The typical hero of western films, an Indian slaying John Wayne portrayed as being born from the landscape, has no real presence in James Mangold’s film adaption of 3:10 To Yuma. The focus is mainly on Christian Bale’s character Dan Evans who is first introduced in a domestic space as he stumbles out of bed to find his barn being burned down. Instead of shooting down those who have wronged him like Evans son suggests, Evans decides to ride into town in the morning and discuss the situation. This is where he comes across Russel Crowes character, Ben Wade, as he robs a wagon heavily guarded with Pinkerton guards. Wade is seen as a brutal but reasonable figure, especially in comparison to his partner Charlie Prince. As an outlaw, Wade can’t be a traditional hero but in the face of the greedy railroad company that is portrayed in the film as being very cruel as well, Wade is put in a kind of heroic light. Evans goes to great lengths to provide for his family and he risks death by escorting Wade to a prison train with Wade’s barbaric gang on his back for money. However, Evans really could not have achieved what he did without the cooperation of Wade, who seems to hold a certain amount of respect and sympathy for him. In the end with Evan’s death Wade kills all the members of his gang and climbs on the prison train by choice. This can only be explained by his sympathy for Evan and makes Wade a kind of heroic figure, standing up for Evans who has been victimized by the corrupt railroad company that Wade steals from. Wade clearly pities Evans and makes many sacrifices to help him and his family when he could easily kill Evans at any time and make his escape from custody. Although Evans is a very admirable character Wade is a much more heroic figure. Evans is first introduced inside of a domestic space a place that is very uncharacteristic of western heroes. From the very beginning Evans is seen as a victim who is being tormented by the cruel railroad company that is aiming on buying his land. Evans is a poor, handicap, farmer who is trying to provide for his family but is failing miserably. With this Evans is portrayed as a kind of weak character. Evans even admits to Wade that he can’t even tell his son that his foot was really shot off in friendly fire because there is nothing noble in that. At the chance of making money by helping bring Wade to the prison train, Evans jumps at the opportunity. Evans willingness to sacrifice himself for his family is a noble aspect of his character but it is not a part of the traditional western hero. The domestic space and the family in this film is portrayed as being constrictive and making a man very prone to being victimized as Evans is. Wade has liberated himself from this constriction and pities Evans for his struggles. Wade even offers Evans a chance to join him and make more money than he ever has seen but Evans has to refuse because he does not want to risk his family. Wade seems to have a great understanding of Evans situation and sympathizes with him. Wade is seen as being capable of killing Evans at any time when kills Tucker and Byron McElroy while in handcuffs with the snap of his fingers. Yet Wade becomes more and more cooperative with Evan’s and in the end makes no attempt to escape him and even helps him in getting to the train where Wade will be shipped to prison. At first Wade does not seem to understand why Evans is helping the very same people who are after his land and have burned down his barn but he eventually seems to understand that he has no other option because of his family. Wade sees that the real enemies for Evans is the railroad company and that because of his domestic situation he is forced to sell himself to the railroad company and make enemies with Wade’s gang who will surely kill him if Wade can’t help it. In the last stretch of the film Evans finds himself completely surrounded by a whole town of armed men just minutes before the train arrives that Wade needs to be on. It would clearly be suicide to make any attempt to reach the train and Butterfield, a railroad guard, tells Evans it is all right if he gives up and that he will still get paid his two hundred dollars. Here Evans sees an opportunity to get more money and tells Butterfield that if he pays his family one thousand dollars and guarantees water rights for his land he will get Wade on the train. Afterwards Evans reveals to Wade the real story behind his leg in a kind of desperate attempt to further gain his sympathy. It can be seen as fairly noble o Evans to risk his life just for the betterment of his family but in the end it is really up to Wade to decide if he wants to get on the train. In the end after Evans is killed by Prince, Wade makes many sacrifices for Evans and his family by killing his entire gang and willingly turning himself in so that Evans family does get the money. Although Wade is locked up there is nothing to suggest that he will remain that way, for as Wade claims he has escaped from prison before. In the end of the film it is Wade who brings the bad guys to justice who caused Evans and his family much pain. By killing his barbaric gang, terrorizing the railroad company, and making a great sacrifice for the noble farmer Evans, Wade is much more of a traditional hero of western films than Evans who is constricted by hisfamily and the domestic home.