10 Red Dead Redemption Theories That Might Actually Be True
#10: Revolver is a Tale
Red Dead Revolver was the game that came 6 years before Red Dead Redemption. Redemption isn’t strictly a sequel to Revolver, but is considered to be more of a spiritual successor to the original game. That is why the theory that Red Dead Revolver is a fictional tale within the Red Dead Redemption world has become so supported. There are two versions of this theory. Theory A suggests that the tales of Red Harlow and Red Dead Revolver exist as fictional/exaggerated stories about a real man (or possibly a fictional man), and are written as books. Jack explains a book he’s reading to John that is eerily similar to the story of Revolver. Theory B proposes that Red Dead Revolver is a story that Jack would go on to write using inspiration from Arthur, his father, and the stories he read as a kid. Interesting stuff.
#9: Blackwater Woman
The Blackwater massacre is an event in the RDR2 story that is only spoken about in vague detail. The game begins shortly after this event, and what we learn over time is that Dutch wanted the gang to rob a ferry with $150,000 on board. After a successful robbery, they were overpowered by police, and Pinkertons, and lost a few of their own people when things turned ugly. The ugliest detail about the story that many of the gang have difficulty talking about, is that Dutch shot and killed an innocent woman. But WHY did Dutch shoot this girl? Did he just lose control? Or was it on purpose? It is never answered within the story, but some players theorize that Dutch used the woman as a distraction in order to escape the law. This theory has a lot of weight behind it, because we’ve seen him do it before. In Red Dead Redemption, Dutch uses an innocent woman to put distance between himself and John. This encounter that would come later chronologically, adds a lot of weight to this theory about what happened at the Blackwater Massacre.
#8: Plague
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Undead Nightmare, the DLC for Red Dead Redemption, is one of the most popular, and most enjoyed, video game DLCs of all time. Fans of this zombie shooter set in the same world as Red Dead Redemption were feeling pretty assured they would get a taste of Undead Nightmare 2 once RDR2 released. But, after 5 years, fans are getting less hopeful. In Northeast Lamoyne, players can find an abandoned settlement reminiscent of The Walking Dead with “Stay Out! Plague” written on a locked barn. Other eerie messages written around town helped fuel the theory that this was a set up for Undead Nightmare 2. 5 years later though? I feel like we are grasping at straws on this one.
#7: Landon Ricketts is Red Harlow
After John narrowly escapes death in an effort to get to Mexico in Red Dead Redemption, he can eventually come across a town and a retired gunslinger. After the gunslinger and John exchange jabs, he reveals himself to be Landon Ricketts. John’s reaction is enough to let us know that Landon is no joke in the Red Dead Universe as a legendary cowboy. Some players theorize that due to their skills, their striking resemblance, and how little is known about Harlow post Red Dead Revolver, and Rickets post Red Dead Redemption, that the famed gunmen are one in the same. There isn’t much to back this theory apart from resemblance, but perhaps we’ll learn more in Red Dead Redemption 3.
#6: Who is Francis?
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When wandering past a cabin near Strawberry in RDR2, the player can encounter a strange red haired man by the name of Francis who explains to the player how he is searching for carvings in rock formations. The player can find these carvings all over the map, many of which depict future historical events, and some even feature Francis himself (or a man dressed in similar attire). Once returning to the cabin, the player finds a woman who he thinks is Francis’ wife. The woman turns out to be his mum, and in her arms is a redheaded baby with the exact same birthmark as the adult man we met earlier, oh and the same name. It’s assumed that due to this, as well as the sketches on the walls depicting Francis moving through a portal, and futuristic structures like the empire state building, that Francis is a time traveler. There is also a theory that suggests he is connected to the Epsilon program in GTA V, the scientology-esque cult that depicts a man with the same birthmark as a possible descendent of “the famous Emperor of the 4th Paradigm”.
