The Most Well Developed Character in History

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Did Arthur earn his place in Heaven or it wasn't enough?

[@EmailEmail2139]

No

[@terrorize1019]

Well, I personally believe so, but it is true, that Arthur can't fix all the damage he caused in his life, he killed, and robbed people, and it all came back to him after he got diagnosed with TB. I like to think of it as a wake up call that Arthur realizes that he is on Borrowed Time, and kinda takes the roll of Hosea and wanted to help others before he goes. He does, he saved the Marstons and then decided to help the Downes after he destroyed their lives. I believe he earned it because when he talked the the Nun at the subway, when she told him to "Take a gamble that love exists, and do a loving act." He did with John, Arthur might not think that he was a good man, but he I believe earned his Redemption and spot in heaven.

[@spacequack5470]

@@EmailEmail2139 Obviously he has

[@kaydens6964]

@@spacequack5470nah, even if you go with the highest honour, he was still killing the law who were just doing their job during the final moments of his life. He betrayed Dutch by constantly doubting in his face and sabotaging gang plans behind his back. He also broke the gang by calling Micah a rat based on nothing but an enemy’s words.

[@robaqxcore91]

@@kaydens6964 Interesting take on the whole situation

[@wheelinndealin]

Charles was a good man, I always felt relieved when I had a mission with him because I knew I wouldn’t be betrayed.

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Absolutely. Kinda wish we had a sort of spin off with him

[@Hero0fLegend420]

I hope we see him in red dead three as an aged man with a family and land. To see at least one gang member truly having gotten out and had a family with land. And for the time period seeing Charles safe and free would be a delight for us all.

[@wheelinndealin]

@@Hero0fLegend420 I’d much rather see the origins of Arthur and events leading up to rdr2

[@Mystic-Midnight]

@@wheelinndealin I would be interested in seeing charles origins cause he talks about running alone but the issue is Charles would need some sort of Redemption and then there's the dual protagonist thing R* does with the series.

[@greggoat6570]

Charles was a criminal in a gang of open murderers and thieves. Hardly a good person.

[@ashleymerritt9461]

Arthur.. especially when you play the game realistically and slowly as intended.. honestly feels like a friend and oh man, it crushes you when he dies! I go into some weird form of mourning

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Same. Which usually doesn't happen with fictional characters to me

[@MediaWML]

I never played RDR1 and had no idea what this game was about; not a single thing. I bought it when it was on sale as the reviews were outstanding. I bought it and then didn't even start playing it for months. When I finally started I was blown away. I wouldn't say I rushed it, but I didn't take my time either. I didn't appreciate how good things were in the early chapters. Just like in real life, you don't appreciate what you have until you have lost it. After completing the epilogue I spent ages doing all the challenges and collecting everything etc. When I was doing the graveyard visits as John I remember stopping in my tracks as I was passing through Colter as it dawned on me that this was the location of Chapter 1. I genuinely nearly started crying and I don't even cry when watching sad movies etc. It made me feel so sad thinking of the memories of Arthur like he was a real life family member. It was at that point that I had to start the whole game again but with the aim of completing it very slowly, doing as much as I could in each chapter and just enjoying being with the gang again. There is so much extra dialogue that is easily missed if you don't take your time. I know it's just a game, but when you invest so much time in to playing Arthur, it hits you when you have to leave him.

[@jerryrobb1434]

​@TacticalKitten I think you missed his point. He went in not knowing that the red dead series is a serious drama and a realistic experience. That's his point. He didn't know what he was getting himself into.

[@joshuastevens2186]

I'm so glad I beat the game in a week and a half which allowed me to feel his death on a deep level like everyone else. 😢

[@Mystic-Midnight]

@@joshuastevens2186 man my first playthrough lasted months and I was so distraught over it I had to put the game down for a while cause I couldn't play as john

[@Mystic-Midnight]

Arthur thanking his horse will never not make me cry man. Idk why it hits me harder than his literal death but that scene with a high bond horse and half of Mary Linton's content does it for me.

[@Chapaxd2000]

It didn't hit harder for me, but I will definitely never forget Anna and Miller, my trusty companions throughout the game. Always by my side even if they were a bit goofy sometimes

[@bashfulwolfo6499]

Same man, that scene broke me so badly. I had barely any money when Hosea took me to buy a horse, the only one I could afford was the palomino Morgan. I just named her Palo cause I had no ideas, and she turned out to be the best goddamn horse in the game (despite palomino Morgans technically being the worst, I refuse to believe that lmao) Never used a horse reviver on her once, I was always full of them. I so depeserately wanted to use one on her during that scene I didn’t want to let her go

[@EneTheGene]

I feel like I might have been more effected by my horse death in RDR2 if I didn't name him "Horsea".

[@VivekYadav-ds8oz]

Thank god I named him "Horcules", it wasn't as bad as your situation XD

[@wompwompwompwompwompwompalienz]

how’d it hit harder?

