With last week's Season 2 premiere of "Billy the Kid," the MGM+ series properly set up viewers for the simmering Lincoln County War. But before the battle between business rivals Major Murphy (Vincent Walsh) and John Tunstall (Linus Roache) can even begin, "Billy the Kid" Season 2 Episode 2 slips a surprise twist into the evolving conflict that first started brewing in Season 1.
It seems Tunstall has another fight in front of him, as it's revealed the Englishman is in Las Vegas being treated for a severe case of Smallpox. Back home, Murphy and his murderous partner Riley (Shaun Benson) are plotting to take advantage of John's weakened state by having one of their associates pay him a visit to "Remind him of the facts of life."
That ominous new wrinkle comes before the opening credits even roll, ensuring the episode, aptly titled "Sickness," has ample time to make things much worse for the suffering Tunstall. To discover who's heading to Vegas with that not-so-friendly message - and find out who fires the first shot in the Lincoln County War - read on for our full recap of Episode 2!
Warning, spoilers ahead for "Billy the Kid" Season 2 Episode 2.
This means war...or does it?
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Tunstall might be on his deathbed in Vegas, but his bank is thriving back home. The business is bustling, as locals line up to borrow money from the legitimate financial institution. That is, until Sheriff Brady shows up with a court order - signed by Santa Fe District Attorney Thomas Catron - to shut it down.
Deputy Dick Brewer tries to stop him, calling out his corruption and allegiance to Catron, but Brady - clutching the official order - insists he's just doing his job and upholding the law. He'll quickly regret saying that, however, as Brewer soon has an opportunity to test the Sheriff's law-abiding claims. Dick's ranch, which is holding some of Tunstall's horses, is soon raided by Jesse (Daniel Webber) and his Seven Rivers gang.
This brings Brewer and Brady back together when the former officially files a criminal complaint against Murphy's steed-stealing crew. The Sheriff says he'll look into it, but that's not good enough for Brewer - he wants a posse put together and the horses recovered ASAP.
With little choice but to "uphold the law," Brady, his men, Brewer, Billy (Tom Blyth,) and their crew sniff out the thieves in Pecos. From a distance, they surveil the camp, where Jesse and his men - and the stolen goods - are hiding out. The Sheriff wants to go in quietly, retrieve the horses, and get out. But Seven Rivers' sharpshooter Buckshot Roberts has other plans. He spots the intruders and instantly kills one of them with a well-placed slug.
All hell breaks loose, bullets fly, and bodies drop. But Billy and his men ultimately get the upper hand, surrounding Jesse and his gang, before getting them to surrender. As Brady and Billy parade Jesse and his thugs - including instigator Roberts - off to prison, it seems John Tunstall's "good guys" have got a head-start on winning this war.
But not so fast. Back in Vegas, John — looking like death warmed over — has received his mysterious visitor. It turns out Murphy and Riley aren't messing around, as Catron's menacing agent/son-in-law Edgar Walz appears beside Tunstall's sickbed. He has a message for the sidelined mogul: Sell your business and leave Lincoln County or we'll kill you. He gives him 24 hours to decide.
Apparently, nothing cures Smallpox quicker than a death threat. Tunstall soon heads home, gathers his men, and puts an ill-conceived plan together to save his skin. Without revealing the deadly details of his meeting with Walz, he tells his crew he wants to make peace with Murphy and his men. And he plans to extend the olive branch by having Billy break Jesse and his boys out of jail. The Kid doesn't support this plan, but John reminds him of the second chance he gave him and the loyalty he expects in return.
John soon shows up at the prison with whiskey for the prisoners. While they enthusiastically accept the gift, they're confused by the Englishman's goodwill. Brady arrives to put a stop to the shenanigans, but he has a change of heart when Tunstall flashes a wad of cash in front of him. John reminds the crooked Sheriff that playing ball with the escape plan will please Murphy as well. Later that night, with Brady paid off and onboard, the escape goes off without a hitch or any bloodshed.
This all leads to an awkward dinner back at Dick Brewer's ranch, where Jesse and his gang literally break bread with Billy and his crew. The Kid explains to his old friend that Tunstall wants to make a sincere attempt at peace, and that his boss now believes Lincoln County is big enough for both businesses to thrive.
