Edgar Ross

"We're the bad guys- we enforce the rules, and while the rules may not be 'perfect', they're really not that bad. And while civilization may be boring, the alternative is hell."

- Edgar Ross

 (1855 - 1914) is a major character who serves as the primary antagonist of Red Dead Redemption. Ross is an agent for the early federal law enforcement body, the Bureau of Investigation (BOI), which is now known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

is a purveyor of modernism, and plays a strong role in both the narratives and themes of Red Dead Redemption. Ross, although older than Marston, chooses to ride in automobiles and use automatic weapons. Through dialogue, Ross advocates federalism and acknowledges the hypocrisy of his methods as necessary. Ross is portrayed as indifferent and sometimes even jubilant when at his most inequitable.

Red Dead Redemption
During the onset of Red Dead Redemption, the early federal agency for which Ross works, is just beginning to exert their extensive legal authority. Ross, having concocted an ambitious plan to cripple organized outlaw groups in New Austin and West Elizabeth, kidnaps Abigail and Jack Marston, the wife and son of protagonist John Marston in order to extort Marston to work for his agency. He orders Marston to capture or kill his former gang members in exchange for the safe return of the Marstons. This is the primary motivation for Marston's pursuit of Bill Williamson in New Austin.

Ross, and his associate agent Archer Fordham are seen escorting John Marston through the town of Blackwater in the opening credits of Red Dead Redemption. Ross is juxtaposed to Marston as wearing an unusually immodest three-piece suit.

Ross is only partially explained through early gameplay references to government agents in Blackwater, and is obscured through Marston's reluctance to explicitly state his situation to his various allies.

After the player captures or kills Javier Escuella, Ross is seen to converse and exert his unique brand of self-righteous condescension on Marston. The player is required to meet Ross and Fordham at a bridge crossing between New Austin and Nuevo Paraiso. There, Ross leaves the player with instructions to further peruse Bill Williamson, and then return to Blackwater upon completion.

The player eventually kills Willamson, alongside Colonel Allende while working with Abraham Reyes, and quickly returns to Blackwater as instructed.

After the death of Williamson, Ross and his partner in the Bureau, Archer Fordham, are still unsatisfied. They then directly worked with Marston in the Blackwater area to help him track down his former gang leader and mentor, Dutch van der Linde. After several skirmishes with Van der Linde's gang, and a final dramatic assault on Van der Linde's camp with the assistance of the U.S. Army, Marston finally corners Dutch. Dutch chooses to instead kill himself by leaping from Nekoti Rock, declaring to Marston, that their time is up, a reference to the federal government's manipulation and pursuit of them, and a foreshadowing of Ross betraying Marston.

After Van der Linde's death, Ross is unimpressed with Marston's inability to have shot Dutch himself. Taking Marston's pistol and shooting Van Der Linde's mangled corpse, Ross states that "...it looks better in the reports...".

Ross and Fordham finally and unceremoniously relinquish their custody of Abigail and Jack, telling Marston they can be found at the Marston ranch on Beecher's Hope. Marston reunites with his family, living in peace with them and enjoying the life he had worked and killed for. Marston goes through several gameplay missions, re-establishing a connection with his son Jack, demonstrating his loyalty to his wife Abigail, assisting Bonnie MacFarlane, and working ranch duty with Uncle.

Ross, having repeatedly stated in the past, a strong belief that "...everyone must eventually pay for what they've done", is unwilling to let Marston return to a normal life. Several days after having returned to his family, Ross organizes an assault on the Marston ranch with a large force of U.S. Army soldiers and lawmen. Uncle spots the approaching posse, and warns John. The initial assault is decimated by John and Uncle, working together. Retreating the house, and seeing that his attacks are unrelenting, John informs Jack and Abigail that they must leave. Preparing to reach the barn, the second assault arrives. From the front porch of the house, John, Jack and Uncle firing on the attacking soldiers. Uncle is quickly wounded in the chest. Jack is distraught and stops fighting, leaving Marston to finish off the attackers. Uncle demands they escape, and promptly dies. As John, Jack and Abigail make their way to the barn, and spurred by Uncle's death, Marston kills the third wave of attackers.

