The full Red Dead Redemption timeline is vast, as RDR and RDR2 cover a span of 15 years and many major events. Here's everything, explained.
Few games have featured such richly detailed characters and nuanced stories as Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2. The fictional history of games' Old West stretches as far back as the early 1700s at the founding of Saint Denis, but the story of the two games themselves is packed with important events of its own, covering a span of 15 years.
Over that time, RDR2 and Red Dead Redemption tell the tragic tale of the dying days of frontier justice and the outlaws. That narrative is seen through the eyes of three particular characters - all of whom are arguably not even RDR's main characters - but it is actually a story of numerous individuals, all seeking their redemption in one way or another and tied together by the Van der Linde gang.
Though the games' playable plot is but a small chunk of the Red Dead Redemption universe's larger story, it's so full of significant character moments and events that it warrants covering in detail. Players can glean ample amounts of additional backstory and lore if they explore the worlds of RDR2 and Red Dead Redemption thoroughly enough; some instances are direct dialogue scenes telling of things that happened in the past, while others are found in newspapers, collectibles, notes, and, in the case of RDR2, Arthur's journal.
The Prequel Begins
The main narrative of RDR2, a prequel to the original game, takes place entirely in 1899. As the game begins in the snowy mountains of Colter, the gang is hiding out in the wake of the events of the Blackwater Massacre, with Dutch van der Linde and his right hand, Hosea Matthews, trying desperately to keep their gang free. Playable character Arthur Morgan drives the narrative as he works to assist his leader and father figure.
In searching for shelter and supplies, Arthur, Micah Bell, and Dutch find a homestead where they cross paths with a rival gang, the O'Driscolls. This incites the first major conflict of the game, introduces the feud between the Van der Linde gang and the O'Driscolls, and establishes a tension between Micah, Arthur, and Dutch that plays a major role in the plot.
This is also where the story first introduces Sadie Adler, the homestead owner who the O'Driscolls widowed. In traditional Van der Linde fashion, the gang takes her in. Sadie seems timid at first and isn't initially involved a great deal, but she quickly becomes one of the most important characters in RDR2. Before that can happen, though, Arthur and Javier Escuella must find John Marston, Red Dead Redemption's protagonist, who has gone missing while out searching. Arthur and Javier eventually find John well into the snowy mountains, wounded by a pack of wolves.
After getting him safely back to camp, attention shifts to the O'Driscolls, whose own camp is nearby. Along with Javier, Micah, Dutch, Lenny Summers, and Bill Williamson, Arthur heads there to deal with Colm O'Driscoll, the gang's leader. This is the first time players see Dutch breaking his own code of honor by seeking vengeance, which he justifies by saying it's to keep the O'Driscolls from attacking and for intel about a job the O'Driscolls were working on. Dutch quickly reveals this to be a lie, however, when Colm is seen departing and Dutch does nothing about it, stating it wouldn't be fun to steal Colm's score if he wasn't alive to learn of it. After the ensuing shootout with the O'Driscolls, who remained when Colm left, Arthur captures one of the rival gang members, Kieran Duffy. In one of RDR2's more surprising moments, Dutch actually spares Kieran and tentatively allows him to join the gang.
With the intel from the O'Driscoll camp, Dutch leads the gang on a train robbery. The train is owned by Leviticus Cornwall, the game's fictional conglomeration of early American tycoons like Vanderbilt and Rockefeller, and its robbery starts a vendetta for Cornwall. He sends Pinkerton Agents Andrew Milton and Edgar Ross after the Van der Linde gang, which stacks on their troubles from the Blackwater Massacre and their feud with the O'Driscolls. At this point, Dutch begins realizing the gang's outlaw lifestyle is coming to an end, as America is quickly settling its western frontier. What follows is a series of poor planning by Dutch and mistakes in those loyal to him.
