Film Theory: Mad Max Is Actually A Horseman Of The Apocalypse

Starting with The Bullet Farmer then, it’s easy enough to draw parallels between the character and the Red Horseman of War. The man that thrives on conflict and violence and relishes the opportunity to be involved with it, he’s depicted as a crazed warmonger - the owner of weapons in the wasteland called upon for aid in taking down Max and Furiosa.

As the Red Horseman represents not just war, but uncontrollable aggression and ‘non-righteous’ violence - The Bullet Farmer follows suit. Exampled in the scene where he goes after the wives stuck in the bog, his rage knows no bounds when it comes to inflicting pain; refusing to back down even when he might be taking out the women rather than just Max. He actively pursues opportunities to incite violence.

Punished by losing his sight, The Bullet Farmer then takes on new levels of unbridled aggression, firing at will and screeching his infamous call to battle:

“I am the scales of justice! I am the Conductor of the Choir of Death! Sing Brother Heckler! Sing Brother Koch! Sing Brothers! Sing! Sing!”

Interestingly, Heckler and Koch are the types of guns he is wielding at that given moment, utilising religious imagery in relation to his weapons as another layer of this horseman theory. Perhaps he has a godly power over the guns with his status as a supernatural being, bringing forth a bezerker-like charge and seemingly endless bullets to be used throughout his assault - in comparison to the fugitives having to count each one they fire.