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Jeymes Samuel's directorial debut, The Harder They Fall, premiered on Netflix yesterday and is all about the old west and gang rivalry.
The highly-anticipated movie features a predominantly black star cast of Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Regina King, Zazie Beets, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, Deon Cole and Damon Wayans Jr. bringing real-life wild west figures to life.
It's time to dissect and understand the ending of The Harder They Fall.
Spoilers ahead: Analyzing the ending of 'The Harder They Fall'
The reimagined fiction film includes Trudy Smith, Cherokee Bill, Nat Love, Stagecoach Mary, and Rufus Buck, who were real-life black wild west figures. The movie challenges the perception of Western films and its lack of diversity.
Towards the end of The Harder They Fall, viewers will see rival gang leaders, Rufus Buck and Nat Love come face to face. While Nat is all ready to end Rufus' life, the actual reason behind his parents' murder is revealed.
Rufus, who brutally did the deed and marked Nat with a cross on his head, shares that he was just seeking revenge from Nat's father. He tells Nat that they shared the same father and that the man had abused and killed Rufus' mother. The need to seek revenge was born from that very incident. He also tells him that the cross on his head was made so that Rufus could recognize him whenever they'd cross paths again. Angered by Rufus' actions and sob story, Love shoots him dead.
However, when the scene cuts to the end, Nat Love's grave is seen. A very confusing frame reveals that he is not dead and the grave was a decoy to make authorities think that he is dead. Since he is now a wanted man, he wishes to take on a new identity and move around freely without being chased by anyone.
There's a profound message behind Nat's grave. After the entire reveal of why Rufus did what he did to Nat's parents, he says that his true revenge came when he saw Nat turn into a criminal, something he never wanted for him as a brother and neither would their father. Nat knows that Rufus was right as their father was a god-fearing priest who always preached goodness to his son yet he turned into someone their father would detest.
Although he took up this life of crime just to avenge his parents' death, now that the mission is accomplished, he isn't the same person. So, the grave at the end with 'Nat Love' engraved on it symbolizes how he is putting his criminal identity to rest and changing his ways. Nat leaves town with his lady love, Mary, and wishes to start over.
The film closes with a woman watching the two ride off from a distance but her face isn't visible. What makes it a bit clear that it could be Trudy Smith is the round bowler hat which was always worn by her. Viewers are aware she wasn't dead during the ultimate showdown that happened between the rival gangs. This could mean that she is now looking for revenge against Mary, who bludgeoned her during their face off.
This kind of teaser may indicate a sequel, but that remains to be seen. The Harder They Fall is available for streaming right now on Netflix.
