| “ |
The D is silent, hillbilly. |
” |
—Django, before killing Billy Crash. | ||
Django Freeman, or simply Django is Broomhilda's husband and a former slave who was freed by King Schultz. Django is the main protagonist of Django Unchained.
Background[]
Django was presumably born in slavery and was taken from his parents when he was young.
Biography[]
Django Unchained[]
While enslaved at the Carrucan Plantation, Django and Broomhilda attempt to escape together, but are captured, and brutally branded with the letter "R", for "runaway", on their cheeks. Suspected to be married, their owner sells each of them to different slavers. Django is sold to the Speck Brothers, Ace and Dicky at the Greenville Auction House, along with several other slaves.
After marching through the county for days, the Specks and the slaves are approached by Dr. King Schultz, a bounty hunter masking as an itinerant dentist on a horse-drawn dental office. Schultz is looking for The Brittle Brothers, Django's former slavers. Schultz gets Django to reveal he can identify the Brittles on sight. When he proposes buying him from the Specks, they refuse and threaten to shoot Dr. Schultz if he does not leave. Schultz quickly draws his weapon and kills Ace and Dicky's horse, which falls on Dicky breaking Dicky's leg and immobilizing him. Schultz then frees Django to join him in their future adventures as bounty hunters. He also frees the other slaves and left them to finish off Dicky, the remaining Speck Brother.
Dr. Schultz and Django take off to the Bennett Plantation which is The Brittle Brothers' current employer. King promises Django his freedom, payment for his work, and a new suit of clothes. Django will have to fully act the part of a freeman and bounty hunter from now on.
Searching for the Brittle Brothers[]
On the Bennett Plantation, Django and Schultz are confronted Spencer Bennett because he believes that only white men can have horses and arms. When Schultz hints to Bennett he has money to spend, Bennett cools his attitude and becomes friendly with the duo. This allowed him to find the Brittle Brothers on the plantation on his own.
Django met one of the female slaves of the Bennett Plantation. He was asked what he does for his master and he answered he was a freeman and bounty hunter. He then asked the woman if she knew the whereabouts of the Brittle Brothers. They are now known as the "Shafers" and pointed him to their location. He recognized the Brittles on a field about to punish a female slave for breaking eggs and remembered their failed escape attempt which led to Broomhilda being whipped by Big John Brittle. Django begged the Brittles to punish him instead but they mocked him saying, "I like the way you beg, boy".
After the flashback, he confronts John and tells him if he recognizes Django. He then shoots him through the chest and taunted using his catchphrase before the latter dropped to the ground. He then took advantage of a dazed "Little Raj" Brittle by using John's whip and then shot Raj thrice. Schultz then arrives upon hearing the gunshot and noticing the commotion. Django tells him that he killed John and Raj. He tells Django to eliminate all the three brothers and proceeds to killing Ellis with his rifle. Schultz managed to hit Ellis on the chest and fell off the horse to his death.
Spencer and the other employees with him also notice the commotion. Schultz and Django dropped their guns as Schultz introduces himself a "legal representative" of Circuit Court Judge Henry Allen Laudermilk of Austin, Texas with a warrant legitimizing the deaths of the Brittles as "wanted men". They leave the plantation afterwards with the corpses of the Brittles and prepare explosives for the cart just in case Spencer attempts to catch them.
Schultz's intuition was right. Spencer and a mob of fellow white supremacists learn their location and decided to attack the duo's camp at night. However, their incompetence made them easily deceived of the traps set by Django and Schultz. Django managed to kill Spencer much to Schultz's surprise.
Becoming a Bounty Hunter[]
After the events of the previous assassinations that might see them as wanted outlaws, the duo retreat to the mountains and train on using guns. They also hunted outlaws in exchange for money. Django was then nicknamed by King Schultz as the "Fastest Gun in the South".
One day, Django tells Schultz that Broomhilda was born to a German slaver family and also learned German from her stay. Django then learned from Schultz the tale of the namesake princess Broomhilda who was abducted on a dragon-guarded mountain until the hero saves her. After being motivated to save his wife, Django agreed to a deal that offered his help in bounty hunting during the winter in exchange of Schultz's help in saving his wife afterwards.
The duo's next target is Smitty Bacall of the once-notorious Bacall Gang who is now living peacefully with his son at his farm. Django was hesitant to shoot Smitty because of his seemingly innocent profile but Schultz convinces him to kill the outlaw. Django then snipes Smitty and led to his first real bounty reward. Schultz tells Django to keep the wanted bounty sign as a symbol for good luck.
