Rockstar Games painted a compelling picture of the Wild West and how things used to be in Red Dead Redemption 2. Unlike its predecessors, RDR2 puts players in the shoes of outlaw Arthur Morgan as he manages day to day life in the Dutch Van der Linde gang. Between missions, players can interact with the various members, play games, go on option side activities, and more.
Serving as a prequel story to its predecessor, the game introduced players to a ton of new characters while also bringing back fan favorites like John Marston and Dutch van der Linde. The lengthy campaign also gives players a deeper look at each of these members and how their journey ultimately changes as they struggle to survive an ever changing way of life.
With so many compelling characters fighting for the spotlight through the lengthy campaign, it can understandably be a little challenging remembering each member of the gang and their role in the Red Dead Redemption 2 story. Here's a complete list of every character in the van der Linde gang, even some who fans may have forgotten.
Gang Leadership
Not much needs to be said for the likes of Dutch and Arthur Morgan, two characters who are heavily featured inside the story of Red Dead Redemption 2. Dutch, along with Hosea Matthews, formed their own gang after the pair tried to swindle each other at the same time. Born to a family that was involved in the American Civil War, Dutch learned to value freedom and liberties above all else, which helped shape the ideals his gang would ultimately stand for. Although Dutch believed himself to be a Robin Hood of sorts in a more romanticized version of the Wild West, his world quickly came crashing down as technology, civilization, and the US government started to encroach on his territory.
Dutch's second in command was Hosea Matthews, a master con artist and a senior member of the gang. Hosea was largely valued for his level-headedness and wisdom, typically advising Dutch and keeping him from unraveling. Hosea was also largely responsible for bringing Arthur into the gang and being a mentor for the young delinquent teen. Despite eventually attempting to leave the life of crime to settle down, Hosea is drawn back in, and while he retains his position with Dutch, the life he once tried to escape from ultimately kills him during a botched bank heist in Saint Denis. Hosea's death has major implications on the gang as the divisions between members deepen, and Dutch's mental health continues to decline without Hosea's wisdom to guide him.
Finally, there's Arthur Morgan, the primary protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2. Arthur's childhood was marked by strife and hardship. His mother died when he was young and his criminal father was ultimately killed in front of him. Now lost without a family, Dutch and Hosea filled that role, leading Arthur to fully embrace their vision of living free and without the constraints of civilization. As players saw in the game, Arthur got involved with a young woman named Mary Gillis, though his lifestyle never sat well with Mary's family and forced them apart.
Arthur also had a child with a woman named Eliza, and while he would provide support and visit them when he could, both were later killed by bandits. The rest, as they say, is history, with a hardened Arthur becoming the enforcer for the gang; his redemption arc doesn't start until the fatal news hits that he has contracted Tuberculosis from someone he brutally beat for one of Stauss' owed debts. Before he dies, Arthur manages to save a number of gang members and even helps John get a second chance in life.
The Main Cast
John Marston - What more needs to be said for John Marston, one of the only characters to be playable in multiple open world games from Rockstar. Players are able to experience John's story from being rescued by Arthur, to his emergence as a leader, then attempting to settle down at Beecher's Hope. Unfortunately for John, that desire for revenge against Micah would cost Marston his new found life as a rancher. His actions at Mount Hagen ultimately led Agent Ross and Agent Fordham to his doorstep, kicking off the events of Red Dead Redemption and his tragic fate.
Micah Bell - Born into a life of crime, Micah quickly took up the family business of being an outlaw, even becoming a partner in crime to his dad. Prior to the events of the game, Micah stepped in and saved Dutch during a deal that had gone sour over stolen gold. Because of that incident, Dutch brought Micah into the gang, even though most of the members disliked him. Micah's failed plan to rob a ferry in Blackwater also began the gang's string of hardships and continued fleeing from authorities. Micah's wild nature and brash attitude continue throughout the game, until the player learns he sold out the gang to the Pinkertons and splinters the gang completely. Eventually, Micah goes on to start his own band of outlaws before the player (as John Marston) takes revenge on him.
Javier Escuella - Born in Mexico, Escuella became involved with the revolutionaries to fight back against the corruption of the government. After killing a powerful and former member of Mexican military, Escuella flees north to the United States where he bumped into Dutch while trying to find food to survive. Escuella idolized Dutch and his ideals, becoming a well respected gunslinger and taking part in countless robberies. His loyalty to Dutch ultimately causes his friendship to Arthur and John to deteriorate, siding against them when the gang ultimately falls apart. Although he indirectly caused the death of Susan Grimshaw, Javier manages to flee back to Mexico where he becomes a hitman and antagonist for John Marston to track down.
