Uncas Deserved BETTER - Last of the Mohicans Thoughts

Okay, so I finally rewatched The Last of the Mohicans after YEARS, and man, it still hits. But this time, it's mostly hitting me in the gut because of Uncas. Like, everyone talks about Daniel Day-Lewis (and rightly so, Hawkeye is a whole thing), but I think Eric Schweig's performance is criminally underrated. He conveys SO much with just his eyes, that quiet intensity... you feel his protectiveness, his honor, everything. And SPOILER ALERT (though, c'mon, it's an old movie!) – His death just...kills me. It feels so abrupt and unfair, especially after all he does to protect Cora. I know it's part of the tragedy and the whole "last of his kind" theme, but it's like, did he even get a chance to truly grieve Chingachgook's son? Or even have a moment with Cora? I feel like his performance deserved a more impactful send-off, not just thrown off the mountain so Magua can cause more angst. My theory is that the filmmakers kind of shortchanged Uncas' character to keep the focus squarely on Hawkeye's (arguably less compelling) romance with Cora. Maybe they didn't want to muddy the waters with a potential love triangle (even though I think a quiet, understated connection between Cora and Uncas could have been incredibly powerful, especially considering their similar outsider struggles.) Anyway, I'm just saying... rewatch Last of the Mohicans with an eye on Uncas. Schweig's acting elevates what could have been a minor character into someone truly memorable, even if the story itself doesn't fully give him his due. It's a performance that sticks with you, and I really wish it was recognized more.