These are the relationships Dutch van der Linde has had prior to and throughout the events of Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2.
Van der Linde gang[]
Hosea Matthews[]
Dutch and Hosea were close friends for more than two decades. The duo formed the Van der Linde gang together. Hosea’s relationship with Dutch was tested by their disagreements over how to make money, as Hosea’s preference for non-violence, such as scams, clashed with Dutch’s increasingly unrealistic and loud robberies, as well as his increasing usage of violence. Despite this though, Dutch held Hosea in very high regard, allowing his judgment (as well as Arthur’s) to be given the same weight as his own in important gang decisions, notably when deciding whether to go ahead with the Saint Denis bank robbery. Hosea’s death shook Dutch, who never really recovered from it, and Dutch, who was emotionally vulnerable and thus slowly being manipulated by the shrewd Micah who took Hosea and by extension Arthur's place as Dutch's sole lieutenant began to disregard the opinions of his fellow gang members who disagreed with him afterwards and labelling them "doubters". In a way, Hosea's death made Dutch's descent into madness irreversible and doomed the gang to deterioration.
Arthur Morgan[]
Dutch essentially raised Arthur, teaching him how to ride, shoot and read (amongst other things). The two had become very close, with Dutch often referring to Arthur as his “son” or “brother”. After the failed Blackwater boat heist, Dutch says to Arthur “You’re the only one I can rely on to stay strong right now”, indicating that he believed Arthur was the most loyal and trusted of all his gang members, maybe even surpassing Hosea. Dutch also regularly praised Arthur for his work in the gang, and also seemed to enjoy spending time with him. Dutch also seemed to fully trust Arthur and his judgment, giving him (along with Hosea) the same influence as himself in gang affairs, demonstrated before the Saint-Denis bank robbery.
However, as Dutch slowly began to lose his sanity and began going against his own belief of "revenge being a fool's game" by killing Angelo Bronte, who betrayed him and the gang, and after committing unnecessary murders of Gloria and Leviticus Cornwall both of whom threatened his ego, Arthur began to question Dutch, losing faith in his mentor for the first time. Dutch quickly picked up on Arthur’s doubting and, in response, began to question Arthur’s loyalty, comparing his doubting to John, who he began losing trust in. Arthur’s declining relations with Dutch were exacerbated by the growing bond between Micah and Dutch. Arthur was extremely suspicious of Micah, seeing him as a bad influence on his mentor. In addition, Arthur’s tuberculosis and subsequent wish to help John escape the gang with his family (in order to do one good thing in his life before he died) and the resulting bond between Arthur and John caused relations with Dutch to deteriorate further, especially as Dutch also saw John as a “traitor”. In the battle against the US Army with the Indians, Dutch seemingly left Arthur to die, believing that a “disloyal“ Arthur was no longer any use for him. After Arthur revealed that Micah was the true traitor, Dutch was in denial, unwilling to believe his protégé’s allegations that Micah could possibly be disloyal. He sided with Micah, holding Arthur (and John) at gunpoint, probably with intention of killing them, although this did not happen thanks to Pinkerton intervention. Dutch and Arthur would meet one last time when Dutch broke up the fight between Arthur and Micah. After Arthur reiterates that Micah is the true traitor and that "he (Arthur) had given his all for Dutch", he is abandoned by Dutch, who was at a loss for words. Although Dutch then knew that Arthur wasn’t the traitor he suspected, he would rather believe that Micah wasn't the traitor rather than think of himself as a failure. Ultimately, Dutch seemed more interested in Arthur’s loyalty rather than him personally, and his bond that he and Arthur previously had was likely as a result of Arthur's unquestionable loyalty. Although he resented the constant questioning and doubting, Dutch still held Arthur's words in high regard, which is clearly shown when he was told and pleaded to from a dying Arthur that Micah was the traitor all along. His saddened expression and decision to leave Micah cements this idea, and shows that he still respected Arthur. In contrast, he's show leaving low honor Arthur to be executed by Micah.
