The Mission

            
             In The Mission, Mendoza (Robert De Niro) has a drastic change in character for the better. Mendoza is originally a man of trade and no feeling; he captures Native Americans from their homes and sells them as slaves to the Spanish and Portuguese. His character was very significant in the imperialism of the Americas. After committing sin and reconciling with himself, Mendoza goes into the lands he was once conquering slaves from and leads a humble life with the Jesuits and Gabriel (Jeremy Irons).
             Mendoza was a strong and powerful character notoriously selling slaves to nearby merchants increasing the idea of imperialism and colonization of the Americas. He was committing a terrible sin by doing this though, destroying numerous tribes and tearing apart their cultures and families. He was received by his friends and family as courageous and powerful, helping powers colonize the New World. His attitude changed when he saw his brother having relations with his own girlfriend, and challenged him to a legal duel. He killed his brother by the sword and fell into a state of repentance for his sins against his brother and the sins he committed in slave capturing. This period took him six months to recover and find himself.
             In his penance to reconcile his life, Mendoza moved to the jungle and asked to be accepted by the natives he once captured. He risked his life by going to the tribe and asking for their forgiveness. He was accepted and picked up their lifestyle and culture, as well as the language in which they spoke. Mendoza then went on to take a greater step towards God; he asked Gabriel if he could become a priest of the Jesuits and save the people religiously. The priests of the Jesuits concealed him into the cloak and he began helping the community as a Jesuit. He was also a fighter for the community. He stood up against a cardinal and held the ground for his mission, opposing Portuguese control and the threat of enslaving the new converts.