Jack Marston

"I was gonna be a writer!"

- Jack Marston

 is a major character featured in Red Dead Redemption. He is the only son of John Marston and Abigail Marston.

Biography
Jack was born in 1895, when his father John, and mother Abigail were still in the gang of Dutch Van Der Linde, terrorizing people and breaking the law. Jack grew up surrounded by the gang; his parents later commenting on how Jack "saw things" as a young child that no boy should see.

Some time later, John was badly wounded in a botched bank robbery. John took this as an opportunity to abandon his life of crime and left with Abigail and Jack, moving them to a ranch on Beecher's Hope to try and start over as farmers.

At some unspecified point in 1911, Jack and his mother were taken hostage by Edgar Ross of the Bureau of Investigation (B.O.I.) in order to extort John. Toward the end of the story, Jack was released along with Abigail, and they headed back to the farm where they were reunited with John. After his parent's commented on how Jack had been troubled, "growing up without a father", Jack began to finally share some time with John, as he was taught how to hunt, skin, herd cattle and become a better ranch-hand.

Wanting to prove that he was not a child anymore, but a man, Jack rode off alone to hunt a Grizzly, despite his father's previous warnings not to head out of the farm by himself. Uncle, after failing at preventing Jack from leaving, reported what had happened to John shortly after. John then traveled to the top of Nekoti Rock where he found Jack injured and the Grizzly bear that had caused the wounds. Saving Jack from the animal, they both rode back to Beecher's Hope, with John "disappointed" in his son's behaviour.

Later the ranch was attacked by government soldiers, leading to a large gunfight between the US military and John, Jack and Uncle. After initially hiding inside the house with Abigail whilst his father took down the first wave of enemies, Jack soon came out onto the porch and helped fight off the second wave, which managed to mortally wound Uncle. Jack was told by John to only shoot the horses, as he was still a boy, and not a killer.

Eventually, after defeating numerous more soldiers, Jack was ordered by his dad to retreat alongside his mother to the barn. Once John joined them, Jack and Abigail were commanded to ride far away from the farm to find a place to hide. John stated that he would catch up. With this, John hit the horse causing it to run out of the barn, and away into the Great Plains. In order to ensure safety for his family, John stepped outside the front barn doors and allowed his life to be taken by the soldiers waiting there, taking as many as he could down with him. Knowing that the government would no longer terrorize Abigail and Jack, John died redeemed, as Edgar Ross and his men silently walked away.

A few minutes later, Abigail told Jack that they had to return after hearing gunshots. They arrived at the barn to find John lying in a pool of blood, his revolver by his side. After great mourning, they buried John's body atop a nearby hill overlooking the house.

Three years later, an 18 (or 19) year-old Jack buried his mother next to his father's and Uncle's graves. Jack then proceeded to Blackwater, where he met a man of no name at the train station. After discovering that Ross, the man that betrayed his father, had retired a year ago to live near Lake Don Julio, Jack traveled to New Austin, hoping to confront the former agent. After reaching a cabin by the lake, Jack learned from Edgar's wife that he had gone on a hunting trip with his brother Phillip in Rio del Toro, Mexico. Jack gave her his thanks and stated after hearing the woman worry for her husband that he was sure Ross would be "just fine". After finding Philip, and soon after Edgar himself, Jack shared words with the old man by the riverside. Ross stated that he would kill Jack too if he didn't leave, causing Jack to challenge him to a final showdown. Jack drew first and killed Ross, sending his body into the river, and sending himself down the path of a life that John had tried so desperately to save him from. Finally, after delivering justice to his father's killer, Jack turned and slowly walked away. The main credits then hit.

Jack, from here-on, is the playable protagonist, set in the world during 1914.

Murders Committed

 * Edgar Ross-Killed for killing his father.
 * Emily Ross-Can be killed.
 * Phillip Ross-Can be killed.

