to buy the purple heart in Innocent man - he pulls out a wad of money right there and hands it to the guy. They never come right out and say Duncan has money, but he has no problem spending it. He wanted to join the dojo - he bought it. And trips back and forth to Paris every year.

Methos isn't as easy to put a finger on - but as it was mentioned, besides just up and whizzing over to the US from Paris to warn Duncan about Kristen, when he wanted to show alexa the world, he just up and bought two tickets. And they were going to Paris, and Greece and Egypt. So he obviously had money at his disposal. And when he had quit the Watchers, he still had his own apartment and truck and lived without working. The man had to have some kind of capital set aside.

[eveningblue]

In one show he and Tessa are leaving a place and he has a sword he has just spent $10,000 on. Not only does he not bat an eye, but neither does Tes.

I'm not sure if this is what you're thinking of, but doesn't he do this in "Free Fall"? What's amazing in that episode is that not only does he purchase an expensive sword (which would be conceivable for an antiques dealer) but that he just gives it away, for free, to Felicia.

I'm pretty sure the sword he gives Richie is also fairly valuable. It's these extravagant gifts that make me feel fairly certain that he has a lot of money.

[kethali]

They never come right out and say Duncan has money, but he has no problem spending it. He wanted to join the dojo - he bought it. And trips back and forth to Paris every year.

Not to mention $60,000 for a race horse in Double Eagle (I think that was the name of th episode--the slapstick one with Amanda and Kit O'Brady).

[melannen]

I think it's debatable that Methos might not have much in the way of conventional wealth beyond what Adam Pierson might have managed to save - it's obvious that he doesn't *worry* about money, but that doesn't mean he actually has any, just that he's confident that he can get what he needs. And I've known actual people getting by on a low-level academic's or teacher's salary who were willing to blow their savings on a spur-of-the-moment trans-Atlantic vacation or two, especially if they had no kids to worry about. Same thing with going on a few years' sabbatical; and Pierson did have Don's bookstore, after all, which he could have got rental money with even if he'd eventually stopped running it (Was its fate ever mentioned in canon? I don't remember.) Most of his other travelling and extravagances can be excused as being put on the Watchers' tab - he may even have gotten paid leave for most of his time with Alexa, since young Pierson seems the type to not bother to take regular vacations