‘The Harder They Fall’ Ending, Explained

Netflix is knocking it out of the park with westerns this year, having just released The Harder They Fall, with The Power of the Dog right around the corner. The new Jay-Z produced film features a killer soundtrack and an even a plot twist. We know everything there is to know about who dies, who lives, and who ends up wanted at the end of The Harder They Fall.

The film stars Jonathan Majors and Idris Elba as two cowboy rivals: Nat Love and Rufus Buck, respectively. After Rufus kills Nat’s parents, the latter sets out on a quest to hunt down and kill his enemy. In order to do so, he wrangles a team of outlaws to assist him. The film also stars Regina King, Zazie Beetz, and LaKeith Stanfield.

Spoilers ahead, of course — here’s everything to know about The Harder They Fall‘s ending.

What happens in the ending of The Harder They Fall? The Harder They Fall ending, explained:

There are a handful of deaths that happen at the end of The Harder They Fall, and we’re here to break down what we know. Near the end of The Harder They Fall, Nat steals from the bank of a nearby town to pay off Rufus’ men. But before he can hand it over, he causes an explosion and proceeds to attack them all. A handful of gang members are killed in the blow-up.

Nat goes to Rufus’ home to kill him, finding his rival sitting at his desk. Rufus then tells Nat that the pair are brothers, but it’s no use — Nat’s already sunk a flurry of bullets into his body. Finally, Nat has revenge on the man who killed his parents — no matter if they’re related.

But what about the scene near the end, featuring Nat Love’s grave? Did Nat die? No — it’s merely a decoy. Since he’s a wanted man, he stages his own death and uses it to fool the authorities so that he can wander around freely.

And why did Rufus kill their parents in the first place? According to the villain, he and Nat are brothers that only share the same abusive father. Seeing the problems his father caused with his old and new wife, Rufus killed Nat’s parents. Even though it may have been an act of a vigilante, Nat doesn’t trust the criminal that Rufus has turned into, ultimately leading him to kill his brother.

Did The Harder They Fall ending happen in real life?

Nope. Although The Harder They Fall is loosely based on real cowboys, the rivalry between Nat and Rufus did not actually take place.

Will there be a The Harder They Fall sequel?

Maybe, but probably not. Seeing that the rivals have put their feud to the end with a fatal turn of events, it’s probably unlikely that The Harder They Fall will return for a second film. Netflix has yet to confirm or deny The Harder They Fall 2, though, so it’s certainly a possibility! In an interview with Esquire, director Jeymes Samuel stated he has more ideas for similar films, saying he’s leaving his films open for another installment.

“Wide, open. Wide, wide, wide open,” Samuel said. “I’m going back to do multiple films in what I call the CCU: the Cowboy Cinematic Universe. For me, the only thing better than Trudy Smith is more Trudy Smith, you know what I mean? I’m always going to dive back into the Old West.”

Stream The Harder They Fall on Netflix