Landon Ricketts

"I was the fastest in my time. I must've been - I'm the only one left."

- Landon Ricketts to John Marston

 is a major character featured in Red Dead Redemption.

With the addition of the Undead Nightmare DLC pack, an Undead version of him, known as Zombie Ricketts, is a multiplayer character model that may be selected in the "Zombies" section of the Outfitter.

With the addition of the Myths and Mavericks DLC pack,  is also a multiplayer character model that may be selected in the "Revolution" section of the Outfitter.

Background
Landon Ricketts was a former famous gunslinger during the height of the Old American West, and stories of his adventures and fights were commonplace during John Marston's childhood. He appeared in many gunfights including one where he killed the Butcher Brothers in 1896 and the infamous Blackwater Massacre of 1899. The massacre was apparently part of the reason Ricketts chose to move to Chuparosa, sometime after a gunfight in eastern California in 1902, for a more "quiet" lifestyle. Landon also had a wife who died from unknown causes. As an experienced gunman, he serves the people of the town as an unofficial lawman or vigilante.

Red Dead Redemption
John first meets Ricketts in Chuparosa after Ricketts witnesses Marston killing three bandits who try to rob him. He gives him a Schofield Revolver to replace his less powerful Cattleman Revolver and then teaches him the third level of Dead-Eye by targeting glass bottles followed by shooting numerous birds in mid-flight. Marston then displays his newly taught skills by accompanying Ricketts in retrieving a wagon stolen from the bank by bandits and by rescuing a hostage.

John Marston meets Landon Ricketts later discussing with Emilio Fortuna and his companion about the whereabouts of Javier Escuella, although they are not certain if the Escuella they are talking about is Javier or not. Marston and Ricketts then go on a mission to retrieve Emilio's sister, Luisa Fortuna, from the government jail. They are able to get past the guards with the help of Carlos, a butcher in El Matadero, who distracts them so Marston and Ricketts can enter. The pair of gunslingers shoot their way towards Luisa's cell. Ricketts rigs the locked door with Dynamite while Marston keeps watch. The two find Luisa barely alive in her cell. Ricketts carries Luisa as he and Marston shoot their way out. They escape on horseback only to be pursued by more Mexican soldiers which are quickly taken care of. They then regroup with Carlos who takes Luisa for medical attention.

Marston meets Ricketts again at the bar in Chuparosa where he is playing Poker with Andreas Müller, a German silver prospector and two other Mexican men, Manolo Santander and The Stranger. Ricketts invites Marston to join them. After a couple of hands, Muller accuses Marston of cheating, which Marston denies. Muller gets angry and stands up to pull out his gun which all the other four do the same. Muller challenges Marston to a Duel, which he accepts. While walking to the Duelling point, Ricketts gives Marston a few tips on Duels. Marston successfully kills Muller and then he and Ricketts share a drink using Muller's money. A few moments later, they are interrupted by The Stranger who is threatening to slit a girl’s throat with a Knife. Ricketts says to be careful as he knows her but Marston manages to shoot The Stranger without harming the girl. Four accomplices arrive who start shooting at Ricketts and Marston; the two of them prevail and part ways.

The two meet once again in the bar in Chuparosa, Marston asks him if he has any further information on Javier Escuella but Ricketts has none. Marston tells him his history of the gang he used to run in, they share a few drinks as they discuss their lives. Luisa enters the bar pleading for their help as innocent people are being sentenced to death on Colonel Allende's orders without trial - merely for having an opinion. Ricketts and Marston ambush the convoy of wagons holding the prisoners. They each take control of a wagon, killing the Mexican soldiers who try stopping them. They reach the borderline to America where they are safe from the army and the prisoners are released. Marston and Ricketts say their farewells as John needs to get back on track with finding Javier Escuella. In the main game, they never meet again.

Epilogue
In the final 1914 issue of the Blackwater Ledger, it is revealed that Landon Ricketts passed away quietly in his sleep, a week before the events of "Remember My Family". The paper says that he had returned to the United States in 1911 (presumably after rescuing the hostages in The Mexican Wagon Train) after living for many years in Mexico. The paper also stated that with his passing, another piece of the Old West was lost.

Undead Nightmare


Ricketts is now living in Casa Madrugada, apparently single-handedly defending the town from the Undead hordes, making it a permanent safe zone. He will ask Marston to get some Undead Bait and some Dynamite for him, which he combines to make Boom Bait, which lures zombies over, then explodes.

Landon Ricketts can be killed in the Undead Nightmare DLC. After completion of his mission in Casa Madrugada, Ricketts is sitting on a chair. If the player shoots a bottle near him or shoots off his hat, he will attack. Then the player can kill him, and the story won't be affected at all, and Casa Madrugada will remain safe. Like Amos in the main game, he can survive a shot to the face with a Cattleman Revolver.

