Red Dead Redemption 2 is a truly massive open world experience. Even those who bemoan the game cannot deny the sheer amount of care and work those at the studio poured into every ounce of its development. Throughout the gargantuan campaign's over one hundred missions, a lot of tragedy occurs. Most of it fall upon the main character, Arthur Morgan. The next ten entries will highlight the ten saddest things that happened to Arthur. It really seemed like the troubled protagonist could never catch a break. Fair warning to all those who haven't played it: major spoilers for the game ahead.
10 Getting Stuck In A Blizzard
This one isn't too bad, because it's not an emotionally traumatizing experience. Still, no one ever wants to find themselves stuck in a blizzard on a mountain, many miles away from civilization. At the same time, what better place to run to when evading the law?
This is where players start the game and, as bad as it is for the gang to be there, it serves as a solid introduction to the world and gameplay. All in all, Arthur has been through worse, and manages to leave the snow-covered hills unscathed and without frostbite.
9 Getting Captured
The O'Driscolls are the greatest rivals to Dutch's gang. Colm, their leader, has had a long-standing feud with Dutch, involving the mutual murder of loved ones. Dutch killed Colm's brother and Colm killed Dutch's lover.
One mission starts with apparent peace talks, only for the O'Driscolls to capture Arthur and bring him back to a camp. Once there, he is subject to physical torment and hung upside down. Fortunately, Arthur manages to escape his captors and make it back to his allies.
8 Guarma
After a botched bank robbery in Saint Denis, Arthur and several other gang members hitch a ride on a boat. Unfortunately, this boat succumbs to stormy weather, and the player finds themselves marooned on a Caribbean island.
For the player, it is an interesting break from the world they have gotten so used to. The environment is radically different to the point of feeling like a different game. For Arthur, however, it signifies the beginning of the end. Getting stuck on an island is bad enough, but it's here where he starts losing faith in Dutch and questions his life choices.
7 Orphaned At A Young Age
Arthur rarely speaks of his childhood, but what little he does reveal doesn't indicate a happy youth. He has nothing but negative words regarding his father, showing no remorse when talking about his early passing. His mother, on the other hand, is seen in a more positive light.
Unfortunately, she died when Morgan was even younger. He still kept reminders from both of them into adulthood: a flower by his bed commemorates his mom, while he kept his father's hat despite the disdain he had for the patriarch.
6 Getting Tuberculosis
One would think this would be a bit higher on the list, but his morbid diagnosis did have some positive outcomes. It was after he received this death sentence that he really changed his perspective and put his newfound ideas into action.
It's still devastating news and something he, and most players, wish never happened, but he did a lot of good things and made up for past wrongs with what little time he had left. It was just so sorrowful to see him suffer with the symptoms, though.
5 Left To Die By Dutch
One of his final missions sees Arthur and Dutch raiding a factory to assist Eagle Flies. The raid is successful, and Dutch finds a bond worth several thousand dollars. On their way out, the two are ambushed and Dutch escapes while Arthur is pinned down with a knife to his throat.
Eagle Flies saves him, but sacrifices his own life. This transparent act of betrayal leaves no room for doubt: Dutch had truly gone off the deep end. Someone Arthur once considered a father just left him to die in the heat of battle.
4 Losing The Gang
To Arthur, Dutch's gang was family. His parents had long since passed away and any other relationships he forged went south in one way or another. Seeing it slowly deteriorate as long-standing members were killed and people's attitudes started changing was truly depressing for Morgan.
Without the gang, he had no idea where to go, but he also couldn't let it stand seeing what Dutch had transformed into. Doing what he did near the end of his journey is akin to justly betraying one's own flesh and blood.
3 Getting Killed By Micah
Arthur's final moments are truly upsetting, regardless of which ending one receives. People saw it coming—tuberculosis isn't something most people came back from in those times—but they didn't expect it to turn out like that. Morgan was really suffering in his final moments. He is simultaneously being bogged down by his disease while Micah whales on him. To his credit, Morgan stood his ground against the traitor, proving how much fight was always within him. Everybody was routing for him to get a peaceful end somewhere away from all the violence and chaos, but it just wasn't meant to be.
2 Mary Linton
Arthur had fallen in love before, but it never worked out. The closest he got to a second chance at love was Mary Linton, a woman from a well-to-do family. Her father vehemently disapproved of their courtship, and while Mary wasn't pleased with Arthur's way of life, she still loved him. Their relationship splintered by the beginning of Red Dead Redemption 2, but it starts to mend during the game. Eventually, Mary confesses that her feelings never went away, but Arthur says he cannot run away with her for the sake of the gang. He had a way out staring him the face, but his sense of honor prevented this.
1 Eliza And Isaac
It's only ever briefly brought up, but Arthur had a child with a woman named Eliza. It doesn't appear that the two were married, but they seemed to have a solid relationship. They didn't live together, but Arthur periodically visited them. Tragically, Eliza and the child, Isaac, were slain in a robbery. Of all the hardships Arthur has gone through, nothing could possibly compare to losing a child. Losing one in such a senseless act of violence along with the boy's mother only compounds the misery he must have felt.