Red Dead Redemption 2 is a modern gaming masterpiece led by an incredible protagonist named Arthur Morgan. Fans are a bit skeptical about the new character, as John Marston is a gaming icon and a major reason for the success of the first game. But Arthur was immediately loved by players because of his sense of humor, charming personality and pitiful fate.
But this is a Rockstar game, and Rockstar games aren’t known for having morally sane protagonists. Depending on how he plays, Arthur Morgan can be downright nasty, and that’s evident in these gruesome lines.
“I’ll dress her in black. For you.”
During one of his visits to the Downs family to collect money from the crowd, Arthur turns to the grieving Archie Downs and utters the most iconic line in the entire game: “Maybe when your mother’s mourning is over your father is done. , I will dress her in black. Representing you”
Arthur just threatened Archie with death, and he said it in the best, most poetic way possible. It also proves that Arthur is an evil villain who threatens the death of a teenager after viciously attacking his father (and possibly causing his death).
“Behind us are law enforcement officers from three different states.”
Sometimes it’s hard to forget how evil the Van Der Linde gang really is. This gang is a relic of a bygone era – the age of cowboys and lawlessness. Now, “civilization” has eroded, and the cowboys have nowhere to go.
As Arthur clearly noted, “We found law enforcement in three different states.” The exact crime is unknown, but it is crucial to the FBI’s pursuit of modern gangs. Gang members are charming, but they’re not good people.
“I hope it’s hot and terrible, Mrs. Downs. Otherwise I feel like I’ve been sold a counterfeit bill.”
Arthur Morgan is really at his worst dealing with the Downs. It has a certain thematic significance, because Thomas Downes unwittingly infects Arthur with pulmonary tuberculosis, which of course makes his body increasingly exhausted. In a karmic way, Arthur was punished by the universe in his most morally heinous way.
The grieving Mrs Downs basically tells Arthur he’s going to hell, and Arthur responds in the most arrogant and indifferent way possible, even displaying some sort of pride.
“We are thieves in a world that no longer needs us.”
This sentence again summarizes the basic theme of the entire game. Arthur exhibits self-reflection in the quote above, acknowledging the fact that a) the gang consists of thieves and bad guys, b) this makes them outlaws in a world increasingly modern and civilized, and c) they do not occupy a place in modern society.
Arthur is a villain, but he’s certainly not stupid. Unfortunately, he feels like he’s gone too far, and he’s committed to gang atrocities.
“Yeah yeah yeah!”
The great thing about these games is that players can customize their own Arthur Morgan while still following the same general plot and character arc. As a result, players can choose how to react to specific people and situations. In Saint-Denis, there was a feminist who advocated for women’s suffrage.
But instead of sympathizing with her cause, Arthur is able to approach her and say arrogantly, “Yay! Yay! Yay!” In that case, someone might say the most reprehensible response.
“I don’t care about your family.”
Arthur’s attack on Thomas Downs really pushes the line between “the lovable playable character” and “the obnoxious protagonist the player probably doesn’t even want to control.” While Downs beats Downs for money, he pleads with Arthur and tells him he has a family. Arthur, a former professional criminal, simply said, “I don’t care about your family.”
It was a harsh and unforgivable statement, especially when the family nearby witnessed their ailing husband/father being beaten.
“Do you want trouble?”
Arthur Morgan is basically an asshole. He really hates people. Can anger random people on the street, and sometimes Arthur will ask them, “Are you looking for trouble?” This will either make the beggar Arthur stop or punish him and hit back.
The men were just walking down the street to take care of themselves when Arthur approached, asking if they wanted trouble, and possibly hitting/killing them after they fought back. This is one of the reasons why Arthur is a real villain.
“You ran well!”
In a way, Arthur Morgan was a serial killer of the late 19th century. He kills without remorse and without a plan, often choosing his victims at random.
When he chases someone in the street or in the fields, taunting them with shouting “Good job you run” before executing them shows how evil he is.
“You’re a pitiful little one, aren’t you?”
Children are limited regardless of game level. Rockstar is aware of this and continues to exclude children from their open world games. Young Jack proved to be an outlier, although he did very little throughout the game.
However, it is possible to anger the boy, which makes Arthur a truly despicable character. Is it cowardly to call a child “poor little one”? Really low.
“Damn both of us.”
Arthur is nothing without self-awareness. In the “bad” ending (the ending is obtained if the player’s honor is low), Micah will curse Arthur before executing him. However, Arthur spoke his last words, shouting, “Damn us both!” right before he was killed.
Arthur has no ego – he knows well that both he and Micah deserve to die, that they live a life of terrible crime and immorality. He curses Micah, but he also curses himself, which is really worth mentioning.