Nez-lah’s Death

Nez-lah’s death is the culmination of an escape that becomes a test of loyalty. As the village crowd turns on Bando, Juan draws its attention away long enough for him to flee toward the cliffs. But Juan then encounters the gold Bando has finished making and begins collecting valuables from the dead. When Bando appears above the village, the two meet each other’s gaze across the height between them; Juan asks whether he is ready, and Bando leaps. The fall ends Bando’s life, while Juan’s part in the scene remains morally unsettled: he helped create an opening for escape, but left Bando to face the crowd and returned to the gold.