A gunfighter, or gunslinger, is a general term for any individual who makes their living through the use of gun violence. In most cases, such activity tends to be illegal and is usually frowned upon in polite society. Gunfighters may hail from honorable professions such as being a bounty hunter, or they may be outlaws, bandits, brigands, thieves, or just plain ole murderers. Gunfighters play a major, and practically ubiquitous role in the Western film genre. After all, what's a Western without a gunfighter?
In the "spaghetti western" subgenre, one gunslinger of note was a mysterious man named Django. Django was a drifter who lived in an around Mexico in the latter half of the 19th century. Seeking revenge against the one responsible for murdering his wife, he traveled with a closed coffin dragging behind him. He encountered a military commander named Major Jackson, who was the leader of a group of Mexican bandits. Django saved a young woman named Maria from Jackson's men. Continuing his efforts to confound Jackson, Django took up an alliance with one of Jackson's rivals, General Hugo Rodriguez. Django and Rodriguez looted a Mexican fort, acquiring a large quantity of gold. However, he discerned that Rodriguez was not going to fairly distribute the wealth, so Maria and he stole their share from the General, only to later lose it in some quicksand. Rodriguez gathered his men in pursuit of Django. When they caught up to them, Maria was gravely injured and Rodriguez had Django's hands crushed as punishment for thievery.
Major Jackson came gunning for Django and got swept up in the crossfire with his rival, General Rodriguez. Along with the Mexican Army, Jackson shot his way through the General's bandits, and caught up with Django in a cemetery. Django, bit the trigger-guard off of his revolver and pressed it against a crucifix, repeatedly dropping the hammer until Jackson and his five remaining soldiers were dead.
Characters[]
| Character | Film/Series |
|---|---|
| Django | Django |
| Django | A Million Ways to Die in the West |
| Django Freeman | Django Unchained |
Notes[]
- Gunslinger redirects to this page.