Out Of The Mountains, Into The Heartland
The gang relocates to New Hanover, searching for work that could make them all enough money to retire from the criminal life. In this chapter, players get to know the gang members better, starting with Arthur and a few others going into Valentine to get supplies and scout for jobs. During the mission, a man recognizes Arthur from Blackwater, foreshadowing how tightly the circle is closing on the gang. Other missions see Arthur helping his ex-fiancé, Mary Linton, with her brother Jamie; breaking Micah out of jail, which leads to another brutal shootout that shows Micah Bell's true nature; and taking John's son, Jack Marston, fishing with Hosea and Dutch.
Bad luck follows the gang, as jobs continue to go south and the Pinkertons are constantly on their heels. After a simple bit of sheep thievery in Valentine seems successful, Cornwall shows up with the Pinkertons to confront the gang directly. The bloody shootout forces the Van der Lindes to flee - a recurring theme for this band of outlaws on the run.
The gang manages to find another place to hide just outside of Rhodes, where they find a golden opportunity; a feud between two wealthy families, the Braithwaites and Grays. The gang does many jobs for both families to fan the flames and exploit their riches. Both are capable of their own devious cruelty, though, and soon realize what's happening. They ambush the gang along with Sheriff Gray of Rhodes, and the Grays kill gang member Sean MacGuire, while the Braithwaites kidnap Jack. The gang then confronts the Braithwaites and slaughters all but one of the family's members, then burns its manor to the ground in search of Jack.
As the gang learned from Catherine Braithwaite before she returned to her burning manor to die, Jack was sold to notorious mob boss Angelo Bronte of Saint Denis. But before they can go after him, the Van der Lindes are confronted by Agents Milton and Ross yet again when they return to camp. They give Dutch the option to turn himself in and allow the rest of the gang to be pardoned, but he again shows his selfishness and refuses. Milton promises to return with scores of men to apprehend the Van der Linde gang, so the group is once more forced to move camp. They don't go far, settling in RDR2's Shady Belle region, which Arthur and Lenny clear of Lemoyne Raiders so they can be close to Saint Denis to rescue Jack.
The Van Der Linde Gang Descends On Saint Denis
After some groundwork, Arthur learns where Bronte's manor is and seeks him out. Things almost go sideways, but cooler heads prevail for once, and a deal is struck with Bronte. The gang agrees to take care of some grave robbers for Bronte in exchange for Jack's return. After completing the task, Bronte invites the gang to one of his parties, where they work the room for leads on more jobs, setting up even more "one more score" narratives.
Following one of Hosea's leads, Josiah Trelawny manages to get a few gang members onto a riverboat casino they plan to rob, even setting Arthur up in a poker tournament to befriend the dealer. Things go smoothly at first, with Arthur cleaning house at the cards table, but in fitting, doomed-outlaw fashion, everything gets out of control when the gang reaches the vault. All secrecy is lost, and a gunfight ensues as the gang tries to escape, eventually forcing them to leap off the boat and swim to safety.
Before RDR2's main narrative progresses further, Arthur navigates several side plots. He helps Rains Fall, chief of the local Wapiti Native American tribe, and his son, Eagle Flies, keep the U.S. Army from stealing the tribe's land, a job that yet again has Arthur crossing paths with Leviticus Cornwall. Upon returning to camp, he's informed that the Foreman Brothers have abducted Tilly Pierre. Arthur immediately sets off to rescue her and ensures Tilly is no longer troubled by the Foremans afterward.
The feud with the O'Driscolls then comes back to haunt the gang again. Sadie notifies Arthur that Kieran is missing, but the mystery is solved in short and gruesome order when his decapitated body comes riding in, holding his own head, on a horse. The O'Driscolls descend on the gang but are eventually pushed back. Dutch then delivers one of his most haunting lines, revealing just how delusional has become: He tells Arthur he was failing to see the vastness of their problems and opportunities, refusing to let go of the gang's lifestyle for the sake of its members.
