Scorched Earth

In the not-too-distant future, brutal climate changes and relentless resource mining have made Earth nearly uninhabitable. Water purifiers called tabs and silver become the two most valuable commodities, bartered to survive a deadly airborne disease known as Black Lung. Fossil-fuel vehicles are outlawed and bounty hunters enforce the harsh new order, deterring violators with fear and payoffs.

Gage captures Womack, a follower of outlaw Chavo, and brutalizes him before dumping him in the wilderness. The act underscores the brutal justice of the frontier and the personal cost of living by the bounty. It also signals Gage's willingness to do whatever it takes to survive and pursue her targets.

Using the harsh terrain as cover, Gage locates Chavo and defeats him in a brutal confrontation. In the process, she frees several pilgrims who had become hostages in Chavo’s operation. The takedown cements her reputation and accelerates her quest for Defiance’s ruler, Thomas Jackson.

Gage returns with Chavo’s corpse to Sheriff Grubbs in New Montana to claim the reward. Grubbs, a practical yet corrupt lawman, profits from the bounty while maintaining a veneer of law and order. The exchange highlights the moral ambiguity of authority in this world.

Doc warns Gage about a massive reward for Thomas Jackson, the outlaw building a shelter-town called Defiance. He explains that Jackson intends to enslave the region and force people to work the silver mines. The information sets Gage on a personal mission to dismantle Defiance.

Despite the danger, Gage resolves to confront Jackson by herself. Doc cautions that every bounty hunter who tried before never returned. Undeterred, she sets her sights on infiltrating Defiance and ending Jackson’s control.

Gage slips into Defiance under the identity of Chavo, bypassing guards and earning a place within Jackson’s inner circle. Her disguise allows her to observe plans and gain allies from inside. The deception marks a turning point in her battle against the outlaw town.

Lear grows suspicious but cannot prove Gage’s true identity as she proves useful during a dangerous assault, saving Jackson’s life. Jackson invites her into his plans and offers 15% of profits, while revealing a forearm scar tied to a family tragedy. This bond risks exposing Gage’s past but deepens her access to Defiance’s leadership.

Jackson and his men seize pilgrims using armored vehicles, consolidating control over the area. Beatrice, one of the women Gage saved earlier, warns the captives to stay quiet and patient lest they provoke the captors. The capture reinforces Defiance’s grip on the region and deepens the peril for all prisoners.

Gage urges Melena, Jackson’s girlfriend, to leave Defiance and reveal her bounty-hunter identity. Melena betrays Gage, and she is quickly identified by Womack, leading to a brutal capture and interrogation. The betrayal tightens Jackson’s security and heightens Gage’s peril.

Womack drives Gage out into the wilderness and abandons her in a gorge. She survives the fall but contracts a severe case of Black Lung, a deadly consequence in this polluted world. The illness forces a dramatic shift, as she must be rescued and treated to continue the fight.

Doc revives Gage and tends her wounds, then they plan to liberate Beatrice and the other captives from the silver mine. They resolve to topple Jackson and Defiance’s control, forming a reluctant alliance. The partnership marks a crucial pivot in their resistance against the town.

Gage and Doc lead the liberation of Beatrice and the other captives from the mines. The townspeople rise up against Jackson’s regime as the mine operation begins to crumble. Defiance’s grip weakens, sparking a broader confrontation that could reshape the region.

Gage and Lear clash in a fierce confrontation, while Melena shifts her loyalty and aids Gage at a critical moment. A sniper duel intensifies the siege as Melena’s actions help turn the tide. The shifting allegiances complicate the final outcome.

Gage pursues Jackson to the mines and defeats him in a brutal duel, leaving him to die in a dynamite explosion. With Jackson gone, Defiance’s power structure collapses and the town’s fate hangs in the balance. Gage then cuts down the corpses hanging at the town entrance and helps transport Doc back to New Montana to begin the road to recovery.