Red Dead Redemption 2’s world is a reflection of the late nineteenth-century United States, which was rapidly expanding westwards at the cost of the natives. Hundreds of tribes were pushed out of their homeland during that time, and the game shows a glimpse of what it would’ve been like. The game mentions a community called the Wapiti people, a Native American tribe who once roamed the Heartland areas of Red Dead Redemption 2’s map.
When the events of Red Dead Redemption 2 occurred, the Wapiti people were reduced to a sparse population and restricted to a reservation in Ambarino. They were forced to sign unfair treaties multiple times and faced regular hostility from American settlers and the government, eventually weakening their society. Still, some Wapiti fought back, which is also seen in Red Dead Redemption 2.
How Wapiti Are Introduced In Red Dead Redemption 2
The Wapiti first appear in the first chapter when the Van der Linde gang is crossing a river while moving out of Colter. Three horsemen watch the gang as they cross when Charles says they wouldn’t have shown themselves if they wanted trouble. After this, Hosea enlightens Arthur about the hardships the Wapiti people have faced at the hands of the US government.
Hosea says that the Wapiti were forcefully removed from their land, with most people killed or relocated to a reservation. He also mentions that the US Army is particularly unsympathetic toward the natives’ cause. In the later events of Red Dead Redemption 2, it is revealed that Colonel Favours is responsible for the atrocities toward the Wapiti people.
The natives reappear in the Saint-Denis chapter with the introduction of two notable figures, Rains Fall, their leader, and Eagle Flies, his son. Here it is revealed that the US government and Leviticus Cornwall, a business magnate, are conspiring to remove the Wapiti again because of enormous oil reserves below their land. Arthur and Eagle Flies raid a Cornwall factory to find proof that there’s a conspiracy in place.
Rains Fall and Eagle Flies
The struggles of the Wapiti get intertwined in the main story in the sixth chapter. Here a schism begins to appear between Rains Fall and his son, Eagle Flies. Rains Fall has a more diplomatic approach and wants the most peaceful outcome, whereas Eagle Flies is more aggressive and wants to retake their lands by force. Time and time again, the father-son duo find themselves quarreling with one another about how to proceed with the conflict.
Eagle Flies approaches Dutch for help with their stolen horses, who readily agrees, seeing an opportunity for himself. The latter convinces the former that violence is the way to go if the tribe wants to retake what’s rightfully theirs. Eagle Flies, young and dynamic as he is, eagerly accepts Dutch’s plan of action, having little knowledge about his true intentions.
Meanwhile, Rains Fall is a more practical person who wants nothing but peace for his people. During a Red Dead Redemption 2 mission where Arthur and Rains Fall ride together, he reveals that the elderly Wapiti are sickly and dying, while the young have lost faith in the diplomatic methods of the older generation. Here, Arthur also meets Captain Monroe, who is sympathetic to the Wapiti cause.
The chasm between the father and the son becomes more evident when Eagle Flies goes behind Rains Fall’s back to set up an ambush for US Army soldiers. Eagle Flies has gathered the young of the tribe and is working in cahoots with Dutch Van der Linde, who has an ulterior motive. Dutch only agreed because he wanted to create a distraction, so the gang could escape. Ultimately, the ambush fails due to poor planning, Eagle Flies is captured, and other Wapiti are killed or flee for their lives.
Eventually, Arthur breaks Eagle Flies out of prison, but he had already been brutally tortured. Still, he is adamant about his methods and makes a last-ditch attempt in the mission "My Last Boy." The father and son confront each other for the final time when Eagle Flies assembles a small force and urges the Van der Linde gang for assistance. Rains Fall begs his son to abandon the assault, which he refuses and rides toward the oil factory for a final battle with the US Army.
The Struggles of The Wapiti People
The Wapiti were subject to numerous atrocities and acts of cruelty during the events of Red Dead Redemption 2. When Eagle Flies first meets Dutch, he’s asking for help in the recovery of stolen horses. The US Army had confiscated the tribe’s horses to cripple their day-to-day activities like hunting, which would eventually starve them and force them to relocate.
Moreover, Arthur can read an article in a local newspaper with the headline, ‘Tensions High: Fears of Return to Indian War.’ The report portrays the Wapiti in a poor light and brands them as vicious murderers who are the aggressors in the ongoing conflict. This suggests the authorities are taking any measure to deprive the Wapiti of any public support. This article dramatically shifts public opinion in favor of the US Army, which is now free to commit despicable acts without moral consequences.
Besides the violent conflicts, the tribe was subject to vicious acts of vandalism. When Arthur is riding with Rains Fall, the two discover a sacred Wapiti site that has been defiled. Rains Fall is devastated to see a sanctified place of his people vandalized in such a way and requests Arthur to retrieve the stolen items, which he eventually does.
However, the most ruthless act was committed by Colonel Favours when he withheld the vaccines intended for the Wapiti people. Captain Monroe tells Arthur about the vaccines, who is shocked to see the dying children of the tribe due to a lack of proper medication. Arthur is appalled by this and pledges to get the confiscated vaccines for the Wapiti children, which he ultimately does.
What Happens To The Wapiti People
When players return to the Wapiti Reservation in 1907 as John Marston, they’ll find it abandoned with only a single oil well. As it turns out, the authorities didn’t find a significant amount of oil in that land, which eventually caused them to discard the project altogether. A newspaper article titled ‘Pump Jacks Sit Silent’ confirms this as it says the oil reserves in the reservation were dry.
The article also says that the remaining Wapiti were gunned down in Wyoming, while some managed to escape to Canada. Gamers can find Rains Fall during the Epilogue, who has a conversation with John Marston and confirms that they have indeed moved to Canada. The Wapiti, once a distinct community, had been reduced to a few families living in a new country.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.