John MacLeod is the adopted son of Connor and Brenda Wyatt-MacLeod. In 1994, Connor MacLeod was living with his adopted son, John, in Marakesh, "He knew he was adopted before he could spell."Brenda Wyatt, the woman he married after the incidents in the first film, was revealed to have been killed in a car accident three years previously. When trouble brewed, MacLeod left John in the care of his friend Jack Donovan, and then departed for New York to engage in the final showdown for the Prize. MacLeod eventually learns from Jack that John is on a plane bound for New York.Connor MacLeod returned as quickly as possible, but he's too late.
Kane had discovered the whereabouts of John, and disguised himself as Connor. He tricked the boy into traveling to New York. He took John captive, and sets him up as bait for Connor. The Highlander, of course, rushed to his son's rescue. MacLeod met Kane in an old church mission in Jersey City and then followed him into an abandoned power plant for their final battle. The Highlander defeated Kane, won the Prize by receiving the final Quickening, and then returned to Scotland with John.