Summary
- Arthur Morgan's character development surpasses John Marston's, making him a more compelling protagonist in Red Dead Redemption 2.
- Arthur can swim, complete unique side missions, and maintain a consistent eye color, setting him apart from John in the game.
- Arthur's actions show selflessness and dedication to the gang, while John struggles with fatherhood and debt collection.
Even though Red Dead Redemption 2 was released quite a while ago, the debate is still raging among fans about who makes the better protagonist, Arthur Morgan or John Marston. John Marston was the original cowboy from the first game, but Arthur Morgan is an equal contender for best Red Dead protagonist thanks to the nuanced take on his character.
There are many different things that both Morgan and Marston can do in Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Redemption. Some are well-known, and others can come as a surprise to those who are unaware. It's these little details that can make playthroughs all the more meaningful.
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Updated September 20, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Red Dead Redemption 2 needs no introduction. Rockstar Games had been praised to the moon and back for their incredible titles, but the narrative side of things is one aspect where they were regularly criticized. This perception changed with an incredible Wild West story that introduced one of gaming's finest protagonists. Arthur Morgan's character arc is astounding, with his loyalties tested to the point where he starts reflecting on his actions and tries to make amends after contracting tuberculosis. After his demise, players gain control of John Marston. It won't take long for them to realize that the protagonist of the first Red Dead Redemption is quite different from Arthur in many ways.
20 Save Charlotte Balfour From Starvation
If Players Ignore This Quest, She's Dead By The Time John Reaches Her
Charlotte Balfour is a widow who lives on a homestead in Willard's Rest. When Arthur finds her in the woods, she is mourning the loss of her husband, stating that she won't be able to fend for herself and will likely die of starvation. The player can take pity on her and show her how to hunt, giving her the means to survive after her loss.
What makes this stranger so interesting is that John will never get the opportunity to help her out, implying that too much time passes by the time players gain control of John. If Arthur doesn't find her, Charlotte will have already died of starvation by the time John happens upon her homestead, which is a jarring sight. Only Arthur can teach her how to survive and hunt for herself. It's a shame that John doesn't get to enjoy this opportunity, especially given that other Stranger Missions can still be initiated regardless of whether players are controlling John or Arthur.
19 Display A Sense Of Humor
John's A Bit Too Straight-Faced For His Own Good
Arthur tends to crack jokes or be sarcastic at times, showing off the game's writing chops with dialogue that can genuinely cause players to chuckle. It's one of his many character traits that help Arthur stand out as one of the best protagonists in a Rockstar game. His absence is further hammered in with the lack of humor in John's dialogue.
There's something about this rugged character that makes Marston captivating, regardless of whether he's capable of having some fun. However, in a game that can be rather bleak, it's a shame that John barely cracks a joke or two during the Epilogue. It's a small complaint, but a valid one that will make fans miss Arthur even more.
18 Brace Himself For His Eventual Demise
Unlike John, Arthur Gets Time To Redeem Himself
After a cough that gets to be too much to handle, Arthur goes to a doctor for what he assumes is a regular check-up, only to learn that he has contracted tuberculosis. It's a shocking revelation that causes a huge crisis within Arthur, but a high-honor playthrough will help him accept his death and stand for what's right. He tries to amend his ways and make up for his atrocities, with high honor ensuring that he's able to witness a final sunset before breathing his last.
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In stark contrast, Marston has no idea about his impending death until the very last second. He believes in his heart that helping the Pinkertons out will let him live a normal life with his family, but this isn't the case. Seeing the government agents on his doorstep, Marston has no choice but to send his family away before approaching the Pinkertons and their goons in a one-sided firefight that leads to him being peppered with bullets. It's a shocking death that comes out of nowhere, with his hasty goodbyes to his family being hard to witness even now.
17 Adapt To The Honor Displayed By His Actions
Arthur's Reactivity Based On The Honor System Is More Fleshed Out
The honor system makes a return in Red Dead Redemption 2 and is more fleshed out than ever before. While the binary nature of this system leads to some problems here and there, most people would agree that the way Arthur reacts to being a good or bad person is pretty poignant and leads to some memorable, exclusive content that can only be accessed if players have either high or low honor.
While Marston also has his honor mapped out by the game, the clever implementations of the same aren't all that apparent. It's understandable given how much of a major role Arthur plays in the story, but it is something that most fans will notice after seeing how different Arthur could behave depending on his honor level.
16 Complete Certain Side Missions
Some Side Content Can Only Be Accessed By Arthur
Arthur will encounter several strangers throughout his journey who will need his help in some form or another. These side missions are pretty engaging to carry out, and players will be delighted to know that the bulk of this content can be accessed by John once the game's epilogue has been reached.
However, not all side missions can be accessed by John, with some of these being inaccessible if players don't complete them as Arthur. While players aren't locked out from accessing too many side missions, they should still make it a point to help out as many strangers as Arthur before moving on to the game's epilogue if they want to experience everything the game has to offer.
15 Swim
Marston Not Being Able To Swim Is A Running Joke
In Red Dead Redemption 2, Arthur Morgan can swim as long as his stamina holds out, which is a fairly long time. If John tries to take a dip in a lake, however, his stamina depletes almost instantly, and he quickly drowns. If anything makes players miss Arthur Morgan more, it's watching John Marston die during a routine fishing expedition.
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This is one reason it's important to explore with Arthur first. Both characters excel at landing some brutal headshots, but swimming to an island with treasure on it is going to be a tall order for poor John.
14 Maintain The Same Eye Color
Marston's Eye Color Isn't Consistent In Both Games
Arthur Morgan gets one up on John Marston simply for remaining consistent in his appearance. Many players have noticed that Marston's eye color changed between Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2. In the first game, Marston's eyes are dark brown.
In the second title, they are markedly lighter, appearing to be light blue or gray. Arthur Morgan's eyes, on the other hand, remain nice and blue for the entirety of the story. It's not fair that Arthur gets to keep his eye color while also getting some of the best quotes in the game.
13 Get Sick
Arthur Contracts Tuberculosis The Game
Both Arthur and John will suffer various weapons-related injuries. It's bound to happen when using as many real-life-based guns as they do. John, miraculously, avoids getting sick while trapped and bleeding out in the snow for days.
While John doesn't even get so much as the sniffles, Arthur isn't so lucky. Regrettably, Arthur contracts tuberculosis and has good days and bad days up until the bitter end. At least he gets some wisdom from Dutch before it's all over.
12 Pull Off A Long Beard
Arthur Looks Much Better With Thick Facial Hair
Part of the freedom of Red Dead Redemption 2 comes from customizing Arthur Morgan. In that manner, no two Arthur Morgans will always look the same. Gamers can have a bald Arthur, a groomed Arthur, or a bearded Arthur if they wish.
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Eventually, John Marston gets the same freedom when players play as him in the epilogue. However, if there's one thing gamers noticed when they reached the epilogue, it's that John Marston just can't pull off a beard the same way Arthur Morgan can. If he tries, he ends up with an unintentionally hilarious fishing trophy photo.
11 Hum While Riding A Horse
John Doesn't Make A Sound While Riding
One of the biggest delights of Red Dead Redemption 2 comes from riding a horse across the scenic wilderness without shuttling from one objective to the next. The beautiful open world is a wonder simply to look upon and explore, giving the game near-infinite replayability.
Arthur Morgan makes the experience a tad more enjoyable by contributing to the immersion. While galloping across an expanse, Morgan will, on occasion, start humming. He's tone-deaf, but at least he tries. John, on the other hand, prefers to ride in silence.