Diksha Sundriyal
The second season of MGM+’s Western drama series, ‘Billy the Kid’ introduces a new chapter in the outlaw’s story. Having traced Billy’s origins and the circumstances that led him to become one of the most infamous criminals of his time, the show enters the territory that established the notoriety of the eponymous young man. Apart from the war that is brewing in Lincoln County, with Billy being right at its center, the new season also focuses on the romance in his life.
Dulcinea Del Tobosco was introduced in the last episode of the first season, where she catches Billy’s eye and hints that she might want to get to know him better. By the first episode of Season 2, there is a palpable attraction between them, but the road is difficult for the couple because of Billy’s criminal life. This might make you wonder if the real-life Billy the Kid also had a lover. Who was she, and what happened to her? Here’s everything you need to know. SPOILERS AHEAD
Dulcinea Del Tobosco is Inspired by Billy the Kid’s Rumoured Girlfriend
When it comes to inspecting the aspects of Billy the Kid’s life, it’s important to remember that a lot of things about him don’t have any concrete evidence. Since his death, the stories about him have been turned into legends, with people offering their own versions. This opens a lot of space for the creators of a show about Billy’s life, in which they can dramatize the events by bringing their own take based on the things that have been floating around about the character. The question of his girlfriend is one of those things.
The real Billy the Kid was known to have had relationships with several women over the years, so it’s possible that the show’s creators based Dulcinea on one of those women. The name, however, hasn’t been connected to Billy the Kid in real life. Its closest counterpart is found in a character in Miguel de Cervantes’s classic novel, ‘Don Quixote.’
It is believed that Billy the Kid was in love with a woman named Paulita Maxwell, the sister of Pete Maxwell, in whose house Billy was eventually killed. The Maxwells were a wealthy and respected family whose reins Pete took over after their father’s death. According to some accounts of Billy’s life, Pete and Billy met after the Lincoln County war in Fort Sumner, where the Maxwell family lived. In the show, Pete hasn’t made an appearance yet, and instead of Paulita, we have Dulcinea Del Tobosco, who also belongs to a wealthy Mexican family.
Another woman who is believed to have had a romantic relationship with Billy is Celsa Gutierrez, but not much is known about her. Years later, when Paulita Maxwell gave an interview, she claimed that she only had a crush on Billy and they were never really together. Instead, she named Gutierrez as the woman who actually had a relationship with the outlaw.
Despite Paulita’s claims, her name has persisted in the mythology of Billy the Kid as her romantic interest. Her role in Billy’s story has also given rise to several rumors. Some believe that Paulita was pregnant with Billy’s child around the time he was killed by Pat Garrett. It is also believed that he may have come to the Maxwell house to meet her, which was anticipated by Garrett. In another version, it is claimed that Billy’s alleged affair with Paulita may have soured his relationship with Pete, which is why he betrayed his friend and tipped off Garrett.
While there is barely any concrete information about Paulita, it is believed that a short while after Billy’s death, she was wedded to José Jaramillo. Some believe that Paulita’s first child was actually Billy’s, not José’s, and her family married her off to hide the news of her pregnancy. However, this information has a conflicted timeline, as some records suggest that Paulita’s first child was born around eighteen months after Billy’s death. All the conflicting information shows that it’s hard to ascertain how much truth there is in all the rumors and stories about Billy the Kid. The show’s creators have exploited this lack of certainty and added a fictional aspect to his life through Dulcinea’s character.
Read More: Was Billy the Kid Friends With Jesse James? Did They Know Each Other?
