The premise of Red Dead Redemption 2 is established by a historical context that signals the end of the outlaw era.
By 1899, the age of outlaws and gunslingers was at an end. America was becoming a land of laws… Even the west had mostly been tamed. A few gangs still roamed, but they were being hunted down and destroyed. (+)
This declaration immediately foreshadows the inevitable fate awaiting outlaws and gangs of the time, such as the Van der Linde gang. Therefore, by the start of the game it is shown that the Van der Linde gang is not in its prime, but it is in a state of terminal decline. The gang’s diminished condition is exacerbated by a disastrous ferry heist in Blackwater just prior to the game’s start. While the events of Red Dead Redemption 2 prove fatal for many within the Van der Linde gang, a select number of members manage to defy the odds against them. We are talking about the Van der Linde gang members who survived and ultimately went their own separate ways.
Mary-Beth Gaskill Becomes a Romance Novelist
Mary-Beth Gaskill’s entry into the Van der Linde gang occurred sometime before 1899. Her initiation was precipitated by a crisis. Having pickpocketed several men, she was being actively pursued by her victims when she was discovered by the gang. The gang intervened to rescue her, after which she joined it. She is the person with whom Arthur feels most comfortable, discussing his inner turmoil and tuberculosis diagnosis. Her tenure with the gang ended as its cohesion began to fail, at which point she left for good. In the epilogue, it is revealed that Mary-Beth successfully achieved her ambition, becoming an author of romance novels. John can reunite with her at train station in Valentine, where she gifts him one of her works.
The Redemption of Reverend Swanson
Reverend Swanson is one of the Van der Linde gang members who survived. He is initially presented as a disgraced clergyman, having succumbed to addiction and consequently forfeiting his faith, family, and vocation. He even admitted to bigamy during a campfire talk with Hosea. Reverend Swanson became a gang member after saving Dutch Van der Linde’s life. He ultimately found a path to redemption, achieving sobriety and departing the gang prior to its inevitable dissolution. In the epilogue, Charles informs John that Swanson is residing in New York and has fully re-embraced his faith. This transformation is verified by an article in the newspaper, the Blackwater Ledger No. 74, which identifies him as the minister of the First Congregational Church of New York.
Sadie Adler Becomes a Bounty Hunter
Having been raised in a harsh environment, Sadie Adler acquired essential expertise in hunting and horseback riding during her youth. In 1896, she married Jake Adler. The couple resided on a ranch in the state of Ambarino, where they maintained a happy marriage and equitably divided the labor required to sustain their property. She joined the Van der Linde gang after she was discovered hiding in her cellar, an act done because of the murder of her husband, Jake, by the O’Driscoll Boys. By the game’s epilogue, she operates as a bounty hunter, assisting John Marston and Charles Smith in seeking vengeance for Arthur Morgan. She attended the wedding of John and Abigail, and subsequent to recovering from her stab wound, she departed the Marston ranch. The game strongly suggests her intention to relocate to South America, potentially fulfilling her expressed desire to marry a “handsome revolutionary.”
Simon Pearson Runs His Own Store
Simon Pearson serves as the butcher and cook for the Van der Linde gang. Born to a family of whale hunters, he initially plans to follow the footsteps of his father and grandfather, but the industry’s decline forces him into other paths, including a term as a United States Navy sailor. After he falls into financial trouble, Dutch Van der Linde rescues him from loan sharks and takes him into the gang. Near the end of the game, after sensing the inevitable collapse of the gang, Pearson packs up and leaves. In the epilogue, he runs the General Store in Rhodes, where he is quite happy to see John. Though his wife is less pleased by the visit!
Tilly Jackson Settles Down
Tilly Jackson, the daughter of a former slave, is forcibly drawn into the outlaw life at age 12 after the Foreman Brothers gang kidnaps her. She killed Anthony Foreman’s cousin, Malcolm, by cutting his throat after he made unwanted moves towards her. Following this, she left her original gang. Her attempt to return to her mother’s workplace ended with the discovery that her mother had passed away. Dutch Van der Linde later found Tilly when she was in distress. He rescued and taught her how to read and quickly became a father figure for her. In the epilogue, Tilly married a lawyer from Haiti named Mr. Pierre. She now has a daughter. John later can encounter her in Saint Denis, where she shares how good her new life is. John informs her he is living on a ranch with his family. Tilly is pleased and promises to write. In a letter to John, Tilly reveals she now lives in a fine house with servants and still regularly sees Mary-Beth.
Charles Smith Leaves
Charles Smith was born to an African American father and a Native American mother. He joined the Van der Linde gang in 1898 while passing through the Grizzlies. Charles Smith is a quiet and reserved person and stands as arguably the most honorable and moral member, refusing to resort to lethal force unless it is absolutely necessary. In the epilogue, Charles attends John and Abigail’s wedding celebrating with his friends. Upon fully recovering from his injuries, he left John’s ranch. He disclosed his desire to move to Canada to live and raise a family. However, his final destination and destiny remain undetermined.
Karen Jones’s Unknown Fate
Karen Jones, a scam artist who loved the outlaw way of life, joined the Van der Linde gang sometime before 1899. After the gang’s collapse, she vanishes from public knowledge. Her final destiny remains uncertain, although in a letter to John, Tilly Jackson expresses deep concern and speculates that Karen succumbed to alcoholism. She might not be on of the Van der Linde gang members who survived.
Josiah Trelawny Disappears Again
Josiah Trelawny was an Englishman and con artist born in Cornwall who emigrated to the United States and joined the Dutch van der Linde gang several years prior to 1899. Trelawny was notable for his recurring disappearances from the gang, sometimes for months, only to return. He also maintained a family, a wife and two sons in Saint Denis, with whom he similarly disappeared and reappeared as well. As the gang began to perish, Trelawny made the choice to depart permanently. His ultimate fate remains unknown. Though it is presumed that he reunited with his family in the end.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Steam Page
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