Pardners 1956

Raid on the K Ranch and vow of vengeance

Masked raiders attack the K Ranch and threaten the livelihoods of Wade Kingsley and Slim Mosley. Both men fight valiantly but are murdered in the assault. Matilda Kingsley and her infant Wade Jr. escape east to New York, seeking safety for their son. Before dying, Wade and Slim vow that their sons will someday avenge them.

Matilda visits New York to plot the ranch's future

Years later in 1910, Matilda visits New York City to see her niece Carol and Slim Mosley Jr., who has come to town to compete in a rodeo. They plan to use Slim's rodeo earnings to buy a prize bull named Cuddles and bring him back west to replenish the K Ranch's stock. The reunion ties the old ranch to the new generation as they plot to restore the family's fortunes.

Wade Jr. enters the New York City rodeo

In New York City, Wade Jr. participates in the rodeo, where his bungling helps cost Slim the first prize. To make amends, Wade buys the bull Cuddles for Slim and joins them on the journey back west aboard a train. The episode nudges Wade toward becoming a steward of the family fortune and future partner to Slim.

The westward return with Cuddles

With the deal struck, Wade boards a westbound train with Slim and the bull Cuddles, heading back toward the ranch. The return trip cements their budding partnership and sets the stage for Western life. The bull Cuddles becomes a symbol of the K Ranch's revival.

Wade and Slim become partners with a frontier ruse

Out west, Slim warms to Wade and agrees to become partners, like their fathers. To avoid town taunts, Wade is introduced to everyone as 'Killer Jones', a tough hombre in appearance more than in deed. The ruse helps Wade gain respect and trust in the frontier community.

Stagecoach heroics and sheriff status

Wade's actions during a runaway stagecoach earn him public attention, even though Slim performs the more direct heroics. The dramatic rescue leads to Wade being elected sheriff, while dance hall girl Dolly Riley is impressed by the young lawman. The unlikely partnership begins to solidify under rising applause.

Corruption brewing in the West

Behind the scenes, ranch hand Pete Rio is secretly working with banker Dan Hollis, a corrupt rival who wants to take the K Ranch from the family. Dan's scheme is to foreclose on the ranch to make a dam project viable for the government. The threat tests the fledgling partnership at the heart of the tale.

Dan Hollis targets Carol with a proposal

Dan Hollis tries to win Carol by proposing marriage, but she rejects him, exposing his true motive. He then reveals foreclosure plans against the ranch, escalating the threat to the family and their future. The tension between ambition and loyalty comes to a head.

Wade infiltrates the masked raiders

Disguised, Wade infiltrates the gang of masked raiders to uncover their plans from within. The infiltration tightens the noose on the conspirators and sets up the confrontation that will define the era's showdown. The raid plot becomes the central danger to the K Ranch.

Captured and dynamited escape attempt

Wade is captured and bound to a chair, strapped to sticks of dynamite, as the raiders execute their trap. Slim rushes to rescue, but Dan Hollis knocks him cold, leaving the heroes momentarily sidelined. The odds look impossible, but the fight is far from over.

A last-second escape from danger

Despite the dire setback, the boys manage a last-second escape, staging a daring breakout from the raiders' lair. They regroup and tighten their resolve to save the ranch and avenge their fathers. The escape sets the stage for the final confrontation.