Sadie Adler - This fan favorite character didn't start out as an outlaw. A rancher by nature, Sadie Adler becomes a content housewife in a happy marriage before her world is turned upside by the O'Driscoll Boys. Her house is robbed, her husband is murdered, and Sadie hid for days before being discovered and ultimately rescued by Dutch, Arthur, and Micah. Sadie soon warms up to the crew and even becomes one of the leaders, taking over the gang while the core group of men get shipwrecked in Cuba. Sadie is instrumental in rescuing Abigail from Agent Milton, and helps a number of members escape. Later, she takes up bounty hunting, helps John and Charles take down Micah, and attends the Marston wedding. Unlike many other gang members on this list, Sadie's fate is never disclosed, leaving many fans to hope she'll return in some sort of expansion.
Lenny Summers - Born to former slaves, Lenny Summers actually had a fairly decent upbringing and received an education from his father who was able to read and write. Unfortunately, his father was later killed by a bunch of drunken men, who Lenny later took revenge on. This incident force Lenny on the run, where he eventually found his way to Dutch and the gang. Even though he's one of the younger and inexperienced members of the gang, Lenny is always willing to jump in and assist with whatever is going on. As dependable and likable as he was, Lenny is cut down during the bank heist in Blackwater.
Charles Smith - Like Lenny, Charles Smith is also one of the newer members to join the gang. Born to an African American father and Native American mother, Smith is a survivalist thanks to his upbringing in his Mother's Tribe before she was taken away by the US Army and his father fell into an alcoholic depression. A deadly fighter, Smith is likely the most honorable member of the gang, refusing the kill where possible. He's also the one that is largely responsible for burying the members of the van der Linde gang including Arthur. Smith survives the chaos that ensues when the gang falls apart and later meets back up with John Marston and Sadie Adler. He helps John build is ranch at Beecher's Hope, takes vengence on Micah, and attends the Marston's wedding. Like Mrs Adler, his fate is largely unknown.
Uncle - The man only known as Uncle is a former petty thief and someone who is both lazy, an alcoholic, and a teller of tall tales. Due to these traits, his role in the gang is fairly minimal, typically finding ways to drink and offering smaller jobs to the player. It's unknown how Uncle escapes the gang's downfall, but he ultimately finds his way to John in Blackwater, following him back to Beecher's Hope where he lived until his death at the hands of the US Army and Bureau agents.
Bill Williamson - Another name longtime fans should know is Bill Williamson, a major antagonist from the first game. However in RDR2, Bill is a loyal gunman and explosives expert, seen helping the gang on a number of heists and robberies. Dishonorably discharged from the military, Bill became a drunk and highwayman until Dutch came across him and gave him purpose. It's likely due to that incident that Bill remained loyal once the gang fell apart and managed to escape and start his own gang in New Austin.
Sean MacGuire - Originally born in Ireland, Sean and his father Darragh escaped to the United States to avoid the law. Sean's dad was eventually hunted down and killed, leaving him alone and placed in reform school. On a chance encounter, MacGuire attempted and failed to steal from Dutch, who nevertheless decided to take him into the gang. Following the botched Blackwater job, Sean was captured by Bounty Hunters. The player was eventually tasked with saving him before he made it to federal prison. As part of the crew, Sean goes on a number of heists and robberies, though his journey comes to a quick end in the town of Rhodes where a trap is set by the Grey family to get revenge on Dutch's gang for working with the rival Braithwaite family. Sean is shot in the head, infuriating Arthur and causing Karen to heavily drink.
Gang Members You May Have Forgotten About
Not everyone can be Arthur Morgan or Dutch van der Linde. While the majority of these folks played only a minor role in the overall story or were briefly mentioned at some point, they each had their own impact on the player's experience in some way.
Susan Grimshaw - The no-nonsense maternal caretaker of the gang, Susan Grimshaw was one of the original members of the gang. It was her job to set up and keep the camp organized each time they moved. After discovering that Micah was the rat, Susan holds him up at gunpoint until she is distracted and shot by an escaping Micah.
Simon Pearson - Mr. Pearson, a retired United States Navy veteran, joined Dutch's Gang after getting into financial trouble with loan sharks. In game, Pearson is the camp cook and the person that can use resources gathered to craft better gear and camp features. Pearson ultimately leaves the gang as it begins to fall apart and manages to settle in by running the general store in Rhodes and getting married.
Molly O'Shea - Originally born in Ireland, the fiery Molly O'Shea journey's the the US seeking adventure. She eventually finds that with Dutch and his gang, joining with them and becoming his lover. Through the game, their relationship begins to sour with Molly accusing Dutch of ignoring her. This ultimately leads her to getting drunk and saying anything that would hurt Dutch. Unfortunately, she goes a bit too far and claims that she was the one who ratted them out to the Pinkertons in Saint Denis, leading Susan Grimshaw to grab a shotgun and mortally wound her with it.
Abigail Marston - Born an orphan, Abigail was introduced to the gang by Uncle as a prostitute. As players know, she eventually fell in love with John Marston and had a son named Jack with him. While the two argued often over John's reluctance to be a father to Jack, the two eventually find their way by escaping the gang and setting up their own place at Beecher's Hope.
