For gamers looking to explore the Western genre within gaming, it is hard to go wrong with Rockstar's Red Dead series. Red Dead Redemption and its prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, follow the Van der Linde gang and its disintegration as America marches into the 20th century and embraces industrialization. John Marston and his family, which consists of his wife Abigail Marston and his son Jack Marston, appear in both games, and they form the backbone of the franchise's main narrative. However, their story is far from cheery.
Red Dead Redemption reveals the story of how John Marston is forced to go after members of his old gang to save his family. However, despite his attempts to provide the best for his family, things still go upside down. The tragedy of the Marstons, and especially of Jack Marston's fate, is made even worse with Red Dead Redemption 2 which gives greater context to the events of the prior game. Despite the sacrifices made for Jack, they are unable to save him from the outlaw's life of violence, proving that sometimes redemption comes too late.
So Many People Gave Up So Much For Jack Marston
Jack Marston has a very rough upbringing because he grows up in the Van der Linde gang which is forced to constantly relocate to escape from the consequences of their criminal activities. His childhood has little stability, and he is witness to plenty of traumatic events, including getting abducted by the Braithwaite family and being held hostage by Angelo Bronte, and having his mother be kidnaped by Agent Milton and the Pinkertons. Despite the tragedy surrounding him, there are plenty of figures around him that try to give him as good of a life as possible.
The first is his father, John Marston. He is far from a perfect man, and he sometimes puts his loyalty to the outlaw life above his responsibilities to his family. However, he does genuinely love his family, and he tries to do good for them. This is best seen during the epilogue of Red Dead Redemption 2 where, after the end of the Van der Linde gang, Jack attempts to tuck away all slivers of his past life in an attempt to build a normal life for his family, even if that means milking cows and scooping manure. Although this is soul-crushing work for someone who is used to making his living using his gun, he is willing to make the sacrifice for the sake of his family.
Likewise, Arthur Morgan also makes plenty of sacrifices for Jack. Arthur is one of the more senior members of the Van der Linde gang, and he is close friends with John. Naturally, he is protective of Jack, and he takes him out on fishing trips when John is unable to. Arthur is also willing to lay down his life for Jack, and this is seen most prominently if players manage to complete the main portion of Red Dead Redemption 2 with positive honor. Instead of heading back to camp to nab a bunch of money for himself, Arthur instead puts his life on the line to give John time to escape from the Pinkertons. It is Arthur's sacrifice that allows John's family to survive into the epilogue and Red Dead Redemption.
These sacrifices made by John and Arthur illustrate that despite the perilous conditions Jack grew up in, he was deeply loved by those around him, and they wanted the best for him. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for Jack, and their sacrifices may have been in vain.
Jack Follows in His Father's Footsteps
Most of the fun of the Red Dead series comes from living as an outlaw. Players get to blast revolvers, tame stallions, get into fights in saloons, escape bounties and have showdowns at high noon. However, the games do not merely glorify this lifestyle, and instead, they attempt to critique the morality of living lawlessly. The games also explore whether redemption is always possible, especially for those who have committed unspeakable acts.
Although both John and Arthur live by the gun, it is clear that neither of them wishes the same for Jack. When players are on Red Dead Redemption missions and Jack is around, weapons usually stay tucked far away unless they are necessary, and the cowboy life is not glamorized to him. Nevertheless, it seems Jack is unable to evade that life because, by the end of Red Dead Redemption, he finds himself with a gun in his hands and a conscience full of blood. The outlaw life, it seems, chooses him.
The tragedy of his fate looks worse through the lens of Red Dead Redemption 2, as it becomes clear precisely what Jack inherited. Despite seeming like a homely community of outcasts on the surface, the Van der Linde gang is a band of vicious criminals that have committed heinous acts of violence against innocent people. They may view themselves as noble thieves thanks to Dutch van der Linde and his silver tongue, but their actions paint an entirely different picture. Jack could have been the one to finally escape it all, and leave the gang with his soul intact. He was the last sliver of good in the gang. However, when he decides to pick up a gun and seek revenge, he becomes just another outlaw, and he fails to learn from the fatal lessons of his father and Arthur.
The Red Dead series is full of tragic stories, which is evident when one looks at the lives of characters like Lenny or Sadie Adler. However, few characters face as much tragedy as Jack Marston. From his birth, it seems he is doomed to a life of violence and grief, and there is very little opportunity for him to escape. Through Red Dead Redemption 2, players see some of the conditions that led to Jack becoming the person he is, and the endless sacrifices that others made for him in an attempt to avert that fate.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
