I apologize for the length of the text, I just fantasized a lot about the neutral honor ending.
Arthur could convince John to return to Beaver Hollow with him, intending to *kill Micah* and, if possible, retrieve the gang's money. They arrive at the camp, and after a fierce confrontation with the Pinkertons, they face Micah in a brutal knife fight. During the struggle, John is gravely injured—perhaps a dislocated shoulder, a deep facial scar, or even a hole wound that will haunt him for the rest of his life.
Arthur, seeing the cost of his decision to involve John, hesitates for a moment. In that split second, he opens an opportunity for John to flee. Arthur urges him to escape, taking the weight of the fight onto himself. John manages to ride away, but Arthur is left behind as Micah and, soon after, Dutch arrive to pursue him.
They follow Arthur to the familiar mountains in the good honor ending, leading to a final confrontation. This time, it’s not just Arthur against Micah. It’s a hand-to-hand brawl between the two, with Dutch silently watching from the sidelines, paralyzed by indecision. He sees the man he once considered his son—Arthur—struggling to stay alive, while the one he has recently favored—Micah—delivers what could be the killing blows.
The scene mirrors the high-honor ending where Arthur crawls toward Micah's gun, but this time, instead of desperately reaching for a weapon, Arthur speaks his truth. He tells Dutch everything—how he gave his life, loyalty, and love to the gang. How he risked everything time and again for Dutch's impossible dream, out of a sense of duty and family. He recalls how Dutch provided him with food, shelter, and belonging, but never once repaid Arthur’s sacrifices. He even brings up Molly, who died indirectly because she loved Dutch too much.
Dutch’s world shatters. His face, usually so composed, shows the cracks forming in his heart. His eyes well up, though no tears fall. His regret and fear leave him frozen, exposed in the harsh mountain air, as if an unseen audience was watching him unravel.
Micah, bloodied and exhausted from the earlier fight with Arthur and John, is unable to interrupt Arthur’s final speech. His left eye is slashed, his body covered in wounds. As Dutch turns and walks away, broken and lost, Micah considers killing Arthur—but, overwhelmed by a rare outburst of emotion, he storms off instead.
Arthur is left alone on the mountain, his sick body failing him as the cold begins to settle in. With his final breaths, he gazes up at the dark sky, feeling the weight of death creeping closer. He knows how this story ends for Dutch and Micah—death.
But as the cold takes him, Arthur allows himself a sliver of hope: if he could change John's fate, maybe there’s a chance that God, or whatever higher power watches over them, might show him mercy after all.
