Games

Most Selfless Characters In Red Dead Redemption

Published

1 month ago

November 19, 2024

Christoph Rediske

Key Takeaways

Table of Contents

Rains Fall prioritizes peace over violence in tribal conflicts.
Arthur’s selflessness depends on player choices & help to others.
Jack Marston remains kind, giving gifts and showing concern.

During the foremost era of expansion in America’s history, the Wild West was inhabited by murderers, thieves, and degenerates, and many of the characters in the Red Dead Redemption franchise became products of their environment, which led them to lead selfish, dispassionate, and destructive lives. But while many no-good outlaws and opportunistic dictators pride themselves on trampling over the less fortunate to ensure their survival, wealth, and prosperity, Red Dead Redemption has a lot of redeeming characters whose moral alignment goes against expectations.

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For every power-hungry, murderous authoritarian, there is an equally generous, compassionate, and selfless individual who dedicates their life to enriching the lives of those around them — a noble cause in itself. Here are the most selfless characters in the Red Dead Redemption series to counteract all the greed and self-serving tendencies of a self-centered epoch in the history of American social policy.

1 Rains Fall

Always Puts His Tribes’ Safety First And Values A Pacifist Mindset

As a pacifist, Rains Fall believes in solving conflict through peaceful demonstrations, whereas his son, Eagle Flies, insists on avenging their tribe in light of their mistreatment at the hands of oil magnate Leviticus Cornwall. In response to Colonel Favours’ attempt to drive the Wapitians out of their homeland (under Cornwall’s orders), Rains Fall continuously chooses less violent approaches to settling the feud, such as meeting with Favours and Cornwall himself.

Eagle Flies tries to convince Rains Fall that there is glory in death, but the older and wiser of the two imparts the wisdom that he has seen many members of the tribe fall in pursuit of justice, in which he finds no glory and only grief. While Rains Fall’s methods of protecting the tribe’s peace are questionable, he always has the Wapitians’ best interests at heart and remains a noble and selfless leader until the bitter end.

2 Arthur Morgan (Determinant)

Goes Out Of His Way To Help Others In A High Honor Run

Arthur Morgan may not be the likeliest choice for someone whose selflessness knows no bounds, but it’s a quality that’s entirely dependent on how the player chooses to portray him. Regardless of a High Honor or Low Honor run, Arthur still murders hundreds of people and willingly steals from just about anyone. However, Arthur’s actions are somewhat redeemable if he commits his free time to help others, be it random strangers or someone near and dear to his heart, like Mary Linton.

Arthur starts as a despicable deviant, but on a High Honor playthrough, he turns over a new leaf after an encounter with Thomas Downes causes him to contract tuberculosis and rethink his life choices. From then on, Arthur becomes a martyr to the cause in the pursuit of justice against people like Dutch and Micah, who only ever led people astray for their own personal gain.

3 Young Jack Marston

Shows Concern For Others’ Wellbeing And Gives Gifts To Gang Members

When he’s all grown up, Jack Marston is just as conniving and reckless as his father, but as a young boy, he’s nothing if not considerate and thoughtful. Jack has a heart of gold, especially when it comes to animals and people he cares about, such as John, Abigail, and his uncles Arthur and Hosea. When Jack goes fishing with Arthur, he’s less concerned about catching some fish (i.e. hurting an animal) and more concerned with making a daisy-chain necklace for his mother, which is an extremely kind gesture for someone who provides for him.

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He’s always grateful for anything he gets, such as when Arthur finds him the Penny Dreadful book he’s been missing. Jack is always asking about the well-being of others above himself, which is a quality he never grows out of, even if he develops the less favorable characteristics of John Marston too.

4 Simon Pearson

Ensures The Gang Members Never Go Hungry

Simon Pearson standing in front of a wagon with his arms crossed

Almost every gang member can be ridiculed for some misdeed or another, so Pearson isn’t exactly a saint himself. He was rescued by Dutch Van der Linde and his gang from loan sharks after returning from serving in the U.S. Navy, so he agreed to become the gang’s butcher and cook. Although he sends off strongmen like Arthur and Charles to go hunting for meat, Pearson doesn’t let the gang go hungry.

He’s always seen chopping away at carcasses near his wagon or whipping up a tasty stew. He ensures that the gang operates on full stomachs, which is a crucial but overlooked role within their hierarchy. Pearson can be a bit grumpy at times, but he means well, and he’s always prioritizing the gang’s health to ensure the wagon stays stocked up with medicine, supplements, and other necessities.

5 Charles Smith

Only Kills As A Last Resort And Shows Compassion To Animals

Again, no member of the Van der Linde gang escapes scrutiny, not when they all lie, cheat, and kill for a living. Charles is no exception, but he’s certainly selfless. Charles takes it upon himself — and by extension, Arthur — to help the Wapitians in any way he can, such as rescuing Captain Monroe and Eagle Flies from the U.S. Army. In the epilogue, when John goes back for Dutch and Micah with Sadie and Charles in tow, Charles courageously tells John and Sadie to go on ahead and complete the mission despite being critically wounded.

