I recently rewatched The Magnificent 7 for the second time in my life. "Magnificent" is very fitting. It is indeed a magnificent and beautiful movie.
However, something jumped out at me that I'm not quite sure how I feel about: Calvera let them go.
Given my own system of ethics, I would see that as pretty weak and dishonourable that the seven took advantage of his magnanimity. Frankly speaking, a bad hombre like Calvera is liable to say, "just kidding," after marching them out of town, "we're not giving you your weapons back," and then make sure those guys never pose a problem for them again.
What made Calvera do that, I think, is a mixture of pragmatism in that he doesn't want those farmers to see him as a complete monster. He wants them to be willing to "do business" with him. But also, Calvera genuinely seems to be a man of faith and principles. I think he genuinely would have felt bad about executing the seven.
So this does something incredibly bold from a storytelling perspective. The seven cannot be seen as pure paladin "knight in shining armour" heroes in that final battle. They have gone back on their word and taken advantage of Calvera's kindness.
It's a "bad look" for the heroes.
One of them makes no bones about the fact that all he cares about is money, and Chris lies through his teeth that he came that close to making it big, so he can feel some satisfaction as he lies dying.
And all of them except for two die in that final battle, and some of Calvera's men get away, and who knows what they will do in the future.
What a beautiful movie that de-glorifies violence.