Inferno

Eddie was already haunted by memories of wartime atrocities and barely held himself together on the salt flats. When the Hogan brothers beat him, shot him, and stole his motorcycle, this became the final breaking point. During his recovery at Johnny's home, Eddie made a brutal vow to reclaim both his motorcycle and his dignity. His quest was driven by a need to assert control over his life again after feeling powerless for so long.

The Hogan brothers were a group of three local men, Matt being the oldest, who worked with a gang called the Heathens. They came across Eddie during his breakdown on the salt flats when his motorcycle broke down and he was firing randomly. A shot from Eddie's gun hit their passing truck, which prompted them to stop and confront him. They beat Eddie, shot him, and the youngest brother Petey executed him before stealing the motorcycle.

After the Hogan brothers left Eddie for dead, his old Army friend Johnny Sixtos suddenly reappeared and carried Eddie to his home. Johnny, a doctor, nursed Eddie back to health over time, treating both his physical wounds and helping him recover mentally. This recovery arc spans several days as Eddie's strength and resolve gradually returned.

Johnny returned during the chaotic street battle between the Heathens and Hogans specifically to draw attention away from Eddie. He deliberately made himself visible to the gangs, taking focus off Eddie and allowing him to escape. This selfless act was an attempt to help Eddie survive the ambush, though it resulted in Johnny being badly injured and his life becoming threatened.

Johnny's injuries proved to be life-threatening after the street battle. The timeline indicates that his wounds were severe enough to cause fresh heartbreak for Rhonda and Eddie. However, Johnny later reappears walking alongside Eddie in the final scene, though it's ambiguous whether this is literal or a symbolic vision representing Eddie's memory of his friend.

Eddie deliberately told the Heathens that the Hogans had hired him to kill them. This lie exploited the tension between the two groups and caused the Heathens to believe the Hogans had betrayed them by hiring an outside killer. The revelation sparked mutual mistrust, leading both gangs to plan ambushes against each other rather than continuing their alliance against Eddie.

Eddie formed a strategic alliance with Eli Hamilton (who supplied him with weapons), Jubal Early (who helped clean up bodies), and Rhonda Reynolds. Together, they booby-trapped Eddie's hotel room to even the odds. Eddie then systematically killed most gang members in close-quarters combat inside the trapped room. The town's residents also intervened during the final duel, shooting Matt Hogan after Eddie gained the upper hand.

After the violence ended and a fragile peace settled over the town, Eddie leaked a newspaper story to the press claiming UFOs caused 28 disappearances. This bizarre cover story was actually a strategic move, it attracted curious tourists and commerce to the struggling town, leading to unexpected prosperity. The lie transformed the town's dark history into something mysterious and commercially viable.

Rhonda was a friend of Johnny's who met Eddie at a diner. She became drawn into his orbit as his quest for vengeance unfolded. After helping him during the conflict and presumably forming a personal connection, she stood by him through the violent climax. By the end, she rides away with Eddie, becoming his companion as he leaves town.

During Eddie's duel with Matt Hogan, Matt initially gained the upper hand. However, several townspeople intervened and shot Matt, killing him. This sparked debate in the town over who truly killed him, Eddie or the townspeople vigilante-style. The ambiguity reflects the town's murky moral justice system where violence came from multiple sources.

Eddie went to the Bomb Bay Cafe because Eli and Jubal informed him that the Hogan brothers worked with the Heathens gang there. His goal was to confront both groups directly, kill the gang members, and rescue two women being held captive. He succeeded in killing three more men and freeing the women while also spreading his lie that the Hogans had hired him, further fracturing the gang alliance.

Eddie suffered from severe PTSD stemming from atrocities he and his comrades committed during the war. His memories haunted him constantly, contributing to his breakdown on the salt flats where he contemplated suicide. His entire quest for revenge can be seen as an extension of this trauma, channeling his internal violence outward toward external targets.