He is arguably the most honorable member of the Van der Linde gang and avoids killing unless absolutely necessary or as a last resort. Charles stands up for what he believes in, such as the fair treatment of all races and the preservation of certain animal species, like the Bison who are hunted for sport. He is responsible for burying the bodies of Susan Grimshaw and Arthur Morgan, choosing a picturesque spot for each.

6 Hamish Sinclair

Sacrificed His Leg To Serve In The U.S. Army

As a veteran of the U.S. Army, Hamish is an honorable man who paid the price for his service by losing his leg, for which he has a prosthetic. If Arthur completes all of Hamish’s missions except the last one, John will return in the epilogue to inform him of Arthur’s passing. Hamish will proudly recall all the animals they hunted together, claiming that Arthur was his only “true” friend. In Red Dead Online, Hamish will pay the protagonist handsomely for their help in completing certain tasks despite having very little money.

If Arthur does complete the final phase of “The Veteran” mission branch, Hamish will be mortally injured after being thrown from his horse, Buell, and will ask Arthur to take him as his dying wish. Hamish is always shown to be grateful for Arthur and/or John’s assistance and genuinely appreciative of the company.

7 John Marston (Determinant)

Prioritizes The Safety Of His Family Above All Else

Just like Arthur Morgan, the morality of Red Dead Redemption‘s protagonist, John Marston, depends entirely on the player’s choices throughout the campaign. During his time with the Van der Linde gang, John describes himself as being young, stupid, and generally not a good person. As he gets older, he sheds that naivety and passivity to become an honorable family man whose wife and child come before anyone else, including himself. John is depicted as a man whose biggest redemption arc comes from righting the wrongs of his past, namely during his time under Dutch’s influence.

When Jack was younger, John abandoned him and Abigail for a year, so he felt the need to correct that mistake by being a model father to Jack in later years, despite their rocky relationship. Ultimately, John confronts the Pinkertons and sacrifices himself to ensure that Abigail and Jack lead fulfilling lives, even if it makes him a tragic hero.

8 Tilly Jackson

Shows Mercy To Anthony Foreman Despite His Mistreatment Of Her

Tilly Jackson sitting on the wooden floor

Compared to some of the other women in the Van der Linde gang, Tilly Jackson is considered the sweetest and most innocent. She rarely conforms to the standards of others, as seen by how she treats Molly O’Shea with kindness and even expresses regret for not bringing her along for a heist. Later on, Tilly does say that Molly got what she deserved, but she never finds out the true story. When Tilly is kidnapped by Anthony Foreman, a man who claims he “owns” her, she is rescued by Arthur.

Although she has been wronged, Tilly insists on sparing Anthony (a decision left to the player) to show that she has a compassionate and forgiving nature. She also has a soft spot for Jack Marston, whom she will protect from the Pinkertons if other gang members aren’t around to do so.

9 Charlotte Balfour

Expresses Immense Gratitude To Arthur And Gives Him Her Money

Charlotte Balfour sitting and drinking a beverage among lavender plants

Either Arthur or John can encounter Charlotte Balfour just outside Willard’s Rest. She is mourning the loss of her husband, Cal, and learning to survive in the wilderness by herself. Arthur or John can teach Charlotte how to hunt and skin animals to make meals for herself. As Charlotte learns valuable skills from the protagonist, she gains some self-confidence and grieves Cal’s passing healthily and reflectively. Charlotte grows to care deeply for Arthur or John, expressing gratitude for their mentorship in teaching her the basics of survival.

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Charlotte can also be seen as kind and selfless with how she allows Arthur to inherit all of her money and welcomes John with open arms despite only knowing him as an associate of Arthur’s. John also mentions to Charlotte that Arthur wrote fondly of her, which serves as a further testament to the positive impact she left on him.

10 Mother Superior Calderón

Helps Arthur Through His Existential Crisis And Shows Him Kindness

Mother Superior Calderon talking to Arthur

Mother Superior Calderón appears in both Red Dead titles to encounter both Arthur and John. If Arthur has High Honor, he can meet Mother Calderón at the train station in place of Reverend Swanson and inform her that he’s dying. Despite Arthur’s reputation as an outlaw, Mother Calderón sees goodness in him, so she comforts him as he faces his mortality and reflects on his impending death. She reassures him that — while he’s done bad things — he’s a good person with good intentions who simply lost his way.

Arthur meets her when she’s collecting donations for the church, which proves her status as a Good Samaritan outside of her duties to her religion. John can either donate to Mother Calderón or rob her, but if he chooses the latter, she is extremely grateful and receptive to his generosity.