There Are Only 2 Heroes In Tombstone, But They Aren’t Doc Holliday And Wyatt Earp

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I’ve been revisiting Tombstone from 1993 lately, and wow, it really holds up! It’s not just a fun ’90s flick – it’s genuinely one of the best westerns ever made. A big reason for its renewed popularity is the incredible work from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. And honestly, Kilmer kills it as Doc. It’s one of his most memorable and endlessly quotable roles, truly captivating to watch.

Earp and Holliday quickly become the central figures in Tombstone, attracting attention with their charm and mysteriousness. However, in a town brimming with gambling and other shady activities, they’re far from traditional heroes. Interestingly, the film actually does center on two heroic characters from the start, though they aren’t who many people would anticipate.

Wyatt Earp & Doc Holliday Are Not Tombstone’s Heroes

The movie Tombstone doesn’t try to portray Val Kilmer’s Doc Holliday as a typical hero; instead, he’s a charming rogue who can be both cruel and honorable depending on what’s happening. While Doc Holliday is complex, Wyatt Earp initially seems like the film’s straightforward hero. However, a closer look reveals that Earp is also flawed and ultimately an antihero, just like Doc.

Throughout most of the movie Tombstone, Wyatt Earp is primarily motivated by greed, openly trying to maximize his profits from the town’s silver mines and become wealthy. He ignores the criminal activity happening around him as long as it doesn’t affect his financial goals. When he eventually confronts the cowboys, it’s driven by personal vengeance rather than a desire for justice.

Beyond his work, Wyatt Earp wasn’t necessarily unfaithful to his wife, but rather seemed to completely disregard her feelings. The film Tombstone attempts to justify Wyatt’s affairs by suggesting his wife struggled with laudanum addiction, but this actually makes his behavior even worse. Even his own brothers noticed his lack of principles, claiming he could talk his way out of any situation.

Ultimately, Tombstone is a film about a former hero who feels entitled to some relaxation and personal time.

Tombstone’s True Heroes: Virgil & Morgan Earp

In the movie Tombstone, Virgil and Morgan Earp, Wyatt’s brothers, are the only characters who can really be considered heroes. Unlike Wyatt, they aren’t as focused on personal gain, and they also stay faithful to their wives.

I’ve always been struck by Sam Elliott’s portrayal of Virgil Earp – he’s the one who first seems troubled by the way Tombstone is being built up while the actual people living there are overlooked. He’s the brother who truly starts to care and wants to make a difference, and it’s wonderful to see. Luckily, Morgan quickly joins him, standing right by his side.

Early in the film, a memorable scene shows Morgan thoughtfully wondering about Heaven, a topic Wyatt barely acknowledges. This simple conversation quickly highlights Morgan’s more innocent and hopeful nature compared to Wyatt.

Virgil and Morgan show a more innocent side of Wyatt, suggesting who he was before becoming a lawman. Interestingly, during the lead-up to the O.K. Corral fight, the sick Doc Holliday demonstrates more willingness to fight alongside Virgil and Morgan than their own brother does. Wyatt seems to be trying to avoid conflict with the Cowboys by leaving them be, and even Doc Holliday appears to recognize who the true heroes of this story are.

The story hinges on the idea that Wyatt Earp’s brothers were the true heroes of Tombstone. When Morgan is killed and Virgil wounded, Wyatt suffers the consequences of their goodness. Though they simply tried to do what was right for the town, they paid a heavy price. This tragedy pushes Wyatt to seek revenge and ultimately pursue the life he desires with the woman he loves. Interestingly, a different kind of hero might have chosen to return to full-time law enforcement after these events.

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2025-10-26 16:40