In the Epilogue, it is seen that Dutch reunites with Micah to finally retrieve the Blackwater money. It is widely assumed that Dutch had shown up a few moments prior to John's arrival on the mountain because he too had planned on killing Micah for his betrayal 8 years ago, possibly as an act of redemption. This idea is supported by his conversation with John in the last mission, where he says "Same as you, I suppose" (in response to John's question about why he was there at the time). As their confrontation with John commenced, Dutch ends up shooting Micah and mortally wounding him, thereby implying that he regretted not acting on Arthur's request to kill Micah beforehand.
During his final confrontation with John on the mountain, his last words to his former protege reciprocate what Arthur had once told him 12 years ago in 1899 saying "Our time has passed John." This likely shows that Dutch had fully come to terms with the decline of the wild west and that Arthur still had a long-lasting effect on his state of mind.
John Marston[]
Dutch took John under his wing at a young age, teaching him how to read and shoot (along with various other things). John became a favorite of Dutch, with some considering him to be Dutch’s “golden boy”. John left the gang for a year to get away from his family soon after Jack was born, but was welcomed back by Dutch with open arms, showing the bond between the two. On top of this, Dutch frequently referred to John as ”son” or “brother”.
Despite Dutch liking John for the vast majority of his time in the gang, he eventually became concerned that Abigail was “poisoning” John against him and disliked John beginning to doubt him and his plans, like getting involved with the Braithwaites and Grays and chastising Dutch for killing Angelo Bronte out of revenge by feeding him to an alligator. The dislike was further accentuated by Micah Bell, who manipulated Dutch into believing that John had become a traitor to the gang. During the Saint Denis bank robbery, John is arrested by Pinkertons and sent to Sisika Penitentiary, where he was sentenced to hang. Dutch, however, refused to rescue John, believing him to be a "doubter" and a traitor who he no longer cared for and was angered when Arthur and Sadie went behind his back and rescued him. During the final train robbery, Dutch once again left John to die, preferring if John was dead. When John appeared during a standoff at Beaver Hollow, John, who lost his faith in his mentor, sided with Arthur against Dutch, accusing the latter of leaving him to die, to which Dutch lied saying he had no choice. Dutch held Arthur and John at gunpoint with the likely intention of killing them. Due to the Pinkertons attacking the camp, the gang was forced to flee and John would not see Dutch until 1907, eight years later.
The next time they met was on Mount Hagen when John prepared to shoot Micah (who was held at gunpoint by Sadie) but was interrupted by Dutch, which resulted in a three-way standoff between Dutch, Micah and John. Dutch initially appeared to be on Micah’s side and criticized John for only thinking of himself and his family during the final days of the gang. Eventually, however, Dutch decided to shoot Micah, the true rat of the gang, before leaving and ignoring John’s attempt to thank him, likely showing that he still had a grudge against John. He also consciously leaves the Blackwater money behind for John and Sadie, possibly as an act of redemption.
John and Dutch would meet again in 1911, where John needed Dutch dead in order to see his family again. Dutch caught John spying on his hideout in Cochinay, and responded by shooting the binoculars out of John’s hands, implying that he didn’t want to kill his former protégé, even when he was working for the enemy, demonstrating that despite his grudge he presumably had at least a little care for John. During the Blackwater bank robbery, Dutch mocked John for thinking he was better than him morally, before killing his hostage and escaping. When Dutch was confronted by John when his hideout was attacked, he attempted to kill John by using a machine gun. When this failed, John cornered Dutch, who committed suicide by falling off a cliff. John preferred this, as it meant he didn't have to kill Dutch himself. Even though Dutch had fully transformed into a deranged maniac, John still had respect for his mentor and is seen sorrowfully looking at Dutch’s corpse.
Colm O'Driscoll[]
The two initially had a loose friendship, although it quickly ended when Dutch killed Colm’s brother and, in retaliation when Colm killed Dutch’s lover Annabelle. This led to the start of a bitter rivalry between the O'Driscoll Boys and the Van der Linde Gang. The two hated each other with a passion and Dutch was even willing to abandon his principle of revenge being a “fool’s game” to hit back at Colm. Dutch enthusiastically helped to ensure that Colm’s hanging would go ahead, sabotaging a rescue attempt and seeing Colm O’Driscoll swing.
