Jack Marston

John "Jack" Marston, Jr. is a major character in featured Red Dead Redemption.

Biography
Jack was born in 1895, when his father John, and mother Abigail were still in Dutch's gang and still causing trouble with the law. Jack grew up surrounded by the gang; his parents commenting on how Jack "saw things" as a young boy. After Jack's release from Ross' custody, Jack inquires about Uncle Bill and Uncle Dutch.

Some time later, John is badly wounded in a botched bank robbery. John takes this as an opportunity to abandon his life of crime. John leaves with Abigail and Jack, moving them to a ranch on Beecher's Hope.

At some point in 1911, Jack and his mother were taken hostage by Edgar Ross the Federal Bureau in order to extort John. After Jack is able to go back to the farm, he began to finally share some time with his father as they begin to hunt animals and he learned how to skin them as well. Along the events of the game, Jack went off alone to kill a grizzly bear, only to almost be killed in the process. After this event, the farm was attacked by government men and his father ordered Jack to go inside to his mother. After Jack went inside, his father began to fight off the men as best as he can. Along the line, he was forced to take cover at his cabin on his farm and Jack came out of the back door to assist him and Uncle in the protection of the house. Since he was still very young, John told Jack only to shoot the horses (which he does with great accuracy). After watching his friend Uncle die, he retreated to the barn with his dad, he told Jack to take the reins of a horse and ride out of the farm along with his mother.

After Jack rode off, John begins to step outside the barn. After a few minutes, Jack's mother ordered him to head back to the farm. They find John dead lying in a pool of blood just outside the doors. Three years later, Jack buried his mother alone. Jack left his parents' grave site and continued into the town of Blackwater. There he met a man of no name and asked him if he knew where Edgar Ross was holed up. He told him of his wife's worry over him and also told Jack where they live. After a small search, Jack arrived at her home and learned that Edgar was duck hunting with his brother Phillip. Jack gave her his thanks and head off to find Ross. After finding Edgar's brother, he finally managed to find Edgar and challenged him to a duel, resulting in the death of Edgar Ross ending the main story with the credits, where after you may continue to keep playing. It is implied by costume unlocks that Jack later joins the military in some form.

Jack's role in the story is interesting. John Marston was defined in cutscenes as a good man seeking redemption; his character in them is often almost surreal if the player has had low honour throughout the game. Jack, however, is largely a blank slate. For a player, finishing the main game may allow the player to cut loose and do the bad things that didn't fit with John Marston, including the murder of Ross and potentially his family. But this also betrays the memory of John Marston, as he wanted nothing more than for his son to be spared the violence and crime that ultimately defined John's life. Pursuing Ross is a conscious decision by the player, and an optional one. Jack can become a decent man and honour his father, breaking the circle of violence. He can play poker, become a master hunter and a bounty hunter who brings them home alive. But if Jack never kills Ross, the credits never roll. This brilliantly echoes the conflict of a person having unfinished businessand being unable to truly feel complete without finding a sense of closure, against wanting to do the right thing and honour the wishes of a person they owe everything to.

Red Dead Redemption has many themes, and a major one is inevitability. The new world IS coming to the West. The US government IS able to do as it likes. But Jack can choose to fight the flow of the world, and create his own narrative. Rockstar should be credited for creating a game where many players get the most satisfaction from choosing NOT to complete the game.

Trivia

 * Although it is never said in the game, 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. Jack is a common nickname for John.
 * He is one of few 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.
 * Although his character model looks to be a man well into his mid-twenties, early thirties, Jack is technically only 19 when he takes revenge on Edgar Ross.
 * 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. After Jack becomes a playable character, a Stranger mission can be found in Blackwater where Jack can do just that.
 * Jack can sometimes be heard saying "I've got nothing else to live for" when doing certain thing's.
 * He retain's all of his dad's possessions even his horse.