Disney Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Disney Wiki

Dan Reid Sr. is a supporting character featured in the 2013 film The Lone Ranger. He is the older brother of John Reid, the titular hero, and a captain of the Texas Rangers. He is portrayed by James Badge Dale.

Background[]

Dan Reid Sr. was born to James Reid, a former Texas Ranger and a judge. He followed his father's footsteps and became a captain of the Texas Rangers, leading a group of six men, including his younger brother John, a lawyer from the East. He was married to Rebecca and had a son named Danny.

Role in the film[]

Dan Reid Sr. appears at the beginning of the film, when he arrives at Colby, Texas, with his men to escort the notorious outlaw Butch Cavendish to his execution. He meets his brother John, who has come to visit him, and invites him to join his posse. He also introduces him to Tonto, a Comanche warrior who has been imprisoned for trying to kill Cavendish.

Dan and his men, along with John and Tonto, board a train that is carrying Cavendish. However, the train is attacked by Cavendish's gang, who free their leader and escape. Dan and John pursue them, but are ambushed by them at Bryant's Gap. Dan is fatally shot by Cavendish, who then cuts out his heart and eats it. John is also wounded, but survives thanks to Tonto, who buries him along with the other fallen Rangers.

Dan's death motivates John to become the Lone Ranger, a masked vigilante who seeks justice for his brother and the other Rangers. He also inherits Dan's white horse, Silver, who is said to be a spirit horse by Tonto. Dan's wife and son are later kidnapped by Cavendish's men, who work for a corrupt railroad tycoon named Latham Cole. John and Tonto rescue them and confront Cavendish and Cole, who are planning to use a stolen silver mine to finance a war against the Comanche tribe. John avenges his brother by killing Cavendish, while Tonto kills Cole.

At the end of the film, John bids farewell to Rebecca and Danny, who give him Dan's badge and hat as a token of gratitude. John then rides away with Tonto and Silver, continuing his adventures as the Lone Ranger.

Trivia[]

  • Dan Reid Sr. is based on the character of the same name from the original Lone Ranger radio and TV series, where he was also the older brother of the Lone Ranger and a Texas Ranger who was killed by Butch Cavendish.
  • In the film, he is the uncle of Britt Reid, the future Green Hornet, who is seen as a young boy in a framing device. This is a nod to the fact that the Lone Ranger and the Green Hornet were both created by George W. Trendle and share a family connection in the radio series.
  • He is one of the few characters in the film who does not wear a hat, except for the final scene where John wears his hat. This is possibly a way to distinguish him from his brother, who wears a mask and a hat as the Lone Ranger.


v - e - d
The-lone-ranger-movie-logo
Media
Films: The Lone Ranger (video/soundtrack)

Video Games: Disney INFINITY
Music: The Lone Ranger: Wanted

Characters
John ReidTontoRebecca ReidDan ReidButch CavendishLatham ColeRed HarringtonChief Big BearMax the EngineerSilver
Locations
TexasColbyComanche TerritoryPromontory Summit
See also
Texas RangersTranscontinental RailroadComancheCavendish's GangThe Jupiter
Advertisement