In 'Pale Rider' (1985) a community of gold mining prospectors comes under attack from a gang of marauders, who are after the prospectors' land. Young Megan Wheeler (Sydney Penny) prays for help, which consequently arrives in the form of The Preacher (Eastwood), a grim, silent stranger who takes up the community's cause, and sets out to repel the invaders.

In 'The Outlaw Josey Wales' (1976) Eastwood stars in the title role as a peaceful farmer at the time of the American Civil War who becomes a Confederate outlaw in order to avenge his family's death at the hands of Union guerrillas. His obsession with revenge slowly lifts however, as he picks up various outcasts in the wilderness and attempts to lead them to a safe haven where they can rebuild their lives.

Finally, in 'Unforgiven' (1992), set in 1880s Kansas, ageing gunslinger-turned-farmer William Munny (Eastwood) reluctantly agrees to come out of retirement to collect the bounty on a wanted cowboy with the help of his old friend Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman).

The man in question attacked a prostitute in a lawless town lorded over by the corrupt Sheriff Daggett (Gene Hackman), and if Munny and Logan want to catch him they are going to have to deal with Daggett first.