Summary
- Billy the Kid season 2 premiere continues the legend with Billy abandoning his old friend Jesse Evans and joining Englishman John Tunstall in the fight for Lincoln County.
- Billy develops a romantic relationship with Dulcinea Del Tobosco, a wealthy Mexican woman, despite being an outlaw, showing his determination to change.
- The episode introduces Thomas Catron as the leader of the Santa Fe Ring, a powerful group that takes an interest in Billy and his potential usefulness or threat to their elite organization.
The Billy the Kid season 2 premiere features a number of key moments that set the stage for the continuation of the MGM+ series. Billy the Kid season 1 creatively chronicled the early days of William H. Bonney, who was born as Henry McCarty before becoming the infamous Old West outlaw. After the death of his mother Kathleen (Eileen O'Higgins) forces the "Kid Antrim" into an individual fight for his survival. Billy (Tom Blyth) begins to take matters into his own hands to provide for himself, taking various jobs on both sides of the law with the help of some friendly and opportunistic bandits.
Billy the Kid paints a relatively sympathetic portrait of the infamous outlaw, who is alleged to have killed more than 20 people in his short 21-year life. The season 2 premiere picks up directly where the season 1 finale left off with Billy deciding to abandon old friend Jesse Evans (Daniel Webber) and his allegiance to the powerful Irishman Lawrence G. Murphy. Murphy, in a heated feud for control of Lincoln County, New Mexico with prominent Englishman John Tunstall, employed Jesse and his gang to murder innocent natives of Lincoln County in cold blood.
8 Billy The Kid Becomes A Hired Hand For Englishman John Tunstall
Billy the Kid season 2 begins with Billy switching sides to support the morally superior Tunstall in his pursuit to own as much of Lincoln County as possible. Billy had recently been employed by Tunstall's rival Lawrence G. Murphy, who was known for his frequent alcohol abuse, reckless ambition, and dirty tactics. Billy, influenced by his mother's final words that brought up the inherent good in his soul, took a change of heart after Murphy's murderous methods proved to be too dishonorable to continue supporting. This places Jesse Evans in a difficult spot, knowing that he cannot abandon his loyalty to Murphy but not wanting to fight against one of his best friends, Billy the Kid.
7 Billy Makes Acquaintances With Future Love Interest Dulcinea Del Tobosco
The final episodes of Billy the Kid season 1 first introduced Billy's romantic interest in the alluring Dulcinea Del Tobosco, who is part of a wealthy Mexican family in Lincoln County. Billy finally gathers the courage to ask Dulcinea on a date, which agrees to after asserting her knowledge of everything, and everyone, in Lincoln County. Billy admits he was somewhat surprised that Dulcinea agreed to go out with him because he was a known outlaw, but he assures her that he's determined to take a straighter path moving forward. Dulcinea trusts Billy enough to invite him to her parents' house, implying that the relationship between her and Billy is only just beginning.
6 John Riley Murders Ally Jim Dolan To Tighten Alliance With Major Murphy's House
In one of the most shocking moments of the Billy the Kid season 2 premiere, one of Lawrence G. Murphy's enforcers John Riley turns on his ally Jim Dolan, shooting him dead. Riley and Dolan had worked together as liaisons between Murphy and the Santa Fe Ring, an elite secret society that holds great interest in Murphy's House and influence in Lincoln County. Dolan was also Riley's partner in orchestrating strategies with Jeese Evans and his gang before Riley killed him in front of Murphy to prove a point of necessary violence. The real Dolan lived until 1898, meaning that his death in Billy the Kid could signify a trending deviation from historical accuracy in season 2.
5 Tom O'Folliard Travels From Texas To Lincoln County To Meet Billy The Kid
Tom O'Folliard, who was considered one of the real-life best friends of Billy the Kid, makes his first on-screen appearance in the Billy the Kid season 2 premiere. O'Folliard introduces himself as a fan of Billy's, which the outlaw initially rejects as naivety, telling Tom to go back home to his family if he cares about his life. O'Folliard eventually reveals to Billy that, like him, he has no family to go back to. Seeing this similarity in both him and Tom, Billy took him under his wing and offered him food, work, and most significantly, a new purpose.
4 Tunstall's Lawyer McSween Forms Alliance With Honorable Judge Wilson
With the looming tensions of the inevitable Lincoln County War starting to rise in Billy the Kid season 2, Tunstall's lawyer Alex McSween began to explore legal options in taking Murphy and his powerful House down. McSween meets with Judge Wilson, who is depicted to be one of the few honorable judges in Lincoln County who also wants to get Murphy out of town. Wilson's son was one of the victims of the senseless killings by Jesse Evans and his gang under Murphy's command, setting the stage for a formidable legal effort to discredit Murphy's reputation and potentially have him jailed.
3 Billy Meets One-On-One With Old Friend Jesse Evans To Convince Him To Join Tunstall
The most intense moment of Billy the Kid season 2, episode 1 arrives in a one-on-one showdown between the quick-handed Billy and his former friend Jesse Evans. The respect between Jesse and Billy still stands despite their moral differences and rivalry through obligation, which allows Billy to feel comfortable enough to approach Jesse on horseback to talk things out. Billy asks Jesse to reconsider his stance on Murphy, trying to combine him to join Tunstall's side and stand for someone more honorable than the shady Murphy. Jesse can't see far past the personal betrayal in Billy's decision, which fuels the tense standoff that finds the old friends pointing their pistols at one another but ends with both walking away.
2 Santa Fe Ring Leader Thomas Catron Takes A Special Interest In Billy The Kid
Billy the Kid season 2, episode 1 introduces the most powerful man in New Mexico, Thomas Catron. Catron is revealed to be wielding the true power in the Old Western world of Billy the Kid as the leader of the Santa Fe Ring, essentially likening him to a President of that territory. Murphy, Riley, and formerly Dolan appeared to be under the control of Catron and the ominous elitist group known as the Rings, who represent the highest forms of power and wealth in the United States at the time. Catron expresses interest in learning more about Billy the Kid, wondering whether he could be useful to the Ring or if he is a threat that has to be neutralized.
1 Old Moss Returns As A Ghost To Send A Word Of Caution To Billy The Kid
In the closing scene of the Billy the Kid season 2 premiere, Billy is visited by his old mentor Old Moss in a mystical flashback moment. Despite being a fictional character made up for the MGM+ series, Moss was the first person who showed Billy how to shoot a gun and helped bring his family from New York City to the Midwest. Moss reminds Billy of who he is at his core, a survivor, in a ghastly message that also warns him to be cautious about his future. Moss repeats the words that he had said to Billy in Billy the Kid season 1 during one of their earliest conversations, saying "Things don't always work out the way you want 'em to."