Landon Ricketts

"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

 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 famous gunslinger during the height of the Old 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. As an experienced gunman, he serves the people of the town as an unofficial lawman.

Red Dead Redemption
John meets Landon Ricketts in Chuparosa after he 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 shows his newly taught skills accompanying Ricketts in retrieving a wagon stolen from the bank by bandits and rescuing a taken hostage.

John Marston meets Landon Ricketts later discussing with a few locals 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 rounds, Muller accuses Marston of cheating to which he declines. 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. They never meet again.

Epilogue
In the final 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 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 sitting on a chair. If the player shoots a bottle near him he will attack. Then the player can kill him, and the story won't be affected at all. Like Amos in the main game, he can survive a shot to the face with a Cattleman Revolver.

Red Dead Redemption

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

Undead Nightmare

 * "Biographies and Lies"

Quotes
"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."

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

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."

Trivia

 * 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.
 * Landon Ricketts' first name may have been inspired by the name of his voice actor's father, as he was named Lando.
 * 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 above, 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 playing card. Either this is a contraption for keeping an extra card for cheating, or simply a constant glitch in the cinematic. It is most likely a secret card since moments before, Ricketts is seen to be winning a lot of chips and later states he has already beaten Muller. Another reason it could be deliberate is because when Marston cheats (while wearing the Elegant Suit), he briefly puts both hands under the table when switching cards.
 * In the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the PSN Store, Landon is shown as a promo for Legends and Killers Pack although he is not in it.
 * John mentions that Landon was and is the fastest draw in the West.
 * Despite usually using a Schofield Revolver, he has also been reported to use a Cattleman Revolver during the in-game missions.
 * A new version of him depicted as a zombie is a playable character through Undead Nightmare's multiplayer.
 * His name may be a reference to two players on the soccer team L.A. Galaxy, striker Landon Donovan and goalie Donovan Ricketts. Galaxy is the closest Major League Soccer team to San Diego, where the game was developed.
 * In Undead Nightmare he mentions a man in Chicago was writing a biography on him, and a man in Pittsburgh painted his portait.
 * Sometimes a glitch may occur and Landon Ricketts will use a High Power Pistol in some missions.
 * After John asks what Landon is waiting for in the second cutscene of The Gunslinger's Tragedy, Landon pauses before saying "I don't know..." with a watery eye. This could hint that he is somewhat afraid of death.
 * Ross Hagen, the actor who provided Landon's voice sadly passed away on May 7, 2011 from prostate cancer.
 * In Undead Nightmare he never seems to be cocking his revolver, he justs shoots.