GAMES · STORY NOTES

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood (Polish: Call of Juarez: Więzy Krwi) is a 2009 Western-themed first-person shooter for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360. With the majority of the story taking place eighteen years prior to the first game, Bound in Blood focuses on the McCall brothers; Ray and Thomas, who are fighting in the American Civil War.

Description adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood · CC BY-SA 4.0. Text adapted for this entry.

FULL SPOILERS AHEAD

The story, including the ending.

These write-ups discuss major events and outcomes for this listed work. Each source and its coverage are identified below.

Complete story — includes the ending

In 1864, brothers Ray and Thomas McCall are sergeants in the Confederate States Army, fighting in the American Civil War. After a successful battle near the Chattahoochee River, they are ordered by their commanding officer, Colonel Jeremy Barnsby, to retreat to Jonesboro to reinforce supply lines. They refuse to comply, and instead desert to try to save their nearby home from the approaching Union Army. They arrive too late, however, finding the house partially destroyed, their mother dead, and their younger brother William, a trainee priest, by her bedside. Vowing to return and rebuild the house in the future, the three leave. Meanwhile, Barnsby vows to track them down and hang them for their desertion. Shortly thereafter, the Union proves victorious in the war, but Barnsby refuses to surrender and continues hunting the McCalls.
In 1866, the brothers are in San Lorenzo where Ray has heard of a lost Aztec treasure called the "Gold of Juarez", and despite it apparently being cursed, he hopes they can find it and use it to rebuild their home. William, however, is growing concerned at their increasingly lawless behavior. Meanwhile, Running River, an Apache chief, makes plans to wage war on the white man. He sends his son, Seeing Farther, to purchase rifles in Mexico, authorizing him to trade a medallion that reveals the location of the gold. In San Lorenzo, Ray and Thomas make the acquaintance of Juan 'Juarez' Mendoza, a powerful bandit, and his girlfriend, Marisa, with whom Ray immediately becomes infatuated. Mendoza reveals he too is looking for the gold, and promises them a share if they help him find it. They agree and William notes that whilst Ray looks lustfully at Marisa, she looks at Thomas the same way.
Mendoza introduces the brothers to Seeing Farther, who has come to him to purchase the rifles. The group heads to Arizona to meet a gun runner, who (unseen by the brothers) turns out to be Barnsby. He tells Mendoza if he wants the rifles, he must hand over the McCalls. Meanwhile, Marisa tells Thomas she is in love with him, whilst William acknowledges that Ray and Thomas are now fully-fledged outlaws and no longer talk about rebuilding their home. Barnsby learns about the medallion and allows the brothers to follow Mendoza into Apache territory, planning to pursue them and use the gold to raise a new Confederate army.
The McCalls and Mendoza meet with Running River, but when he sees that Mendoza was trying to swindle him by selling him useless rifles, he orders them all killed. Seeing Farther, however, intervenes and bargains for their lives. Running River reluctantly agrees not to kill them but takes Marisa as payment for his troubles. Mendoza leaves, and the McCalls go to the Apache village. Seeing Farther agrees to help them find the medallion so as to prevent Running River using it to buy other rifles, as he fears the curse will destroy the Apache. Infiltrating Navajo territory, they retrieve the medallion, with Seeing Farther entrusting it to William and explaining how to use it.
Shortly thereafter, Barnsby attacks the village. Most of the Apache are massacred, and although Ray, Thomas, and Running River survive, Seeing Farther is taken hostage. Ray and Thomas attempt to rescue him, but Barnsby mortally wounds him. Dying, he says he was captured by Mendoza and handed over to Barnsby, and William and Marisa are being held captive by Mendoza in his alcázar. The brothers wipe out Barnsby's men and leave Running River to kill Barnsby. Speaking to his dead son, Running River renounces his life of violence, stating that from now on, he will live a life of peace and be known as Calm Water.
Meanwhile, Mendoza interrogates William, but William refuses to explain how to use the medallion. Marisa tells William she is pregnant with Mendoza's child, and admits she truly does love Thomas. As Ray and Thomas storm the alcázar, Mendoza orders William executed, and Marisa steals the medallion. She tells Thomas she knows how to use it, and they must do so now, as William is already dead. Thomas reluctantly agrees to leave Ray behind. Meanwhile, Ray prevents William's death and shoots Mendoza, but is unable to find the body. He and William then escape, with Ray beside himself with rage.
Heading to the location of the gold, they encounter Thomas and Marisa in the chamber. The two brothers face off, but William steps between them. He pretends he is about to draw a gun, and Ray shoots him. In actuality, he was taking out his bible. The chamber is then attacked by Barnsby, whom Running River chose not to kill. The McCalls kill him and admit that perhaps the gold really is cursed, and so they leave it behind. William's sacrifice compels Ray to renounce violence and become a preacher. Thomas and Marisa are married, and the three head to Texas. Marisa wears the medallion as an amulet, which she plans to give to her child when he is born.
Sources and content license

Source and revision history ↗ · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood. HTML and reference formatting removed; headings adjusted. · Content license