[@Carljohnson666]

I remember beating the game for the first time an i literally cried…. It felt like Arthur morgan was real and it took me months to get over his death as if he was a family member….. RdR 2 is a masterpiece and it deserves a huge award

[@locusfocusxz6174]

Ain’t no way you cried for months over a game character lol

[@bethmarie3112]

Definitely cried for minutes 😂

[@gsisemore]

Touch grass

[@frocat5163]

@@locusfocusxz6174 *"Ain’t no way you cried for months over a game character"* Well, OP didn't say they cried for months, did they? Or are you legitimately so bad at reading you think that's what OP posted? OP simply said it took them months to get over Arthur's death. It took me a while, too. It's a great game that I couldn't replay for quite a while. I'd suggest you learn how to read before you post stupidity.

[@zay_tiggygaming]

I got stabbed in the fucking back by Micah my first time. I was so heartbroken cuz I was trying to redeem myself. I thought I had more time. I was a piece of shit my first playthrough. Arthur laying there lifeless with the knife sticking out was just fucked

[@FallenChocoCookie]

Dude, when Dutch turns away and walks out when Arthur is about to be killed... the anger I felt, oh boy

[@horiavelciu31]

I think that moment was genuinely the only instance in the entire game where I was truly mad that the game gave me no way to react to this. I would have beaten Dutch to a pulp right then and there like the fucking hypocrite he became

[@lewisjohnston7077]

Then Eagle Flies saved Arthur

[@Chaolover]

Honestly I was never mad at Dutch, I just saw his as dumb

[@iamwhoiam7887]

​@@Chaolover no you're dumb lmao

[@wompwompwompwompwompwompalienz]

@@Chaoloverhe IS pretty dumb

[@BiscuitsAintShi]

Arthur is one of those characters where you don’t know how to feel about him at first but as you get to know him it makes his tale even more tragic. the layers of depth to his character never fails to make me think how the influence of one’s circumstances can make even a good hearted man a measure of monster. It’s fascinating to see how the whole time he knows what he’s doing isn’t right he even hates himself for it at times but its not until he’s almost dead does he finally realize he has a choice and had one this whole time now that hes for once in life able to think outside of his programming and see things clearly and he knows his time is very limited more than ever he knows he has to do something and now. it’s so sad.

[@Griff589]

Hearing Arthur say “I said don’t thank me” is so heartbreaking

[@theæthœr]

I balled my eyes out like a baby on my first play-through. Hell, even on subsequent play-throughs, I still cry. This narrative is one of the best ever written, including other games, books, and movies.

[@DOCTORRGLASS]

How yall cry at games I played it and I'm like damn that sucks

[@evanwilliams3821]

@@DOCTORRGLASSbro has bad taste

[@DOCTORRGLASS]

@@evanwilliams3821 what do you mean I just don't cry less I'm in pain

[@mildly_miffed_man1414]

@@DOCTORRGLASSWhat the fuck are you even trying to say here?

[@chromtastic2092]

​@@DOCTORRGLASS people react to anything emotional differently i dont get how people have difficulty understanding this concept 💀

[@Richard-iw1dd]

This game is literally a work of art. It is a piece of American culture on par with novels.

[@krypticunlimited6925]

I consider it to be among the best pieces of fiction in American history, simply because of how utterly attached you become to its world and protagonist

[@JamesSmith-ny2gb]

Isn’t the story writer british?

[@SirCharles44]

the greatest fictional story i’ve ever experienced

[@AdamOwenBrowning]

@@JamesSmith-ny2gb britain is like 4 different countries pretty sure Rockstar started with Englishmen who now have American passports. based in NYC, studios across the USA

[@bandit5875]

@@JamesSmith-ny2gbbetter question: what HAVENT the British stolen?

[@Verdim22345]

The funny thing is what dutch said to leviticus cornwwall , he said cornwall destroy everything at his path , but in reality it’s dutch and his gang that did it

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Bingo. Dutch had a very twisted idea of freedom. His freedom trumped over everyone's

[@alexdeghost2729]

Both did

[@Helvigster]

yeah but Cornwall helped drive off a Native tribe off their land just because he thought that there was oil there when there really wasn't. they're both bad in their own ways

[@AdamOwenBrowning]

@@Helvigster Dutch wanted to making the Indians look like aggressors, thus giving Cornwall more reason to attack them. Intentionally inciting minor genocide that Dutch calls "The Indian Problem". They both do the natives wrong, but what are the differences? Cornwall's business is begrudgingly a force of "good" that provides jobs and industrial growth. This pays men and their families, and kills some. It's the march of modernity, nobody really likes it but what's the alternative? Dutch's business is an alternative - gangsters strolling about wanting to have their leader and his posse wealthy, whatever the cost to common men. What good does that create? Uncle gets drunk and says this at camp when you're at Shady Belle - calling Dutch a "king" and the gang "his roundtable knights" Dutch gets very quiet and very angry.

[@amhuman5138]

It's the pot calling the kettle black. Both do it.

