Kill or Be Killed

Barbee rises to de facto leader as Nixon dies, guiding the gang toward the gold with a mix of pragmatism and cold calculation. He navigates loyalty and brutality, keeping the group together even as moral lines blur. His relationship with Pearl adds a personal dimension to his pursuit of wealth, complicating his crimes.

A brutal enforcer within the gang, Jackson commits violent acts including the rape and murder of the Wilberforce daughter, fueling the gang's cycle of vengeance. His presence intensifies fear and aggression within the group. He remains a dangerous, unrepentant member of the journey until the end.

Nixon starts as the gang's cautious leader, balking at the long trek toward the gold. He is found dead after a campout, a turning point that allows Barbee to seize control. His death destabilizes the group and accelerates the pursuit of wealth at any cost.

A member who holds the key knowledge of where the gold is located, his presence anchors the gang's motivation. He is wounded during a town robbery, contributing to the mounting danger surrounding the crew. He remains a volatile participant in the gang's volatile journey.

A former prostitute who joins the gang and grows close to Barbee, she becomes part of the treasure plot and wields influence over him. She and the map to the gold vanish with Barbee's key confidant, Willie, and she is later found dead at the bottom of a well.

A murderous employer who kills his wife and torment his children, Goebel's brutal actions propel the gang's dynamic. Barbee ultimately defeats him, ending Goebel's threats, though not without leaving a lasting shadow over the group.

The lawman pursuing the gang, driven by the reward and the prospect of heroism. He leads a calculated pursuit that climaxes in a deadly confrontation with the gang. His presence embodies the frontier's fragile rule of law.

Everheart's partner in pursuit, he provides the other half of the frontier lawman's force. He is drawn into the escalating violence and meets a fatal end during the final showdown.

A teenage ward of a traveling salesman and his ventriloquist's dummy, Willie is taken in by the gang and becomes part of their journey. His lingering innocence contrasts with the gang's brutality, and he dies as the pursuit grows darker.