Bill Williamson[]
Like the rest of the gang, Dutch saw Bill as being dumb and prone to making the wrong decisions due to his lack of intelligence. For example, he reprimanded Bill for starting a fight at Valentine saloon. Despite this, though, Dutch also knew that Bill was deeply loyal and recognized him as one of the core gang members. This is likely because Dutch gave Bill purpose after Bill's dishonorable discharge from the Army. Bill never lost faith in Dutch even after the latter started becoming erratic, and, despite always having an ambition to start his own gang, his loyalty to Dutch was uncompromised. He can sometimes be heard expressing his admiration for Dutch around the campfire at night, and did not hesitate in siding with his mentor against Arthur and John, both of whom he grew to distrust due to their increasing doubtfulness, during the standoff. Despite this, Bill, as well as Javier, disappear shortly after the standoff and do not continue pursuing Arthur and John with Dutch and Micah. The reason why is left unexplained, although it could be because the group was separated in the firefight with the Pinkertons or because Bill and Javier did not want to follow Micah, whom they both dislike. Years later in 1911, Bill who by then started his own gang, told John he was in charge now and "no more Dutch and no more you (John)", implying that he might have somewhat started resenting his former leader though this is up for debate.
However, Bill can be seen as simply another fool whom Dutch used as a means to an end, as his low intelligence, short temper, and high loyalty meant that he could be easily manipulated by Dutch, such that Dutch did not even need to speak to him to manipulate him.
Javier Escuella[]
It is thought by Arthur that Javier was the most loyal gang member of them all. John later said that, when Dutch went mad, “Javier took it harder than any of us”, supporting the idea of Javier being extremely loyal. Ideologically and personality-wise, Javier seems to be the member of the gang who is most similar to Dutch, and when the two met, Javier felt an instant connection to Dutch's ideals, seeing him as a revolutionary paragon and mentor. When Javier was shot while trying to escape the local military on Guarma, Dutch pledged that he would come back to rescue him, telling Javier to “keep faith”. Dutch kept his pledge and helped to rescue Javier from his cage, even when it meant putting the gang’s escape in jeopardy. Despite witnessing Dutch killing Heidi McCourt during the Blackwater boat heist, and Dutch’s ever-decreasing sanity and at one point even questioning him in regards to their increasing troubles only to be shut out by Dutch, which surprised even Arthur, Javier ultimately never lost faith in Dutch, and accused John and Arthur for being disloyal when they tried to talk to him about Dutch's growing madness. Javier sides with Dutch in the final standoff against Arthur and John, although he is notably the only gang member on Dutch's side to not aim his gun directly at Arthur or John, instead aiming it upwards, presumably showing he was conflicted at that point between his loyalty to Dutch and some fondness for the latter two. Javier, as well as Bill, disappear shortly after the standoff and do not continue pursuing Arthur and John with Dutch and Micah. The reason why is left unexplained, although it could be because the group was separated in the firefight with the Pinkertons or because Bill and Javier did not want to follow Micah, whom they both dislike.
Micah Bell[]
Micah saved Dutch's life and Dutch seemed to take a liking to him (as opposed to virtually all the other gang members including Arthur and Hosea who saw him as a big problem due to his argumentative nature and recklessness). Dutch followed Micah’s idea to undertake the Blackwater boat heist, against the wishes of Arthur and Hosea, Dutch’s two most trusted lieutenants who had their own lead, possibly showing how much sway Micah had in Dutch’s decision making. When Micah was imprisoned in Strawberry, Dutch referred to Micah as a “fine man” and was very insistent on him being rescued. After the ill-fated Saint-Denis bank robbery, Micah became Dutch’s sole lieutenant, with Dutch, who was slowly becoming more erratic gradually trusting Micah more than Arthur, mainly due to Micah agreeing to his every decision and therefore being “loyal”, as opposed to Arthur’s growing doubts on Dutch’s leadership. Dutch and Micah would then work together privately to plan the gang’s final train robbery. When Arthur reveals that Micah was an informant for the Pinkertons, Dutch seemed to be in denial and unwilling to accept that someone so “loyal“ could possibly have betrayed him. Dutch eventually realizes that Micah was the real traitor after the fight between Arthur and Micah, and abandons him, signaling an end to their friendship. In 1907, during a standoff between Dutch, Micah, and John, Dutch (even though he believed that John was disloyal in the last days of the gang and initially appeared to be on Micah’s side) shot Micah, revealing that he had fully come to terms with Micah’s betrayal and likely wanted revenge as much as John, Sadie, and Charles did, for bringing down the gang that Dutch had devoted his life to.