The Fall Of Angelo Bronte & The Fracture Of The Van Der Linde Gang
Dutch's lust for a lawless frontier drives him to lead the gang on another job from Angelo Bronte - a trolley station heist in the heart of Saint Denis that proves to be a setup, as Bronte is working to tidy up loose ends. Arthur, Dutch, and Lenny have to hijack a trolley and shoot their way out of the city. If it wasn't apparent to the gang before, it becomes quite clear they're on thin ice.
Still, the narrative briefly takes an unexpected turn as Arthur is again contacted by his former fiancé. He works to help Mary stop her father from destroying himself, a sequence that serves as a metaphor for how Arthur and the other gang members are riding towards their own demise. After helping her, Arthur is given one more opportunity to walk away from his life as an outlaw to live with the person he loves, but he refuses. This is partly because he is a wanted criminal and doesn't want Mary to be punished for his transgressions, but his decision is also strongly motivated by his familial commitment to the doomed Van der Linde gang.
After Arthur returns to the gang, Dutch again betrays his own moral code; Hosea has a fantastic new job lined up for them, but Dutch wants revenge on Bronte for setting them up. Showcasing his continually misplaced faith, Arthur sides with Dutch. The gang gets a local fisherman to ferry them to Bronte's mansion, where another skirmish occurs. After dispatching many guards and plenty of lawmen, the gang finally gets Bronte aboard the ferry. The gang is set on ransoming Bronte, who, to no avail, tries to bribe them to kill Dutch. In the ensuing exchange, Dutch instead drowns Bronte and feeds him to the alligators.
Despite the chaotic events, the RDR2 gang continues planning an epic bank robbery. The plan seems sound, if not for the ever-tightening noose around the gang's necks. As soon as Arthur loots the safe, the Pinkertons arrive with the scores of men Milton had promised. Hosea is taken hostage, which causes Dutch to plead for Milton to negotiate - an ironic turn, given Dutch could have saved Hosea and everyone already. Milton refuses, however, and executes Hosea in front of the gang. John is then captured, and the firefight claims Lenny's life before the gang members who pulled the heist can escape.
The gang manages to hide out overnight in an abandoned building before sneakily boarding a boat bound for Cuba. The boat is destroyed, washing the Van der Linde gang up on Guarma's shores. Before they can even get their bearings, they are taken captive by the local military and swiftly freed by rebel forces fighting against the tyrannical governance. But RDR2 doesn't linger here long; the gang helps the rebel fighters beat back the supporting troops arriving from Cuba, and once they succeed, they return to the mainland.
Getting The Gang Back Together In Lemoyne
Upon arriving at Van Horn Trading Post, Arthur makes straight for the gang's last encampment at Shady Belle, where he finds a note from the remaining members, who have moved to Lakay. He finds them and is informed that John was arrested, but the reunion is short-lived, as the Pinkertons again descend on the camp. The gang manages to fight them back, but Milton's resolve is duly noted by Dutch, who begins to suspect someone within the gang is betraying them. Dutch then has Arthur and Charles Smith clear out a new spot in Beaver Hollow, where Molly, Dutch's partner, drunkenly announces that she had been informing the Pinkertons about their location, and Susan kills her for the betrayal.
Arthur then agrees to meet Sadie in Saint-Denis to discuss how they can break into Sisika Penitentiary to rescue John. On his wait to meet her, he is overcome by a coughing fit. A stranger helps him to a doctor, where Arthur learns he has tuberculosis. Receiving this fatal diagnosis is the final turning point for Arthur, who begins seeking to ensure the remaining members of his chosen family will be O.K. after he is gone. He and Sadie immediately rescue John and bring him back to the Hollow, even though Dutch said they couldn't afford to go after him just yet. Dutch grows paranoid and begins doubting Arthur's loyalty, despite Molly stating she was the informant, and Micah steadily becomes Dutch's go-to person.