Jesse ponders the gesture, slowly gets up from the table...and steals Brewer's pistol from its holster. He holds the gun to the surprised deputy's head, calls Tunstall a fool, and pretty much throws Billy's offer in his face. One of Billy's men reaches for his gun and is immediately shot dead by Jesse. His gang also wants to take Billy out, but Jesse refuses to kill the Kid in cold blood. The Seven Rivers crew take their rivals' weapons, steal their horses, and ride off, leaving any chance of peace trampled in their wake.
A blossoming romance
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The twists and turns that surface in the Lincoln County War storyline are mirrored by a few surprises in Billy's burgeoning romance with Dulcinea (Nuria Vega.) The pair meet for another secret rendezvous, but Billy's not feeling the love. He confronts her about the man he saw her with in Episode 1, as well as the rumor she's engaged to be married. She does love the mystery man from town, but that's because it's her brother. She's not entirely off the hook, however, as she is indeed engaged to be married, an arrangement made by her parents.
Billy insists she should be able to marry whoever she wants. Dulcinea's not so sure, but the couple share a passionate kiss just the same. The lip-lock with the outlaw apparently makes an impression, as Dulcinea soon brings Billy home to meet her father. She introduces him to her dad as William H. Bonney, but her father knows better. He refers to him as Billy the Kid, the "famous outlaw."
Still, the two talk privately about their backgrounds, faiths, and Billy's intentions. The Kid isn't shy about sharing his wishes to marry Dulcinea. Surprisingly, her father not only seems to like Billy, but also respects his bold suggestion that Dulcinea should be able to make her own choice. Reasonable, progressive, and kind, the patriarch - against his ancestors' wishes - later speaks to his daughter and gives her his blessing to be with Billy.
Babies, bullets, and a reignited battle
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Dulcinea's not the only one getting good news in Episode 2, as farmer-turned-soldier Charlie is celebrating the birth of his son. He wants to name him Billy. But the infant's arrival is bittersweet, as the joy it brings Charlie and his wife is tempered by the knowledge of the danger he'll soon face in the war with Murphy's men. He puts on a brave face for his worried wife but quickly falls to his knees and sobs outside while she rests with the baby.
In a happier moment for the new dad, he, Billy, and Tom O'Folliard (Pepe Johnson) practice their sharpshooting skills. The Kid had promised to teach Tom ranching, but it seems he's beefing up the curriculum to prepare him for the coming conflict. The young man lacks confidence, so Billy shows him how it's done, dual-wielding his pistols and making short work of the bottles and cans they've set up. It's a fun, lighthearted scene, but another that's balanced by the war weighing on the back of all their minds.
Before the episode comes to a close, we get to see Tunstall's reaction to Jesse essentially giving his peace offering the finger. He meets with all his soldiers and associates, puts up a tough front, and says, "We tried." He then pivots, "Alright then. This is war. So be it," before raising a glass to a victory he's yet to achieve.
But Billy's not buying it. He downs his whiskey, but he's not drinking Tunstall's Kool-Aid. Sensing his top man's discontent, John pulls the Kid aside and fesses up about Walz's visit and why he actually attempted to avoid further conflict with Murphy. He tells the Kid he's in his debt. But Billy isn't interested in the charming Brit's apologies or gratitude - he just wants Tuntstall's respect and honesty. With the air cleared, the pair shake hands, and the Kid declares: "We have a war to win. It starts tomorrow."
Questions and Predictions
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- What's the catch with Dulcinea and Billy? We expected Dulcinea's family to be the roadblock keeping her and Billy apart, but it seems that obstacle's already been overcome. So what keeps them apart? Or does the series rewrite history and give the pair a happily-ever-after?
- Prediction: Charlie and Tom become tragic heroes: Given that Charlie Bowdre and Tom O'Folliard are real-life characters you can research online, their histories and fates are no secret. But the series seems to be further fleshing them out, filling in some blanks, and generally making us care about them more than the other supporting characters. We're already rooting for them, but we also fear the day they meet their fact-based fates.
- Prediction: The Lincoln County War is about to kick off properly: Episode 1 set up the Lincoln County War, while Episode 2 sort of gave it a false start. But with just six episodes left to cover lots of historic moments and real-life battles, we expect the coming weeks to shift focus and hurl us into the bullet-flying heat of the battle.
New episodes of "Billy the Kid" Season 2 air Sundays on MGM+.
