Original artwork, not a still
An old man dies. A little girl lives. Fair trade.
— Sin City ‧ 1991
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Hartigan's whole character fits in this one tally: he does the sum, finds it cheap, and goes quietly. The line is hard-boiled narration at its most economical, a man too tired and too decent to ask for more than a child's safety, which makes it the emotional centre of That Yellow Bastard. Fans quote it as shorthand for noble, thankless sacrifice.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Sin CityShow the scene
In Frank Miller's That Yellow Bastard, the sixth Sin City story (Dark Horse, six issues, February to July 1996), aging Basin City detective John Hartigan is on his last case before retirement. He has saved eleven-year-old Nancy Callahan from Roark Junior, the senator's son, when his corrupt partner Bob shoots him several times. As the dark closes in, Hartigan's narration says it is a fair trade: an old man dies and a little girl lives. He survives, but pays for the rescue with years in prison, framed by Senator Roark. The story ends with a second sacrifice, when he takes his own life to keep Nancy safe from the Roark family.
Sources (3)
- Sin City Wiki: That Yellow BastardPlotReference checked
- Wikiquote: Sin CityHartigan sectionReference checked
- Sin City Wiki: John HartiganBiographyReference checked
Context reviewed