[@katev394]

This game had SUCH a profound effect on me, I think everyone should experience it at least once. Its the best game of all time IMO

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Absolutely. I did not expect a game's story to exceed Holywood grade expectations but RDR 2 did just that

[@starkjet2197]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@ObviousMalcolm_PLUSwith the stinkers Hollywood been sh*ting out of their ass as of late, red dead redemption 2 and 1 puts them to shame and they are older games! Only 4 and 12 years respectively. 😂 Your vid was great I’m glad I stumbled across it! 👍

[@DOCTORRGLASS]

Fallout new vegas comes in second just wish there was more emotion instead of oh okay shoot this guy *BANG BANG* k now give me xp

[@niksonrex88]

@@DOCTORRGLASShahahahahahaha my list is the same lmao. Its RDR2 then FNV and then Dark Souls 3

[@twinzzlers]

​@@niksonrex88The two new Zelda games and Baldurs are at the top for me

[@MiniT2025]

The night the gang saved Sean, i spent about five or ten minutes sitting by fire listening to Hosea talk about ancient neanderthals first discovering fire, feeling likes gods. Literally a conversation my friend and I would have irl. This game almost acts like my secind home, and Arthur is a person I can look up to. A few others of the gang are too, especially Charles. For me, the quote that broke me was when Arthur admits his fear to the sister superior, and she eventually has this line. "Take a chance that love exists, and do a loving act." I'd given up on love recently, and hearing that in her kind voice really helped in a way. My whole life, video games have touched me more than any form of media besides maybe music.

[@daleRoss-Sayers]

Second*

[@joedwyer3297]

When you said its Dutch's fall into insanity that saves Arthur, im inclined to agree. I like to think the moment he sees Dutch kill Bronte was the moment Arthur started questioning things, even before his diagnosis which of course had a massive impact on him. I remember trying to play arthur as low honour but that scene, seeing Arthurs face and johns kneejerk reaction of questioning him infront of the rest of them, seems like the place Arthur was able to doubt his lifelong father figure

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

The first time i played RDR2 i was constantly blaming Micah for all that happened like most players do. But the more times i played, the more i realized it was the downfall of Arthur's support that really tipped Arthur to question his own actions

[@joedwyer3297]

@@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS yes absolutely. he started to think, regardless of his own past actions, "this isn't what I want to be"

[@joegibbskins]

Yeah the problem is my Arthur was so low honor at that point that John and his reactions felt ridiculous. I was like, you regularly throw Molotov’s into every passing carriage, man, who are you to judge? But I think narratively Arthur is no longer fully committed to Dutch post-Blackwater. You can hear a story about how Dutch killed a girl. He still loves Dutch and calls him the best man he knows (usually), but he starts openly questioning things. By the time Dutch chokes the old Spanish woman out in the cave, Arthur clearly thinks he’s lost it, but he doesn’t see any other way to be. Then he gets his diagnosis and it drives home that he has wasted his life doing horrible deeds and now the life is over.

[@the1stassassin422]

He was actually questioning things in the beginning of the game

[@BasedR0nin]

I actually never got why Arthur and John were so seemingly traumatized or at least troubled by the bronte killing. It was brutal for sure but that guy had to go one way or the other. He was already dead or at least not conscious when it ate him too

[@SpecterNeverSpectator]

Arthur was a character that literally made me panic when i thought he could die, when i found out ingame that he had tb i rushed to my phone to search tutorial on how to cure his tb, accidentally spoiling myself his bitter end

[@BasedR0nin]

So you never played rdr lmao. The word dead is in the title your character is always gonna die

[@SpecterNeverSpectator]

@@BasedR0nin People who did play rdr1 didnt know he died either, because he didnt exist in that one mate (plus it was only the second game, bit early to make a consistent pattern out of a single game), lastly, Red Harlow didnt die.

[@BasedR0nin]

@@SpecterNeverSpectator good point about red Harlow

[@SpecterNeverSpectator]

@@BasedR0nin thanks

[@Requiemslove]

@@SpecterNeverSpectator That's a good point. I think it's why I have avoided replaying RDR since RDR 2. The problem for me is that the first game at NO point has any kind of reference to Arthur's character. So, it would be inconsistent to play them chronologically. This is WHY RDR should be remastered at the very least, or, if not, remade. RDR 2 is the prequal but that is just in the LITERAL RL sense. If they remade RDR 1 they could do so to better connect the games into one proper, contiguous story. As it is, RDR 2 is only a prequal in a loose and arbitrary way because RDR 1's John Marston nor ANY OTHER character don't say anything about the Arthur Morgan character. Because he don't exist, yet, but in a lore way he HAD existed. Which is a contradiction that only ever grows more obvious.

[@Not-Kurosawa]

Arthur Morgan is without a doubt one of if not Rockstar's best written protagonist. This game crushes your soul. RDR2 is nothing short of a masterpiece, this game is art.

[@R451Ns]

my first play through i had Buell as my primary horse because i loved Hamish and his questline so much and the moment where Arthur comforts his horse at the end hurt so much more for it.

[@call-sign-idiot2950]

Same here it was aweful after I wish we could have had more mission with hamish

[@broskimoski9775]

I always leave buell for John now. I can’t go through that pain again

[@harleyloraine7699]

I stabled Buell bc I thought I'd be able to keep him in the Epilogue and I didn't want him to die 😭

[@trenthulkinberry7526]

Most games kinda just give characters likes and dislikes. Red Dead 2 gave Arthur a personality, interests, humor and a life. He felt like a Man instead of just a character.

