Frank Heck

Frank Heck
Gameplay
Game	Red Dead Redemption 2
Biography
Nicknames	The Fastest Young Man West of the Grizzlies The Armadillo Kid (?)
Nationality	American
Gender	Male
Location	Tumbleweed Saloon
Occupation	Outlaw Gambler

“	Frank Heck... Frank Heck looked at the sheriff coldly... "clearly you don't know who I am", he snarled, and before the sheriff could blink, the fastest young man West of the Grizzlies had filled him full of cold lead. The town was free once more.	„
	—Jack Marston's Book

Frank Heck is a minor character referenced in Red Dead Redemption 2.

History

Frank Heck was a famous gunslinger. Due to his fame, he had a cigarette card and dozens of books made about him.

In "True Tales of Frank Heck, No. 102", Frank Heck rides again in Hell, Heck and Thunder on Rawhide Road. According to the book, Frank frequently talked about himself in the third person.

According to the bartender of the Tumbleweed Saloon, Heck was later gunned down inside the saloon, leading to his demise.

Frank Heck is never encountered physically and is only mentioned in books. There is also a Cigarette Card depicting him.

Quotes

“	Frank Heck don't put his hands up for no man. No lady neither.	„
	—Frank Heck in "True Tales of Frank Heck, No. 102"

“	I am afraid you are mistaken, Frank Heck doesn't carry gold. And Frank Heck doesn't stand no trifling from no road thief. And besides, this coach has already been robbed.	„
	—Frank Heck in "True Tales of Frank Heck, No. 102"

“	You calling Frank Heck a liar? Frank Heck don't stand for distortions of his moral character.	„
	—Frank Heck in "True Tales of Frank Heck, No. 102"

“	Ain't nobody outrun Frank Heck. Or outshoot!	„
	—Frank Heck in "True Tales of Frank Heck, No. 102"

“	You made a mistake chasing after me. Ain't wise to tangle with Frank Heck.	„
	—Frank Heck in "True Tales of Frank Heck, No. 102"

Trivia

• A series of at least 102 penny dreadful novels were written about him, as the player can find a dime novel about him in Lake Don Julio, "True Tales of Frank Heck, No. 102".
• His name is carved in Register Rock followed by '75, detailing that Heck was in the Heartlands sometime in 1875.
• Frank was meant to appear as one of the subjects of "The Noblest of Men, and a Woman". He was featured in a cut log screen and has a character model in the game files, both of which were left unused.
  • This part of the side-quest involved the protagonist playing cards with him and four other gunslingers. To enter, the player needed to have a certain amount of money and be dressed in a specific attire, if the player did not complete these requirements, the guard would not open the door. Once there, the player could have chosen between playing honorably without triggering the duel, or insulting Frank Heck during the poker game. The second option would provoke Heck to flip the table and go for his revolvers in a matter of seconds. The player then activated deadeye and could have attempted to disarm Frank Heck, although Heck would still be able to fire back using his remaining weapon, so the only option was to outright shoot to kill. If the player won the game, Frank would agree to pose for some photos and maybe tell an anecdote about Calloway.
• His unique dueling style seems to be dual drawing and firing. This method is commonly used by Dutch van der Linde, the leader of the Van der Linde Gang.
• Frank Heck is partially based on a real-life gambler and gunfighter, Bill Hickok. Both were gunned down during a game of poker by another player. Hickok was also a flamboyant dresser, just like Heck. And both carried a pair of revolvers.
• Frank Heck's backstory and appearance were drastically altered during the development of Red Dead Redemption 2:
  • This version of Frank Heck was known as 'The Armadillo Kid', suggesting that Heck had a reputation in New Austin, but he ironically hated being called a kid.
  • Frank Heck's age was around "late teenage years".
  • Instead of encountering Frank Heck playing cards at Tumbleweed's Saloon, his info card indicates that he frequented care rooms in Saint Denis, implying that he originally could be found there by the player.
  • His unnamed mother was wounded during a family dispute.
  • The unused info card also mentions that Frank Heck would kill anyone who beat him at snap.
  • His info card claims that Frank Heck had already become a killer by the age of 9.
  • Frank Heck's city urchin look could have been a possible reference to Kid, a young bounty hunter from the "anti-Western" film, McCabe & Mrs. Miller.
  • Both of his guns look somewhat similar to the bounty hunter Schofield variant seen in Red Dead Online.
• It is possible that the rare High-Roller Revolver originally belonged to Frank Heck at some point during development. This is believed due to the fact Frank Heck was a known gambler; a 'high-roller' is a type of gambler, and that his dueling method of preference, according to the files, was dual-wielding. Plus, the description for the High-Roller states "deadly when dual-wielded" but in the game the player can only purchase one.

Gallery

Frank Heck's character model in the game files of Red Dead Redemption 2

Frank Heck wearing his unused hat

Cut mission log screen

The photograph that would've been given to the player by Theodore Levin in "The Noblest of Men, and a Woman"

Frank Heck's description that would be on the back of his photograph

Frank Heck's left hand disarm animation

Frank Heck's right hand disarm animation

Frank's animation for flipping the table and drawing his revolvers