Even though it’s been over three years since Red Dead Redemption 2 released, there are several moments that still stand out to fans. Perhaps nothing is more emotional than Arthur Morgan’s death; no matter the honor, no matter the choice, it is a heartbreaking moment for fans of Red Dead Redemption 2.
It isn’t heartbreaking just for those who played Arthur Morgan, though. The NPCs who knew Arthur Morgan also suffer as a result, and when the game changes over to John Marston, he can find some of these NPCs who are still in Red Dead 2’s world. They’ll talk about Arthur, and it really twists the blade.
Red Dead 2: How Everyone Reacts to Arthur Morgan’s Death
Of course, several leave the area following the dismantling of the gang, some die, and some don’t want to talk about Arthur. The reactions are just as complex as Arthur Morgan’s character. As John, players can talk to the following characters after Arthur Morgan’s death.
- Tilly Jackson will express how she misses John and Abigail and still thinks about “all of [them.]” She doesn’t mention Arthur by name, seemingly in a rush as a married, pregnant woman, but it certainly feels like plenty goes unsaid.
- Rains Fall will see John and inquire if they’ve met before, eventually asking about Arthur. Rains Fall is saddened but not surprised by Arthur’s sacrifice, while John and Rains Fall share a moment remembering those they’ve lost and thinking of their sons. Afterward, John’s face is particularly forlorn, knowing the good Arthur tried to accomplish and how many lives were lost in their lifestyle.
- Pearson will greet John by his name, not his pseudonym, loudly and boisterously. However, while he’ll ask if John is staying out of trouble and celebrate his shop, Arthur’s name goes unmentioned.
- Mary-Beth, upon meeting John, will reveal she is now writing romances under the name Leslie DuPont. She thinks about the gang, as many others have expressed, and John will mention how Arthur saved his life. He painfully confesses that he doesn’t talk about Arthur often, but he thinks about him all the time. In equal heartbreak and sorrow, Mary-Beth will respond, “me too.”
- Mickey – A strange, one-armed man players can meet, Mickey won’t remember Arthur and instead call him Alan. He’ll say he had a funny face, and John will say that he’s pretty sure he died. Mickey will say, like many others, Arthur didn’t like him and he was okay. He’ll say the good ones always die in memory of Arthur, with he and John discussing Arthur’s character beyond that. Specifically, they discuss how he wasn’t always good but not in a way disrespectful to his memory—just an expression of Arthur’s personal contradictions.
- Joe Butler – As Arthur, players can meet a one-legged civil war veteran in Rhodes. When John reveals that Arthur saved his life, Butler will say “he didn’t always seem the type.” This reflects, once again, Arthur’s personal contradictions, believes, and growth—a reflection of a good man living an outlaw’s life.
- Hamish Sinclair - Players will be able to go hunting and fishing with Hamish Sinclair, also a one-legged veteran, when they are Arthur. If players don't complete Hamish's final mission as Arthur, they can return as John who will have read about Sinclair in Arthur's notes. Hamish will solemnly note that Arthur was kind to him, before offering to take John on a hunt.
- Charlotte – As Arthur, players can teach “the widow of Willard’s Rest” how to hunt and skin, making it possible for her to survive. When visited as John, she’ll say that he found her at her lowest point and lifted her up and that she wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. She knew of Arthur’s tuberculosis and felt he had succumbed to it, a painful moment. She’ll say that “any friend of Arthur’s is a friend of mine” and invite John to take anything he needs. If nothing else, Charlotte represents what Arthur did for everyone he could: found them, helped them, lifted them up.
Everyone experiences grief differently, something reflected in these Red Dead 2 NPCs. These reactions also give more insight into John’s pain after Arthur’s sacrifice, and no matter what, it’s clear that everyone Arthur met lost a little something when he passed.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.