"No one comes up here without a damn good reason."
The Hateful Eight - Characters & Cast
Character Analysis
Major Marquis Warren
Samuel L. Jackson
Motivation
Survival and revenge against Confederates; proving his dominance in a white world.
Character Arc
A Union veteran and bounty hunter who survives by exploiting white guilt and fear. He transitions from a solitary operator to an uneasy ally with his arch-enemy Mannix. He is the sharpest mind in the room, unraveling the mystery before succumbing to his wounds.
John Ruth
Kurt Russell
Motivation
To see Daisy Domergue hang legally; to uphold his code of justice.
Character Arc
Known as 'The Hangman', he is obsessed with the procedural correctness of the law. His arc is one of tragic naivety; his belief in 'civilized' justice and the Lincoln Letter blinds him to the treachery around him, leading to his betrayal and death.
Daisy Domergue
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Motivation
To escape execution and signal her gang to kill her captors.
Character Arc
Initially a battered captive, she is revealed to be the mastermind's sister and a feral force of nature. She endures brutal physical abuse while silently calculating her escape, ultimately becoming the final focal point of the men's shared hatred.
Chris Mannix
Walton Goggins
Motivation
To survive and establish his authority as the new Sheriff of Red Rock.
Character Arc
A racist Lost-Causer who starts as Warren's antagonist but becomes his only ally. His arc validates his claim of being Sheriff as he chooses to uphold the law (hanging Daisy) over tribal loyalty (making a deal with her).