Still, Arthur goes with Dutch and Micah to Annesburg to deal with Cornwall. When they manage to get in position, Dutch goes off script and faces Cornwall as he's dealing with Pinkertons. Dutch makes an absurd demand for Cornwall to give them $10,000 and his boat so they can safely leave the country, which Cornwall naturally refuses. Dutch then guns down the tycoon, sending the gang into a firefight with the remaining Pinkertons. The three outlaws narrowly escape, but Micah manages to steal some of Cornwall's papers in their hasty exit.
Before these can be put to use, Arthur accompanies Dutch and Sadie to put their long-standing feud with the O'Driscolls to rest, as Colm O'Driscoll is sentenced to be hanged. The trio has to do some assurance work, but they make certain Colm is no more. Sadie, however, shoots the remaining two O'Driscolls in the crowd, seeking revenge for her husband they killed at the beginning of RDR2, and a bloody shootout ensues.
Once the situation is resolved, the gang steals a dynamite shipment detailed in Cornwall's papers, using it to set up an ambush at Bacchus Bridge and cut off government supplies, nearly costing Arthur and John their lives. At this point, John and Arthur voice their concerns to one another about the man Dutch is becoming. Even though Arthur's had his own problems with John, he is now more worried for John and his family than he is loyal to Dutch.
Sins Of The Father, Paid By The Sons
RDR2's tale of beleaguered outlaws led by a Machiavellian anarchist continues as Dutch again seizes an opportunity to deal a blow to the authorities. Eagle Flies comes to the camp and tells the gang a military dispatch at Fort Wallace has stolen his tribe's horses. Tensions between the Wapiti and the military continue to escalate as more horrendous transgressions by the military become apparent, and Dutch pushes the gang further into the fighting for his own gain, seeking only to lash out against what he deems oppressors of his would-be utopia.
Dutch's quest for his specific version of freedom leads the gang in feigned support of the Wapiti tribe, all the way to an attack on Cornwall's oil refinery, which nearly destroys the tribe and sees Dutch leave Arthur to die, betraying yet another of his so-called family as his narcissistic nature fully manifests. Arthur and the gang manage to survive the onslaught, though, and reach yet another of RDR2's "one last job" situations. Dutch outlines what he says is the gang's final score: intercepting a government resupply coming to fix the damage from the destroyed Bacchus Bridge.
During the heist, John is shot while trying to release a burning train car and ensure the gang's escape. Dutch goes to save him, but he returns shortly after, claiming John died. The Van der Linde gang manages to complete the job, but in returning to camp, Tilly informs Arthur that Abigail Marston has been taken. Dutch decides the gang should leave her, largely influenced by Micah, but Arthur refuses to abandon Abigail and leave Jack without a parent. Sadie again joins Arthur, and the two head to Van Horn. They each fight through several Pinkertons, but eventually, Arthur is held at gunpoint by Agent Milton himself. Thinking he's won, Milton reveals to them that Micah was, in fact, the mole. Arthur struggles to break free, but Abigail resolves the situation, shooting Milton with Sadie's gun.
When they return, Arthur has Sadie help Abigail, Jack, and Tilly escape while he deals with Dutch and Micah. Arthur declares Micah as the traitor, causing a standoff, but the gang is unsure what to do until a wounded John Marston stumbles in, proclaiming Dutch left him to die. As Susan begins to side with Arthur, the Pinkertons arrive, giving Micah the distraction needed to kill her. Dutch at last betrays his two most loyal "sons" and sides with Micah, labeling John and Arthur the traitors, which the gang accepts. Arthur tells John where to find his family, passes over his belongings, and eventually faces off with Micah. Arthur is then killed or left to die from his wounds, having been betrayed by his father figure but managing to at least help his brother figure escape.
