MovieChat Forums > The American (2010) Discussion > So why did he kill the women in the begi...

So why did he kill the women in the beginning?

posted 10 years ago by AtheistRevolution
6 replies | jump to latest

He could have killed her at anytime but waited on those other guys.

- Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.

[–] eYeDEF 10 years ago

Because she was a loose end after witnessing the shootout and noting that he packed heat. He had been made and killing her was the only way he could ensure she wouldn't pose a future liability. She had seen too much and he needed to cover his tracks.

[–] dbeane 10 years ago

There was also the possibility that she was involved somehow, so he acted out of instinct at the time.
"How did the Swedes find me?"

Later when he tells Pavel "she had nothing to do with it", that could have been a later realization.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] xamwatson 8 years ago

I think is was done more to show how ruthless, he could be?

[–] kirfic 8 years ago

I agree. We were supposed to believe that he was a coldblooded killer who did not let feelings get in his way. And it worked. I feared Clara would meet the same fate.

[–] geoffrey-jackson 8 years ago

He could have killed her at anytime but waited on those other guys.

I think it was basically to cast his character as being cold-blooded.

I imagine if the Swedes didn't try to take him out while she wasn't around (like in town) then he would have no need to kill her. As it is she most certainly would have been affected by the scene and he didn't really want her to suffer that for the rest of a miserable life (like him).

If he was slotted into another job and his life moves on he might have moved his life on away from the woman never to return.