Tombstone is arguably the definitive on-screen retelling of Wyatt Earp’s infamous adventures through the American Wild West, detailing his bloody vendetta against Johnny Ringo and the Cowboys following the death of his brother. The lawman has become a staple of American history from this era and has been portrayed countless times in film and television. However, Tombstone is one of the few Westerns that doesn’t portray Earp as a flawless hero; in fact, another character outshines him in the film’s first act.
Tombstone has developed a reputation as the perfect ’90s Western thanks to its engaging story and compelling roster of characters, but many of the film’s most interesting figures often fly under the radar. Nobody could forget about Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp or Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday, but the unfortunate result of their staggering performances is that they frequently overshadow the more subtle, s “lesser” roles in the story.
Johnny Ringo’s First Tombstone Scene Really Makes You Like Him
Ringo’s Introduction Makes Him Seem Effortlessly Cool
Much of the characterization in Tombstone comes down to how cool and charismatic the figures are. Audiences are immediately drawn to Wyatt Earp because of his charming nonchalance and gallantry, while it’s Doc Holliday’s witty sarcasm that gets viewers on his side. Similarly, audiences are immediately drawn to Johnny Ringo in his introductory scene. The antagonist maintains a cool composure while guns are firing all around him, not hesitating to kill anybody who stands in his path. It’s a very powerful entrance, one that leaves a lasting impression.
During this scene, Ringo effectively sets the scene for everything that’s to follow in Tombstone. Quoting a biblical passage mentioned several minutes earlier, he foreshadows his rivalry with Earp: “Behold a pale horse; the man who sat on him was death, and hell followed with him.” Michael Biehn’s delivery of this line is chilling, making for one of Tombstone’s best performances and immediately setting Ringo up as somebody not to be messed with. His calmness also makes him seem less evil than the other cowboys, which deceptively creates a kind of skewed trust in the audience.
By The End Of Tombstone, You’re Supposed To Hate Johnny Ringo
Ringo Quickly Becomes The Film’s Overarching Villain
But no amount of charisma in this introductory scene can offset the hatred that viewers are supposed to feel towards Johnny Ringo by his final moments. Throughout Tombstone, the film does a great job of showcasing him as the evil mastermind behind the Cowboys’ actions, with Earp and Holliday rightly blaming him for the brutal deaths of their friends. This charm and personality that he displays in the opening scene quickly turns to vile arrogance, as Tombstone gradually brings the audience over to Earp’s side.
It’s some of the strongest writing and most astute character work in any Western of its era, and it all works because of how much respect the viewer develops for Ringo in those opening moments.
The ending of Tombstone sees Doc Holliday face off against Johnny Ringo in a one-on-one duel, and this emotional climax only works if the audience is on Holliday’s side. However, the genius of Tombstone is that audiences can still appreciate Ringo as a character while rooting for Holliday to murder him. It’s some of the strongest writing and most astute character development in any Western of its era, and it all works because of how much respect the viewer develops for Ringo in those opening moments.
Johnny Ringo Is One Of Tombstone’s Most Underrated Characters
Michael Biehn Deserves More Credit For This Iconic Villain
Each of the main characters in Tombstone merits recognition for their unique personalities and the exceptional performances behind them, but Johnny Ringo is one that doesn’t always get the praise he deserves. This story is nothing without a fierce villain pulling the strings, and Ringo fits into that role perfectly. Ringo is the final obstacle for Earp and Holliday to overcome, and his death at the end of the story represents their revenge for the countless innocent lives lost at the hands of the Cowboys.
Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer are usually (and deservedly) the names that get brought up when discussing Tombstone, but Michael Biehn certainly should be ranked among them. His on-screen dynamic with the film’s heroes is what keeps the story moving forward throughout its final act, and the whole climax wouldn’t work unless audiences fully bought into the character’s blind naïveté. He’s the perfect foil to Wyatt Earp’s traditional protagonist, and Tombstone wouldn’t be the same without him.