In the Western genre a single redeeming act can transform a villain’s required fate.

Evidence

Indeed, so tightly constructed was the rule-governed moral economy of the simple-structure Western that one good act by a “villain” not only could, but apparently had to , lead to some modification or transformation of his end. Thus, the presence of numerous bad-violent acts (marked)/absence of any good-redeeming act (unmarked) = unrepentant villain; this in turns means that he can be shot down, without excuse, in the final episode and makes a brief and “bad” or undistinguished death, provided that the hero does not shoot the villain in the back, or unawares, and does not draw first. But , the presence of bad-violent acts (marked)/presence of single good-redeeming act (marked) also can = possible salvation or regeneration of the villain, deathbed reconciliation with hero or former cronies, restitution to wronged community, at the very least, lingering and “good” death. — Hall, Stuart, Essential Essays, Volume 1, 796

Categorization

• XREF: The “moral economy” of genre storytelling connects to analogous rule-governed systems—repentance tropes in myth, codes of honor, and fictional deathbed conversion scenes widely used in narrative.
• SHARE: A media-studies friend would appreciate this ultra-precise formal rule for when a screen villain can or cannot be shot in the back—a genuine genre grammar a screenwriter friend would savor.