The story of a tragic hero, one of the thousands of gauchos that have been recruited to fight against the Indians over the Argentinean southern frontier (the Patagonia) during the second half of the nineteenth century. The gauchos are recruited to free the land from the Indians occupation, and to allow the arrival of civilization over the conquested territory. Martin Fierro is separated from his family and he is sent to the frontier, where he has to serve the army's interests, until he runs back to his land and his family. But when he arrives, he realizes both had been taken away. He has become a deserter. His destiny, now, consists on escaping from justice. More late than early, Fierro understands that he will not be able to recover what he has lost, and his only way is to fight to get his freedom back.