3:10 to Yuma ending explained: Was the Hand of God really cursed?

3:10 to Yuma, the 2007 Western action drama film directed by James Mangold, was recently added to Netflix. From September 1, 2024, Netflix users have had the option to stream the film boasting the likes of Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Peter Fonda, among others, in its cast.

In 3:10 to Yuma, Bale plays Dan Evans, a rancher financially hit by a severe drought. To earn some quick cash, he takes up the risky job of escorting a dangerous outlaw, Ben Wade (Crowe), to Contention City, where Wade will be put on the 3:10 afternoon train to Yuma Territorial Prison.

The synopsis of the film on Netflix reads:

“In this remake of the 1957 classic, a rancher agrees to transport a captured outlaw to the nearest rail station, where he'll board a train to prison.”

In the movie, Wade’s gun is called the Hand of God. Early on in the story, Wade remarks that his gun is cursed, since whoever apart from him touches the gun, dies. By the end of the film, the curse turns out to be true.

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3:10 to Yuma ending: The Hand of God was a cursed gun

A still from the film (Image via Lionsgate)

Despite the odds, Evans managed to get Wade to Contention. When they arrived, Wade’s gang attempted to free him. As the prison train arrived and Evans got Wade on board, Charlie Prince, a member of Wade’s gang, shot Evans from behind, killing him with four bullets to the chest.

As Wade was seemingly set free, his gun, the Hand of God, was handed over to him. Earlier on in the movie, when it was taken away from him, he had told Tucker that his gun was cursed, and anyone else apart from him touching it would die.

The Hand of God was a stylish revolver with golden crucifixes on its grip. As Wade inspected it, tension rose. He quickly killed his gang members like a skilled gunslinger, saving Charlie Prince for last. After wounding him, Wade finally killed Prince with his own gun.

There is one interesting detail in the 3:10 to Yuma ending scene. Before the gun was given to Wade, each of his gang members touched it since it was tossed from one to the other on its way to Wade. Thus, the curse alluded to earlier, came true.

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Why did Wade kill his own men?

3:10 to Yuma is essentially the story of how two very different men end up becoming friends, and finding mutual respect for each other. Evans earned his living the hard and honest way, whereas Wade was a charming and flamboyant robber.

However, as they interacted, each appreciated how complex a character the other was. Each ended up finding some admiration for the worldview of the other. As a result, by the time 3:10 to Yuma draws to its end, a camaraderie developes between the two.

Given this friendship, when Charlie Prince shot Evans dead, Wade lost a dear friend. As retribution, he killed his own men. One can guess, he never had a friend in his gang, and he used the Hand of God to avenge the murder of a friend recently snatched away from him.

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Why did Evans take up the job in the first place?

Evans was pretty badly hit by the drought. His mounting debts were nowhere near paid off. Successfully escorting Wade to Contention would earn him a handsome reward from the government. From a pragmatic point of view, this offer was too good to refuse for a man in Evans’ position.

There was, however, another reason. Evans’ son, William, considered his father a meek simpleton who was a miserable loser. This opinion only intensified once the young and impressionable William came across the swashbuckling Wade, an effective contrast to Evans’ steadfast nature.

Thus, Evans, besides the obvious monetary incentive, had another motive: he needed to prove his worth and valor to his son. 3:10 to Yuma, among other things, is the story of a father struggling to earn the respect of his demanding son.

The closing shots of 3:10 to Yuma show an emotional William telling his father, “You did it, papa. You got him on the train.” Wade takes a seat on the train, as life slowly passes out of Evans.

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3:10 to Yuma is available for streaming on Netflix.