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Andrew Cord was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1834, and he grew up a free man. At the age of 27, Cord enlisted with the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, commanded by Robert Shaw, a white officer. He hoped to fight in defense of his "brothers and sisters" still enslaved in the Confederate States of America, and for the preservation of the Union. At 29, Cord died in battle and revived as an Immortal. He was then taught about his Immortality by his first teacher, Robert Gould, another Immortal.
Cord became a professional soldier, fighting in both World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam. He became cynical and suffered years of racism, frustrating him, since he fought in the Civil War which he thought would give black people freedom and equal rights. But in between the wars, he watched as the hoped for equality wasn't happening. He soon came to the conclusion that only in war he would find equality.
Cord in 1968
During the Vietnam War, he led a small unit of Marines, Bravo Company. Among his soldiers was 18 year old Joe Dawson, who was called Boy Scout by Cord. While in a village where there had been a massacre, he and Joe discovered that one of their men had raped a local woman. Cord confronted the woman who threatened to tell what happened to her. Cord responded by killing her, frightening and confusing Joe. Eventually, the unit were ambushed, Cord was shot and Dawson wounded by an antipersonnel mine. Cord later revived to see that all his men were dead except for Joe, who Cord carried on his back to the American outpost. When Joe asked for him, the doctor told him that Cord was dead, and the only thing they recovered were his dog tags.
Cord saves Joe Dawson's life in Vietnam
By the 1990s, Cord became an arms dealer. In 1995, he was in the Balkans where he sold defective weapons to the insurgents. The leader of the insurgents, Mara, realized that Cord had double crossed her. When he arrived at Mara's headquarters, she had harsh words for him. Cord then shot Mara dead. Charlie burst into the room and saw Cord standing over her with a gun in his hand. Cord then tried to kill Charlie, forcing him to flee through a window. Charlie was gone before Cord could reload.
Months later, Cord was at Seacouver Airport, where he sensed an Immortal. Duncan MacLeod was also at the airport, just returned from Scotland with Joe Dawson. But before the Immortals could talk, Cord was shot to death by a sniper. MacLeod told Joe to take Cord with him while he chased after the sniper. Joe loaded Cord into his vehicle and waited for him to revive. Joe reminded Cord who he was, and the two men got reacquainted. Joe assured Cord he both knew what he was and that he could keep a secret. Meanwhile, MacLeod discovered the sniper was Charlie DeSalvo.
Later Joe asked MacLeod not to fight Cord. Duncan agreed, but then had second thoughts when Charlie told him that Cord killed Mara. MacLeod told Joe what Charlie told him and wanted to meet Cord. Joe thought it a bad idea, But MacLeod assured him that it was just to talk. Joe went to see Cord at a paint ball facility and told him about MacLeod's request.
Cord after killing Charlie
Cord went to the dojo and the two Immortals fought. When finally MacLeod held his blade to Cord's throat, he told Cord to let the matter of Charlie go. Cord agreed: "For Boy Scout."
Cord, however, then went to confront Charlie and the two men attacked each other with knives. Charlie was mortally wounded. MacLeod found him and told him about his Immortality, as promised, before his friend died in his arms.
An angry MacLeod demanded Joe tell him where Cord was, and Joe reluctantly told him. MacLeod arrived at the facility and found Cord waiting for him. "Watch your step. You're in my camp now. You should have killed me, MacLeod!"
The two Immortals fought, and eventually MacLeod managed to stab Cord through, and disarmed him. He put his blade to Cord's throat, and Cord's final words were "Damn, outstanding." Duncan replied, "I'm not done, yet," and beheaded Cord.
Joe was torn up by his divided loyalties.
Weapon[]
Andrew Cord's sword of choice was a US Cavalry Sabre, the style of which dates from before 1913.
Key Life Events[]
Cord in Seacouver
1834—Andrew Cord is born in 1834, a free man in Boston, MA
1861-1865—The American Civil War is fought. Andrew Cord enlists with the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, commanded by Robert Gould Shaw, a white officer. Cord hopes to fight in defense of his "brothers and sisters" still enslaved in the Confederate States of America, and for the preservation of the Union. Andrew Cord falls in battle. He is approached by Immortal Robert Gould Shaw, who becomes his first teacher.
1865-1914—Between wars, Cord drifts as a second class citizen in a society where black men are free... but hardly equal.
1914-1919—World War I is fought. Andrew Cord serves with a Negro unit under John Pershing with distinction in this "war to end all wars."
1919-1941—Between the wars, Cord continues to drift, observing that as a rule, equality for blacks is still elusive.
1941-1945—World War II is fought. Cord enlists and serves in the European Theater of World War II, determined to fight the good fight and to rid the world of the evil that is Adolf Hitler. He distinguishes himself in battle.
1945-1950— Cord sits on the sidelines and feels he and others are not getting the recognition they deserve for their sacrifices during wartime.
1950-1952—Cord serves with the U.S. Military in the Korean War but is becoming increasingly jaded about the rightness of any war. He begins to feel that it is only in the closeness and camaraderie of the military unit that true brotherhood and equality exist.
1952-1963—Cord witnesses the beginnings of the American Civil Rights Movement, but feels it is too little, too late. It is in war that he will seek true equality.
1968—As Sgt. Andy Cord, he leads the men of Bravo Company, forces of the United States Marine Corps in the Vietnam War. A charismatic leader who puts the lives and the safety of his men before all other considerations, he also tends to turn a blind eye to the depredations of some of his men and begins to consider that war exists for men to profit from. Killed in an engagement, he keeps an eye on his men, and when one of them, Joe Dawson steps on a land mine and is gravely injured, he saves his life by carrying him on his back to a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit and then vanishes from sight.
1995—Andy Cord, gun-runner, shows up in the Balkans and sells defective weapons to the insurgents led by Mara Leonin and her lover, Charlie DeSalvo. When Mara discovers what has happened, Cord kills her and Charlie vows revenge. Eventually, While at the Seacouver airport to pick up another arms shipment, Andy Cord senses another immortal arriving on a connector flight. A few moments later he is shot by a sniper, who turns out to be DeSalvo. Cord awakens in a vehicle and is greeted by old friend… Joe Dawson, who apparently knows all about him… and his immortality. Dawson attempts to keep his other immortal friend, Duncan MacLeod and Andy from fighting one another. Things seem to be working until Charlie shows up. Cord kills DeSalvo.
21 Aug 1995— Cord fights his last battle at a paint-ball facility against Duncan MacLeod with deadly results. MacLeod claims his head.