Bill Williamson

1899
1911

Gameplay

Game

Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption 2

Biography

Nicknames

Marion (?)

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Location

Redemption 2:

Transitory

Redemption:

Fort Mercer in Río Bravo, New Austin
Town of Escalera in Punta Orgullo, Nuevo Paraíso

Affiliations

Van der Linde gang
Williamson Gang
Mexican Army

Family

Mr. Williamson (father)

Occupation

Soldier (formerly)
Outlaw
Gang leader
Mercenary

Additional info

“	Things are different now, John. Now, I'm in charge! No more Dutch, and no more you!	„
	—Bill Williamson

Bill Williamson is a recurring character in the Red Dead series, appearing as a central character and one of the primary antagonists in Red Dead Redemption, and as a major character in Red Dead Redemption 2.

With the addition of the Liars and Cheats DLC pack for Red Dead Redemption, Bill Williamson is also a multiplayer character model that may be selected in the 'Damnation' section of the Outfitter.

History

Background

BillWilliamsonBio — Biography in RDR 2 (click to enlarge)

Bill Williamson was born in 1866 as Marion Williamson; embarrassed by his first name, he would later adopt the name "Bill" after his surname. Like his son, Bill's father was an alcoholic that slowly lost his mind due to his excessive drinking, notably mixing whiskey with moonshine. Bill was always afraid of suffering the same fate.

Bill's Dishonorable discharge papers rdr2 — Bill's military Dishonorable discharge papers

At some point, Bill joined the military and fought against Native Americans, before being dishonorably discharged for deviancy and attempted murder in 1892. He lived rough for two years, drinking heavily and robbing people on the highway. At one point, was robbed by a "woman" (implied to be a cross-dresser). One day in 1894 he tried to rob Dutch van der Linde, and was taken aback when Dutch simply laughed at him. Though Bill was angry, Dutch cheered him up and gave him purpose, offing him a place in the Van der Linde gang. Despite this, Bill still vividly remembered the horrifying things he'd seen during his time in the Army.

For the next 5 years Bill Williamson would go on to be a gunman for the Van der Linde gang. During his time with the gang he commited various crimes such as: Robberies, raids, murders, kidnappings, and other crimes across the frontier.

In 1899, a botched train robbery leaves the gang broken and divided. During a final standoff between the remaining gang members Bill chose to side with Micah Bell againced Arthur Morgan and John Marston. Some time afterward Micah attempted to form a new gang with the people who stuck by him but it can be assumed Bill had gone his own way before this happend, problay because he was angry and disillusiond by Dutch's failure. In 1910 Williamson established his own gang and, after the Del Lobo Gang were evacuated from Fort Mercer, took it over.

Events of Red Dead Redemption 2

“	An ex‐soldier discharged from the army, possibly dishonorably. Hot-headed, he tends to act first and think later but is tough, dedicated and always ready to fight.	„
	—Description by Rockstar Games.

Colter Chapter

Bill was first introduced, when he gets into a argument with Micah that almost ends in a fight. Dutch breaks up the fight, and then tells them that they are attacking the O'Driscoll Boys. Bill will take part in this fight, and later search a house for valuables left behind.

During the Cornwall company train robbery, Bill is unable to get onto the escaping train along with the majority of the gang.

Horseshoe Overlook Chapter

During the Horseshoe Overlook chapter, Bill is brought over by Dutch to torture Kieran if he doesn't talk. After Kieran reveals the location of an O'Driscoll hideout, he accompanies Arthur and John in attacking the hideout.

Clemens Point chapter

Bill is deputized by Sheriff Leigh Gray, along with Arthur and Dutch. They along with Deputy Archibald MacGregor go and shut down a Lemoyne Raiders' moonshine operation, where Bill and Arthur deal with the Raider reinforcements.

Bill, along with Karen helps mastermind the robbery of the Valentine bank. The two of them, along with Arthur and Lenny break into the bank, steal a large sum of cash, before fighting their way past the law attempting to prevent their escape.

Bill takes part in Uncle's stagecoach robbery along with Arthur and Charles. The heist quickly goes downhill, as uncountable lawman descend upon them. The gang hides in an old barn, but is found by the law. The barn is lit on fire, and they are forced to fight their way out of the barn and engage more lawmen in the forest before escaping.