Lenny Summers[]
Lenny was a key gunman for the gang and was praised by Dutch, most notably due to his high ambition and ability to handle his own in a fight. Although Dutch initially planned on choosing Micah as the third gunman for the Trolley robbery, he ends up taking Lenny after Arthur's insistence. After the Trolley heist, Dutch grows to have a lot of respect for Lenny after seeing how well he was able to handle himself with the odds laid against them. During the Saint Denis bank robbery, Lenny is gunned down on the roof, much to Dutch's dismay. Dutch seemed devastated, but didn't have much time to react due to the Pinkertons' ongoing assault. Lenny's death ultimately affected morale in the gang and caused some to quickly lose hope.
Sean MacGuire[]
Upon discovering Sean is captured by bounty hunters from Trelawny, Dutch agrees with Arthur that they "must" rescue him. Whether this is due to a "No Man Left Behind" complex, or due to Dutch's respect/admiration for the boy, is unknown.
In random conversations between Sean and Dutch, the latter will address Sean as "son" as he does with most of the gang's gunslingers. Shortly after Sean is freed from the hands of a group of Bounty Hunters in Chapter 2, the player can observe a specific random camp encounter during which Sean will ask Dutch, whether he missed him, while he was separated from the gang, to which Dutch responds with benevolent-fatherly laughter and the assertion: "Like the crops miss the sun when it's stuck behind a cloud, my boy." In a conversation with Arthur, Dutch will praise Arthur for saving "the Irish Terrier" and state that Sean reminds him of a young Arthur ("he is just a younger version of you") and upon Arthur's protests against that Dutch will insist "It's true, it's true".[1] Sean himself is convinced that Dutch saw something in him as he explains to Arthur when the two talk about how Sean ended up with the gang.
When he first talks about Sean after his death, during the gang's ride to Braithwaite Manor to save Jack Marston, Dutch will imply that he is shaken by Sean's death, but does "not even want to think about that" at that moment, as more pressing matters needed to be taken care of. Later on, while in a melancholy mood, Dutch will tell Arthur that he wants his plans for the gang to succeed among other reasons, because he does not want Sean and Kieran's death to have been in vain, again implying that he cared about him enough to feel grief about his passing.
Charles Smith[]
Charles was an exceptional hunter and gunman for the gang, initially believing in Dutch's goals while being fond of his individualist ideals and non-prejudiced views based on race. Their relationship begins to significantly deteriorate during Chapter 6 when Dutch becomes more erratic and manipulates Eagle Flies into starting a conflict with the US Army so that attention would be driven off from the gang. Charles eventually decided to opt-in staying at the Wapiti Indians Reservation rather than returning back to the gang, ultimately showing that he lost his faith in the man that he once believed in and Dutch would likewise lose respect for him and label him a "doubter".
Sadie Adler[]
It seems he has some level of respect for Sadie, seeing as he refers to her as "Mrs. Adler" throughout the game, and entrusts her to ensure Colms' death while attending his public execution. Upon learning that Sadie helped kept the gang together while he was in Guarma, he thanked her and said the gang owes her, even reprimanding Bill when he disrespects Sadie. Soon after however, his respect for Sadie would dissipate after she and Arthur freed John Marston from jail and soon labeled her a "doubter" along with Arthur, John and Charles. Sadie would tell John in 1907 that the Dutch that put a blanket on her at her ranch wasn't the same one at Beaver Hollow. Dutch would save Sadie from Micah on Mount Hagen by shooting Micah allowing John to finish him off. Dutch would then leave the Blackwater money to John and Sadie, leaving them without saying another word.
Kieran Duffy[]
When Dutch first meets Kieran upon Arthur delivering him to the gang's Colter camp in Chapter 1, Dutch treats him with mocking disdain ("I can't believe it! An O'Driscoll in my camp!"). Early on in Chapter 2, Dutch threatens Kieran with torture and scornfully voices his opinion that since Kieran is "one of Colm O'Driscoll's boys", he could not open his mouth without telling a lie.