Escaping to the barn, Marston directed his son and wife to ride off and not come back for him. Marston, preparing to face another wave remains behind. Ross, along with about two dozen soldiers and lawmen await outside the barn, knowing Marston will not attempt to escape. Marston emerges and while unable to kill all two dozen soldiers, attempts to draw his weapon and kill as many as he can. Ross, among the group, opens fire on Marston as he draws his weapon. Marston manages to kill several of the mob, before being wounded multiple times in his torso and limbs.

Ceasing fire, Marston laboriously draws breath. He does not speak a word, nor acknowledge Ross. Ross watches Marston succumb to his grave wounds while lighting a cigar. Marston dies, and Ross leads the mob away from the barn in silence. Afterward, Abigail and Jack return to the ranch to find John dead.

Epilogue
Three years pass, and Ross continues working in Blackwater under the Federal Bureau, soon becoming the FBI. During this time, Abigail dies of unspecified causes and Jack grows into a 19-year-old man. His change in appearance and talent with a gun suggests that he has been training extensively to be more like his father.

After paying respects at the graves of John, Abigail and Uncle, Jack returns to Blackwater. At the train station, he runs into a younger FBI agent. Jack inquiries about Edgar Ross. He learn that Ross had received a "...chest full of medals". Ross retired from the FBI sometime in 1913, and moved to a small cabin with his wife on Lake Don Julio in Río Bravo, New Austin. Despite his retirement however, it is apparent that the Bureau still hounds Ross for work due to his fame in their organization.

Jack Marston, in 1914, would track down Ross, visiting his retirement home in Río Bravo, where he meets Edgar's wife, Emily Ross. She tells him he is hunting with his brother Phillip Ross on the Nuevo Paraiso side of the San Luis River. Jack then crosses into Mexico and finds Phillip Ross hunting alone Rio del Toro. Phillip tells Jack that his brother is hunting ducks down river. Proceeding west along the river, Jack Marston discovers Edgar shooting at a flock of ducks and confronts him about killing his father. Ross shows no remorse for having betrayed and killed Marston, claiming the one ultimately responsible is John himself. Ross declares that he would similarly have no hesitation to kill Jack. Jack challenges Ross, and the two have a climactic duel. Ross is gunned down, his body falling into the river behind him. A long running theme of hypocrisy in the actions of Ross are ironically concluded, recalling the statement that "...Everyone will eventually pay for what they've done".

Mission Appearances

 * Exodus in America (Boss)
 * The Gates of El Presidio
 * Bear One Another's Burdens (Boss)
 * Great Men Are Not Always Wise (Boss)
 * And You Will Know The Truth (Boss)
 * And The Truth Will Set You Free (Boss)
 * The Last Enemy That Shall Be Destroyed
 * Remember My Family(Killed)

Trivia

 * After killing Ross the credits will begin; afterward loot his body will yield about $400.


 * Ross has a minimal Irish accent.


 * When the player duels Ross, he will carry one of several other lower-tier handguns.


 * The character of Edgar Ross reinforces the narrative themes of government encroachment, federalism, situational hypocrisy, modernism, and technological advancement.


 * Edgar Ross works for a new federal agency that exercises ambiguous legal authority. Although not explicitly named, the organization reflects the early Federal Bureau.


 * The name "Edgar" may be a homage to the founder of the real world Federal Bureau; J. Edgar Hoover


 * His body might float away in the river if a powerful gun is used, not allowing players to loot the corpse, but looking very dramatic in the process.
 * Ross cannot be disarmed, and if a player does so, the duel is lost. The only way to win the duel is to kill Ross.
 * The mention in the final newspaper that Ross was awarded a "chest full of medals..." is a dramatic contrast to John Marston, who achieved a chest full of bullets. This strengthens Red Dead Redemption's theme of Injustice.

Quotes
"Oh and your wife sends her regards..."

- Edgar Ross

"I don't know, but it sure felt good saying it!"

- Edgar Ross, after John asks him why he gave the speech