There’s a line from John Ford’s The Man Who SH๏τ Liberty Valance that states, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend,” which is what the ending of Tombstone does. Starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer as two icons of the American West Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, the ’90s classic follows Earp’s attempt at leaving gunslinging behind in Tombstone, Arizona, only to be drawn into conflict again by the Clanton Gang and quick-drawing outlaw Johnny Ringo. Tensions come to a head in one of the most famous gunfights in Wild West history: the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

While many Westerns have immortalized the legend of Wyatt Earp and his brothers going after the Clanton clan and Johnny Ringo, few delve into what happened after the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Tombstone’s second half is devoted to trial against the Earps for murder and the hunting party Wyatt created to avenge the Cowboys’ attack and ends with justice being served in one blazing confrontation after the next before he departs from Tombstone along with his pal Doc Holliday. The ending changes significant amounts of history but separates Tombstone from its peers by choosing to be meaningful entertainment.

The Earp Vendetta Explained (& Why It’s So Violent)

Why Is Wyatt Earp Going After The Cowboys?

The death of his youngest brother Morgan affects Wyatt greatly, and to accurately reflect the anger at his pᴀssing, The Earp Vendetta is portrayed as a bloodbath. Indeed, it threatens to overshadow the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, as the number of opponents stacked against Wyatt and Doc show a crusade of epic proportions. This interpretation of a vengeful, merciless Wyatt Earp not only makes the lawman a lot more ferocious, but it also differentiates him from the romanticized version of Earp as played by Burt Lancaster and other Western stars.

It took the real Wyatt Earp, Warren Earp, and Doc Holliday a little over a year to eventually round up everyone involved in Morgan’s death, and even then, some were never found. Earp, who just wanted to live out the rest of his days settled and in comfort, felt forced into a lifestyle that he sought to avoid, but with the rampant corruption in Tombstone, he knew that standing idly by would only allow men like Curly Bill Brocius (Powers Booth) and Johnny Ringo to win.

The Earp Vendetta might look like it belongs in a Quentin Tarantino film, but there’s no denying its impact on the story.

What Wyatt Gives Doc In Tombstone’s Ending & What It Means

What Is The Point Of The Badge?

The real Doc Holliday suffered from tuberculosis for the majority of his adult life, but it didn’t stop him from becoming a feared gunslinger. Unfortunately, he’s bedridden when Wyatt visits him before facing off against Johnny Ringo, whom both men know is a faster draw than Wyatt. When Doc asks Wyatt what it’s like to wear a badge, his friend responds by giving his tin star to him. The act galvanized Doc, and he later tracks down Johnny Ringo himself, knowing that if anyone can kill him, it’s the legendary Doc Holliday.

Wyatt giving Doc his badge commemorates the numerous real occasions when Wyatt Earp deputized Doc Holliday, and it also signifies the incredible trust Wyatt had in his friend who, based on Doc’s real personality, never cared for law enforcement but loved Wyatt like a brother.

In one of the film’s very final scenes, Wyatt visits Doc when he’s on his deathbed, which provides an opportunity the two men did not receive in real life, and gives him a copy of his book My Friend Doc Holliday. The scene is an example of the way creative license helps mend a moment in Wyatt Earp’s history that should have happened, and bring solace to two true friends.

Why The Gunfight At O.K. Corral Is So Legendary

Why Have So Many Movies Featured The Battle?

Of the many Westerns to focus on the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral like “My Darling Clementine” and “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,” Tombstone’s narrative doesn’t lead up to it as an explosive finale but rather uses the confrontation to shift tone and theme. Though it only lasted 30 seconds, it remains a legendary part of American history.

Contrary to popular belief, conflicts of its nature were relatively rare even in the Wild West, and witnessing Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp, along with Doc Holliday stroll up the street in their black coats with steely stares would have made quite the impression. In a matter of moments but may very well have felt like an eternity to those involved, Virgil Earp, marshal of Tombstone, led his posse to break up the Clanton Gang, who had been planning to jump Doc Holliday over a slight at the card tables the night before.

To this day, no one knows who fired the first sH๏τ, but with help from Doc (using Virgil’s sH๏τgun), the Earps managed to kill several of the cowboys that day, for which they were tried for murder. Following the gunfight with an explosive second act fueled by vengeance sets Tombstone apart from other Westerns who leave the story at the most exciting time.

