Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game praised for many things, but perhaps something that stands out the most to fans might be the sheer level of detail Rockstar put into its latest Western action game. From realizing that enemies can shoot tonic bottles out of a player’s hand to noticing that rabbits in Red Dead Redemption 2 hide in trees if under threat, the game has a lot of secrets that fans may not find even after years of play.
Red Dead Redemption 2’s story is also crammed with details for keen-eyed players. One fan recently noticed a small detail in the earlier portion of the story, when Arthur Morgan is confronted by Agent Milton of Red Dead Redemption 2‘s Pinkerton Detective Agency. Milton introduces himself to Arthur while he and Jack are fishing, telling the outlaw that he and his gang’s days are numbered unless they turn themselves in. This scene gives Arthur and the player the sense that they are constantly being watched and followed by the authorities, beginning the eventual downfall of the Van der Linde gang.
However, Agent Milton’s pursuit of Arthur, Dutch, and the other gang members could’ve been cut short, as shown by a clip that displays Arthur nearly pulling his gun on Agent Milton. Red Dead Redemption 2’s protagonist doesn’t follow through, though, as he looks down to see a very young Jack Marston standing behind him. Unlike in the first Red Dead Redemption, where Jack is a teenager and eventually an adult, he is very much a child in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Many fans who saw the clip have taken this to mean that Arthur did not want to commit an act of violence in front of Jack. While there are some funny mods for Red Dead Redemption 2 that have Jack being rather violent himself, in the base game Arthur seeks to protect Jack from the life that the former leads. Due to the death of Arthur’s own son Isaac, many fans have also made the argument that Arthur is likely doing for Jack what he couldn’t do for his own son.
Despite the context of gun violence, the clip proves to be quite a wholesome one, as it shows Arthur preventing Jack from witnessing something awful. However, Jack does not remain entirely safe in the story of Red Dead Redemption 2. He witnesses an extreme amount of death throughout the story of the Van der Linde gang, and there is even a fan theory that there is a darker side to Jack’s backstory in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