Upon Kieran's defection to his gang in Chapter 2, Dutch has him perform various chores in the camp alongside the women and Pearson, such as cleaning the tables or carrying supplies to where they are needed. His main responsibility is taking care of the gang's horses. Arthur at that point can taunt Kieran telling him that "you are our [the Van der Linde gang's] bootboy now". Fittingly enough, Dutch excludes Kieran from participating in any of the gang's robberies.
If Arthur decides to go fishing with Kieran in Chapter 3, Kieran will describe his place in Dutch's gang as a "No-Win Situation" and refer to him as "more Kieran Van der Linde than Kieran O'Driscoll" at that point. When he asks Arthur if he believes that Dutch trusts him, Arthur responds by laughing and telling him that Dutch does not trust him "in the slightest". Kieran will also confide to Arthur that when he promised to Dutch that he would be loyal to the gang, the latter reminded him that he was not loyal to the O'Driscolls and he sees no guarantee that he will not turn on the gang. However, by the end of Chapter 3, Dutch feels that he can rely on Kieran enough to entrust him the task of guarding the camp (alongside Micah Bell) while the gunslingers of the gang ride to Braithwaite Manor to try and rescue Jack Marston after he has been kidnapped.
After Kieran's death, Dutch repeatedly expresses sorrow over his fate: During the mission "Country Pursuits" Dutch, in a crestfallen mood, will tell Arthur that he wants Kieran and Sean MacGuire to not have died in vain. During the mission "Goodbye, Dear Friend", when he, Arthur and Sadie Adler are on their way to make sure that Colm O'Driscoll's execution goes through successfully, he will wistfully refer to Kieran as "that poor boy" when he contemplates the losses and pain that Colm has inflicted on other people, when he justifies why he feels that it is imperative that Colm dies.
Orville Swanson[]
Much like the rest of the gang, Dutch felt pity for Reverend Swanson but also berated him for his lack of contributions. Although he seems to want to cut him loose, Dutch never does so, possibly due to the fact that the Reverend once saved his life in the past. Nevertheless, Swanson eventually cuts himself loose, as he overcomes his morphine addiction by Chapter 6 and sees through Dutch's hypocrisy, stating that he won't die for "nonsense spouted by a fool".
Leopold Strauss[]
It seems that Strauss takes up little space in Dutch's mind, seeing as he didn't comment on his absence after he is kicked out of camp, unlike some other members that left. It seems he also finds Strauss irritating, as he at one point tells Arthur he wanted to "blow his brains out" after speaking with him.
Molly O'Shea[]
Molly was Dutch's most recent lover, although it is implied he wants to move on from her not long after the gang takes up residence in Horseshoe Overlook. Despite this, she did love him as she left a life of wealth in Ireland to be with him. Due to the growing pressures of being such a wanted man, Dutch continually ignored her which made Molly ever more desperate for attention. In a camp conversation, Molly asks Abigail for advice with her relationship with Dutch, to which Abigail remarks that Molly obviously wants to be loved, but not in the way Dutch provides for her (implying he is only interested in sex). Eventually, her attention-seeking behavior leads to her confessing to being an informant for the Pinkertons in a drunken stupor, which causes her demise. It is later revealed by Agent Milton that, even though Molly was in his custody, she said nothing and had in fact stayed loyal to Dutch.
Susan Grimshaw[]
Susan was a past lover of Dutch and one of the original members of the gang before he moved on to Annabelle. Despite this, he still trusted her to efficiently run his camp, and look after Arthur after his escape from the O'Driscolls. In Chapter 6, as evidenced by one of the camp interactions, Susan also begins to notice Dutch's downward spiral and increasingly erratic behavior and argues with him about it despite saying she will still be loyal to him. During the standoff at Beaver Hollow, Susan is shot dead by Micah, to which Dutch seems unconcerned. Whether this is because he thought that Susan was another “doubter”, or because of his bond with Micah, is up for debate.
Karen Jones[]
Karen and Dutch seemed to be on good terms, as she acted as a gun-woman, con-woman, and occasional caretaker for the gang. She is very capable of planning robberies as seen with the successful Valentine Heist, and seems to have no trouble manipulating others for her own benefit. During Chapter 6, Dutch and Karen have minimal interactions, though it can be assumed that she took up little space in his mind as he does not comment on her intensifying drinking habit.
