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Jacob Galati was born about 1400. One of the nomadic Roma people, his birthplace is unknown. He suffered his first death in 1429 when hanged after he was accused of stealing some sheep. Because of his Immortality, Galati was able to get away with almost anything and hold no real sense of consequence or remorse for his actions. Galati was the first mentor of the Immortal, Irena in 1779. After 65 years courting the beautiful Irena, she finally agreed to marry him in 1844.
In 1847, Galati and Irena kept company with a Roma group in Europe. Their close friend, Immortal Duncan MacLeod accompanied them. One day a man from a nearby village lured Irena into a barn and raped her. Galati wanted to kill him in retaliation, but MacLeod convinced him to surrender the man to justice. The local judiciary, however, were prejudiced against the Rom and let the perpetrator go unpunished. As Galati and MacLeod walked away the perpetrator boasted and taunted them. Galati, enraged, stabbed him to death, and was hanged for it, forcing them to end their lives with their mortal companions. Galati was unmoved by his actions. Along with Irena, he went on and began a new life. MacLeod did not accompany the Galatis.
In 1992, Galati and Irena lived in Europe. They had become sedentary and had a house, Galati worked as a musician. One day their house was set on fire, and as they fled into the forest, they were surrounded by mortals. Their leader, James Horton knew of their Immortality. Galati was shot and shackled. He was forced to watch Horton behead Irena. Galati received Irena's Quickening, allowing him to break free and escape. Horton chased him, but did not catch him. Irena's Watcher, Maria Pezza, was later found near the burnt house with a broken neck. It is not known with certainty whether Horton or Galati was responsible, but evidence suggests Horton.
Galati and Irena cornered by the evil Horton.
Galati had two pieces of evidence, the name "James Horton" and the Watcher tattoo, and spent a year to track down other Watchers. Whenever he found one, he killed him in revenge for Irena's death, regardless if they were Hunters or not. Most died without breaking, but occasionally, one was willing to talk. As one of the first Galati killed was his own Watcher, Daniel Rutherford; the Coast Guard found him in Bordeaux in 1993, stabbed to death. Because of that, he was able to slip off of Watcher records. In April 1995, Martin Holocek was murdered in New York. He was found in his newspaper stand, which he ran in front of the house of his Immortal, Israel Weiss. His tattoo was exposed, so it was immediately apparent - Galati wanted to send the organization a message. In early 1996, he murdered the Watcher, Michael Neidzielski in Detroit. Neidzielski apparently assumed the Immortal, who was prowling around his house, was there for his assignment, Linda Flaherty. Galati was also responsible for the death of Jillian O'Hara, who was not a field operative.
In May 1996, Galati went to Paris. There he made contact with Duncan MacLeod and then killed his new Watcher, David Shapiro. On the morning of the 10th of May, he arrived at the scheduled execution of Joe Dawson, which was to be witnessed by most high ranking members of the Watcher organization. Galati fired a machine gun into the crowd, and two of the three Tribunal members died, as well as five regional coordinators, and much of the security personnel. Then Galati pursued the surviving Jack Shapiro in Paris. He killed the security chief of the tribunal, and planned to kill Shapiro himself.
He ran into Duncan MacLeod and saved him from an armed Watcher. MacLeod told him about the peaceful mission of the observers, but Galati was truly gone. He had killed numerous Watchers, and no longer cared if the ones he encountered were rogues, and was not slowed by the fact that Duncan had already killed Horton. Nevertheless, he was willing to talk to MacLeod's friend Joe Dawson.
Galati cornering Joe Dawson.
Under false assumptions, they agree to talk with Shapiro to end the crisis. But Shapiro, full of anger for his son David, wanted vengeance, and beheaded Galati, destroying everything he had vowed in taking the Watcher oath. Galati's Quickening passed to MacLeod, who was too late to save him. With difficulty and weighty threats, Duncan and Joe were able to prevent the war Shapiro was about to initiate and Shapiro was expelled for his actions.
Since Rutherford's death, Jacob Galati had no more Watchers. The final report of his acts was written in June 1996 by Joe Dawson.