One of his last acts in Clemens Point, is when he, Arthur, Sean, and Micah enter Rhodes to do a job for the Gray Family. Almost immediately after they are ambushed by the Grays, Bill is captured by Sheriff Gray. After Micah and Arthur clear the street of lawmen, they rescue Bill and slay the Sheriff. He later takes part in the assault on Braithwaite Manor, in retaliation for the capture of Jack.

Saint-Denis Chapter

Bill attends the part at the mayors mansion along with Arthur, Dutch, and Hosea. He quickly grows frustrated after failing to find any leads.

Bill later takes part in the failed bank robbery, where Hosea and Lenny are killed. Along with the remaining gang members, he boards a boat in the harbor destined for the South Pacific.

Guarma Chapter

After the boat sinks, Bill washes up on the shores of Guarma with everyone except Arthur. Not long after Arthur is found, they are attacked by Guarman troops, and are captured. After they manage to escape with the help of Hercule Fortaine, he rests at La Capilla. Following the battle of Cinco Torres which he took a minimal part in, he is tasked with carrying the still wounded Javier Escuella.

Beaver Hollow Chapter

Bill helps Arthur steal a stagecoach of dynamite at Van Horn Trading Post. During the robbery, Bill plays dumb near the roadside, before attacking the stagecoach. Arthur will then open fire on it from above, and the two will steal the stagecoach. As they flee the scene with the dynamite, they are pursued by lawmen, but Arthur is able to fight them off.

He will later take part in the assault on the Cornwall Refinery, where he will join the group that attacks the warehouse.

Bill will later join the robbery of the train heading through Saint Denis. After the train doesn't stop, he along with the rest of the gang ride after it. After they get back to camp, and the standoff between Micah and Arthur develops, Bill does not hesitate in siding with Micah. After the Pinkertons attack, he runs with the rest of those who sided with Micah.

Events of Red Dead Redemption

In 1911, Marston has been extorted into hunting down his former brothers in arms, with Bill Williamson being the first target. The hunt for Bill Williamson serves as the impetus for the game's plot and is the central motivating factor throughout the first and partially second act.

New Austin

John and Bill meet once again at Fort Mercer. John has been extorted into pursuing and apprehending Williamson due to his gang's vicious crimes. Edgar Ross and the Bureau of Investigation threaten John's son and wife to force John to complete the task. Marston confronts Williamson from outside the fortified walls, appealing to him to surrender before any harm befalls him. Williamson refuses, has several men put Marston at gunpoint, and berates John for his reformation. John responds by reaching for his revolver, causing one of Williamson's men to open fire and wound him in the lower-right torso. They presume John dead and leave his body to the elements. Hours pass, until ranchers, Bonnie MacFarlane, and Amos discover him wounded. Bonnie and Amos altruistically take Marston to Nathaniel Johnston, the Armadillo doctor, to treat his wounds. John then recovers quite well after the bullet is removed. In return for a $15 doctor's bill, John agrees to work at the ranch for a short time. However, Bill later discovered that John was alive and living with Bonnie. As revenge, Bill and his followers burned the MacFarlane's barn to the ground.

During that time, Marston recruited some people in New Austin with a cost of helping them. After helping Leigh Johnson, Nigel West Dickens, Seth Briars and Irish, John planned a strategy to raid Bill's hideout. The group breached the fort only to find out that Bill fled to Mexico with the help of another of John's former gangmates, Javier Escuella. The pair were put into the Protection of the local state government.

Nuevo Paraíso

John eventually ventured to Mexico himself and was forced to work with Colonel Allende, the brutal dictator of a region in Mexico called Nuevo Paraiso. Even though Allende promised to deliver Escuella and Williamson to Marston, Allende instead betrayed him and attempted to have him killed. Due to the betrayal, John joined with the anti-government rebels led by Abraham Reyes and eventually attacked Allende's villa in Escalera.

Upon being attacked, Bill escapes with Allende to an armoured stagecoach, where Marston and Reyes give chase. After the bodyguards are dispatched, the stagecoach comes to halt and Allende betrays Bill, pushing him out and pinning him to the ground, attempting to trade Bill’s life for his own. The player can now shoot Bill or, if they decide not to, Bill will then reach for Allende’s revolver, where he will be shot and killed by Reyes if John still doesn’t shoot. With Williamson dead, John is then required to return to Blackwater.

