The Cherokee Kid

The Cherokee Kid

Year: 1996

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

FamilyActionComedyTV MovieWestern

In the harsh frontier, only the hard, tough, or insane survived—Isaiah Turner embodied all three. Orphaned after the wealthy, powerful Cyrus Bloomington brutally murdered his parents, he shuns heroics and fixates on vengeance. Through dusty towns and lawless trails he tracks Bloomington, determined to bring the tyrant to justice.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Cherokee Kid (1996)

Trace every key event in The Cherokee Kid (1996) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Origins in Oklahoma and family tragedy

Isaiah Turner grows up in the Oklahoma Territory during the railroad expansion. His half-Cherokee father is murdered by men tied to the railroad after opposing land sales. In vengeance, Isaiah and his brother Jedediah kill the responsible man, but their mother scolds them for confusing courage with stupidity and gives them their father's Cherokee feathered hat before helping Jedediah escape. Bloomington arrives, murders their mother, leaving a scar on his forehead, and Isaiah narrowly escapes; he is later adopted by Reverend Peel and his wife.

Childhood Oklahoma Territory
2

A vow for revenge and a fateful mistake

Fourteen years later, Isaiah spots Bloomington's gubernatorial poster and sets out to avenge his family. He keeps getting lost—a running gag—and ends up saving a prostitute after accidentally killing outlaw Jake Carver with a turkey. Believing Carver is a rival, Carver's gang captures Isaiah and takes him toward Pinedale, where he claims to be Carver's friend planning a bank robbery to lure them there.

Fourteen years later Plains toward Pinedale
3

Pinedale capture and Otter Bob training

In Pinedale, a botched robbery and failed assassination attempt on Bloomington force Isaiah into hiding with mountain man Otter Bob. For three months, Otter Bob trains him in survival and shooting in exchange for Isaiah's reading lessons. When Bonner's men close in, Otter Bob sacrifices himself to save Isaiah, cementing his mentor's debt.

Shortly after arriving in Pinedale Pinedale
4

Rescuing Cortina from the desert

During his time with Otter Bob's training, Isaiah rescues Juan Cortina from the desert. Cortina vows to repay the debt, linking their fates and foreshadowing future alliance. The desert meeting sets the stage for Cortina's involvement in the West's struggle over land and power.

After Otter Bob rescue Desert
5

El Paso capture and jailbreak

In El Paso, Isaiah is captured and jailed with Nat Love, who reveals that Jedediah Turner became a gunslinger and died in a duel with The Undertaker. Cortina helps break them out, and together they join Nat Love's gang, alongside Stagecoach Mary. The trio begins to chart a course against Bloomington and the railroad's grip on the land.

Shortly after Cortina rescue El Paso
6

Training and the Cherokee Kid

Under Nat Love's harsh tutelage, Isaiah rapidly grows into a skilled gunslinger and earns the nickname 'Cherokee Kid.' He proves himself in a bank robbery with Nat's gang, cementing his reputation. The tough mentorship shapes his identity and foreshadows his future confrontations with Bloomington.

During Nat Love mentorship El Paso
7

Split from Nat's gang

After the successful bank robbery, Isaiah and Cortina part ways with Nat's gang to chase Bloomington on their own terms. They pursue independence and seek leverage over Bloomington's vast bank operations. The bond with Cortina remains as their shared debt drives their alliance.

Post-bank robbery El Paso
8

Bounty hunters and the Holsopple farm ambush

Bloomington hires a cadre of bounty hunters, including The Undertaker, to track them down. Isaiah and Cortina ride to Holsopple farm for fresh horses, where Abby, the daughter, knocks them out hoping to collect the bounty to save their land. They escape and continue their road toward Bloomington and the showdown.

Before the final duel Holsopple farm
9

Duel setup and Larabee confrontation

Isaiah challenges The Undertaker to a duel as Bloomington's forces tighten the noose. The showdown is staged with an air of inevitability, and the two fighters finally face off in Larabee, Texas, setting the stage for a revelation.

Climactic moment Larabee, Texas
10

The Undertaker is Jedediah Turner

During the staged duel, the Undertaker is revealed to be Jedediah Turner, Isaiah's long-lost brother. The brothers pretend to feud while secretly leveraging the fight to strike Bloomington's men.

Duel moment Larabee
11

Blood, battle, and loss

A massive gunfight erupts with allies against Bloomington's forces; Nat Love dies in the crossfire and Cortina is wounded. Jedediah sacrifices himself to help Isaiah and the brothers push back Bloomington's final standing men.

After reveal Bloomington's territory
12

Aftermath and westward plans

With Nat buried, the brothers plan to head west together, seeking new adventures away from Bloomington's schemes. Abby protests that Isaiah no longer needs the 'Cherokee Kid' identity, but Isaiah remains ready for more gunslinging life as he and Cortina ride off.

End of film Westward
13

Abby joins the crew

As they ride into the horizon, Abby shoots at them and declares she wants to join their group, cementing a new dynamic for the trio.

End of film On the road

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 08:41

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Cherokee Kid

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