In addition, Ricketts returns as an Undead. This Ricketts uses the same model as his Multiplayer one minus his hat and behaves as a Bolter Undead would. He has a 1/4ths chance appearing alongside zombies in regular hordes and can spawn anywhere in the game world at any given time. This can happen even before he appears alive in "Biographies and Lies".

Red Dead Redemption

 * "The Gunslinger's Tragedy" (Boss)
 * "Landon Ricketts Rides Again" (Boss)
 * "Lucky in Love" (Boss)
 * "The Mexican Wagon Train" (Boss)

Undead Nightmare

 * "Biographies and Lies" (Boss)

Murders Committed

 * Johnny West - It is rumored that he was shot in the back by Ricketts
 * Butcher brothers (1896)
 * Multiple Banditos
 * Multiple Mexican Army Members
 * Multiple American Outlaws

Quotes
"I spent twenty-five years killing men. Look at me now, sitting around here like some low rent would-be messiah. We're relics."

- Landon Ricketts

"An impasse, sir. An impasse. We could all die here and now."

"Killing men is a strange kind of fame."

"I'm a fighter sir, and I'll fight to the end."

"I was the fastest in my time, I must've been, I'm the only one left."

"It's a terrible thing, getting older... Your looks have gone, your back hurts, and your pecker isn't working like it's supposed to."

"If they lay a finger on Luisa, I swear I'll feed those bastards their balls."

"Let's hang up our self-pity and go shoot ourselves some bad guys."

"You kill peasants, you become a peasant."

"You keep jumping from one side of the fence to the other, you might just get impaled on it."

"It's as good a place as any to call home. Warm sun, cheap liquor, and beautiful women."

-, regarding Mexico

"Chuparosa is my town!"

- during a shootout

"It doesn't feel good getting executed, does it?"

- while fighting the Mexican Army

"Manolo is sure getting lucky in the ass today."

- when Manolo Santander wins chips in poker

Multiplayer

 * "Don't worry, this'll be all over soon."
 * "You have no idea who you're up against, do you?"
 * "This ends right now!"
 * "Just let me know when you've had enough."
 * "You've gone all kinds of wrongs, partner."
 * "I've been through the mill, but you're somethin' else."
 * "Why don't you just shoot yourself and save us all some time."
 * "You're as crazy as a sheep herder."
 * "Do I have to show you where the trigger is?"
 * "This can only end badly for you."

Undead Nightmare

 * "I've killed all that can be killed."
 * "Truth is long dead."
 * "If you see me when I was so fast, you couldn't see me."
 * "We got sunshine, sand and a plague that makes people eat each other."

Trivia

 * It could be said that Ricketts was modelled after one of real-life America's well-known gunmen, Wyatt Earp. Both Ricketts and Earp gained fame from a major shootout. Ricketts from the Blackwater Massacre and Earp from the O.K. Corral Shootout. Both shootouts were blurred as both shootouts were unknown who started the attacks. This is also justified as Ricketts was writing an autobiography before his death while Earp was also releasing a biography by Stuart Lake but did not complete as Earp passed away before finishing the book.
 * Despite showing favor for using the Schofield Revolver, Landon is seen using a Cattleman Revolver in most instances.
 * In "We Shall Be Together in Paradise", Irish mentions to John that he met an American man who killed somebody in Chuparosa. This infers that Ricketts and Irish knew each other at one point.
 * At one point, he was married. This is clear when he states "Thank God my wife died." in the mission "Lucky in Love".
 * Soon after the quote, if the player looks under the table when the shot widens as Marston sits down, on Ricketts' right thigh is what seems to be a few playing cards. It is a secret card since moments before, Ricketts is seen to be winning a lot of chips and later states he has already beaten Müller.
 * In the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the PSN Store, Landon is shown as a promo for the Legends and Killers DLC pack, although he is not in it.
 * In Undead Nightmare he mentions a man in Chicago was writing a biography on him, and a man in Pittsburgh painted his portrait.
 * In the official trailer for Undead Nightmare, Landon Ricketts' quote from the beginning of the mission "Biographies and Lies" is heard. It is, however, shortened. He can be heard saying "I have never seen anything quite like this."
 * Ricketts will claim that Marston should "stop changing sides," even before John starts to work for De Santa.
 * In Undead Nightmare, if one waits around long enough, one can see Landon fighting off more undead while staying in place, he is never shown reloading and the undead can't ever get close enough to Landon to kill him.
 * In Undead Nightmare if the player rescues Merche Coronado for the Missing Persons side quest before starting "Biographies and Lies", and then returns the game will spawn two Landons; one that cycles his idle animations, and one that uses his cutscene animations. After the cutscene ends, the two Landons will both cycle idle animations at different intervals.