#5: Gavin the Time Traveler
Another entry that is directly linked to the portal depicted in the cabin that Francis (the possible time traveler) was hanging out at. Many players assume Francis put up all the drawings and depictions of the portal and future events inside the cabin, but considering his mother lives there, and seems to make no mention of an adult version of her baby wandering around, it’s more likely the sketches were done by her deceased husband, Tom. Keep that name in your mind. Throughout RDR2, the player will encounter Nigel, an Englishman who is constantly in search of his friend Gavin. He never finds Gavin, and neither does the player, but should they kill Nigel, they will read a letter that tells the story of Nigel and Gavin’s arrival and exploits in the Wild West, the letter written by a man named Tom. Some players theorize that this Tom, and the Tom who is the father of the time traveler Francis, are one in the same, and that Tom is not dead, and Gavin is not missing, but they simply entered the portal depicted in Tom’s drawings. DID ANY OF THAT MAKE SENSE? DAMN!
#4: Emerald Ranch
Emerald Ranch is an interesting location, with an off putting aura and a ton of evidence scattered around to draw players to an understanding about its history. Here is what we know about Emerald Ranch. It’s quoted as “a strange place”, Hosea says “there’s something strange about that place”. We know there are two residents still on the property, a father, and a daughter, the latter of which never leaves the house. There is a letter found at another location where a woman named Anabelle is writing to her cousin Miriam. She mentions in the letter that Miriam had recently lost a loved one named Joshua, and goes on to enquire why she hasn’t answered her last 6 letters. At Emerald Ranch, a grave with the name Joshua Burgess sits outside. This has created the theory that Joshua was the love interest of the daughter (Miriam), and that the father killed Joshua and is now keeping Miriam against her will. Players can even spot Miriam looking out of the top floor window at night time.
#3: Manzanita Post Murders
This one is a little complicated, because it has a few pieces to the whole picture. First is the Norwegian Photo, and the Norwegian Journal Entry found at Manzanita Post, a small settlement in the wooded region of West Elizabeth. The photo shows a man and a woman with an infant child, and on the back the word "unclean" is written in Norwegian. The journal entry is written by someone who says they hate to sleep because "their faces are the only thing I see, their screams the only thing I hear," and "Father says it was the only option." A newspaper scrap found nearby talks of a man, woman, and two-year-old child who were beaten to death. Due to the fact the woman belonged to a religious cult, players theorize that the group at Manzanita Post were all a part of this group, and that they fled this location after murdering the woman and her “unclean” family. The newspaper scrap mentions the man was of French North African descent, suggesting the murders were a religious hate crime.
#2: The Strange Man
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Most fans will remember the strange man from the first Red Dead Redemption. In RDR1 many have concluded that The Strange Man is the devil, due to the symbolism of him meeting with John Marston three times: once in the desert, once in a city, and once atop a hill with a scenic view. For those unfamiliar with the bible, it’s said that when Satan was tempting Jesus, he first tempted him in the desert, then in a city, then atop a hill with a scenic view. His brief appearance in RDR2 continues to fuel the flames of paranormal possibilities. In a small shack in Lemoyne, the player finds weird writings that reflect the story to come and experiences you’ve already had. A canvas is painted to depict the strange man from the previous game, and as you enter the shack you can see him standing in the mirror behind you, once you look, he disappears. Be gone, Satan!
#1: Jack’s Dad
If you managed to get through the entirety of both Red Dead Redemption games without at any point considering the possibility that Jack isn’t John’s biological son, then congratulations, your unsuspecting nature is admirable. If you’re like me, and wondered if it’s possible somebody else in the gang fathered Jack while Abigail was working as the gang's prostitute, then welcome to entry number one. The suspicion of Jack’s parentage is a very light theme throughout the game, but it’s woven loosely into John’s reasoning for leaving the gang for a year. But, if not John then who? Many thought it may turn out to be Arthur, but there is little to no evidence pointing to that. The most popular theory comes down to adult Jack’s eerily similar appearance to one member of the gang in particular … Javier Esquella. It’s only stated that “everyone had their way with her”, so it could be assumed that Javier was a part of that. As unfortunate as it would be for the Marston family, there’s no denying the similarities.
