Sadly, the bloodbath that happened behind the McSween residence was inevitable.
The Army failed miserably at their peacekeeping mission on Billy the Kid Season 2 Episode 7.
That's because the two feuding sides were not interested in any truce.
The Regulators and The House wanted their opponents to pay for past actions.
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Unfortunately, while Billy's team sought justice, the House had what passes for the law in crooked New Mexico on its side.
Pat Garrett, Billy's old riding buddy, is attempting to enforce that law. He is discovering that too much is happening behind his back, done by those who think they own him.
Pat tipped the balance of power in Lincoln when he convinced Col. Dudley, the Army Commander, to intercede in the town's ongoing skirmish.
Billy's forces had the advantage before the Army put Lincoln in lockdown.
They had a numbers edge and were also a guerilla force, able to strike without warning.
Now they were trapped fortifying Lawyer McSween's house, and everyone in town knew exactly where they were holed up.
This situation first fell on Pat. Indeed, he's taken the measure of those he allied with.
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He must have found Riley, Murphy, and Jesse's 7 Rivers Gang lacking.
So, why did Pat take the post in the first place? And if he's unable to improve things, why is he even hanging around?
As Billy noted, that badge gives him the power to change things. Then again, if he tries to fix things, how much longer would Catron allow him to keep that badge?
Pat has to decide which side he's on, then play the game and use his office to make subtle changes. He must let everyone believe he's working with them.
Garrett's biggest misstep was recruiting Col. Dudley to lock down Lincoln on Billy the Kid Season 2 Episode 6.
Dudley came in with the nebulous mission of "restoring the peace."
It's hard to do that when he doesn't know the players. Instead of taking the temperature of the townfolk, the Army was using the playbook that had been successful in dealing with Indian uprisings or banana-republic revolts.
But indeed, Dudley has dealt with profiteering scoundrels such as Murphy and Riley before. (Didn't you like how "Major" Murphy dusted off his old uniform during Dudley's stay?)
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And, for the most part, he shot them down, something they weren't accustomed to. Pat, with his hat-in-hand routine, had better luck.
But in a case of good versus evil, just proclaiming neutrality isn't good enough. Sometimes, refusing to choose is taking a side.
Dudley's mealy-mouthed approach ultimately caused the good people of Lincoln and their champions to suffer.
He allowed Jesse and his 7 Rivers Gang to deliver the new warrants to the McSween home.
Why could Pat just knock and deliver those himself instead of Jesse's more provocative approach, which only heightened tensions?
And where was the harm in allowing the women to see their loved ones instead of getting a beatdown by the Army? A little common sense would go a long way.
Dulcinea, who organized that gathering, seemed to be bouncing back from having her whole family killed on Billy the Kid Season 2 Episode 5. She figures to play a bigger role in the season finale next week.
Unfortunately, a weak link for The Regulators made a wrong move, putting the team in Dudley's crosshairs.
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George never should have given that jumpy runner a gun.
His frightened killing of a soldier led to his being gunned down with three other soldiers. And that should have been the end of it.
But no. Dudley chose to look the other way when Riley suggested that the House forces burn the McSween house to force out The Regulators. How was that not taking sides?
Again, Pat found out about this plan when he saw the smoke and had to eventually investigate. He certainly took his sweet time getting there.
That bucket brigade didn't work worth a damn in the middle of a gunfight, did it?
Let's credit Susan McSween, who showed much more grit than her husband, who whined to Billy earlier.
She walked out through a truce in that firefight and demanded that the ranking officer take her to talk with Dudley.
First, she lambasted Pat for allowing the House thugs to set her home on fire. At least he had the courtesy to look abashed.
Dudley didn't even manage that much emotion, sticking to his dubious claim of neutrality despite her plea to save her husband.
Then, she bravely walked back into that burning building to support her husband and their house guests.
That final firefight was, indeed, as Pat described it, "a turkey shoot."
Billy's strategy of "a strong offense is a good defense" worked as well as it could, with a handful of Regulators escaping into the woods.
It was intriguing that, once again, Jesse couldn't bring himself to fire on Billy. Jesse has more respect for Billy than any of the mercenaries he works with.
The fugitive Regulators' best hope may be Susan, who will go to Las Vegas to find a good prosecutor. (It's hard to imagine Vegas once was a place known for integrity.)
Did that firefight go better or worse for the regulators than you expected?
Any of those killed that you'll miss?
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How do The Regulators mount a comeback?
Comment below.
