The Shocking Truth Behind Eddie Sawyer's Abrupt Departure from HBO's Deadwood in Season 2

Summary

Eddie Sawyer's sudden departure from Deadwood season 2 was due to his realization of Tolliver's evil and his attempt to retaliate by stealing from him.

Ricky Jay, the actor who played Eddie Sawyer, originally declined to shoot his character's death scene due to his reluctance to have the character killed off.

Eddie Sawyer's departure from Deadwood in season 2 served as a suitable conclusion for his character, as it enabled the subsequent seasons to delve into Tolliver's downfall and shed light on the strained relationship between Tolliver and Joanie.

Eddie Sawyer's departure from season 2 of Deadwood left many viewers wondering about his fate. Here's what happened to him and why Ricky Jay left the show in season 2. Ricky Jay's character, Eddie Sawyer, was introduced in season 1 as a skilled card player at Cy Tolliver's Bella Union Saloon. It was established that Sawyer had been working for Tolliver for a long time and was considered one of his most reliable men. However, as the show progressed, Sawyer discovered Tolliver's dark deeds and their relationship turned sour.

In an attempt to retaliate, Sawyer stole from Tolliver in season 1 and gave the money to Joanie Stubbs, who used it to open her brothel. In season 2, it was revealed that Tolliver knew about Sawyer's theft but before he could take action, Sawyer fled. According to reports, the creators of Deadwood initially had different plans for Ricky Jay's character but had to make changes to the script due to filming complications.

Ricky Jay Left Deadwood After Finding Out Eddie Sawyer Was About To Be Killed Off

Ricky Jay, actor in Deadwood, became aware that his character would be killed off in season 1, causing him to panic and barricade himself in his trailer for two hours to avoid filming the death scene. Despite attempts from the show's producers to persuade him, Ricky Jay remained resistant. Eventually, he agreed to film the scene but insisted that his character's death be left ambiguous.

Although the show's creators agreed to Ricky Jay's request, David Milch, the creator, producer, and writer of Deadwood, asked Powers Boothe, who portrays Cy Tolliver, to portray Eddie Sawyer's death convincingly. Interestingly, this scene never made it into Deadwood's first season. Instead, in season 2, it was revealed that Eddie Sawyer had fled before Tolliver could exact revenge on him for stealing.

Eddie’s Sawyer’s Season 2 Exit Was More Fitting

Retrospectively, Eddie Sawyer's decision to flee holds a coherent narrative significance, despite his minor role in season 1 of Deadwood. The subsequent seasons, 2 and 3, progressively depict Tolliver's decline. Had Tolliver abruptly murdered Eddie Sawyer in season 1, his gradual descent would not have possessed the same understated intricacy that characterized the larger storylines in seasons 2 and 3. Furthermore, Sawyer's escape serves as a rationale for the escalating tension between Tolliver and Joanie in season 2 of Deadwood, which would have lacked coherence if Tolliver had killed Sawyer for aiding Joanie financially.