[@thinshady4956]

It's such a masterpiece of a game. I teared up a little in the video at some of the points where Arthur is confronted with the consequences of his prior life and his true desire for redemption. I wanted so bad for there to be some way for him to come out the other side. Even though his fate was sealed and we all knew his death was unavoidable it still ripps out your heart and feeds it to you. Thanks for the content I enjoyed the emotional recap.

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Thank you. Im almost ashamed to say that i still cried while editing. It is such a powerful game

[@Deadsea_1993]

If it is any consolation just know that Arthur gave his second chance at life to John. He helped John to safety and he gave him all of his stuff and his wedding ring that he never could have given Mary. John proposes with it to Abigail. I think that Arthur would have been proud of the man that John ended up being.

[@mineseargent2482]

When I first played, I thought there was no way that this Arthur Morgan guy would be better than John marston. Little did I know he’d be so much bigger

[@NinjaBray]

The people that complain about not being able to be truly evil completely missed the point of the entire game, everything down to the title. It's called "Red Dead Redemption" for a reason, both John and Arthur redeem themselves for their past sins but ultimately land themselves dead in a pool of their own blood.

[@AdrianDaWeeb]

I didnt even know those people existed. I don’t know WHY someone would even WANT to do that.

[@omartistry]

This came out 5 years ago from when I’m making this comment, and people still have analysis on red dead redemption 2 story, lore, and characters. This is truly one of the best games ever made.

[@lsswappedcessna]

idk how Rockstar can go from the goofy, unbalanced nightmare that is GTA Online to this narrative masterpiece. Between the two series, Red Dead's world is just so much more believable. It has plenty of social commentary, but it didn't fall into the GTA V trap of literally everything being social commentary. It's its own thing, and it's a real shame we probably won't see a Red Dead Redemption 3 or any proper story DLC or updates for 2.

[@krypticunlimited6925]

Calling Arthur the most well written character in history is INSANE to anyone who has never played the game, but for those who have, its perfectly believable

[@Johnnysmithy24]

In video games yes, but the world of storytelling is too vast to say that. I’d say the most complex and fleshed out fictional character I’ve seen is Tony Soprano from The Sopranos(tv show). He is explored psychologically way more than Arthur, like a lot more

[@ElPresidenteMargz]

I think he’s def the best /best written video game protagonist of all time or def top 3. This is a character that has stayed w so many people and he was only in for 70% of his own game . He didn’t need sequels .

[@ElPresidenteMargz]

@@Johnnysmithy24I’ll add Anakin Skywalker as well

[@Grivian]

I think something that is often overlooked are the "therapy" sessions with Tilly and Mary Beth. Arthur will basically talk about the dishonorable things that he has done during that chapter. If you kill innocents he will talk about that. If you haven't killed innocents but killed too many animals without skinning them he will talk about that. If you haven't done any of those things he will talk about how he has robbed people for no reason. I haven't done 0 dishonorable things in a chapter so I don't know what he says then but the point is that Arthur regrets those actions. He even regrets robbing people which is what he does all the time during missions. So it seems that during missions the indoctrination from Dutch makes him think that his actions are justified, but when he is alone he feels ashamed. Arthur never wanted to kill, he never wanted to rob or hurt people. He hated his father for that reason. He just wanted to live free in the open country with Mary Linton and to be at peace. But Dutch twisted his mind.

[@rebelion-ghost2311]

Something I also loved about arthur, he wasn't sexist or racist like he didn't even fully understand those concepts as shown in side missions, he just helped people who he thought needed help and shot people who he thought needed shooting but with a valid reasons, arthur probably one of the most complex characters ever made which is why he is so good, he can feel relatable, and yet also so distance from everything you can feel with him and understand his actions.

[@zimarken1163]

I played this game not in my room butnin the living room, my dad (may he rest in peace) when he saw cowboys horses and a guy who was a man that became an angel, when the rnd came we cried we cried alot and i felt that we bonded in a way that itnwas different, thrn he said "amy wipe the tears and carry on i reckon i have to get a drink for Arthur morgan" He wrnt to the bar and as i followed him to the bar he poured me a shot and him too.. Raise your glasses gentlemen this one is for Arthur and my dad.. If u did i thank you..

[@cheyenne5171]

i can’t believe this isn’t getting more attention! great video

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Thank you so much for the love

[@peachykeen9749]

I think what makes the last debt collection so impactful is seeing woman with a young son, fending for herself, with a dead husband named Arthur, an obvious parallel to him with Issac and Eliza. it's one of the only things we as the player never find anything out about, and I really want there to be some sort of story for that phase of his life. he realizes how much he's given up to the gang, including a family. he sees what must have been a real struggle for Eliza and her child. this is literally the best video game I've ever played holy shit. edit: I think the entire plot of the game is how good and bad is not one or the other, and how everyone is human, not just a bad guy or a good guy. Arthur physically couldn't always make the right choice, just like real life. he was a good man, because of his actions and how he recognized his wrong doings, and changed, rather than continuing his run to follow and serve his gang, his family.

