'The Harder They Fall' Ending Explained: Will Treacherous Trudy be back for revenge?
Spoilers for 'The Harder They Fall'
The movie begins as we see a young boy and his parent about to have dinner when they are interrupted by someone knocking on the door. A man walks in as the father clearly scared for his family asks him to spare them and settle their issue outside. The man shoots his wife dead, followed by him, and cuts the forehead of the child sparing him to witness his parent's death. Sometime later in Salinas, Texas, we see Nat Love ( Jonathan Majors) now a grown man kill a gang member with a scorpion tattoo on his hand. He was a part of the people who killed his parents and gave him the cross-shaped scar of his forehead. We then see the Crimson Hood gang get robbed and killed by Nat Love's gang members as the surviving man warns them they've made a mistake by stealing the money before they let him go. Love pays a visit to a saloon where he does to meet the woman he loves, Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz) who doesn't want to be involved with him anymore despite still caring for him. There he's interrupted by one of his gang members as he finds out from Monroe Grimes (Damon Wayans Jr ) that Rufus Buck(Idris Elba) will be freed, but doesn't believe him as Buck is in prison for life. We then see Treacherous Trudy (Regina King), Cherokee Bill (Lakeith Stanfield ), and others free Rufus by stopping the train he's being transported in. He and the whole gang have been given an official pardon as they set out free.
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On having the news confirmed by Marshal Bass Reeves (Delroy Lindo) Nat Love and his gang set out to get revenge on Buck. In Redwood City Rufus and his gang take over from Wiley Escoe ( Deon Cole), the sheriff, and set up base. They're broke and in need of money. Events lead to Mary being captured by Trudy after she rides into town alone with Love's gang coming to rescue her. Their enemy has Mary hostage and forces them to rob a bank in exchange for her safe return. Nat Love and his troop successfully rob a bank but come out with very little money. A surprise sees Wiley who was insulted and kicked out by Rufus bring them tons of ammunition and guns for their fight against Buck.
What happens at the end of 'The Harder They Fall'?
Love and his gang feign an exchange but attack under the pretense of the money transfer. A fight ensues with everyone scattered around as they fight one on one. Mary and Trudy get into a fight as we see Cherokee Bill and Jim Beckwourth compete in a quick draw. Bill who's known for striking from behind shoots as Jim counts down to five and kills him. Wiley was the one who gave up Rufus to the authorities and gets shot to death by him. Cherokee Bill kills Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) one of Love's members from behind. Cuffee (Danielle Deadwyler) who witnessed it challenges him to a quick draw where she successfully shoots him in the next as he stumbles out and dies in the street.
Nat and Rufus finally confront each other as Rufus tells him he remembers Nat and purposely gave him the scar to recognize him. In a shocking turn of events, Buck reveals that they are half brothers. His father who was abusive to his mother had run off leaving him behind. Buck had searched for him to kill him when he found his father had turned over a new leaf and had a new family. He reveals that their father changed his last name to Love and that Nat is actually Nat Buck. Emotional and angry, we see Nat struggle to shoot him initially, but ends up killing Rufus, who won't kill his brother and doesn't put up a fight. Later we see Nat, Mary, Cuffee, and Marshall at the graves of Bill Pickett, and Jim with the final grave having Nat's name. The Marshal won't snitch as Nat and Mary set off for a new life with Cufee deciding to stay and help the Marshal.
The movie ends with Treacherous Trudy standing in the distance as we are left to wonder if she'll come for the group once more.
'The Harder They Fall' is now streaming on Netflix'.