Character

Personality

“	That man is a stone-cold killer.” “Williamson is a proud fool.	„
	—Leigh Johnson and John Marston regarding Bill.

During his time in the Van der Linde Gang, Bill Williamson was loyal to Dutch and the gang and was a respectable member. Because Dutch gave him purpose, Bill is loyal to him to a fault, and staunchly supports Dutch's every decision, even after Dutch starts going insane. Bill's loyalty to Dutch is implied to be at least partially motivated by fear; not of Dutch himself, but of what the future holds for him should he end up alone again. He is also shown to be driven by the desire to prove himself, though he often falls short because of his recklessness and lack of intelligence. Originally a friend and brother-in-arms of John, Bill's friendship with him soon turned into rivalry over Dutch's attention. By 1899 their rivalry evolved into hatred, and Bill, along with the other fellow criminals, left John to die in a miserably failed robbery.

By the time he left the gang, he became a ruthless and ambitious man, power-hungry, self-serving and greedy by nature, as well as lacking any morals or conscience. His ruthlessness and immorality were shown through countless acts of crime and intimidation, including arson, kidnapping, murder, and likely rape. Ironically, without Dutch's guidance and the rest of his comrades, Bill became transformed into the exact thing he was afraid of becoming.

Throughout his life as a criminal, Bill became both respected and feared by the people and criminals of New Austin, with Bonnie even calling him "the worst bandit in the county". Many criminals and bandits such as Norman Deek chose to follow Williamson, making him one of the most dangerous and powerful criminals in the area.

Despite his cruelty and inhumane acts throughout his career, Bill has displayed a softer side of himself; after learning of Jack Marston's kidnapping by the Braithwaite family, Bill offered himself to participate in the rescue, despite having no obligation to do so, or even being asked to join in the rescue. In later years, Bill became something of a coward, likely stemming from paranoia. He is shown to lack any sense of loyalty for his comrades or associates, unlike his time in the Van der Linde Gang. During each of his encounters with John throughout the events of Red Dead Redemption, Bill rarely fights directly against his former friend, preferring to send his men after him instead. Bill is also quick to run away upon understanding the threat upon his life and will do anything to escape death.

Appearance

Bill is a large and heavyset man, though by 1899 he has started tuning somewhat fat. He has brown hair and a bushy beard. Though not bald, his hair is clearly receding. His attire consisted of grey trousers, boots and either a plain white or a checked shirt, sometimes with a long, brown leather jacket and/or a hat. By 1911, Bill is shown to be mostly bald, with his remaining hair and beard flaked with patches of gray. He also seems to be missing some teeth and appears to have lost a considerable amount of weight, probably as a result of his lifestyle. His most noticeable piece of clothing is his hat, which he wears pinned on one side.

Mission Appearances

Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption 2

Quotes

Single-player

“	Do I look like I need saving?	„
	—Bill Williamson

“	You always did have a high opinion of yourself, John. Dutch always said you were an arrogant son of a bitch!	„
	—Bill Williamson to John Marston

“	Get 'em boys!	„
	—Bill Williamson orders his gang to attack John Marston and the Marshals

“	I didn't kill you before, John, but I sure as shit will now!	„
	—Bill Williamson threatening John Marston

“	Well, you never tried to save me before. You only seemed to save yourself.	„
	—Bill Williamson

“	Go away now, John. Don't make me kill you.	„
	—Bill Williamson

“	Implores. I, I implores you to go back and tell them to send someone just a little bit more impressive next time.	„
	—Bill Williamson to John Marston

“	You must think I was born yesterday. You always did think I was an idiot.	„
	—Bill Williamson to John Marston

“	Poor John...	„
	—Bill Williamson to John, after one of Bill's men shot John

“	You always was weak minded.	„
	—Bill Williamson

“	Jack probably ain't even your son. Ha Ha!	„
	—Bill Williamson

“	It ain't over.... Till it's over!	„
	—Bill Williamson in the movie

“	Go then! I cover you.	„
	—Bill Williamson and Allende about to escape

“	Nobody wanted you around John!	„
	—Bill Williamson to John Marston

“	Dutch, Javier and I wanted you dead! We all did.	„
	—Bill Williamson giving the reason for leaving John

