Mary Linton

"There's a good man within you... But he is wrestling with a giant."

- Mary's last words to Arthur

Mary Linton (née Gillis) is a supporting character featured in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Background
During her youth, Mary was in a romantic relationship with Arthur Morgan and the two were deeply in love, but it would ultimately fall through due to both Arthur's affiliation with the Van der Linde gang and the prevalent disapproval of her family, particularly her father.

At some point afterward, Mary eventually married and took on the name Linton, but her husband had passed away from pneumonia, leaving her a widow. To make matters worse, her family grew to be dysfunctional as well. Her brother Jamie, had joined Chelonia, an infamous fanatical cult. Her father, gradually became more withdrawn and verbally abusive to his children, growing more and more dependent on alcohol, whoring, gambling, and has begun pawning off much of their family's property.

Horseshoe Overlook chapter
Mary contacts Arthur for the first time in many years. She pleads for his help to convince Jamie to leave the Chelonians. Arthur is apprehensive due to poor relations with the Gillis family but was admits that he was at least on good terms with Jamie. If Arthur accepts, he successfully chases down Jamie, convinces him to leave the Chelonians. He then brings him to Mary at Valentine train station. Mary and Jamie board the train to return home and Mary thanks Arthur for his help. After this, Arthur laments how he feels both elated and foolish for how Mary can manipulate him and resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be able to refuse her.

Saint-Denis chapter
Mary later asks Arthur for help with her father, much to Arthur's ire. Mary begs for his help and tries to justify her father's poor treatment of him, but Arthur angrily points out that Mary's "pure life" hasn't fared much better either. Pointing out Jamie joining the Chelonians, Mr. Gillis' deeply hypocritical and deplorable habits, and the fact that she was now begging him for help. If Arthur accepts, he brings Mary to Mr. Gillis, who verbally abuses Mary before storming off. Arthur and Mary follow Mr. Gillis to an alley and discover that he was pawning off a brooch gifted to Mary by her mother. Mary angrily confronts her father, as Arthur goes to take the brooch back from the buyer. After Arthur gets the brooch, he returns to the alley and finds Mary sitting down dejectedly, who expresses indifference to wherever her father went.

After the situation with Mr. Gillis, Arthur offers to take Mary to the trolley. On the way, Mary asks Arthur if they could go to the theater together instead of as friends. If Arthur accepts, he takes Mary to the theater and the two begin to warm up to each other and reconnect. After the performance, Arthur takes Mary to the trolley. As they reach it, Mary laments the deteriorating state of her life and asks if it's too late for her and Arthur. Arthur admits that he does want to run away and be with her, but he also states he doesn't want Mary to get hurt, he has people in the gang to take care of, and that they need money. Arthur promises that as soon as he can get the money they can run away. The two-part ways again for the final time.

Arthur receives a letter from Mary, enclosed with the engagement ring he gave her many years ago. In the letter she says her goodbyes to him and that it was time to let each other go. She acknowledges that Arthur is unlikely going to ever leave his life behind and apologizes for how their relationship turned out. She hopes that the letter can be passed down to another couple in love in order to help them too.

Mary's final words to Arthur can be one of the lines he reflects upon during his last ride.

Some time later in the epilogue, she visits Arthur's grave, quietly weeping for his loss.

Personality
Mary is a well-meaning woman who tries to see the best in people and most situations. She loves her family but tries to see past its apparent dysfunction, the brunt of which is attributed to her father. She loved Arthur and desired to have a life with him, and had even still retained feelings for him over the years. However, she acknowledges that Arthur's preference for his criminal lifestyle would prevent them from ever having a future together.

Appearance
Mary has long dark brown hair, tanned skin, brown eyes, and a beauty mark on her right cheek. In her first appearance, her hair is tied back in a low braid and is then tied back in a low bun for the rest of her appearances.

Mission appearances

 * "We Loved Once and True I" (voice only)
 * "We Loved Once and True II"
 * "We Loved Once and True III"
 * "Fatherhood and Other Dreams I" (voice only)
 * "Fatherhood and Other Dreams II"
 * "Goodbye, Dear Friend" (voice only)
 * "Red Dead Redemption" (voice only)
 * "American Venom" (credits)

Quotes

 * "I see clearly that your world is not a world from which one can escape." - The line Arthur remembers most from Mary if his honor is low.