Tilly Jackson - An outlaw at age 12, Tilly began her career with the Foreman Brothers after they originally kidnapped her. Eventually, Tilly murdered Malcom Foreman, left the gang, and joined up with Dutch. Her past comes back to haunt her, bringing both gangs into conflict during the Saint Denis chapter. Arthur ultimately gives Tilly his share of the train heist and tells her to live a good life. She follows those instructions by marrying a wealthy lawyer from Haiti, living in a large estate in Saint Denis, and giving birth to a daughter.
Mary-Beth Gaskill - A pickpocket who got into trouble with the law prior to her being discovered by Dutch, Mary-Beth was a bookworm who used her gentle demeanor to manipulate her targets. Unlike most of the other people on this list, Mary-Beth gets a happy ending after leaving the gang. By 1907, she has become a romance novelist and is still in constant contact with Tilly Jackson.
Karen Jones - A scam artist turned outlaw, Karen assisted the gang with a number of scams and bank heists including ones in Tucson and Valentine. As the gang begins to fall apart and the death toll rises, Karen became an alcoholic and disappeared completely, leaving the rest of the gang to assume she ultimately drank herself to death.
Leopold Strauss - Serving as the loan shark and bookkeeper of the gang, Strauss was originally born in Austria and then sent to the US where he eventually found his way into the employ of Dutch. Strauss sends players on numerous loan sharking missions and is also inadvertently responsible for Arthur contracting Tuberculosis from Thomas Downes. It's because of this, as well as Arthur getting fed up with how many lives Strauss has ruined, that he is banished from the gang. However, his loyalty never fades as sometime later, Strauss is picked up by the Pinkertons but never gives them any information and instead dies in custody.
Josiah Trelawny - The conman and trickster called Josiah Trelawny is a mysterious fellow that never stays with the gang. He shows up after some time has passed with news of a job or other scheme to make quick money. Trelawny is also someone who looks out for himself first, finally seeing that the gang is falling apart by the Beaver Hollow chapter and quickly fades from view. The game never states where Trelawny ended up, but speculation seems to indicate that he rejoined his family in Saint Denis.
Orville Swanson - At one point, the good reverend Swanson was a clergyman, though over the years he lost his job, family, and turned to alcohol. For most of the game, he's simply the camp drunk, but as the gang continues to fall apart, Swanson seems to pull himself together. By the Beaver Hollow chapter, Swanson has gotten sober and decides to leave the gang to become a preacher at the First Congregational Church of New York.
Kieran Duffy - After his parents died to cholera, an orphaned Kieran Duffy had a run of bad luck with his jobs, getting kicked out or abandoned at every turn. At some point, Kieran comes across the O'Driscoll Boys who give him an ultimatum to ride with them or die. After being captured by Dutch, Kieran is mistreated in order to extract any information out of him about the O'Driscolls, though being an unwilling member, he quickly turns. It takes time for the gang to trust Kieran and by the time he becomes an accepted member, the O'Driscolls kidnap him, torture him, and send his body and decapitated head back the gang's new home at Shady Belle. His death impacted the gang harshly, including that of Arthur who regretted being unable to return the favor by save him like Kieran had done for him earlier in the game.
Mac and Davey Callander - The brothers Callander were violent members of the van der Linde gang. Players were introduced to the brothers following the botched ferry robbery in Blackwater. Mac was caught by Agent Milton during the escape while Davey was mortally wounded and ultimately passed away as the gang hunkered down in the snowy Grizzlies West mountains at the start of Red Dead Redemption 2.
Annabelle - Annabelle is the spark that lit the lifelong feud between Dutch and Colm O'Driscoll. It's unclear what sort of relationship Dutch and Annabelle had, many speculate it was romantic. After Dutch killed Colm's brother, he took revenge by killing Annabelle.
Bessie Matthews - The wife of Hosea Matthews, Bessie died prior to the events of Red Dead Redemption 2. She was mentioned briefly by Hosea and reveals that the two attempted to leave the life of crime behind, but Hosea drifted back into it.
Jenny Kirk - Oddly enough, Dutch and the gang came across an abandoned Jenny Kirk on the side of a road and quickly took her in. Just like the Callander brothers, Jenny Kirk was wounded during the failed ferry robbery in Blackwater. She ultimately died before the gang was able to find shelter in the abandoned mining town in Grizzlies West.
Cleet and Joe - The definition of minor characters, Cleet and Joe only join the gang at the behest of Micah Bell who brings them on as gunmen to assist with the US Army train robbery during the Beaver Hollow chapter of Red Dead Redemption 2. Joe is killed by the player as John Marston in 1907 before confronting Micah Bell on Mount Hagen. Cleet, on the other hand, left Bell's gang after a falling out and escaped to the town of Strawberry. In 1907, John Marston, Sadie Adler, and Charles Smith team up to hunt the wanted fugitive to find more information on where Micah Bell is hiding. The player then gets the option to hang Cleet from the gallows or spare him. Should the player show mercy, Sadie shoots him anyway.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.