Western Characters

A specialized set of Stock Characters common to stories set in the American West of the 19th Century and used in The Western, almost as stylized and precisely-defined as the characters of commedia dell'arte.

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Tropes:

Riders of the Purple Sage

• Anti-Hero: Late-period westerns were some of the major codifiers for anti-heroes, along with Film Noir. Think Spaghetti Westerns, The Man With No Name, etc.
  • The Expy With No Name
• Cowboy
  • Gay Cowboy
• The Drifter
  • Knight Errant
• The Gunslinger
  • Fastest Gun in the West
  • The Trope Kid
  • Retired Gunfighter
  • The Gunfighter Wannabe
  • Young Gun
• Outlaw
  • Bandito
  • The Highwayman
  • The Most Wanted
  • The Rustler
  • Retired Outlaw
• Bounty Hunter
• Samurai Cowboy

Lawmen

• Circuit Judge
  • Hanging Judge
• Pinkerton Detective
• The Sheriff
  • Clueless Deputy
• U.S. Marshal

Frontiersmen

• Camp Cook
• Hunter Trapper
• Mountain Man
• The Pioneer

Rich Folk

• Cattle Baron
• Railroad Baron
• Rancher

Settlers

• Determined Homesteader

Townsfolk and others

• The Blacksmith
• Chinese Laborer
• Chinese Launderer
• City Slicker
• Clerk
• Corrupt Businessman
• Dry Crusader
• Forty-Niner
• Frontier Doctor
• Medicine Show
  • Snake Oil Salesman
• Meek Townsman
• Morally Bankrupt Banker
• Pony Express Rider
• Posse
• Prospector
• Railroad Employee Roundhouse
• Remittance Man
• Schoolmarm
• Southern Gentleman
• Undertaker
• Wasteland Elder
• Western Union Man

The Church

• Preacher Man
  • The Missionary
• Undertaker

The Saloon

• The Bartender
• Hooker with a Heart of Gold, often called a "soiled dove"
• Miss Kitty
• The Piano Player
• Professional Gambler
• Saloon Owner

Natives

• Going Native
  • Mighty Whitey
• Indian Maiden
• Magical Native American
• Noble Savage: In this case, noble Native Americans
• The Savage Indian

The Army

• Army Scout
  • The Delaware
• Cavalry Officer
• The Remnant: All those Confederate soldiers still hanging on after the Civil War.
• The Seventh Cavalry

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