When approaching Red Dead Redemption 2 as a prequel to the original story, Rockstar Games had to make a number of decisions that may redefine the series, while trying not to create too many retcons in the process. However, in this effort, it seems as though a newly introduced character may have taken a stronger role than intended, with Hosea becoming a larger figure in dual protagonists John Marsden and Arthur Morgan's lives than even gang leader Dutch.
This new character's charisma and actual ability to make plans has quickly made Hosea a fan favorite among both the new and old members of Red Dead Redemption 2's Van der Linde gang. To a degree, Hosea's character does add a lot to the game, though it does put the dynamic of the higher ups in the gang into question, especially when considering Dutch's leadership.
One of the major aspects of the original Red Dead Redemption was exploring the nature of the old gang and how everybody seemed to not only separate from each other, but completely hate the remaining gang members. So, it's obvious that Rockstar would have to further explore Arthur and John's stories in Red Dead Redemption 2, with a heavy focus on their relationship with Dutch and what would eventually drive a wedge between them. The strangest aspect of these relationships, however, isn't that the presence of a character like Hosea drives a wedge, but that he appeared to have been the real binding agent that had kept the gang together in the first place.
Hosea as a Secondhand Leader
As far as the Van der Linde gang in general is concerned, Hosea seems to have comfortably taken on the role as the second-in-command, allowing Dutch to remain the figurehead. Hosea comes up with his own ideas, sometimes stands up to and questions Dutch's actions and plans, and is somewhat of an emotional backbone for the rest of the gang to fall back on. If Dutch is Red Dead Redemption 2's leader, then his old friend acts as the face and voice of the individual members, although his actions go well beyond the scope of a simple right-hand-man or lieutenant.
In truth, Hosea is the real man with the plans, as much as Dutch likes to repeat that he's the one who has a various set of plana throughout the story. While Dutch might come up with ideas for an occasional adventure, it's generally Hosea who makes them work, plotting out the course for events like the moonshine and casino heists, with the boss simply pointing and saying he wants a thing. By the end of the story, it's clear that Dutch's grand plan in Red Dead Redemption 2 was little more than dreaming, while Hosea was putting in the work to actually move the gang forward.
Dutch and Hosea's Family Hierarchy
Aside from being a leader, Dutch often treats the gang like a family, with the implication being that each of the members are brothers and sisters in arms as they try to survive in the wild west. However, Dutch often seems to stand a bit higher, taking on the role of the father of the family, both taking the biggest piece of every meal, and directing where this family will go. Dutch even seems to care about Arthur and the others for most of Red Dead Redemption 2, not really turning himself completely inwards until after the botched bank robbery and the isolation and imprisonment in Guarma.
Of course, if Red Dead Redemption 2 makes Dutch the father figure for many of the gang's members, Hosea seems to be the family friend that all the kids call the fun Uncle, especially when compared to the other Uncle. He holds a level of authority in the family, mostly as a leveling figure who can stand against Dutch in some of the crazier moments. This continues to push Hosea as an emotional backbone for the gang, with both Arthur and John coming to him for advice and any signs of compassion they can find.
Hosea's Death
It's his role as the gang's supporting structure that makes Hosea's death during the bank robbery in Saint Denis hit the characters, and the player, so hard. Without the old man to fall back on, there's nothing to keep the gang members from tearing each other apart, which is one of the major factors that eventually leads to everyone splitting up in the end. The implication in the game is that Dutch and Arthur's strained relationship, along with the leader's slow degradation into madness, is what ultimately destroys the gang.
To a degree, it's true that Dutch's crazed anger and poor decisions is the final nail in the coffin, but the absence of Hosea is arguably the only thing that allows the leader to fall so far. When Arthur tries to stand up to Dutch in the same way that Hosea would, the father figure doesn't take it well, to say the least. Dutch's haunting words in Red Dead Redemption 2 as Arthur has the audacity to "insist" on trying to find a new plan is the kind of thing that Hosea could have deflected away from, but with the old man gone, the gang falls as well.
Dutch's Descent Into Madness
There is another layer to the tragedy of Dutch in Red Dead Redemption 2, with the death of Hosea seeming to weigh on him in ways that the narrative doesn't exactly have the luxury to focus on, since its from Arthur's perspective. If Hosea was the uncle while Dutch played the father, then that would mean that those two were the only ones on close to equal footing with each other, sharing a brotherhood they couldn't share with anyone else. In the end, it's much more than a sudden shock, or the loss of someone who can actually stand up to Dutch that drives the wedge between players, but the lack of companionship that drives the leader crazy.
However, as tragic as this is, the same can't be said for the two protagonists of the game, Arthur and John, who each move on in spite of Hosea's tragic death. While Dutch focuses on the loss of the death, the others push forward with the memories of life, with Hosea's actions becoming an inspiration for Arthur and John by the end of the story. It's a number of subtle additions that highlights the best of Red Dead Redemption, and Rockstar Games' approach to heartfelt, meaningful storytelling.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions coming in 2021.