Billy the Kid deals with the story of Billy’s father, Patrick McCarty, quite briefly. Although Billy lost his father at an early age, he spent a large part of his childhood with his father, especially when they lived in New York City. Billy’s family eventually migrated to Kansas in the 1860s. Apart from his biological father, Billy was guided by other father figures in his life as well.
Season 1 of the MGM series explores how Billy and his family had a difficult time adjusting to life in Kansas. In season 2, Billy is portrayed as a reckless man with no sense for life after the death of his mother and brother due to tuberculosis. In reality, Billy’s brother, Joe, actually survived Billy. However, the show is accurate about Billy losing his father early in his life.
Patrick McCarty died when Billy was around 8 years old. There is no official record or evidence about the circumstances or actual cause of his death. There are several theories about how and when he died, but it is usually suggested that Patrick died shortly after leaving New York City.
In the series, Patrick commits suicide while traveling to Kansas with his family. Throughout season 1, Patrick seems to be mentally unwell and claims that he is “sick of the mind.” He remains devastated and upset most of the time, suggesting that he is suffering from clinical depression.
Historians do not usually believe Patrick died of suicide. But the show took this route to establish the incidents that shaped Billy’s childhood and, in turn, his adult personality.
Some historians also suggest that Billy’s father’s name was William Bonney, which is the origin of Billy’s iconic alias. The MGM series has been mostly historically accurate about Billy’s childhood and his father’s death. After Patrick’s death, Billy’s mother, Catherine, had to struggle to feed her two sons.
She married William Antrim in Indiana and settled down with him in Kansas. In the series, Billy is not accepting of his stepfather and suspects him to be a fraud. Eventually, we realize Billy’s assumptions were right, as Antrim abandons Billy and Joe after Catherine’s death. This incident is pivotal in Billy’s life as it forces him to take up the path of crime and bloodshed.
Apart from Patrick, Billy has been guided by other mentors in the series. In season 1, the carriage driver who brought Billy’s family to Kansas, Moss, notices Billy’s state of mind and looks out for him during the journey.
Moss teaches Billy how to use a gun. In reality, there is no evidence of Billy being guided by a man called Moss. However, these creative changes help to make the story more interesting.
The most significant father figure in Billy’s life was John Tunstall. He is portrayed to be way older in the MGM series than he was in real life. In reality, Billy loved Tunstall for treating him like an equal and giving him a second chance at life. It is Tunstall’s murder that eventually started the Lincoln County War, where Billy played an important role.
About Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid is an American Western drama television series created by Michael Hirst. Set in the 19th century in the American Old West, it stars Tom Blyth as outlaw and gunfighter Billy the Kid. The series premiered on Epix on April 24, 2022. In January 2023, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on MGM+ on October 15, 2023.
The series is an epic romantic adventure based on the life of Billy the Kid, from his humble Irish roots and his early days as a cowboy and gunslinger in the American frontier to his pivotal role in the Lincoln County War and beyond.
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