[@mohammadfathy2450]

A friend of mine recommended Rdr2 for me to play , He kept praising the game and always told me about it being a masterpiece , I thought he was exaggerating until I played it, It was literally the first time I'd ever cried after beating a game , Now, I have more than 800 hours on the game , I played it three times, and every single time I get the same ending , the high honor one , I just can't get any other ending, I just can't accept the idea of Arthur being a bad dishonorable man, After watching this video, I think I'm going to play the game again.

[@loganisthemeng]

I cried. A lot , watching this, this game has broken me time and time again and will genuinely have a place in my heart for the rest of my life

[@Yorii-mii]

damn this game is so good and it's my first time to cry for a game character 😢 Arthur taught me one thing that Revenge is a Fool game and i always remembered that.

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Very true

[@Yorii-mii]

@@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS anyway great video man you've earned new subscriber here 🤠

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

@@Yorii-mii thank you for the love

[@Nr1GamerGringo]

Arthur will forever be my favourite character. i remember back in 2018 on release, i moved across the country for a uni i was unsure about and lost alot of relationships. played the game low and slow and had atleast 100hr before the final mission and i completely lost it when Arthur died. didnt really recover for like a week and i quit school and moved back home.

[@Frerrva]

When Arthur was diagnosed by the doctor, I actually grasped my chest with one hand, like how you see people overact shock in movies. But it was a genuine gesture, it just came of its own. I let go of the controller with one hand, lifted it to my chest and just sat there in stunned silence. I've never been moved like that by a game before, or since.

[@PaigeBatman92]

Cried the first time I played the story, and it hurt me so much that I haven't gone back until very recently. I went in knowing it would be sad, as I played the first game when it came out, but it still hurt so much.

[@Realreeski]

I remember being 15 years old playing through this game high honor but more rushed and still thought of it as the greatest game ever and even lets some tears go. I am now 21 and played through it again slow and putting in hundreds of hours and getting most/all side quests done and meeting everyone. When I tell you that doing that makes the ending so much better, from helping rains fall and getting those conversations and earning about Arthur. To meeting the nun and talking to her before she leaves on the train. That scene had tears coming out for sure. The most impactful part thing to me is the horse ride at the end and hearing all the quotes from the people you have helped through the game. Read dead redemption 2 isn’t just a regular game, it’s a game that makes you feel good and want to do better. Read dead redemption 2 is a masterpiece no matter how you play it, I genuinely think it’s the greatest game of all time.

[@megadude2243]

This may have been the greatest video about the greatest game

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Comments like these make it all worth it. Thank you so much

[@megadude2243]

@@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS no thank YOU this video was the best I’ve seen in a while

[@Garrettthebanana]

7:00 that facial hair is a crime 💀

[@jwalton1915]

The part with Arthur talking about his son really tugs at me…so brief but really powerful.

[@MRFIKSIT31]

This character and story were so well done I replayed it 8 times back to back. And as a grown ass man I still teared up every time.

[@dionysischantzopoulos]

Same here. I will never stop getting emotional during Arthur's death

[@Gidsta]

Awesome video man, it's awesome that you took the time to fully understand Arthur Morgans character and all of the nuances that rockstar writes into their stories.

[@DorkoDoes]

I still get depressed sometimes watching videos like this or even just remembering and recalling things from this game. It was amazing beyond words and had such an incredibly big impact on my life. Remembering my time with this game gives me the same bitter sweet feeling of looking at old pictures of my son. It was a wonderful experience that can never be recreated

[@ChrisVesgo]

its sad that such a masterpiece will go unnoticed to alot of people thinking "It's just a game" As no movie could narrate this a Tv Show could but it wouldn't be the same

[@dane_questionmark]

ive played this game like 100 times through and watching this literally almost made me shed a tear. Arthurs downfall is one of the saddest yet greatest pieces of storytelling we have in gaming

[@thatmillionthman582]

I really like your editing style man, especially in the use of the OST to keep things entertaining in the in-between moments

[@namelessnavnls8060]

And to think that John gets two games to shine in and be the one everyone praises.. But Arthur just came in and stole the show. Bless him. I love him so much.

[@xtremelymoderate829]

The saddest part about these videos is that I watch them for 2 minutes and get so immersed/interested that I decide to watch an entire playlist of the game it's related to. I'll definitely come back to this to watch it fully, as I believe the effort you put down is worth it, even after only having watched it for as long as I have.

[@BasedR0nin]

Just keep attention for longer than a goldfish tard

[@hanhantap]

I just started my second playthrough and as soon as I heard Arthur's voice, I started crying. Like seeing an old friend again after a long time apart. I have never been so connected to a fictional character in a video game. Apart from John in RDR1. The writing team outdid themselves with Arthur.

[@dogmaticeuthanasia]

This game was incredibly immersive in it's experience, which I think is a part of why Arthur's death hit so hard. Alongside fantastic writing and graphics, the WORLD was rich, plentiful, and at times excitingly unpredictable. When Arthur died, it felt not like a video game character dying, but as though someone you knew deeply passed on. It's only natural when you play hours upon hours of a game and get to know a well-written, beautiful character so intimately. RDR2 is the one game I can confidently say is my all-time, unbeatable favourite.

