Nastas

"I think they are interested to find out what conclusions a white man has reached on hundreds of years of our culture and society from the comfort of his hotel room."

- Nastas belittling Harold MacDougal's 'research' in "For Purely Scientific Purposes"

 is a Supporting character featured in Red Dead Redemption.

Background
Nastas is a Native American. He was raised on a reservation, where he attended school and recieved a classical English education. Being familiar with both sides of the ongoing Native American conflict, Nastas is openly critical of government policy, and also, the criminal response of his fellow tribesmen joining Dutch's Gang. He is initially an informant for the Bureau of Investigation, under Edgar Ross. It can be assumed that he agreed to infiltrate the gang in an attempt to "rescue" his tribesmen from their perceived destruction under Van der Linde's leadership.

Red Dead Redemption
John is told that Nastas has arranged for Dutch Van Der Linde to be present on the Wreck of the Serendipity, for John to capture. The meeting turns out to be a trap, Nastas having been beaten and tied to a chair in Van Der Linde's stead. John and Archer Fordham rescue him, escaping alongside Ross in an automobile.

Nastas is later seen reluctantly working alongside Harold MacDougal. MacDougal regularly showers Nastas with patronizing ignorance of natural sciences and native culture, while believing himself superior. During certain missions, Nastas expresses his fears for the loss of the forests, and the buffalo going extinct as well, regarding American "civilization" with resigned disdain. In his words: "There is no respect for the land anymore." John identifies with this after a long journey during which he experienced encroaching federalism and technology for himself.

Because of their conflicting worldviews, Nastas gets into constant arguments with MacDougal. MacDougal dismisses traditional cultural knowledge, with which Nastas is adept; accurately commenting on the over-hunting of Buffalo. Contrary, MacDougal argues back invoking his poor understanding of natural selection and ethnocentric attitudes. Despite his ignorance, Nastas appears to like MacDougal because "he is a good man inside". In turn MacDougal cares for Nastas, since he is visibly saddened when Nastas is killed. John appears to sympathize with Nastas, acknowledging his insight. Additionally, John appears to view Nastas with respect when he unconditionally accompanies him in an attempt to confront Van Der Linde.

Nastas is instantly killed after being shot in the head by a member of Dutch's Gang while being called a "traitor", during a confrontation between MacDougal and the Native American members of the gang. An enraged John immediately kills his murderers in revenge.

Epilogue
MacDougal later shows his respect for Nastas by posting a paragraph in the Blackwater Ledger noting his death, writing "May you find God, dear friend".

(Ironically, later on in Undead Nightmare, MacDougal asks John if he remembers Nastas, calling him "dumb as bricks", signifying that showing his respect wasn't very meaningful to him in the end.)

Undead Nightmare


He appears in the mission &quot;Curious Tales from Blackwater, USA&quot;.

Nastas reappears as a Zombie. Harold MacDougal claimed to have left his bag in his office, and while MacDougal is going to retrieve it, he is attacked by Nastas and also turns into a Zombie. Both of them then proceed to try to kill John.

Red Dead Redemption

 * &quot;Bear One Another's Burdens&quot;
 * &quot;At Home With Dutch&quot;
 * &quot;For Purely Scientific Purposes&quot;

Undead Nightmare

 * &quot;Curious Tales from Blackwater, USA&quot;

Quotes
"For a wise man, you are a very stupid man, mister."

- Nastas to Harold MacDougal

Trivia

 * "Nastas" is a Navajo name which means "curve-like foxtail grass."
 * Nastas says he's trying to "rescue" the natives from their "destruction." This can be a reference to how low the Native American population is today due to the devastating acts of American colonizers. It could also be a reference to the cultural "destruction" of Native Americans via assimilation programs and "Indian Schools" promoted by the U.S. government. See Dawes Act (1891) and Burke Act (1906).
 * Although Nastas is a Navajo name, it is more likely that he was modeled after a member of the Apache nation. He makes several comments about his tribe hunting buffalo, which were hunted by Apache and Comanche but not by the Navajo.
 * During the first encounter, his screams are heard atop the Wreck of the Serendipity. It sounds more like a teenager's voice, and he is said to be a teenager, though he looks and sounds much older than that.
 * If at any point in the game, you aim a weapon at Nastas, he responds by nervously saying "You can trust me", implying that he has been treated poorly by Blackwater residents due to his race.
 * Nastas is not treated well during the game, having being badly beaten up on the Wreck of the Serendipity during his first appearance, cut in the arm in the caves at Nekoti Rock, and finally shot in the face at Bearclaw Camp. This poor treatment could reference the treatment of the peaceful natives at the time, especially as Nastas is killed by a fellow Native American who has joined Dutch's Gang, who calls him a "traitor".
 * In Undead Nightmare, despite being dead, Nastas shows no signs of the grievous head wound that killed him. This is likely to allow players to identify him, as the remnants of his face would be indiscernible had Rockstar kept his gunshot wound.
 * Nastas died long before John returned to his ranch. However in Undead Nightmare, MacDougal states he left his bag with Nastas implying that he was still alive before he devours MacDougal.
 * In all three missions he is featured in, he is injured; the only character this happens to.
 * Nastas claims to have grown up and gone to school on a Reservation.
 * In the artwork for Nastas' undead appearance, it appears that his left cheek is torn. The artwork also makes it look like he is missing his right eye. Neither of these show up on the in-game model of Undead Nastas.
 * If Nastas witnesses Marston killing an animal during "At Home With Dutch", he will call Marston a bastard.

Gallery
Nastas