Forsaken

A former Civil War soldier and gunslinger returning home, haunted by a stray-shot killing and the war's atrocities. He is estranged from his father and torn between violence and protecting those he loves. He ultimately confronts McCurdy's gang to defend the town, then chooses a quiet, elusive exile to avoid bounty hunters.

John Henry's father, a pastor who grapples with his son's violence and seeks reconciliation. He offers forgiveness and moral guidance, trying to keep the family and town from spiraling into lawlessness. He is stabbed by Ned but survives long enough to witness forgiveness between father and son.

John Henry's former lover, now married to Tom Watson and mother to his child, caught between love and loyalty. She pleads with John Henry to protect her family, highlighting the personal costs of violence. Her presence fuels the emotional stakes of the feud.

Saloon owner and ruthless gang leader, pressing landowners to abandon their property. He embodies the town's corrupt power and escalates the tension that drives John Henry to action. His aggression pushes the town toward a violent showdown.

A veteran gunfighter and member of McCurdy's gang, who later confronts John Henry with conflicting loyalties. He is torn between his duty and a grudging respect for John Henry, ultimately acknowledging that his job is to kill him. He witnesses the consequences of unchecked violence.

Mary Alice's husband, a landowner pressured by McCurdy to sell. His fear of loss and desire to protect his family set him on a path toward capitulation to the gang, until the crisis intensifies the conflict within the town.

A gang member who stabs Reverend Samuel in an alley, triggering John Henry's decision to intervene. He ultimately falls to John Henry's gun in the ensuing clash. His actions reveal the ruthlessness of the gang's violence.

A member of McCurdy's gang killed by John Henry during the final gunfight, representing the cost of the town's violent feud. His presence helps escalate the stakes of the showdown.