[@huzzzer6083]

This is exactly what I tell people who ask about the game. The story is long and deep, because of that you fall in love with the characters, especially Arthur. I don't cry very often, but at the end of chapter 6, I was in tears. Simply the greatest game made to date.

[@PattyPieCry]

Arthur Morgan: I am not a good man. Isaac Clarke: Good men mean well. They just don't always end up doing well.

[@GhostRydr1172]

I sped thru my first gameplay and got to Arthur's end yesterday and Buck (my first horse) dying on me almost broke me. I skipped many a stranger mission because I thought they'd be usual R* side mission nonsense. How wrong I was. How majestic this game's story I slept on so many years truly was. Can't wait to do it again.

[@BeastiesRUs]

As soon as the cutscene of Arthur riding the horse with the music cut in, I began to cry, and I didn't stop, even once the epilogue had started. It was emotionally destroying. But such a good fucking game. I would give anything to play it through for the first time again.

[@Bornmrpringle]

When I got to the end and watched arthur prop himself up to see the sunrise and the deer imagery showed up it made me wanna tear up. My man just wanted to help people at the end of the day and I'm glade he was able to before he died.

[@b2battledroid977]

I beat this game in early January of 2019 i was 11 and stayed up day in day out playing with my dad. He died in april of 2020 and im playing the game again when arthur died i quite literally broke down into tears its the most beautiful piece of storytelling ive ever experienced.

[@Jakeyisdead]

This was an incredible video i was emotional the whole time watching Arthur is probably the best character ive ever seen outside of maybe one or two other characters but no character has ever made me care for them more than Arthur. I hated playing as Arthur initially i was like "kill him off already so i can play as john" but then i started to want to see him be a better person around Saint Dennis and then when he got TB was was dreading playing as John because i didn't want to see Arthur go his relationship with John Saidie and Charles is a master-class in writing character saidie and Charles being the only ones to see through Arthurs closed off nature and tough exterior from pretty early in the game was so smart they knew it before he did and finally in the end he sees his life for what it was and in the end he did the right thing and thats what mattered

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Really glad you liked this. This was essentially a build up of how i felt for all these years

[@Obozo_Gaming]

I *LOVE* Arthur. I've played RDR2 multiple times, and the ending made me break down and cry like a baby each damn time. Arthur knows he's not a good man, but he tries his best to be as good as he can be.

[@christianmino3753]

homie cried like me during the "You kneel for no one" scene from lord of the rings. I respect it.

[@jewgatsby3387]

Happy to see others reflecting on this game. It still remains my favorite game of all time, and yeah, I absolutely reloaded on that last mission the first time to save my horse. Funny enough, when replacing my main horse with some pony I liked but hadn't used for 90% of the game, it failed to get me to cry, I realized why it was imperative Arthur died. He was a good man, a man we cared for and wanted the best for, but to take away an amazing redemption for his lifes sake forsakes his message. I'll never be sick of this game.

[@B_noJ]

I used to hate stories in video games, especially the shooter games. Call of Duty used to drive me crazy! I wanted to run and gun, lol. I played GTV, but always roamed to get the best vehicles and drove around the map creating my own chaos without other players interfering. Then came RDR2! I bought it the day it came out on Xbox. I played it for almost two years straight, both in story mode and online, starting w/ beta. RDR2 online playing was every day, for the daily challenges. And, I played it the first time daily for 225 days straight, missed a day and started over online for 150 days straight. I've played through the game on xbox 5 times and 4 times on my ps4. No other game came come close w/ the exception of the first sniper ghost warrior or the sniper elite series...

[@johnnybensonitis7853]

Great video! Just found your channel and glad I did, now I'm a proud subscriber here. I really loved this game, it pulled me in like very few can manage to do. Rockstar actually took a gamble on trusting players to be able to keep up with the various character motivations/personalities within the greater context of the overall narrative by avoiding making everything black and white. The nuance was left fully in tact and just helped make everything so much more believable. Most of their AAA peers are just either never willing to take what they see as a risk in committing to a narrative in such a way or perhaps they just simply aren't capable. Either way, it really makes RDR2 stand out that much more.

[@Blinkptx]

Hands down favorite game of all time. I think I've got six full playthroughs at this point.

[@aranerem5569]

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an incredible game. I will always remember it.

[@rando27enco]

1 Hour into the game: who is this Arthur character, I wanna play as John. Gets to play as John: sobs uncontrollably

[@morbincentral3607]

Played the story through 6 times and cried my eyes out every single time Arthur dies. What an experience I’ll never forget.

[@mrm1987]

There is no shame in crying over Arthur's story! He is the most wonderful and well developed character indeed. I guess GTA6 will be awesome, but in reality I only wait for RedDead3 Even my girlfriend who realy is not into gaming at all, pushed me to play and go on storywise and even to this day, we sometimes both sigh "Oh Arthur!" or say how we miss him!

