The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The film does not include explicit representations of LGBTQ+ identities or relationships. Instead, it focuses on traditional frontier figures without highlighting characters who may be queer.

Masculinity is shown as performative or absurd rather than heroic. Women characters occasionally take unexpected roles in driving the plot, but the heavy emphasis on male violence limits the overall impact.

The cast includes characters of Mexican and Indigenous descent, reflecting the ethnic diversity of the post-Civil War era. However, these characters often fit into established genre roles rather than leading the narrative.

The film challenges singular Christian morality by presenting a morally relative perspective. It criticizes capitalist greed and portrays traditional Western institutions as absurd or indifferent.

Physical vulnerability is used to highlight themes of mortality and chance. Characters with neurodivergence or chronic illnesses do not play central roles in the story.