Time changes everything, and that’s why it’s one of the main antagonists of the Red Dead Redemption franchise. The Dutch Van Der Line gang fights against change and time, clinging to its own outlaw ways as civilization marches forward with time. Ultimately, it plays a role in how the gang falls apart, in how John Marston can’t escape his past, and how Jack Marston’s final encounter with Edgar Ross goes.
Perhaps the most beautiful aspect is how it impacts player influence over events in Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2. In the first game, players must understand the Dutch Van Der Linde gang as the worst of the worst—Dutch is manipulative and forceful, Javier Escuella is slippery and a weasel, and Bill Williamson is a monster. It’s clear that John Marston isn’t a saint, either.
Yet, come Red Dead Redemption 2, that’s not Arthur Morgan’s perspective. The gang set out with righteous goals that the gang fell short of, ambitious ideas of life that death constantly threatened, and an idea of family that one person (Micah Bell) tore apart. Indeed, the gang players meet in the first game is seen through a reflection of civilization, time moving on, and at their worst; Arthur Morgan sees them for what they were, at their best. Perhaps no one character reflects this change more so than Javier Escuella.
Red Dead Redemption – Javier Escuella’s Inconsistencies Explained
In the first game, Javier is a hitman for Colonel Allende of Nuevo Paraiso, protecting Williamson from Marston. He tries talking his way out of John Marston’s capture (or execution), berating John for working for the US government. Javier sweet talks about Dutch, the gang, and jumps out of a window—the best image of Javier isn’t given in the game, but weaselly is the best description. The worst of Javier is brought out in comparison to Dutch and Bill, but John makes it even worse
John will say that his wife, Abigail, would have killed Javier already, saying she always thought he was a creep. John also paints Javier as a back-stabbing traitor in other pieces of dialogue, and this is also reflected when Javier is instantly willing (truthfully or not) to give up Dutch and Bill. At the end of the day, there is nothing proudful or honest about the Javier players meet in Red Dead Redemption 1—he tries desperately to put himself first and foremost, regardless of how it turns out for others.
Yet, none of this is true of the Javier Escuella players meet in Red Dead Redemption 2. Javier is nothing but respectful toward Abigail, and the two seem to have a positive relationship—Abigail can even be seen thanking him from time to time. Javier’s loyalty can’t really be questioned, as he (alongside Arthur Morgan) will save Bill when captured by bounty hunters, helps save John from wolves, and so on, and more. In fact, Arthur Morgan will even comment that he’s the most loyal member in the Dutch Van Der Linde gang, and there is obvious truth in this.
Javier is proud to be a member of the gang and is even proud of his crimes, which reflect a more robin hood-esque nature for him at the time. Javier is also one of few characters who will kick Arthur Morgan out of camp if players are doing a low honor Red Dead 2 playthrough. These inconsistencies come as a result of time and memory—John likely insults Javier about Abigail just to dig at him but it could also be how his memory has changed over time. Overall, though, there is one moment in Red Dead Redemption 2 that captures this character break perfectly.
Red Dead Redemption 2 – The Moment That Broke Javier Escuella
Again, Arthur Morgan comments on Javier’s loyalty, but John also does in the first game: “When Dutch lost his mind, Javier took it harder than any of us. It’s like all he ever believed in turned out to be a fraud.” This attitude is reflected in the gang’s standoff at Beaver Hollow, where Javier does not point a gun at either Arthur or John. Rockstar originally wanted him to, but the Red Dead Redemption 2 actor for Javier, Gabriel Sloyer, disagreed.
In fact, what Javier does is called a "delope." This was a common duel tactic where someone puts their gun in the sky and would fire, as a way to defend their honor but an expression of the desire to not kill anyone. In a bigger situation like this, sometimes even a standard, it's a call for the conflict in end. In silence, Javier wants the gang to retain honor, kill no one, and bring this conflict to an end. This symbolic act makes for a strong scene because Javier’s loyalty is slowly fragmenting before his eyes; he is seeing everything he ever believed in fall apart and is falling apart too.
It’s just a moment, however fleeting, but it reflects the moment his character broke. Time and memory influenced the relationship between Javier and John in Red Dead Redemption 1, but the truth is: Javier is a broken character, just like Dutch, Arthur, John, and so many members of this gang too. Watching their dreams go up in flames, slowly but surely, left every Red Dead Redemption character changed and their views of the others changed, but perhaps no one broke, so silently but so thoroughly, quite like Javier.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.