Kill Bill Vol 1 centers on Beatrix Kiddo, a skilled assassin known as The Bride, who wakes from a four-year coma to discover her life in ruins. She had been pregnant with Bill’s baby and was about to marry when Bill and his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad attacked her wedding, leaving her for dead. Now, fueled by grief over her lost child and stolen future, she creates a notebook list of those she must kill for revenge, saving Bill for last.
The revenge list kicks off with Vernita Green, codename Copperhead, played by Vivica A. Fox. Vernita was part of the squad that massacred everyone at the chapel. Four years later, she has left the assassin life behind, living as a suburban mom named Jeannie Bell with her young daughter Nikki. Beatrix tracks her down to their home for a fierce kitchen knife fight. They clash brutally, but after Vernita’s death, Beatrix spares Nikki, warning the girl to seek revenge later if she chooses, showing a flicker of mercy amid the bloodshed. For more on this early showdown, check out details from https://bookandfilmglobe.com/film/the-kill-bill-killers-continue-to-cut-deep/[2].
Next on the list is O-Ren Ishii, codename Cottonmouth, portrayed by Lucy Liu. O-Ren leads the Tokyo yakuza as a cold-blooded boss with her own army, the Crazy 88, and a personal samurai sword. Her backstory unfolds in a vivid anime sequence, revealing how she became a killer after her parents’ murder. Beatrix infiltrates a Japanese nightclub, slaughters the Crazy 88 in a stunning, bloody sword battle, then duels O-Ren in a snowy garden. Beatrix severs the top of O-Ren’s head in the film’s goriest climax. This fight highlights the movie’s mix of martial arts styles and over-the-top violence. See a breakdown of the squad dynamics at https://jacobin.com/2025/12/hollywood-film-tarantino-kill-bill[1].
The list continues with Budd, codename Sidewinder, Bill’s brother, played by Michael Madsen, and Elle Driver, codename California Mountain Snake, played by Daryl Hannah. These two appear briefly in Vol 1 as setup for Vol 2, showing their roles in the squad armed with Hattori Hanzo katanas. Budd works as a bouncer and pawn shop owner, while Elle is a deadly one-eyed killer. Beatrix’s notebook marks them out methodically before the final target.
Bill, codename Snake Charmer, played by David Carradine, tops the list as the father of her lost baby and squad leader. He shot Beatrix at her wedding in a twisted shotgun marriage gone wrong. She vows to end him last, declaring in her notebook, “I am going to kill Bill.” Vol 1 builds tension toward this, ending on a major twist about her daughter that ties into the deeper story of loss and rebirth. Explore the full saga context in https://thereminder.com/features/dining-and-entertainment/reviews/tarantino-novice-watches-kill-bill-the-whole-bloody-affair/[4].
The list drives the film’s non-linear chapters, blending spaghetti western revenge with Japanese samurai flair. Beatrix trains with sword master Hattori Hanzo to get her weapon, turning her into an unstoppable force. Each kill peels back layers of her past as an elite assassin betrayed by her own crew.
Sources
https://jacobin.com/2025/12/hollywood-film-tarantino-kill-bill
https://bookandfilmglobe.com/film/the-kill-bill-killers-continue-to-cut-deep/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-LNdngb7Co
https://thereminder.com/features/dining-and-entertainment/reviews/tarantino-novice-watches-kill-bill-the-whole-bloody-affair/
https://nofilmschool.com/when-revenge-becomes-art-in-film
https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/kill-bill-the-whole-bloody-affair-quentin-tarantino-fortnite-best-worst
https://www.themarysue.com/i-saw-kill-bill-for-the-first-time-the-way-quentin-tarantino-intended/
https://xtramagazine.com/culture/saying-goodbye-to-kill-bill-279067