John Builds A New Life
Red Dead Redemption 2's epilogue picks up eight years after the death of Arthur Morgan and the dissolution of the Van der Linde gang, with players taking over John Marston as he works to build a new life for his family. Through a string of events, John gets a job working for David Geddes at Pronghorn Ranch. Situations are still tense for him and his family, and their old life proves harder for John to escape than they'd hope. When the Laramie Gang attacks the ranch and steals some cattle, John reverts to his gunslinging ways, causing Abigail to take Jack and leave.
To prove to Abigail he can change, John, with the assistance of Geddes, buys a plot of land in Beecher's Hope to build into his own ranch. John reunites with former gangmates Uncle and Charles, who help him with the building, and he also reconnects with Sadie in Valentine, who gives him the ironic work of being a bounty hunter to help fund the project. Things are looking up for John when he gets engaged to Abigail and spends more time with his family, but he eventually finds details about Micah Bell's whereabouts through his bounty hunting work.
Refusing to go back on their vow to kill Micah for his betrayal, John, Sadie, and Charles head out to hunt him down, despite Abigail's pleas. To find Micah, they abduct one of his gang members, whom they execute after he gives them Micah's location. The three fight their way through Micah's henchmen, refusing to let anything stop their quest for justice and blurring the line between redemption and revenge.
John and Sadie finally seem to have the upper hand on Micah until Dutch appears with his pistols drawn, allowing Micah to subdue Sadie. Dutch tries to convince them that John betrayed him and the gang, but he falls silent as the situation plays out. John goes back and forth between Micah to save Sadie and himself, finally demanding Dutch say something. Dutch replies simply that he has no more words to say, and Dutch shoots Micah in the chest. He walks out of the camp, leaving all the money from the Blackwater mission for John, Sadie, and Charles, as he no longer cares about it.
New Beginnings In New Austin
The original Red Dead Redemption takes place four years after the conclusion of the sequel. John Marston is once again pulled back into the life he had worked so desperately to escape, as his actions against Micah lead the Bureau of Investigation right to him. The new leader of the Bureau, Edgar Ross, abducts John's family to force him into hunting down his old gang members Bill and Dutch, who have new gangs of their own. The scene opens on Blackwater, of all places, which has grown considerably as the frontier continues to be urbanized.
John meets up with a guide provided by the local Marshal, who tells him Bill Williamson and his gang are held up in Fort Mercer in New Austin. Bill is not thrilled to see his old gang member, having sided with Dutch against John and Arthur, and refuses to surrender. Before John can draw his gun, he's quickly shot by one of Bill's men. He eventually passes out on the side of the road and is found by the Bonnie MacFarlane. She goes out of her way to take care of John, even paying for his medical treatment - an act John repays by helping out at her family's ranch.
John gets a brief respite there, a calm reminder of the life waiting for him should he ever finish this deed for Ross. He's soon pulled back into RDR's grim reality when Bill sends his men to burn down the ranch. After helping save the animals and putting out the fire, John works with Marshal Leigh Johnson on several jobs in preparation to go after Bill yet again. John and the Marshal craft a sly plan to use a snake oil salesman as a cover to sneak into the fort. The plan works smoothly enough, but afterward, they learn Bill has already fled across the border to rejoin with another of John's old posse, Javier Escuella.
Once Upon A Time In Nuevo Paraiso
As soon as he crosses into Mexico, John is introduced to Colonel Allende and Captain de Santa, local government leaders embroiled in a civil war with rebel forces. The two strike a deal with John that, if he aids their cause, they will give him information on Bill and Javier. While working for the military, John comes across Landon Ricketts, a famous gunslinger turned vigilante who stands opposed to the militant regime. John actively aids both sides to reach his own personal goal, much as was seen in his, Arthur's, and Dutch's decisions throughout RDR2.
Assisting Ricketts eventually leads John to free Abraham Reyes, the leader of the rebel forces, from government capture. They begin helping in the rebel effort more earnestly, seeing the locals' oppression under the current dictator. Still, it becomes evident that, while Reyes' cause is noble, he is but another flawed leader, not unlike Dutch and many others in the Red Dead Redemption series.
