Gunslinger Journey

Unforgiven is a story of revenge and one man's struggle to overcome the darkness within. The story revolves around Will Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job years after he had hung up his guns and turned to farming. After many years of bloodthirsty killing, Munny was reformed by his late wife who 'cured him of drinking and wikedness'. Now in his old age Munny is forced again to kill for money in order to save his struggling pig farm.

The film centers around two conflicts. First there's the outer conflict of Munny's gang versus the Cowboys and Little Bill. Then there's the inner conflict of Munny struggling to deal with his shadow self. He main quest through the film is to complete the task of killing the cowboys without reverting back to his wicked ways or forgetting the lessons of his wife.

1) Ordinary world: 1880, Wyoming. Will Munny is a pig farmer and father who lives the simple life tending to his struggling pig farm. He honors the memory of his late wife by holding fast to her lessons of morality and 'right living'. He resolved long ago to leave his old life of killing behind.

2) The Call to Adventure/ Herald: One day Will is visited by a young gunslinger calling himself The Schofield Kid. This Herald speaks of Will's past sins and calls him to join in a quest. A prostitute in a town called Big Whiskey was attacked and cut up by a pair of cowboys. The kid seeks revenge and payment by killing the cowboys.

3) Refusal of Call: Will refuses the kid's offer on account of his reformed ways. He claims he no longer kills for money.

4)Accepting the call: Munny realizes that his struggling family needs the money from the killing job. Alone in his room, Will puts away his wife’s photo (representation of her lessons) and pulls out his old pistol (representation of killing and his old ways).
Crossing the First Threshold:Will leaves his home.

5) Road of Trails: Munny and his gang undergo many trials. First Will must convince the kid to allow his partner Ned to join the quest. Then he and Ned test the kid's eyesight. Then there's the ordeals of killing the two cowboys.

6) Crucifixion&Dismemberment: When the boys enter the saloon at Big Whiskey, Will, stricken by the flu, is confronted by the threshold guardian and shadow Sherif Little Bill. He is beaten to near death and kicked out of the saloon.

7) Temptation: when Will finally heals after his beating, he's offered a 'free one' by one of the prostitutes who feels sorry for him. Seeing that this would go against the lessons of his wife, Munny refuses the offer.

8) Second Crucifixion&Dismemberment: While going through their trails and ordeals Munny's gang are traumatized by murdering. In a way each man is emotionally crucified. Ned leaves the quest realizing he can't bring himself to kill anyone anymore only to be captured and murdered by Little Bill. The Kid makes his first kill but is sickened by it. And Will draws closer and closer to his shadow self with every kill he partakes in.

9) Apotheosis: When a prostitute herald comes to pay Will for the killings she notify them of Ned's capture and death. With this news Will embraces his shadow self and allows it to overcome him. He rides into town and guns down Little Bill and his gang.

10) Ultimate Boon: In the epilogue we learn that Munny returns to his farm with the money and the family moves to San Francisco where they prosper in selling dry goods. From that we can assume that Will was able to purge himself of his shadow and return to his family life. Furthermore, Will's move to San Francisco suggest that he was finally able to let go of his wife's memory and live his own life.