The iconic 1993 Western Tombstone is loaded with iconic Doc Holliday one-liners, but one of the most memorable may require a bit of explanation. Starring Kurt Russell, Sam Elliott, and Val Kilmer in one of his most celebrated roles, Tombstone has evolved into a true classic in the 30+ years since its release, thanks largely to how quotable and rewatchable it is. The movie chronicles the adventures of former lawman Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and his friend Doc Holliday (Kilmer) during the time before, during, and after the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and the subsequent Earp Vendetta Ride.

Wyatt Earp and his brothers relocated to Tombstone, Arizona, hoping to seek their fortunes as entrepreneurs after a lifetime or enforcing the law with their own brand of justice. They eventually become entangled with the Cowboys, a gang of outlaws who have terrorized Tombstone and the surrounding area since well before the Earps ever made it to the frontier town. When two of Wyatt’s brothers are laid low, he sets out to avenge them with Doc Holliday and a posse in tow, but as Doc Holliday explains in his iconic line, the gunslinger is out for more than personal vengeance.

What Doc Holliday’s “It’s Not Revenge He’s After, It’s A Reckoning” Line In Tombstone Really Means

It Refers To Wyatt Earp’s Forthcoming Purge Of The Cowboys Gang

Doc Holliday delivers the line to Sherman McMasters (Michael Rooker), one of the men who set out to track down the Cowboys with Wyatt Earp, as a response to McMasters’ noting that, “…if they were my brothers, I’d want revenge, too.” It comes as the men are readying for their pursuit of the Cowboys, who are responsible for many crimes in addition to Morgan Earp’s murder and Virgil Earp’s maiming. While it certainly appears as if Wyatt is out to avenge his brothers, Holliday notes that he is in search of much more.

A “reckoning” has several definitions, but the most widely applicable is basically a settling of accounts, more business-related than anything else. Revenge, on the other hand, has a personal lean to it; a person out for revenge seeks it for their own satisfaction. Doc Holliday was saying that Wyatt Earp was not out to seek retribution on behalf of his brothers, but rather to seek true justice for the entire Cowboys gang after all the crimes they committed against innocent people. He wasn’t attempting to satisfy his own needs, he was out to end the Cowboys’ misdeeds for good.

What Doc Holliday’s “It’s A Reckoning” Line Says About Wyatt Earp’s Character In Tombstone

Wyatt Earp Was Not Seeking Blood Just For Himself

Doc Holliday noting Wyatt Earp’s true intention is important not only to Wyatt Earp’s character, but in giving context to the Earp Vendetta Ride as it’s depicted in Tombstone. The Cowboys are portrayed as the manifestation of lawlessness in the otherwise booming town of Tombstone, but as a former lawman who vehemently denies wanting to return to the badge and gun, Earp does his best to simply avoid confrontation. However, when the Cowboys’ evil ways end up hurting those he loves, the lawman in him is finally unleashed.

Wyatt Earp resolved to not only settle his brothers’ debts, but to settle all the debts that the Cowboys had incurred. It isn’t enough to simply get revenge for Morgan and Virgil; Wyatt wanted the Cowboys to never be able to hurt anyone again, which is why he set out on the famous Earp Vendetta Ride (in the movie). The montage at the end of Tombstone of him, Holliday and the others mowing down the remaining Cowboys is the reckoning of which Doc Holliday speaks–a final settling of accounts.