Tessa Noël

Tessa Noël is a fictional character in the television series Highlander: The Series, portrayed by Alexandra Vandernoot. A mortal artist and sculptor, Tessa is the French lover of the protagonist Immortal, Duncan MacLeod, played by Adrian Paul. Tessa is introduced in the pilot episode "The Gathering", first shown in 1992, and appears in all subsequent episodes until "The Darkness" (1993), the fourth episode of season two, in which she is killed. Vandernoot returned to the program for a number of guest appearances in the season two finale, "Counterfeit", broadcast in 1994, and the two-part series conclusion "To Be" / "Not To Be" (1998).

Tessa is MacLeod's mortal companion and bears the consequences of his immortality. These include her aging while he does not, the impossibility of having children together and the dangers of MacLeod's involvement in the Game, an ongoing battle in which all Immortals must behead each other until a single victor remains. Fully aware of this situation, Tessa stays with MacLeod, demonstrating her courage, understanding, generosity and compassion.