Tilly Jackson[]
Dutch and Tilly have minimal interactions throughout the game, though it can be broadly assumed by most players that they had a good relationship prior to Chapter 6.
Mary-Beth Gaskill[]
Dutch and Mary-Beth have only a few interactions throughout the game; the two mostly connect over their shared interest in reading. Dutch also starts flirting with her during Chapter 3, although whether he wants to change their relationship to a romantic one or purely sexual one is left unknown to the player. However after Mary-Beth leaves the gang in Chapter 6, Dutch becomes scornful of her, calling her along with Uncle and Pearson "cowards" or "traitors". Years later in 1907, after briefly reuniting with John however, she would enquire about Dutch, implying that she might not hate him even after all that transpired.
Josiah Trelawny[]
Dutch respects Trelawny implicitly. Although the two have only a few interactions, Trelawny is notably one of the only gang members who is allowed to be away from the gang for an extended period of time, implying a great level of trust. Trelawny eventually left the gang again, this time permanently, possibly having finally realized the truth about Dutch and his decreasing sanity.
Simon Pearson[]
Dutch often makes fun of Pearson much like other members. He trusts Pearson to be in charge of the gang's rations, but whether this is due to a lack of a more qualified professional, is unknown.
At the beginning of several chapters Dutch can be overheard, when the gang arrives at their new camp site, asking Pearson and Mrs. Grimshaw to turn the site, where they have chosen to settle for the time being "into a camp" (Chapter 1) or "into a home" (Chapter 3). The tone of his request is always so that it implies appreciation of their work and the result of their work. One time he even explicitly tells Pearson and Grimshaw to "kindly work your magic" (end of Chapter 3, arrival at Shady Belle).
After Pearson has fled the camp close to the end of Chapter 6, Dutch will refer to him and Uncle, who has also left, as "traitors" with a scornful undertone.
Abigail Roberts[]
Dialogue between the two shows him to be somewhat protective and respectful to her in the early stages of the game. However, during Chapter 4, Dutch claims Abigail is a bad influence on John and believes she put thoughts into John's head about turning against him. After Abigail was captured by the Pinkertons, Dutch, although sorry to hear of it but egged on by Micah chooses not to help rescue her. While they never meet again, Dutch brings up her promiscuous past within the gang during a standoff with John to provoke him, 12 years after the gang's separation.
Jack Marston[]
Much like the other men of the gang, Dutch acts as an uncle to Jack and provides guidance to him and shielded him from his and the gang's more nefarious acts. When Jack was taken by Catherine Braithwaithe, Dutch stopped at nothing to find the boy going as to having the gang slaughter the Braithwaithes and negotiating Jack's safe return after it was revealed he was being kept by crime-boss Angelo Bronte. Despite his resentment over Jack's parents, Dutch continued to hold Jack in high regard, asking John about Jack's well-being. However, Dutch referred to Jack as another "whore's child", but this could be seen as more of a way to provoke John than to insult Jack.
Uncle[]
Dutch had a soft spot for Uncle, most notably due to his sense of humor and ability to entertain the gang. At one time Dutch even explicitly refers to Uncle as the gang's "court jester".
When bullied by Micah, who considers Uncle useless and claims that he does not understand why Dutch keeps him around, Uncle will explain that he and Dutch "go way back", alluding to a long and deep running personal relationship.
When Uncle, in a random campfire conversation, calls out inconsistencies in Dutch's worldview, Dutch responds by telling him that he "can't stay mad" at Uncle, even though in that very moment he would like "to kill" him, followed by some playful exchange of banter between both men and Uncle's assertion that Dutch is "the greatest man" he knows.[2]
It is unknown whether Dutch eventually developed a more negative view of Uncle during Chapter 6 as he did with some other members of his gang at that time. At the end of the chapter, after he learns that Uncle, together with Simon Pearson and Mary-Beth has left the camp believing that it's downfall was inevitable, he will refer to him as a "traitor" and display a mixture of disappointment and disdain for Uncle's lack of faith in the gang's ability to successfully weather the storms of its difficult situation.