| “ | I have gone out hunting. Not a phrase I thought any pen of mine would ever ink but nonetheless one I am very proud to finally be able to write. | „ |
| —Charlotte Balfour, in a letter to Arthur Morgan.
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Charlotte Balfour is a minor character featured in Red Dead Redemption 2.
History
Background
Prior to 1899, Charlotte married a banker named Cal Balfour. At some stage, they decided to leave Chicago to start a simple life together in the wilderness.
Events of Red Dead Redemption 2
First encounter
Charlotte is first encountered sitting by a grave north of Annesburg. She informs the player about how, after her husband passed away, she is certain that she will die from starvation as she does not know how to fend for herself. The player insists that he will teach her and the two search the nearby forest for rabbits. After successfully killing a rabbit, the player suggests that she skins it. Hesitantly, Charlotte does so, by pulling the rabbit's fur from its body. Surprised that she managed it, she thanks the player for their help and suggests that they could come and visit her sometime.
Second encounter
Some time afterwards, Charlotte is seen practicing how to use her husband's rifle, by shooting at some glass bottles. However, she is unable to hit the bottles and asks the protagonist if they can teach her how to shoot. The player gives her some guidance, and on the second attempt, Charlotte manages to shoot a bottle.
- Playing as Arthur: She thanks Arthur and offers to give him a meal. During this, Arthur starts to cough violently due to his Tuberculosis and eventually collapses. Charlotte decides to place him in her room; she leaves a letter requesting Arthur to take money from her nightstand, as gratitude for what he had done for her. In the letter, Charlotte expresses how grateful she is for being shown how to survive for herself.
- Playing as John: Charlotte is grateful and thanks John for helping her, before walking inside the house. There is no third encounter if the player uses John.
Third encounter (Arthur only)
A few days later, Charlotte seems to be doing well, and is well-dressed. She thanks Arthur again and tells him that he can take anything from her house. There are several packs of Premium Cigarettes inside for him to take.
Epilogue
If Arthur completes all of her three encounters, she is available at her cabin for John to visit, eight years later. John informs her of Arthur's passing, telling her that Arthur's journal writings suggested that he thought quite highly of her. Charlotte thanks John for telling her of Arthur's passing and tells him that she knew he wasn't well, adding that she assumed he passed away from his illness that when he stopped coming by. She says that she considers John a friend and welcomes him to her cabin whenever he wants.
Character
Personality
She is initially shown to be despondent after her husband died, owing to her lack of survival skills. However, this changes once she meets the protagonist, as the skills she learns from them cause her to have a lot more self-confidence.
Charlotte can also be seen as a kind and selfless individual, allowing Arthur to have all of her money, and showing John great kindness despite only knowing him as a friend of Arthur's.
Appearance
In 1899, Charlotte has long, straight, black hair and a slim build. She wears a blue blouse and a skirt with a tartan pattern. If Arthur never meets her and the player only does the mission with John, she is seen wearing these clothes in 1907.
By 1907, Charlotte appears much the same as she did eight years prior, but she is noticeably healthier and is seen wearing different clothes. Her outfit consists of a white shirt with a brown waistcoat over it, black pants and boots, and a white brimmed hat on her head, with a feather tucked in the band. Notably, she also wears a gunbelt, inferring that the skills she learned from the protagonist continued to develop.
Video Walkthrough
Trivia
- Unlike most characters with stranger missions, Charlotte's missions don't have names. Instead, her strand of missions is technically considered a "Home Robbery" mission, as documented in the in-game log and the "Robberies" section of the official guide.
- If Arthur only completes her first encounter, either John or Arthur will find her deceased in her house if they revisit it.
- The player can encounter a man with a tent not too far from her home. When talking to the man, dialogue implies that he has been stalking her.
- Although she lives in Willard's Rest, the robbery tip about her is called "Rocky Seven," the beta name for the area.
Trophies/Achievements
Completing her Stranger mission strand is associated with these trophies/achievements:
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WESTERN STRANGER
30
 Bronze
 Complete 10 Stranger mission strands.
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100
Gold
 Attain 100% Completion.
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