[@niksonrex88]

GTA6 will be great but a GTA game never had the narrative depth like the RDR games.

[@PartyQuest]

fantastic video! made me cry a little.

[@darkside7802]

The game also reminds me of a better time within my own life. Where I was, HOW I was, etc. Same goes for The Witcher 3. These two games are insanely perfect. I have a melancholy feeling with them. They’re in my top 5 of all time. I think I speak for most.

[@NoSleepDaChimney]

Just finished this game, compared to gta v I did not expect the heart break of this game I expected a light hearted cowboy shooter. Rockstar is wasting time on gta this story is something that’s being lost to time in pursuit of financial gains by large companies. This shows it’s still possible although as time goes on farther and farther from the goal

[@redt7452]

You did an excellent job on this video man. It’s so good to see Arthur Morgan being loved and his story told years after the game. You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar

[@jackperry7708]

The pain is all gone? it's never gone...

[@ElPresidenteMargz]

I have never shed tears for a video game protagonist ever in my life until Arthur’s talk with sister Calderon. Him admitting he was afraid not only about death but about how he has lived his life to this point, wondering if he will ever do enough good to redeem himself even a little, absolutely broke me . So many layers to this character , him basically been groomed to be an outlaw and be damn good at it, while at the same time seeing an artistic sensibility in his drawings and how expressive he is writing in his journal, his natural kindness, and curiosity for the world around him and how he actually enjoys helping those around him (side missions) is such a contrast. IMO the greatest video game protagonist of all time.

[@kingludacris4202]

It was stauss who went borrowing money to people hwo had a hard time paying it back and he only got arthur to collect the money back because he was the only one he trusted to do the job

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

That is true but this usually falls into the moral compromise of complencency. Arthur could have either said no, find someone else or done things more amicably. What could Strauss do to Arthur either way?

[@Mr-Geist-Bong]

Found Family, Redemption, Noble Sacrifice and the long road Arthur travels make RDR2's story a true masterpiece in gaming

[@vHyla]

I wish I cared more about the game on my first playthrough. I completed it over the course of a few years, and I didn’t really care and I just want to play it and care for the first time

[@Darkorb44]

I've beaten Arthur's story three times now, and every single time Arthur's reaction to his horse being killed makes me tear up.

[@juanGonzale69]

This is so well made how dose this have 30 views

[@ObviousMalcolm_PLUS]

Slowly but steadily, we might get there. Thank you for the support

[@High-Tech-Geek]

I like this analysis. Made me see things from a perspective I think I missed somewhat. Thank you.

[@pronintendo1984]

I can tell you right now, that GTA 6's Lucia and Jason will not be able to live up to Arthur. Something about GTA protags that just don't hit the same as the Red Dead protags. You just feel a bit more connected with their story. GTA IV is a different one, but GTA 5 didn't make me feel connected to their characters, and I'm thinking that GTA 6 will be no different in that regard.

[@spookydonutghosthouse]

The only GTA protag that like really stuck with me like John and Arthur was Niko Bellic Because unlike other GTA protags like Claude and Tommy and CJ and Trevor and Michael and Franklin Niko had a genuinely heartbreaking story because unlike all the other protags Niko witnessed the horrors of war and he watched all his friends and family die and he gets locked away Most other GTA protags are just a bunch of assholes obsessed with money and power but Niko didn't even want to get involved with the whole crime business he just did it to help get Roman out of debt and no matter what ending you get Niko still pays for it either by losing his cousin or his girlfriend while he does survive unlike Arthur or John Niko really doesn't get a happy ending because he either loses the woman he loves or one of his few remaining family members Much like John and Arthur Niko has that one line that just stuck with me and made me realize how much awful shit Niko saw in the war "After you walk into a village, and see fifty children, all sitting neatly in a row against the church wall, each with their throats cut and their hands chopped off, you realize that the creature that could do this doesn't have a soul." To this day I still think Niko is the most complex, tragic and well written protagonist in all of GTA Maybe Rockstar will prove me wrong with Lucia and Jason but I doubt it

[@pronintendo1984]

@@spookydonutghosthouse Could not have said it better myself.

[@JohnFordBoneworks]

The story and characters of this game are so good that it made my low honor play through genuinely difficult, it felt hard to do bad deeds to such real and believable characters and its a testament to the spectacular writing.

[@thedj6921]

Red dead redemption 2 is the best Videogame ever made yet … change my mind

[@VerminSupremeFanPage]

fallout new vegas and doom eternal slam

[@jonhodges6572]

This is the best explanation of Arthur Morgan’s redemption arc I’ve seen.

[@kamakaze098]

I've replayed this game idk how many times because after the first complete play through I can't make it to the last mission in chapter 6. Just can't go through that again

[@soqudain]

After the Downes mission, I flat out refused to do any of Strauss’s other missions. I did every other side mission I could find. It makes me happy to see how Arthur finally stood up to Strauss - what a heartbreaking story. I regret skipping it now, I just didn’t want to see Arthur harm another family in the same way - I knew he wouldn’t have wanted that.

[@John-996]

Amazing open world and story I also love the low honour version of Arthur really makes the story feel so powerful.

