To the surprise of many and the displeasure of few, Red Dead Redemption 2 turned out to be a prequel to its predecessor. It tells the tale of Dutch van der Linde's outlaw gang over numerous engrossing hours, showing their downfall in all its tragic glory. In addition, the game gave players a vast Wild West world to enjoy, teeming with colorful characters and engaging activities.
Unfortunately, with such scale comes the odd oversight. Red Dead Redemption 2 sports a handful of plot threads that simply don't pan out. When placed in the context of the larger narrative, they don't line up with what happened in the first title. However, it doesn't stop there. Other storylines don't even feel conclusive within this game. Developing a project this massive is obviously no easy feat, but that doesn't make these blemishes look any less sloppy.
10 A Plague Upon Armadillo
One of the optional areas that Arthur can visit, although it's easier as John since it's down past Blackwater, is the desert town of Armadillo. This is one of the main locales of the first Red Dead Redemption, so longtime fans might chuckle at getting to return.
Sadly, the place has seen better days. A plague has swept over the local population, leaving only a handful to maintain the rundown buildings. Armadillo seems to be on its last legs, but it's obviously recovered by the time the first game rolls around. Sure, it's not exactly booming, but it's nowhere near as desolate as it is here. How did the town recover so drastically in just a few years? It's not exactly high on the government's priority list, as evidenced by how much better the other towns look.
9 Gavin, Where Are You?
The Old West of Red Dead is full of strange individuals. Some you can help while others are a lost cause. Nowhere is the latter more exemplified than this well-dressed gentleman wandering the world. Players see this guy walking around several towns throughout the game, and he's always calling out for his lost friend, Gavin.
This poor sap is still searching for his wayward buddy in the epilogue, meaning that his pursuit has lasted for several years. It's safe to say that he never finds his pal.
8 A Flying Machine From The Future?
One of the many oddities that players can find in Red Dead Redemption 2 is the wreckage of a primitive flying machine in New Austin. This haphazard contraption looks suspiciously like the one from a darkly comedic side quest in the first Red Dead Redemption. In that game, the kooky Charles Kinnear sends John Marston to gather a bunch of materials for his flying machine. Unfortunately, Kinnear plummets to his death immediately after liftoff.
Contrary to first glance, this can't be the same flying machine from the second game. First, Kinnear crashed and burned in Mexico instead of New Austin. Then, there's the fact that Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place years before its predecessor. Apparently, this isn't the first time Kinnear has tried this stupid stunt.
7 Mother Superior Calderon
Though she may appear to be an inconsequential Stranger, this nun proves instrumental in the titular redemption. Arthur Morgan assists her cause in ways both great and small, from donating money to freeing those illegally enslaved. A high honor level even sees Arthur confess his sins, regrets, and fears to Calderon in the main story. She admits her own imperfections and gives him a sense of comfort and purpose before departing to a convent in Mexico.
Players can meet her again in the first game, but this only amounts to the occasional passing exchange. Granted, she does a bit more in Undead Nightmare. However, such small offerings shortchange this character. She's easily one of the most likable and developed Strangers in Red Dead Redemption 2. It's just a shame that she's later reduced to an average NPC.
6 Dutch And The Native Americans
The third act of Red Dead Redemption 2 sees Dutch forge an alliance with the disgruntled Native Americans, who are fed up with the local militia encroaching on their already-feeble reservation land. This would appear to sow the seeds of the gang leader's new muscle in the first fame. When John Marston and the Pinkertons catch up with him, van der Linde also has an army of Native Americans itching to fight.
Considering how badly it turned out the first time, how did this fallen idol convince more of this faction to his cause? Dutch used these people for his own ends, leading to several casualties and the death of their most vocal fighter, Eagle Flies. That probably galvanized some warriors, but Rains Fall took several others with him to Canada. The question remains: where did Dutch get an army?
5 Javier Can't Go Back To Mexico?
The offhand, non-cinematic conversations reveal a lot about the various characters in the gang. One who benefits from this is Javier Escuella, a Mexican gunslinger who's extremely loyal to Dutch and his revolutionary ideals. An offhand remark informs Arthur (and the player) that Javier can't go back to his home country because of his criminal record.
Fast forward to the first game, and he's hiding out in Mexico from the Pinkertons. In addition, he appears to have gained some power and influence, possibly due to falling in with a crazy dictator. Talk about a turnaround. Maybe this came about because of a regime change down there, but a bit more explanation would have been nice.
4 Viva La Revolución!
The gang's adventures on Guarma already seem like a bizarre non sequitur. Apart from the slim connection to Cornwall and the Pinkertons, the natives' battle against their oppressors has nothing to do with anything else in the larger story.
It sticks out more in hindsight. Following the gang's departure, you never see nor hear from these people again in either game. How did they dispatch their remaining enemies? What system of power did they establish? Did Cornwall or another party ever retaliate against the natives' actions? The world may never know. At least with the Mexican revolution plot in the first game was drawn-out enough to answer these questions.
3 When Did Bill And Javier Separate From Dutch?
Through thick and thin, these two remain loyal to Dutch, no matter how crazy he gets. Sadly, that's not the case in the first Red Dead Redemption. When John comes to arrest them, they've long since separated from the big man. What's more, is that Bill's spiteful tone says that he's glad to be rid of his old boss.
This runs contrary to the prequel. When the gang falls apart, Bill and Javier still stick by Dutch. Arthur implores them to think for themselves, but they've stopped listening to him at this point. The epilogue gets even more confusing. Players see Dutch join up with Micah, whom he walked away from, but Bill and Javier are nowhere in sight. These two are only loyal when the plot says so.
2 Your Princess Is In Another Game
Most wanted posters in Red Dead Redemption 2 call for the arrest of criminals. This one, on the other hand, offers a reward for the safe return of the Luxembourg Royal Family's daughter. Such an item would usually spark a side quest where the player searches for various clues and eventually finds the lost girl.
Oddly enough, that's not the case here. Neither Arthur Morgan nor John Marston can locate this child. Players have found a character model of a supposedly older Isabeau in the game's PC files. However, this hasn't been officially implemented and is likely unrelated. You literally have a better chance of spotting Bigfoot than finding this girl.
1 The Blood Is The Life... Or Is It?
The world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is a big place with several weird (and creepy) quirks just waiting for players to discover. Among the more unsettling examples is in Saint Denis. If players find five pieces of cryptic writing on the walls, then they can encounter a serial killer that's plagued the streets of this grungy city. There's only one problem: this murderer is a vampire.
The blood-sucking psycho claims to be centuries old, and he can kill either Morgan or Marston in a single thrust of his knife. Thankfully, the player can shoot him just as easily as any other mook. This would appear to be the end of it. However, gamers never learn the true origins of this guy. The circumstances seem a bit too elevated for him to just be a crazy human being, but that means Red Dead now has supernatural creatures running around. Maybe it's just one of the insane mysteries of history that will never be solved, neither in the record books nor in this game.