Susan Grimshaw

“	I swear half of you would just rot in your own filth if nobody kept you in check.	„
	—Susan Grimshaw

Susan Grimshaw is a supporting character featured in Red Dead Redemption 2.

History[]

Background[]

“	The undisputed boss and arbiter of justice in the camp, everything would have fallen apart years ago without Susan in charge. Tenacious and iron‐willed, she stands for no nonsense.	„
	—Rockstar Games' description of Susan.

SusanGrimshawBio — Biography in RDR 2 (click to enlarge)

Susan was one of the original gang members of the Van der Linde gang, alongside Dutch van der Linde, Hosea Matthews and Arthur Morgan. She became romantically involved with Dutch at some stage, and long nights playing poker with the gang, often sitting in Dutch's lap. Their relationship later ended, and Dutch eventually moved on to another woman named Annabelle. Despite that, she remained a close associate to Dutch, remaining on good terms with him and gaining his respect, eventually becoming the gang's arbiter.

By 1899, alongside the gang's cook Simon Pearson, Susan was in charge of setting up the camp every time the gang moved to a new place.

Events of Red Dead Redemption 2[]

Colter Chapter[]

When the gang first arrives at Colter following a long and tortuous trail avoiding the law, she helps organize the camp and decide where each gang member’s rooms will be. She gives Arthur his own room, which prompts Micah Bell to complain after he is assigned to a shared room with Javier Escuella, Charles Smith, Bill Williamson, and Lenny Summers. While the gang is holed up in Colter, she is mostly seen inside the abandoned schoolhouse with most of the gang, motivating them to push forward.

Horseshoe Overlook Chapter[]

Shortly after setting up camp, Grimshaw shows Arthur his living space, and informs him that all of his stuff from Blackwater was saved, saving for his money. Later on, after Arthur brings an intoxicated Reverend Swanson back to camp; Susan thanks him and promises to watch over Swanson. Additionally, she may also inform Arthur that a letter from Mary Linton arrived for him, and expresses disdain for her. Throughout the chapter, she is mostly seen inside camp, doing chores and making sure everyone is carrying their weight.

Clemens Point Chapter[]

After Arthur evades capture from the O’Driscoll Boys and returns to the camp with severe wounds, Dutch asks Susan to help him get to bed and sit by him for a bit.

Saint Denis Chapter[]

As Arthur is conversing and having a smoke with Mary-Beth, Susan interrupts the pair and asks Arthur to help investigate Tilly Jackson’s disappearance. Susan believes that she was kidnapped by the Foreman Brothers. The two ride up to a Forman Brothers hideout near Rhodes, storm the safe house, and rescue Tilly, before realizing that three have fled. Arthur chases after them and shoots two of them off their horses before capturing Anthony Foreman and bringing him back to Tilly and Susan. Susan will encourage Arthur to slit his throat, although it is ultimately the player’s choice whether to kill Foreman, or spare him.

Later, when the O'Driscolls launch an ambush on the camp, Susan briefly helps the gang hold them back with a shotgun before retreating inside the mansion. Afterwards, Dutch tells her to help move all the O'Driscolls' dead bodies.

Guarma Chapter[]

Susan is briefly seen when Arthur returns from Guarma and reunites with the rest of the gang at Lakay. Following an ambush launched by the Pinkertons and an ensuing gunfight, Grimshaw is seen in camp, encouraging Arthur to find a new place to stay, and sometimes commenting on Molly O’Shea’s sudden disappearance.

Beaver Hollow Chapter[]

As the gang is setting up their new camp in Roanoke Ridge, Uncle comes into camp with a drunk Molly. She repeatedly insults Dutch and states that she told the Pinkertons about the bank robbery in Saint Denis. Grimshaw subsequently shoots Molly dead with a shotgun, saying “she knew the rules,” and ordered the body to be burned. Her actions caused a rift in the camp, with members such as Karen Jones calling Grimshaw a “murderer.”

Later on, as the gang is packing up and preparing to leave again, Arthur arrives and informs everyone that Micah has been the rat all along. Micah denies his claims and draws his gun on Arthur, causing a standoff. Susan is the only one who openly takes Arthur’s side, pointing her shotgun at him, demanding he puts his guns down. Suddenly, Javier announces that Pinkertons are coming, which distracts Susan. Seeing his chance, Micah shoots Susan in the stomach, and she quickly succumbs to her wound. Ms. Grimshaw is later buried by Charles Smith. Her grave can be found in Roanoke Ridge, southwest of the Elysian Pool, on a cliff nearby.

Character[]

Personality[]

Ms. Grimshaw is heavily depicted as a forthright, "strict maternal figure" towards the Van der Linde gang. She admitted to Arthur that some people need a firmer hand than others, whist adding that someone has to keep the rabble in line, otherwise they would "rot in their own filth". Despite having a tough love attitude towards the gang's members, she does care about them and secretly holds sympathy and even deep affection towards most of them, which on occasion (though rarely) she will express.