Strangers
(Note: Only possible if John didn't do them first.)
 * Randall Forrester
 * Mario Alcalde
 * Clyde Evans
 * Abner Forsyth
 * Uriah Tollets
 * Harold Thornton

Trivia

 * Jack is an unlockable character to play as through a cheat in free roam and story.
 * Jack looks remarkably a lot like his mother and not much like his father.
 * Jack's real name is John Marston, Jr. This is discovered in the back of the game manual, where he is listed as John "Jack" Marston Jr., and by looking at his mission icon. Jack is a common nickname for John.
 * He is one of few major characters to survive the conclusion of the game.
 * He bears a striking resemblance to Inigo Montoya, a character from "The Princess Bride" who's out for revenge over his father's death. The dialogue between him and Ross in the final scene is also eerily similar to that of Inigo and his father's murderer, even going so far as having the line, "My name is Jack Marston. You knew my father."
 * Although his character model looks to be a man well into his mid-twenties, early thirties, Jack is only 19 when he takes revenge on Edgar Ross. This was probably done so that the player would have the same 'feel' of John Marston when playing as Jack. By using an age-appropriate voice actor, the game creators were able to strike a balance between Jack's numerical age and physical appearance. Realistically, however, it is not that uncommon for a young man to look somewhat older than expected for his age. All in all, the player will not have to suspend too much disbelief.
 * Apparently, Jack was taught by his father the Dead-Eye ability at some point.
 * During the start of one of Jack's earlier missions, John finds Jack reading, ironically, a book about a son who is out to avenge his father's death. This not only references the plot of Red Dead Revolver, but his own actions later in the game.
 * Jack can sometimes be heard saying "I've got nothing else to live for, and I'm a Marston" when doing certain things.
 * He retains all of his dad's possessions, even his horse, and every item that was currently in his satchel. Humorously, he can also take the Blackmail photos of people having sex.
 * It should be noted that it is possible to play as Jack by activating a cheat, but he can be played normally after the main story. However, if you change to Jack during the main storyline, you will only be able to do the stranger missions and will not be able advance in the plot.
 * Jack can sometimes be heard saying "Jack Marston, remember the name!" A reference to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City's Tommy Vercetti, who would say the same thing.
 * One of the lines Jack says when spurring his horse is "Work it there, nag!", a quote from Dances With Wolves which Timmons (played by Rabort Pastorelli) uses to spur his mules.
 * Jack has recorded dialogue for every side mission which could have been completed as John.
 * Often while skinning an animal Jack will say "Just like you taught me Pa!" talking about the mission in which John teaches him how to hunt. He can also be heard saying "Can I take your coat madam?"
 * When prostitutes come up to him, he sometimes says "I am trying to be a good boy," "Uncle warned me about people like you," or "My Mom would turn over in her grave."
 * He doesn't like killing horses, as shown by some of the things he says like "Is this what I've become, a horse killer?". He shows the same displeasure when killing women, saying either, "What have I become?" or "No wonder I'm alone...".
 * Sometimes when he uses a Machine/Gatling gun, he will say "I never had any toys as a kid.".
 * Jack's voice actor had an appearance in the film No Country for Old Men, a western with similar themes to Red Dead Redemption. He appears as a boy on a bicycle towards the end of the film.
 * Some fans have noticed striking similarities between Jack's face and those of actors Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Whether or not this was intended when adult Jack's character model was made remains unclear.
 * Jack enjoys reading, as shown in 1911, and expresses even after his father dies that he wanted to be a writer. He alludes to this interest further when, after hearing a story by a campfire, remarks that he thinks he may have "read that in a book once".
 * Both Jack and John have the same scar just above their upper lip,the only difference it that the scars are on opposite sides.Jack's scar is on the left while John's is on the right.
 * Jack is unable to do the "I know you" stranger quest, as that entire quest foreshadows his father's end. However, Jack gets the unique quest "Remember my family!", to avenge them. Either way each Marston's unique quest deals with the other's fate.
 * He looks like Orlando Bloom's charecter from Pirates of the Caribbean.
 * He looks like Guy Fawkes. Possibly hinting that he is part of Anonymous.