“	You always was a traitor ya bastard orphan!	„
	—Bill Williamson

“	I always knew you were a coward.	„
	—Bill Williamson

“	Whould you hurry up?	„
	—Bill Williamson to Allende when about to escape

“	What the hell are ya doing?	„
	—Bill Williamson to Allende

“	You implore me? He, he you implore.	„
	—Bill Williamson

“	Alright, John, I-I-I'll-I'll come quietly.	„
	—Bill Williamson's last words

Multiplayer

"I sure miss that whore of yours!"
"I always was more clever than you, hahahahaha!"
"I've been waitn' for this!"
"Go home to your whore wife!"
"Son of a bitch!"
"Go on, hit me, you coward!"
"I'll blow your damn brains out!"
"This time, I'll make sure you're dead!"
"You always was frightened of me!"
"This was the way it was always going to be, old friend."
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
"I'll cut you open!"
"You're still a scared little boy!"
"I aint' goin' to jail for you ya' son of a bitch!"
"You always was a coward!"
"I'll kill you twice you bastard!"
"You always was weak-minded!"

Gallery

Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption

Trivia

Bill appears to have been less educated than John and Dutch, taking offense at John's larger vocabulary in their first encounter at Fort Mercer. Namely, the word "implore."
Bill is partly bald, revealed during his final appearance, when Allende shoves him out of the wagon, his hat falls off, revealing his baldness. It can also be seen by shooting off his hat, or by playing Poker or Liar's Dice with him in Multiplayer.
Bill does not appear in Undead Nightmare physically, but he is mentioned by John while talking to Mother Superior.
Most, if not all, of Bill's multiplayer quotes, seems to be directed at John.
The pin which holds the side of Bill's hat up bears the symbol of the Freemasons (The Square and Compasses).
The name William Williamson suggests that he has a Welsh heritage since giving one's children the same first and surname was a tradition in Wales in the 17th-20th centuries.
- In RDRII, it is revealed that Bill's birth name was Marion and that he changed it to William (Bill) because he found it embarrassing.
In Undead Nightmare among the writings on the walls of buildings in Blackwater one writing reads "Things are different now." These are some of the words that Williamson said to John before wounding him at Fort Mercer.
His name could be a reference to famed Italian Western film director, Sergio Leone, who for his early films, went by the screen name of Bob Robertson, which is similar to Bill's name in that the last name is the same as his full first name with 'son' added on the end (e.g. Robert Robertson-William Williamson).
In an interview with Retroplayer, Steve J. Palmer the voice actor of Bill Williamson; compared the relationship between John Marston and Bill Williamson to that of siblings. With Dutch being more of a "parental figure." While stating that Bill was envious of John's relationship with Abigail and bitter that she chose Marston over him. Steve went on to say that John was once a positive moral influence on Bill and that once John left the gang, Bill began to "tailspin out of control." without John's moral support.^[1]
Bill states that the reason he joined Dutch's cause is that he saw what power can do to people while he was in the army. This foreshadows his own fate, as 12 years later Bill becomes a ruthless megalomaniac and a shadow of his former self while being in charge of his own gang.
Bill doesn't appear to know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
His birth name, Marion, is most likely a reference to the iconic Western actor Marion Mitchell Morrison, better known under his more masculine screen name "John Wayne".
Bill seems to have a strong preference for rifles over pistols. In Red Dead Redemption 2, his main weapon is the Bolt Action Rifle and, although he does carry a revolver, it is extremely seldom (if ever) used. In the original Red Dead Redemption, Bill is seen with a Winchester Repeater and doesn’t seem to carry a sidearm at all.
Williamson’s apparent preference for rifles most likely stems from his time in the Army, where a rifle would have been his primary weapon while he would have had little experience in using a revolver.
If the player antagonizes the camp enough, Bill will punch Arthur out and throw him out the camp, just like Lenny, John, Charles, and Javier.

References

↑ https://www.webcitation.org/6T5QpBvJD?url=http://www.thegamingliberty.com/2010/09/bill-williamson-speaks-an-interview-with-steve-j-palmer/