Schultz realizes that Django is extremely gifted in shooting. After the winter season, the duo decides to head to Mississippi. Django and Schultz are able to view the Slave Holding records where they learn that Broomhilda is being owned by Calvin Candie who manages Mandingo fights. Django now acts as a black slaver and mandingo expert to get acquainted with Candie and eventually free Broomhilda.
Rescuing Broomhilda[]
Django and Schultz enter The Cleopatra Club, a club/brothel owned by Candie himself. The duo are introduced to Calvin by his close associate, Leonide Moguy. When introduced to Candie, he is in the middle of watching/betting on a Mandingo game. Django and Schultz talk negotiations of buying a Mandingo from Candie. Candie becomes very interested, by the proposition and Django's freeman status. Candie's prickish attitude towards the freeman causes Django to antagonize Candie and causing Candie's gun-totting bodyguard Butch Pooch to become weary of Django.
The next day, the duo meets Candie and his gang as they have just bought some Mandingo fighters who are headed to Candyland. Billy Crash and the rest of Candie's men harassed Django. The other Mandingos grow both intimidated and resentful of Django whom they believe to be a black slaver. Django bosses around the slaves and humiliates them in front of the white men, leading Schultz to inform Django that he cannot act so rough with the other slaves. Along the way, the group encounter one of Candies' top Mandingos trying to run away.
This act angers Django and Schultz, with Candie realizing it angers the two abolitionists, Candie tricks the scared Mandingo to come down and allows his attack dogs to viciously kill the Mandingo. Soon, the group gets to Candyland, Candie's plantation and the fourth-largest in Mississippi. Django and Schultz are given a room to stay inside his mansion and are introduced to the head slave, Stephen. Stephen harasses and throws rude words and slurs towards Django, knowing he is a freeman. This starts a rivalry between the two men.
As Django and Schultz are about to be taken in the room, Schultz asks Candie if he can "have some time alone" with a slave that speaks German. Candie happily agrees and has Broomhilda sent to his room, however they are quickly informed by Stephen that while Candie was gone Broomhilda tried to escape and was caught and sent in to the hotbox. This angers Django, however they let Broomhilda out and groom her up for Schultz. When Broomhilda goes to Schultz room, he speaks to her in German, just in case Candie's people are listening. He tells her a certain friend is behind a closet and that she must not scream when she sees him.
Django opens the door, saying "Hey, little troublemaker", reuniting with his wife. Because Candie is tricked into thinking she can pleasure Schultz, he has her work as a house servant for the night as they talk over negotiations at the dinner table. Stephen becomes suspicious of the way Django and Broomhilda glare at each other. When Broomhilda and Stephen enter the kitchen, he asks her if she knows the freeman in which she answers "no".
In order to anger Django, Stephen persuades Candie to ask if Schultz had pleasured Broomhilda, in which Schultz responded by saying that they only talked. This causes Stephen and Candie to show Broomhilda's whipped body to Schultz. Stephen demands to talk to Candie, persuading him that Broomhilda and Django knows each other. Candie becomes angered, and threats to kill Broomhilda if Django and Schultz don't give Candie $12,000. This angers the duo, however they are being threatened by the gun-toting Butch. The duo give up the money causing Candie to give her freedom papers. While Candie is writing out the papers, Schultz becomes angered by Candie's cruel actions towards slaves.
Feeling pressured by Marshall who is gunning down Django, Hildi, and Schultz, Schultz ask to talk to Candie. Schultz begins to humiliate Candie among his knowledge of the French, to which Candie gets angry. He finishes signing her papers, he demands that Schultz shake his hand. Candie really has a trick up his sleeve, but so does Schultz. Schultz agrees to shake it, but as he walks over to Candie he draws his hidden Derringer and shoots Candie in the heart.
This makes Stephen deeply saddened and angered that Candie is dead, so Stephen is crying and hugging the dead Candie. Schultz then lets Butch kill him, angering Django to rush over and take Butch's gun, murdering him. Django takes some guns and massacres all of Candie's men by himself. The whole house is left in blood with Django left, until Billy Crash and a couple other men come in and order Django to stop, and if he doesn't, it leads to the death of a hostaged Broomhilda.
Django surrenders and is tortured in a slave barn. Billy Crash attempts to castrate Django with a heated knife but Stephen stops him and tells him that Ms. Laura Candie, Candy's sister, would rather have Django be sent to The LeQuint Dickey Mining Company, a mining factory where slaves would mine until they eventually die of exhaustion. Billy leaves, giving Stephen time to interrogate and warn Django of the troubles ahead.
