I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Arthur Morgan.  Video game character.  Not even real.  A figment of someone at Rockstar’s imagination,

So, what is the big deal?

The big deal is that he is the most complex, nuanced character I have ever ran into in a video game.  For that matter, I am not sure that I can easily identify a character that was as round as Arthur Morgan in any full length feature film.  He was evil, right down to his bones, but there were aspects of him that could be labeled as coming from the best of men.  It is such an emotional game due to its deep narrative, the aforementioned complex characters and the manner in which it explores the themes of loyalty, morality, and the inevitability of change.  Arthur Morgan is the epicenter of it all.

I have been meaning to write this for a while.  I don’t know – is this proof  that the character arc of Arthur Morgan has affected me?

Perhaps.

First of all, lets make it clear – Arthur is a killer and a thief.  He is a drunk who gets into fights and does not think twice to let violence solve his problems.  There are truly some despicable things that he does.  But here is where Rockstar decided to make it interesting – the player decides to a really large degree what kind of man Arthur is.  There are some things that are integral parts of the narrative where you have to commit crimes and…gulp…kill people, some who are lawmen trying to bring you to justice.  AKA – just doing their jobs, honorable jobs at that.  Maybe as people we have become totally numb to the violent ends of people, so much so that it we do not even think about it.  I know when I robbed a bank and shot a deputy, I did not think twice about it.

Judge me however you like for that.

There are many, many other times where you are given a choice in the manner in which you interact with the myriad NPCs that are in the game.  Most of the time it is really clear when you have a decision which will have a negative impact on Arthurs aura or a positive impact

RDR2 centers around Arthur Morgan’s character arc, living through the final days of the Old West. His evolution as a character—from ruthless enforcer to a man searching for redemption—is emotionally gripping. Arthur’s internal struggle, particularly as he reflects on his life choices, mistakes, and growing awareness of his own mortality, resonates deeply with players.

Arthur’s relationships with key characters like John Marston, Sadie Adler, and Dutch Van der Linde are full of nuanced emotional moments. His bonds with them—whether through camaraderie, love, or betrayal—are deeply fleshed out, adding layers of tragedy or warmth.  This is seen in the ways they speak about things and people from their past; these people did life together. The way these relationships evolve over the course of the game tugs at the player’s heartstrings.

The Van der Linde gang, the central group in the game, operates on the ideals of loyalty and family. However, as the story unfolds, we see that these bonds are tested, fractured, and often shattered, especially through the slow unraveling of Dutch, the gang’s leader. (He has a plan…) The tension between loyalty to friends and the painful realization that those friends might no longer be trustworthy creates powerful emotional stakes.

The setting itself—an era in decline, with the frontier giving way to modernity—adds a melancholic tone. Characters who once thrived in the untamed world of the Wild West must come to terms with the fact that the life they knew is ending. This overarching theme of inevitable change and loss contributes to the emotional weight of the story.

The game’s score, composed by Woody Jackson, adds significant emotional depth to pivotal moments. The hauntingly beautiful soundtrack enhances feelings of isolation, grief, and reflection throughout Arthur’s journey. The cinematic quality of the game, with its careful attention to detail in its environments, lighting, and facial animations, makes key emotional moments hit even harder.

Arthur’s grappling with terminal illness (tuberculosis) adds a layer of poignancy to his character arc. His search for meaning in his final days, his efforts to make amends for his past, and the choices players must make on his behalf (often determining his level of redemption) create an experience filled with bittersweet emotion.

This conversation that he has with a nun that come in and out of the story over the course of the game is really hard to hear.  Arthur is aware of who he is — and that is truly frightening to him as he knows his end draws near.  It seems to me that he is searching for meaning, to discover if his life had any real value.  This is something that is eminently relatable to everyone, as we are all searching for that.

Arthur’s last ride — I was so emotionally invested in Arthur at this point.  It was like I knew him, his good points and his bad points.  I had been with him during this journey and I clearly remembered the moments, the audio flashbacks played over a truly sad and reflective song.

The combination of music and cinematography was absolutely fantastic.

The multiple endings of the game, depending on the player’s choices, offer different but equally emotional conclusions. Whether Arthur dies with a sense of peace or unresolved guilt, his story remains tragic. Additionally, the epilogue, which ties the game to the original Red Dead Redemption, further intensifies the emotional experience by showing the long-term consequences of the gang’s actions.

It would take me a really long time to list out the ways that I lost myself in this game.  From hunting and fishing to taking care of my horse and saying ‘Hey there mister’ to everyone in Saint Denis I simply adored every aspect of this game.  It was like participating in a great movie.  The only bad things is that it ended.  There was a fairly significant epilogue which sets up RD1 that took me a really long time to get the hang of.  It was not the game, the mechanics were the same, but without Arthur, it just felt so wrong.  He was integral to my love of the game.  While there was some sort of closure in the game’s final moments, its just seemed so anti-climactic.  I have not played RD1 (Has not been on sale enough yet, dangit) so I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes.  It came out before RDR2 so I am wondering about how the quality of the graphics and whatnot will be, but heres to hoping that it will be half as good as RDR2.

RIP Arthur