In the world of Red Dead Redemption 2, there are numerous characters fans hoped to get extending looks at from their time with them in the first game. Bill Williamson is one of these characters, as his portrayal during John Marston's adventures had players wondering what he was like before his descent into madness. Bill Williamson has been things throughout his life, but being polite and honest aren't on that list. Let's look at 10 things about the man who hated John Marston, Bill Williamson.
10 He's Bald
When someone wears a cool piece of clothing and they're not known for being fashion-forward, they're likely trying to distract the eye. In Bill Williamson's case, it seems that his very iconic and distinct cowboy hat that we'll talk about later is used to cover the fact that he's balding. This is revealed in the first game during his final scene when he's pushed out of the wagon. It can also be seen if the player shoots his hat off. No wonder he always keeps that hat on his head.
9 Uneducated
Many of the members of the Van Der Linde gang are uneducated and only know a way of crime. It seems that Bill was the most uneducated of the primary bunch, as he can be heard scoffing at John's use of bigger words. He takes offense to John's use of the word "implore" during their initial encounter in the first game at Fort Mercer. It also seems that Bill doesn't know that the sun sets in the west and rises in the east. He's a very spiteful man, who probably wouldn't know what spiteful means.
8 His Voice
Steven J. Palmer supplies his vocal talents to the role of Bill Williamson. He is one of those cases in Rockstar Games of an actor turning in a great performance, but doesn't have much else of note on his resume. The hope is always that Rockstar Games looks for them to return in future projects, and in the case of Palmer, it's likely that the next game from the studio could use his talents. Whether he comes back to work with them or maybe lands a role in another video game, make sure to look out for the vocal talents of Steven J. Palmer in the future.
7 Nicknames
Bill has gone by less than a handful of aliases, but each of them has a unique connection to points in his life. As we'll get into later, his real name isn't Bill; it's Marion. He changed it later in life as he found it not masculine enough. During the infamous Saint Denis dinner party, Bill happens to introduce himself to the people of Saint Denis as Albert Danielson, which isn't too far off from his real name. The last alternate or nickname Bill was ever called was Billy the Cowboy by Captain De Santa in the first game.
6 Dishonorable Veteran
Americans tend to have a natural respect and loyalty to men and women who have served their country in the Armed Forces. Bill wouldn't exactly receive this type of treatment since he was dishonorably discharged from the 15th Infantry of the Army for deviancy and attempted murder. His time with the Army did provide him with training and gave him experience with a firearm, which came in handy during the years that followed. Bill still recounts the terrible things he witnessed during his time in the Army.
5 Mount
The Brown Jack is a pretty standard horse that doesn't have anything really special about it. It's Bill Williamson's choice of mount, and Arthur reveals Bill's horse of the only living things he has a strong affection for. There isn't any strong reason why Bill chose this specific breed and why he's so attached to it. Bill's not one for communication. Luckily for Arthur or John, the horse has average acceleration, so it's not too difficult to catch or keep up with him.
4 How He Met Dutch
Bill met Dutch Van Der Linde on a fateful day in 1894 when he thought it was a smart idea to try and rob him. During the attempted robbery, Dutch began to laugh at Bill's attempt which made him visibly upset. Seeing that his reaction had hit Bill hard, Dutch, in turn, offered him a place in the Van Der Linde gang. The hope was to help turn a man's life around, as he was living an unguided and prosperous life. Bill's reasoning for joining Dutch also ended up being hypocritical to who he became later on.
3 Iconic Hat
Very rarely do secondary video game characters have parts of their overall design as iconic as Bill and his hat. The moment the second game was announced and a trailer was released, fans began analyzing the footage in hopes of seeing Bill's folded hat. It was known for having the left-side pinned up, which gave him a prominent asymmetrical look. A little-known fact is that the pin that holds the left side up is said to bare the symbol of the Freemasons.
2 His Dislike Of John
When children begin to believe and perceive that their sibling is the favored one, it can cause a ton of resentment. With Bill and John, it seems that most of Bill's hate comes from his belief that Dutch Van Der Linde cares more about John than he does about Bill. This begins to manifest as truth in Bill's mind and leads to the hateful attitude he would give John for the rest of their lives. It's also likely that some of Bill's disdain for John is due to his lack of success with women, whereas John is known to attract women fairly easily.
1 Preferences
Bill is a particular man who likes things in a particular way. He may not be able to spell it, but the man has his preferences. When it comes to firearms, it seems that he prefers rifles over pistols ,which likely came from his experience and time with the Army. Another preference is his name. His birth name was Marion, but he despised it so much that he ended up changing it to Bill. He may not be the smartest man around, but he has his preferences and knows what he likes, which isn't the case for everyone.