Escape from Candyland[]
Django was taken from Candyland along with a few Mandingo fighters to the mines. He realizes that he can use his status to earn his freedom. Upon learning this, he convinces his handlers to let himself free and hunt the members of the Bacall Gang with a promise of giving him half his earnings. They agreed and even assisted Django by giving him a few weapons and a horse, not realizing that they were tricked. Django's trick worked and kills all three in the process. He frees the intimidated Mandingos and rides off to get his revenge and to free Broomhilda.
He first bid farewell to King Schultz before taking his clothes and Broomhilda's freedom papers. He then attacks Mr. Stonesipher and his trackers' house using the name of "D'Artagnan" while Candie is being taken to the household graveyard to be buried. Both Django and the last of Candie's men proceed to the Candyland mansion for the final face-off. He arrived first so he can wire the place with explosives .
The remaining members of Candie's household arrive in the mansion and were shocked to see a smiling and eloquently-dressed Django on the balcony. Django quickly shot the last gunslingers as they arm themselves to kill him, sparing Stephen, Billy and the woman. He proceeds to shooting Billy Crash in the crotch as revenge for nearly castrating him with a hot knife. Billy tries to curse Django and misread his name but before he can do it, Django corrects his mistake and kills him for good, leaving Stephen and the women.
Django orders Cora and Sheba to stay away from Laura and tell their former mistress goodbye. He kills Laura and let the slaves go, but stops Stephen from leaving the house. Django tells that Stephen is already on the same level of filth as the Candies. He starts mocking Stephen by shooting him in the leg and taunts him. An angry but struggling Stephen tries to curse him back but was killed after the explosion that also destroyed the Candyland mansion.
He greets his wife with the usual "Little Troublemaker", but Broomhilda now responds by calling him "Big Troublemaker". He impresses his wife with his horse-riding skills and left the plantation for good.
Django/Zorro[]
Django traveled to Arizona.[1]
Characters killed by Django[]
- 1858:
- Big John Brittle – Shot in the chest.
- Roger Brittle – Shot several times in the chest.
- Spencer Gordon Bennet – Shot to death.
- Smitty Bacal – Shot to death.
- 2 Wilson-Lowe Gang Members – Shot at the powder flask close to them.
- 1859:
- Butch Pooch – Shot in the chest.
- Leonide Moguy – Shot in the back and used as a shield against gunners.
- 15 Armed Men – Killed in the Bloody Shootout in Candyland.
- Roy– Shot in the belly.
- Jano– Shot in the belly.
- Frankie – Shot at his dynamite, making him to explode.
- Mr Stonesipher – Shot in the balls.
- 6 Stonesipher's Trackers – Shot to death on his house.
- Tracker Peg – Shot in the chest.
- 2 Armed Men – Shot to death.
- Billy Crash – Shot in the crotch and chest.
- Lara Lee Candie-Fitzwilly – Shot in the chest.
- Stephen – Shot in the knees and died in the explosion of the Candyland Manor.
Quotes[]
| “ |
I like the way you die, boy. |
” |
—Django upon killing Big John Brittle, paraphrasing the latter's quote "I like the way you beg, boy." | ||
| “ |
Y'all wanna see somethin'? |
” |
—Django to the slaves in before killing Roger "Little Raj" Brittle. | ||
| “ |
You got yourself a deal, mate. |
” |
—Django to Jano and Frankie, faking an Australian accent to level with them. | ||
| “ |
D-J-A-N-G-O. The 'D' is silent. |
” |
| “ |
Hey, little troublemaker. |
” |
—Django to Broomhilda Von Shaft upon reuniting with her, and before leaving Candyland. | ||
Trivia[]
- Though never confirmed, it is estimated that Django is around to 25-27 years of age.
- As revealed by Quentin Tarantino during the 2012 Comic-Con panel, Django and Broomhilda are both the great-great-great-great grandparents of John Shaft, from the Shaft movie series.
- The following actors were considered for the role of Django: Will Smith, Idris Elba, Denzel Washington and Chris Tucker.
- Django's name is based on the name of the famous 1966 spaghetti western, Django, starring Franco Nero (who had a small cameo in the film).
- The horse (Tony) that Django rides in the movie is in fact Jamie Foxx's own horse, named Cheetah.
- Jamie Foxx made a small cameo appearance at the end of the 2014 western comedy film A Million Ways to Die In The West as Django.
Gallery[]
Notes & References[]
- ↑
Issue 2