Doc Holliday’s “I’m Your Huckleberry” & “Isn’t This Funny” Line Meanings & Historical Change

What Do These Lines Mean?

When Doc Holliday confronts Johnny Ringo in one final showdown, he remarks, “I’m your huckleberry,” which was common parlance for, “I’m the one you want,” and originated with men volunteering to be the pallbearer (or huckleberry) at a funeral. This stand-off never happened in real life, as Doc and Wyatt were never able to locate Ringo during the Earp Vendetta, and the outlaw took his own life some years later.

However. their exchange carries a certain amount of symbolism, particularly given what Latin Doc Holliday said to Johnny Ringo earlier in the film. It also conveys the length Doc would go to in order to protect Wyatt. While Doc’s duel with Ringo might have never happened, his last line of the film was accurate. After suffering from the late stages of his illness and becoming bedridden, he would frequently experience bouts of delirium, sometimes imagining friends (like Wyatt) around him.

Though Wyatt never did come to visit him in this state, Doc’s last words, “Isn’t this funny?” is accurate, as the gunsel thought he would die in a gunfight with his boots on, rather than seeing the tops of his bare toes sticking out from underneath the blanket.

What Happened To Tombstone’s Main Characters In Real Life

What Did Wyatt Earp Do After Tombstone?

Tombstone changes a few of the details regarding what happened to Wyatt Earp, his surviving brothers, and Doc Holliday, but the alterations are arguably necessary for dramatic effect. The Earp brothers did stand trial for the deaths of their opponents, but the judge threw out the case, and while Wyatt set out to avenge his brother’s death, he didn’t kill as many as he did in the movie, eventually eluding arrest himself by leaving Arizona. When Morgan’s body was brought back to Colton, California, Virgil remained there to recuperate, eventually going on to become a gold prospector.

Wyatt Earp himself went on to mine for gold in the Yukon and other territories, and Doc Holliday settled in Colorado for a time, hearing of its miraculous H๏τ springs that would only delay his early demise. Earp would eventually regale others with his tales as part of Wild West expositions, as well as provide advisement on some of the first Western films ever made.

Tombstone rights a few historical wrongs along the way and embellishes a few aspects, but ultimately makes a case for the entertainment and emotional value of a revisionist Western that convincingly depicts both the fact and the legend.

The Real Meaning Of Tombstone’s Ending Explained

It Is A Tale About The Cost Of Revenge

Like many other Western movies, Tombstone is a film about revenge, with it delving into what the cost of revenge is and if it is even worth it. After Morgan is killed and Virgil is left handicapped due to a revenge attack by the Cowboys, Wyatt Earp dedicates himself to seeking revenge, with him gathering Doc and several other gunmen to seek revenge. This leads to a bloody finale in which lots of carnage occurs, and even those who manage to walk away are eventually struck down, such as Doc Holliday dying due to his illness.

Tombstone strangely has Wyatt Earp’s story end on a happy note, with the film closing on Wyatt and Josephine starting a new life. However, the closing narration explains the demise of all of these characters, further highlighting that their quest for revenge would eventually end in death. Although Tombstone is a fun story in the Wild West, it is also a tragedy, with the constant back and forth of revenge narratives costing everyone immensely.

How The Tombstone Ending Was Received

The Ending Was Seen By Some As A Weak Point In A Great Movie

Tombstone received positive reviews when it was released, but has gradually become regarded as one of the best Westerns of the 1990s. It continues to age well with memorable lines still being quoted decades later. However, the ending seems to be one of the areas that not everyone is so quick to give acclaim to.

Many fans on Reddit expressed love for the movie but disappointment with its ending. One Redditor pointed to the final line Wyatt says, “Then we’ll have room service” as a lackluster ending, saying “I love the movie, but it ends on such a lame, hokey note.” Likewise, another Redditor said “Tombstone is really great but the ending always feels so rushed to me.”

Indeed, in the case of critics and audiences alike, there is a sense that the movie builds to the epic conclusion but doesn’t know how to slow down before the credits roll. A TV Guide review for the movie suggested:

“Too many characters and not enough time in which to deal with them, and action that seems so rushed to get to the end that important scenes are left out.”

However, as in most cases, there are some who feel the exact opposite to some of the most common criticisms, and Variety’s review of the movie suggested it was the early part of the movie that drags only for the climax to allow Tombstone to come to life:

“After a weak initial half-hour, Cosmatos judiciously finds the most audience-appealing dimensions of his tale.”