Red Sun (1970) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The ambassador needs Link because he is the only one who knows Gauche and the terrain they operate in. Despite Link being a criminal involved in the robbery, the ambassador has no other choice, he assigns Link to assist Kuroda because Link's knowledge of Gauche's methods and hideouts is essential for tracking him down within the one-week deadline.

• ambassador
• link
• kuroda
• trust
• sword recovery
• mission

After the train robbery, Gauche betrays Link by throwing dynamite into his car, leaving him badly injured and presumed dead. However, Link survives and is revived. The ambassador then orders Link to help Kuroda track down Gauche and recover the stolen sword, giving him a chance at redemption rather than simply leaving him to die.

Foreshadowing: The betrayal is foreshadowed early when Gauche demands control over the operation and shows willingness to eliminate anyone who stands in his way.

• link
• dynamite
• injury
• betrayal
• gauche
• revived

Gauche betrays Link to eliminate competition and keep all the stolen money for himself. After retrieving the loot and burying it, Gauche kills his own gang members to ensure that only he knows where the money is hidden. The betrayal also removes Link as a potential rival for control of the spoils.

Foreshadowing: Gauche's obsession with the sword and his demand for control during the heist hint at his willingness to betray his partners.

• gauche
• betrayal
• dynamite
• money
• greed
• gang members

The one-week deadline carries life-or-death consequences. Kuroda explains that if he fails to recover the sword and kill Gauche within seven days, both he and the ambassador must commit seppuku to restore their honor after allowing the theft and the death of a samurai bodyguard. This creates urgent stakes that drive the entire pursuit.

• deadline
• seppuku
• honor
• kuroda
• ambassador
• one week

Kuroda hesitates because he honors the same code of conduct that Link once challenged. Even though Gauche is his enemy, Kuroda adheres to a samurai's sense of fair combat and refuses to strike an unarmed man. This moment reflects the deep respect that has grown between Kuroda and Link throughout their pursuit.

Foreshadowing: Kuroda's explanation earlier in the film about maintaining the samurai code despite his nation's changing values foreshadows his refusal to take an unfair kill.

• kuroda
• hesitation
• gouche
• samurai code
• honor
• final duel

After escaping, Cristina runs into a band of Comanches. The Comanche leader ties her neck with wet rawhide, which slowly tightens as the sun dries it, threatening to strangle her. Link and Kuroda intervene, killing most of the Comanches and driving their leader away, saving Cristina from this brutal ritual.

• cristina
• comanche
• rawhide
• escape
• attack

Link hangs the ceremonial sword on a telegraph wire in front of the station as a symbolic act of returning it to the president’s gift. This fulfills his vow to the ambassador and represents the restoration of honor. The hanging sword signals that his duty is complete, he has recovered the blade and kept his promise despite the personal cost.

Foreshadowing: Link's earlier vow to return the sword to the ambassador foreshadows this final symbolic act of restoration.

• sword
• telegraph wire
• honor
• pledge
• ambassador
• return

Link refuses because he chooses to honor his duty to the ambassador and respect Kuroda's memory. After watching Kuroda die for the mission, Link cannot abandon that commitment to pursue personal wealth. His decision reflects the film's core theme: choosing integrity and honoring obligations over personal gain.

Foreshadowing: Link's earlier warning that he would kill Gauche if the bandit died before revealing the hideout demonstrates his commitment to completing the mission properly.

• link
• cristina
• money
• refusal
• duty
• honor
• kuroda

The Comanches attack after Cristina escapes and runs into their territory. While the film does not explicitly state their motivation, the attack appears to be a standard raid, Comanches in the film are depicted as hostile forces who attack travelers. Their assault forces Link, Kuroda, and Gauche's men to momentarily cooperate against a common enemy.

• comanche
• attack
• cristina
• raid
• territory

Gauche kills his gang members to ensure that only he knows where the money is buried. By eliminating anyone who might betray him or claim a share of the loot, Gauche consolidates complete control over the stolen $400,000. The film shows he pays off some members but kills those who pose a threat to his exclusive knowledge of the hiding place.

• gauche
• gang members
• money
• betrayal
• kills
• greed

Initially, Link tries to escape from Kuroda and treats him as a reluctant partner. However, as they journey together, Link develops growing respect for Kuroda's discipline, loyalty, and adherence to the samurai code. By the end, Link actively chooses to honor Kuroda's memory and complete the mission not just for the ambassador, but for Kuroda himself.

Foreshadowing: Kuroda's explanation about his people's fading cultural values and the importance of the samurai code plants the seeds for Link's evolving respect.

• link
• kuroda
• respect
• samurai code
• partnership
• loyalty

The exchange fails because Gauche plans an ambush. Despite the agreed swap of Cristina for the sword and Link's share, Gauche brings his men to attack Link and Kuroda rather than surrender. The mission becomes a battlefield as gunfire erupts, Cristina pleads for mercy, and the building burns during the confrontation.

Foreshadowing: The tension during the planning phase makes clear that both sides expect treachery, the edge of betrayal hangs over the deal from the start.

• exchange
• mission
• ambush
• gouche
• cristina
• sword
• failed