Methos, the legendary oldest immortal, is a complex individual. He possesses a unique combination of experiential and scholarly wisdom, having met many philosophers and thinkers, and having lived for at least more than five millennia. Yet he is not in the least omniscient - at one point Joe Dawson must explain the concept of baseball to him - and despite his native wit and cunning, he tells a disappointed Dawson "I'm just a guy." He possesses a cynical and sharp sense of humor and does not hesitate to make others aware of their mistakes, occasionally in a humiliating way.

While he is loyal to his friends and allies, he is not particularly heroic, and though he seems to want to be a good person, he is primarily, and overwhelmingly, most interested in his own survival.

Regarding combat, Methos is of the firm opinion that most fights aren't worth the risk, even if they seem to present an easy victory. He sleeps with his sword under his bed, and sometimes carries a handgun, unusual for an immortal. He rarely participates in the Game, and travels around the world in a never ending quest for knowledge.