Billy the Kid season 3 finale ending explained: What allowed Billy to close in on Catron?

Though Billy the Kid season 3 marks the end of MGM+’s Western drama, the finale proves just how boldly the series reimagines the life of the legendary outlaw. Created by Michael Hirst, the show has followed Billy, played with emotional grit by Tom Blyth, from his childhood hardships to his rise as the infamous gunslinger who would forever become an American folk figure. 

The season explores themes of revenge, justice, and mythmaking, all while showcasing the complicated brotherhood between Billy and Jesse Evans. With the finale bringing several character arcs to a conclusion, it became a fittingly emotional close to the saga.

Emily’s crucial role and the final showdown

Billy’s path to Catron begins when he reconnects with Sam, who suggests the one person capable of helping him get close to the governor: Emily, Catron’s own daughter. Although it surprises Billy, Emily’s relationship with her father has long been strained. After the suspicious death of her husband, which Garrett later confirms was orchestrated by Catron, Emily’s grief hardens into a desire for vengeance.

When Billy approaches her in secret, Emily recognizes him not just as an outlaw but as the man whose name has already become Western folklore. She decides to help him, securing Catron’s whistle-stop tour itinerary, a document detailing every planned campaign stop. With these travel plans, Billy finally has a blueprint for the assassination.

This cooperation forms the backbone of Billy’s plan. After Billy and Jesse briefly lose their chance in Mesilla, thanks to Jesse being recognized at a brothel, Emily comes through again with a bold new tactic. She decides that she will join her father’s campaign publicly, creating a distraction long enough for Billy and Jesse to strike. 

The finale brings the payoff. In Albuquerque, as Emily takes the stage and courageously exposes her father’s corruption to the crowd, Billy and Jesse infiltrate the rally. The assassination unfolds violently and publicly: Billy shoots Catron, finally executing the revenge he has been chasing since Catron’s earliest crimes against Lincoln County.

But the cost is enormous. Jesse is fatally shot during the escape and forces Billy to leave him behind, choosing to die while holding off the authorities. Billy, heartbroken but alive, rides to safety and reunites with Dulcinea and their child. With Catron dead and the Santa Fe Ring destabilized, Billy escapes to Mexico under a new name, William, leaving behind the legend of Billy the Kid.

Recap of Billy the Kid Season 3 Episode 8

The finale of Billy the Kid Season 3, titled The Redeemed, opens with Billy recovering after narrowly surviving his brush with death and is determined to take down Catron at any cost. With Garrett dead from the previous episode, the governor stands as Billy’s last and most dangerous enemy.

Billy’s search for access leads him to Sam, who directs him to Emily. She not only confirms her father’s involvement in her husband’s murder but also reveals Catron’s upcoming campaign tour across New Mexico. From this point, Billy’s plan begins to crystallize.

Meanwhile, Jesse, who had parted ways with Billy, returns, explaining that family, chosen or otherwise, is something he can’t abandon. Their first attempt to intercept Catron in Mesilla fails when Jesse’s reckless night at a brothel exposes both of them. 

Forced into a violent escape, Billy fears he has lost his only chance. Emily, however, presents a final plan. She will accompany Catron onstage during his Albuquerque rally, keeping him in the public eye and ensuring his schedule does not change.

On the day of the event, Emily fulfills her promise. As she speaks, Billy and Jesse push through the crowd, eliminating the guards and finally reaching Catron. Billy kills the governor in a dramatic, fictionalized twist on history. But in the firefight that follows, Jesse is shot. Their farewell is heartbreaking, Jesse chooses to stay behind, buying Billy the precious moments needed to escape.

The episode ends with Billy returning to George’s home, reuniting with Dulcinea and their daughter. They set off toward Mexico, embracing a new life far from the violence that shaped Billy’s past. Whether everything he accomplished will truly change the world remains uncertain, but the finale leaves him with a sliver of hope.

All three seasons of Billy the Kid are available to stream on MGM+.