Famed Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro (Robert Shaw) returns to Peru for one final mission -- to conquer the Inca Empire, convert its people to Christianity and capture a supposedly massive cache of gold. Upon arriving in the Incan capital, Pizarro and his men secure the palace of the new Incan king, Atahualpa (Christopher Plummer). As the assault on the natives continues, the typically ruthless leader and his doomed hostage begin to respect -- and even admire -- each other.