The Mission (1986) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Father Gabriel was inspired by the sacrifice of a Jesuit missionary who was bound to a cross and cast over the falls while praying. Witnessing this act of martyrdom compelled Gabriel to brave the treacherous descent in hopes of connecting with the Guaraní tribe and establishing a mission among them.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene with the sacrificed missionary foreshadows the ultimate fate of Father Gabriel and other Jesuits at the mission.

• iguazu falls
• father gabriel
• jesuit missionary
• sacrifice
• guarani

Mendoza discovered his fiancée in a compromising position with his younger half-brother Felipe. In a fit of rage and jealousy, he killed Felipe during a duel. Although he escaped legal consequences thanks to Governor Cabeza, the guilt sending his brother to his death drove him into deep depression.

Foreshadowing: This act of passionate violence establishes Mendoza's capacity for extreme action, foreshadowing his later choice to take up arms to defend the mission.

• rodrigo mendoza
• felipe
• duel
• killed brother
• jealousy

Father Gabriel urged Mendoza to seek redemption through penance, and the Guaraní demonstrated remarkable forgiveness by removing his burdensome armor and sword upon his arrival. Their acceptance symbolizes the theme of redemption and the capacity for transformation through faith and community.

Foreshadowing: The Guaraní's acceptance of Mendoza sets up the emotional weight of the final attack, when they stand together to defend their home.

• guarani
• mendoza
• forgiveness
• acceptance
• redemption

The Treaty of Madrid in 1750 transferred control of the territory from Spain to Portugal. Under Portuguese law, slavery was permitted, whereas the Spanish had allowed the Jesuit missions to operate. This political shift meant the Portuguese could legally enslave the indigenous Guaraní people, putting the mission and its inhabitants in grave danger.

Foreshadowing: The treaty is introduced as a looming threat early in the film, building tension toward the inevitable confrontation.

• treaty of madrid
• 1750
• portuguese
• spanish
• slavery
• colonialism

Father Gabriel believed that violence was a sin against God and that using force would contradict the very Christian principles he had taught the Guaraní. He maintained that the mission's purpose was to spread God's love, not to wage war, even in self-defense.

Foreshadowing: Gabriel played the oboe to win the Guaraní's trust, establishing his method as one of peace rather than violence.

• father gabriel
• pacifism
• nonviolence
• jesuit
• faith

Mendoza felt he could not stand by while the Portuguese prepared to enslave and massacre the Guaraní who had accepted him. Though it meant breaking his vows, he chose to train the natives in European warfare to give them a chance at defending their home, believing violence was justified to protect the innocent.

Foreshadowing: Mendoza's earlier violent act of killing his brother contrasts with this later use of violence for protection rather than passion.

• mendoza
• jesuit vows
• armed resistance
• guarani defense

The Portuguese commander ordered the attack while the Guaraní were singing alongside Father Gabriel in a sacred procession, choosing to strike when they were gathered together and vulnerable. This deliberate timing resulted in the massacre of the priests and many indigenous people.

Foreshadowing: The peaceful procession contrasts sharply with the violence about to unfold, amplifying the tragedy of the attack.

• portuguese attack
• procession
• massacre
• guarani
• soldiers

Father Fielding made the ultimate choice to take down the Portuguese commander during the battle, sacrificing his own life to protect Father Gabriel, Mendoza, and the remaining Guaraní defenders. His act demonstrated that he was willing to use violence as a last resort to save others, even though he had previously advocated for peace.

Foreshadowing: Fielding's earlier support of Gabriel's peaceful methods makes his violent sacrifice a profound character moment.

• father fielding
• portuguese commander
• sacrifice
• death

Governor Hontar defends the colonial actions by saying "we must work in the world; the world is thus," implying that exploitation and violence are inevitable realities. Cardinal Altamirano counters with "Thus have we made the world. Thus have I made it," accepting moral responsibility for creating the conditions that allowed such atrocities to occur.

Foreshadowing: This dialogue crystallizes the film's central theme of moral complicity in colonialism.

• altamirano
• hontar
• dialogue
• colonialism
• responsibility

The final scene shows young children navigating the river back to the site of their community's massacre, salvaging remnants of their past. This image represents the resilience of the Guaraní people and the continuation of their culture and memory despite the tragedy, reinforcing the film's message that the struggle for indigenous rights continues.

Foreshadowing: The peaceful opening sacrifice contrasts with this somber return, completing the cycle of violence and memory.

• children
• ending
• guarani
• memory
• resilience