Red Dead Redemption 2: When Dutch Van Der Linde Should Have Died

Although Dutch Van der Linde meets his end in the last moments of Red Dead Redemption, he should have died a decade earlier during one major event in Red Dead Redemption 2. The leader of the gang named after himself, which included series protagonists John Marston and Arthur Morgan, gradually unraveled throughout the story of Red Dead Redemption 2, and the severity of the issue came to a head in the mission “Just a Social Call“. Had he justifiably died right then and there, the events of the game’s ending – which consequently led to the events of the first Red Dead Redemption – wouldn’t have played out the way they did.

Set in 1899, Red Dead Redemption 2 has the player control Arthur Morgan during the last year of Dutch’s Gang. Following the events of the Blackwater Massacre before Red Dead Redemption 2‘s opening, the gang is forced to flee west in search of freedom and prosperity under the leadership of Dutch. As the game progresses, however, that dream starts to become less realistic. Federal agents are just a few steps behind at each turn, and the gang doesn’t do itself any favors by constantly getting into trouble wherever they make camp. Much of the blame for that trouble can be placed squarely on Dutch, leading to relationships fraying and old friends dying.

One of Dutch’s final plans for the gang involves striking a deal with Leviticus Cornwall, a robber baron regarded as one of the most powerful men in the country at the time, in the mission “Just a Social Call“. As YouTuber Noah Caldwell-Gervais points out in his analysis of the series, this moment likely should have been Dutch’s last. RDR2‘s Van der Linde gang had already had brushes with Cornwall on multiple occasions and have robbed him of a lot of money, but they’re tired of running by this point. Joined by Arthur and Micah, Dutch hides out in a dock at Annesburg as Cornwall’s ship is approaching. Shortly after, Dutch reveals himself and gives Cornwall an ultimatum: give the gang the boat and some money and he’ll let him live. Cornwall laughs it off, and the reaction provokes Dutch to unholster his revolver and shoot him in the middle of town in broad daylight. It was an incredibly risky move that shouldn’t have worked, and gang was worse off for it.

Why Dutch Should Have Died After Shooting Leviticus Cornwall

The killing of Leviticus Cornwall was one of the few moments in which Dutch seemed to act impulsively. Doubts surrounding his leadership are quelled in RDR2 whenever Dutch says he has a plan. That day on the dock, he went against the plan he detailed to Arthur and chose to exact revenge. Because he somehow managed to kill the most powerful man in the country and live to see another day, Dutch comes away from that moment more emboldened than ever. It takes his narcissism and cranks it up another notch, leading them into even more dangerous circumstances because of the supreme confidence that he cannot fail.

One of the most prominent examples of this, Caldwell-Gervais points out, is the conflict between the Native Americans and the U.S. Military. This conflict is something the gang could’ve easily avoided, but Dutch felt compelled to help a local tribe fight back for their land and freedom. The leader of this tribe, a man named Rains Fall, wants to find a compromise with the military to avoid bloodshed. His son Eagle Flies, on the other hand, wants to take the fight to them. Dutch decided to take him under his wing and encourage this fight, seeing in Eagle Flies a mind easy to manipulate like the members of Dutch’s Gang before Red Dead Redemption 2. It ultimately gets Eagle Flies killed in senseless fighting, and the tribe eventually relocates to Canada.

If Dutch died on that dock in Red Dead Redemption 2, it’s possible the events of Red Dead Redemption may not have happened at all. With no Dutch, Micah likely would have been killed by Arthur, and the ones loyal to Dutch would have disbanded or simply been directionless. With no gang to hunt, John Marston could have lived a long life with his family instead of being gunned down by agents to protect them.

Source: YouTube/Noah Caldwell-Gervais

About The Author

Ahmad Austin
(15 Articles Published)

Ahmad began writing for Screen Rant in January 2022. A lifelong gamer, his current interests include Destiny 2, Forza Horizon 5, Session and a multitude of RPGs.

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