For instance, when Tilly Jackson gets kidnapped during Chapter 4, Ms. Grimshaw takes the initiative and organizes her rescue. When Arthur notices this and points out that it shows that despite the harshness that she constantly displays towards them, she cares about the girls that are running with the gang, she grumpily admits that "of course" she cares. During the mission to rescue Tilly she calls her "my girl" and threatens that she would kill anyone who dared to harm her. In addition to this, in Chapter 6, she can be seen genuinely reassuring Tilly about the hopeless situation, and tells her that she has grown into a "fine young woman".

Similarly, at times, Ms. Grimshaw will display feelings of personal affection for some of the gunmen of the gang. If Arthur stays away from camp for an extended time Ms. Grimshaw sometimes will confront him about it and when he justifies himself, explaining that he is "a wanderer," she will benevolently reply that she knows that and call him "son".^[1] After Sean MacGuire is rescued from being held captive by bounty hunters Ms. Grimshaw will tell Arthur that he has "done good" to have brought him back and reminds him that "loyalty" is important.^[2] After Sean gets killed at the end of chapter 3, Ms. Grimshaw can be overheard in the Shady Belle camp singing an emotional song about him ("Fare you well dear Sean") together with Karen Jones.^[3] In random camp dialogue she also states that she is "sad" that Davey Callander got killed.

Furthermore she is shown to be highly protective of Reverend Swanson, who is struggling with opium addiction, when he is repeatedly bullied by Micah Bell and shows respect for Simon Pearson when she stands up for him by reprimanding Mary-Beth and Lenny when they poke fun at his cooking, telling them to "mind their manners" and that "Mr. Pearson takes good care of us".^[4]

Fittingly Uncle, who is repeatedly shown to be a keen observer of human nature, will in one camp conversation express his conviction that Ms. Grimshaw's abrasive and tough attitude towards her fellow gang members is just a facade and that behind that facade she is actually a very caring person: He does so by teasing Ms. Grimshaw that she in reality is "a fine woman", but tries to keep it "hidden under that sour vinegar face and nasty acid tongue" that she puts on in most of her interactions with others. Furthermore, Uncle will assert that her rough mannerism are just "a rose's thorns".

In spite of her maternal nature, Ms. Grimshaw displays a significant degree of ruthlessness towards enemies of the gang, whoever they were. She did not hesitate to kill Molly after her confession of talking to the Pinkertons, and threatened Micah at gunpoint after discovering his betrayal.

Mission appearances[]

Red Dead Redemption 2

Murders Committed[]

Unnamed Foreman Brothers
Molly O’Shea

Quotes[]

“	Well, I don't know what they've been doing here but I can tell you what they're going to be doing here... dying.	„
	—Susan about the Foreman Brothers

“	If they've touched a single hair on that girl's head, I will eviscerate the sons of bitches.	„
	—Susan about the Foreman Brothers kidnapping Tilly Jackson

“	Of course I care. About all of you fools. Some just require a firmer hand than others, you especially.	„
	—Grimshaw to Arthur about the gang

“	I said, get-" "You've said your last words.	„
	—Susan interrupting a Foreman Brother, killing him

“	History is never done.	„
	—Susan to Anthony Foreman

“	I don't care what you feel, girl. Get ready!	„
	—Grimshaw to Tilly in camp

“	My camp, my rules.	„
	—Susan to Arthur

“	No. You be quiet, Mr. Bell... and put down your gun.	„
	—Susan's last words

Trivia[]

Susan is Jim Santangeli's favorite character.^[5]
Sometimes, when Arthur is in camp, Susan may approach and comment on his recent actions. Activities she will discuss include killing innocent civilians, avoiding donating to the box, and spending too much time at camp, among other examples.
If the player does not have a bath for a long enough period of time, Susan will forcibly wash Arthur in a water barrel in camp.
She is physically abusive towards Mary-Beth, and can be seen slapping her face in camp for not doing her chores. It is reasonable to assume that she is physically abusive towards the other young women in camp as well, due to the disdain they have for her. Karen, in particular, expresses a vehement dislike of her, and may crack jokes with Arthur about it, and Tilly will ask him if Dutch "would be mad" if she killed her.
Arthur says that Dutch has a "soft spot" for her, although ironically enough in the mission "Red Dead Redemption" when Micah kills Susan, Dutch shows no care nor concern for her death showing just how far Dutch had descended into madness.
During the Beaver Hollow chapter, Susan may approach Arthur in camp to tell him that someone smashed the donation box, thus explaining its absence.
She repeatedly mentions her dislike of Mary Linton, much to Arthur's annoyance.
Out of all the women in the camp, Ms. Grimshaw has little to no interaction with Sadie Adler.
Ms. Grimshaw appears to favor shotguns, as that's the weapon she wields most often in cutscenes.
Similar to Simon Pearson, Susan is mostly addressed by her surname.
Ms. Grimshaw is described in the credits as a "retired painted lady". The term "painted lady" is an archaic word for a prostitute, indicating that this was Susan's profession prior to joining the Van der Linde gang.
She seems to somewhat dislike Pearson's cooking, which is the reason she asks Arthur to find oregano for seasoning.
After Ms. Grimshaw is shot and killed by Micah during the mission "Red Dead Redemption", the player can run to her body and loot her shotgun shells and a miracle tonic, though this is difficult due to the attacking Pinkerton agents. Looting Ms. Grimshaw also results in an Honor loss.^[6]