[@immythlive9710]

say a therepist play this game and the way he was breaking down game and characters made it so much clear the depth of writing in this game and peoples character . Ex - mary asking arthurs help to save jamie - He chose to not help her -reasons - she came back to ask arthur for help using past relation & so & so it was that bit that made me think of it from story and reason perspective than side quest of Ex Channel name Dr mick -if anyone is intrested in watching his playthru im still in ch2

[@senseweaver01]

0:14 - Why are tears shameful if they're over a game? What?

[@fightthefeeling]

“shameful tears” is just a common / different way to say that someone is upset or uncomfortable from a specific situation.

[@HutchLifts]

I remember my first playthough, I had done the veteran's side quests and had beull for a good chunk of the game. When I got to the part where your horse dies at the end I was genuinely sad. The game took a lot of care on the story of the veteran and Arthur, and it was the first time I ever felt genuine sadness at a game. The fact that it happened years ago, and it is still a very vivid memory, is a testament to how incredible this game is.

[@JackNormalMemes]

Everyone just making worse and worse versions of the original version of this video.

[@blckoutday]

what’s the original?

[@JackNormalMemes]

@@blckoutday video by Snolana called best fictional character ever

[@angelhd2648]

Nah

[@JackNormalMemes]

@@angelhd2648 yeah though

[@angelhd2648]

@@JackNormalMemes nah

[@DankePrime]

Arthur Morgan is my favorite character of all time, and nothing can replace him. Rest in peace..

[@Microman504]

Arthur is Dutch's and Hosea's spiritual heir. He was taught a code and he has a moral compass he kept until the very end of his life. With the world changing, Hosea's death and Dutch becoming what he really is on the inside. Arthur realized what they truly were and the number of lives they destroyed (just like Kieran mentionned, they were just glorified outlaws). Arthur had a shot at redemption and he really became the good man he was on the inside when he parted ways with Dutch.

[@shoerific]

A good man can do a bad thing, and a bad man can do a bad thing, but wether or not he’s good or bad afterwards, or realises what he’s done is right or wrong, is what shows who he really was, and if he wanted to be who he said he did.

[@dt_grey4521]

I can count on one hand how many times I've shed tears in my life, and on both how many times the tragedy of rdr2 has. Even all this time later Arthur can still make my emotions sting, just for a little bit.

[@guts60]

I’ve only cried twice in all of my gaming career. The first time was with Arthur Morgan’s death. The second time was when I truly beat NieR: Automata. RDR2 and NieR:A are two very special games to me. Despite how different they are, both have very well changed who I am as a person. Both of these games have characters of intense complexity and amazing writing, with beautiful scenery and gorgeous soundtracks, and some of the best storytelling in all of gaming history. The characters actually feel like people, not just avatars on your screen, with hopes and dreams and fears even if they are fake and premade. My grandparents think video games are dumb. They don’t see the entertainment value in them, they say that good stories are only found on TV or in books. In their mind, the extent of video games is just a brainless experience. And they are wrong. I have read many good books and watched a lot of good TV, but my favorite stories come from the worlds within games. A book or TV show can only show you so much. They are linear, they have a set path. Reading from left to right and from to back (or right to left and back to front), watching from beginning to the end. Games are interactive experiences, where the actions you choose directly affect the characters. You don’t just read or watch a character make a predetermined choice, you get to make the choice yourself and see how it affects the character and the world.

[@dreohonekay]

i cried several times throughout the ending of this game bro that final horse ride was so gut wrenching

[@jondoe384]

I wept at a well written piece of poetry, a somber song from a masterful violinist, and the ending to Arthur's (mostly) high honor journey. Truly a work of art

[@mrc8534]

That was a Great Overview on Arthur, Thank You for doing it.

[@davidmarshall2989]

God damn, the pain in arthur’s voice when he says goodbye to his horse never fails to make me cry

[@xthyper1997]

After i am thinking back at the storie, the capter in valentine was just so peaceful, wish id would had been longer. R.I.P Arthur !

[@howdoeatjerry3975]

When Arthur goes to his horse at the end, dying, it’s very sad. But the thing that makes me really cry is when he mutters “thank you”. That one moment.

[@zachh._.123]

Arthur staring watching the sunrise is probably my favorite cutscene in any game

[@masson5775]

15:25 this is why i chose the “go back for the money” ending. I know it’s weird, but i didn’t realize at that moment that it was a greedy and revenge focused move. Since arthur wasn’t greedy at all by the end of the game and abigail gave so much trying to get that key, i thought it was like a sure death mission where i would sacrifice myself for the chance of guaranteeing my friend a better life (as obsviously they would need money to start anew). I only realized it wasn’t that when i chose the ending and lost honor and arthur started calling out for micah. Still, i love that ending. Dying at the last camp, the last place where the gang was together, the fire during the last scenes and getting to stab micah’s eyes were great. The music as well. The only thing i would say is better in helping john is the dialogue with him (although that alone makes it the better ending). Some might say i would kind of leave john to die but idk, when i was playing that mission i felt like the pinkerton were camping from the camp, so if i went back i would also slow them down and john would turn out fine.