John's efforts to play both sides ultimately causes Colonel Allende to turn on him and attempt to execute him. Reyes saves John's life, and the two play on each other's motivations and work together to take the fortress of El Presidio. There, John is finally able to confront Javier, who was being protected by the government all along, and Reyes gets a resounding victory in his march to take over the country. With Javier captured or killed, John presses forward with Reyes to Allende's villa, where his true target, Bill Williamson, resides. Once the gun smoke is finally cleared and Bill is no longer an issue, John has but one task left in his quest for freedom.
Like Father, Like Son
Back in the American state of West Elizabeth, John is congratulated for his work with Bill and Javier. Still, Edgar Ross swiftly reminds him that Dutch must be dealt with if John wants to see his family again. John, Ross, and various other Bureau agents fight through several encounters throughout the region, enlisting help from anyone they can. Finally, John and the Bureau, along with the U.S. Army, manage to corner Dutch at his gang's hideouts. After an intense shootout, Dutch finally appears, revealing a disheveled and delusional shell of his former self - a grim omen for any who would chase such a lifestyle in Red Dead's dying frontier.
Ultimately, John corners Dutch on a cliffside. Always one to have the last word, Dutch gives a harrowing speech, finally owning the fact that people like him - and John, for that matter - cannot fight the change coming to their world. However, he also says he can't fight who he is, even though his brand of freedom is no longer a viable way of life. Dutch ominously warns John that, after he is gone, the powers that be will just come looking for another monster. Finally, he steps on the cliff and falls to his death, accepting his fate on his own terms.
Ross may be manipulative and crooked, but he holds to his word, allowing John and his family (and even Uncle) to reunite back at Beecher's Hope once and for all. John takes Jack to MacFarlane Ranch to meet Bonnie and buy the head of cattle he was promised at the beginning of the game. After everything he's endured, John Marston finally gets to settle down and live the honest life of a rancher. Dutch's parting words, however, were an inescapable truth; despite all the work Arthur and John did to end their old gang, there is still one remaining member of the infamous Van der Lindes: John himself.
Ross shows up at the ranch with a small army of agents and soldiers, surrounding John and his family. They try to defend themselves but are outgunned, and Uncle is murdered in the initial skirmish. John leads Abigail and Jack to the barn, where he insists they flee as he holds off the attackers. With his family making their escape, John knows there is only one way to ensure their safety. Accepting his fate, just as Arthur had before him, John exits the barn to make his last stand against the agents. When the gun finally falls from John's fingers, Ross lights a cigar in celebration at a job well done. Afterward, Abigail and Jack return to bury John and Uncle, overlooking the ranch John never truly got to enjoy.
Jack Marston's Redemption
Three years after John's death, Abigail dies as well, leaving a now-19-year-old Jack Marston alone. Jack is well on the way to being a gunslinger in his own right, though, and with his mother gone, he sets off to bring justice to the man who destroyed his family. Unlike RDR2's epilogue, Jack's final quest is neat and concise. He heads to Blackwater and easily learns Ross is now living a happy, retired life on Lake Don Julio in the deep south of New Austin.
Jack makes his way to the Lake and finds the retired agent's home. He is greeted rather bitterly by Ross' wife, Emily, who is frustrated that the Bureau is apparently continues to bother him his retirement. She directs Jack to where Ross camps down by the river, and Jack finally comes face to face with his father's murderer. To Jack's infuriation, Ross completely brushes him off, saying John's death was his own fault and acting unbothered by Jack's threats to kill him. But Jack persists, Ross accepts the duel, and Jack puts him to a swift end.
The moment Ross is dead, Jack looks down at his revolver, likely reflecting on the central questions of Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Redemption: whether redemption exists for the dying breed of the outlaws, and whether this is the way to get it.
