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I always regretted what happened on your daddy's farm, Red. I should have been there... to make sure you joined them.
Griffon

Governor Griffon (sometimes misspelled as Griffen[1]) is a central character and the main antagonist of Red Dead Revolver.

After completing the mission "Fall from Grace" with an Excellent rating, Griffon becomes available as a playable character in Showdown Mode. His special ability has him rolling on the ground and shooting his revolver while he can also pick up an opponent and throw him.

History[]

Background[]

Griffon was the partner of Nate Harlow and co-owner of the Bear Mountain gold claim. When the player witnesses a flashback in the form of a mission via Sheriff Bartlett, it is revealed that Griff was caught trying to cross a river at which General Javier Diego was engaged with the Mexican Army. Griff was brought before Diego and was to be executed until he offered gold for his life. He offered half the gold and explained that his partner had the other half of the claim. This betrayal cost Nate his life and essentially set the plot of the game in motion. Over time, Griffon would become the governor.

Griffon and Diego became partners and ran the Bear Mountain mines with slave labor. Griffon was the face of operations and had half of the gold delivered to Diego. In return, Diego got the army to leave Griffon alone. 

Meanwhile, Griffon became obsessed with owning Annie Stoakes' ranch. When she refused to sell it, Griffon would have his men try to bribe and intimidate Stokes into selling the ranch, but still failed.

Events of Red Dead Revolver[]

An ally of Red Harlow named Buffalo Soldier attempts to warn Griffon of Diego's plans, but the governor reveals to him that he and Diego had worked together the entire time, before ordering Mr. Kelley to imprison the soldier.

He is met during a Battle Royale. On the day of the semi-finals, Griffon has Sheriff Bartlett whisked away and disqualifies Jack Swift and Annie Stoakes so as to determine who would stand victorious in the Battle Royale. After Mr. Kelley is injured, Red Harlow recognizes the now Governor Griffon as his father's former partner by the matching Scorpion Revolver he has in his possession. Griffon attempts to get Mr. Kelley to kill Red, but Red manages to kill Kelley.

Red wins and hunts Governor Griffin down to his mansion. Annie Stoakes and Jack Swift assist him in entering the mansion. They find Buffalo Soldier, who joins them. Red and Buffalo Soldier follow a separate path to Griffon. On the rooftops of his mansion, Griffon taunts for Red to quit while he is ahead since there is no shame in retreating while he still could. Griffon manages to wound the soldier, and Red carries on by himself. Red fights Griffon and his men. When his men are down, Griffon tells Red he regrets not being at his father's farm, to make sure Red joined his father in death, but now he has been given another chance. Red finally kills Griffon in a quick-draw showdown. Jack is later revealed as a casualty of the assault.

The curtain closes on the game and Red tosses the bag of money that was to be the prize for the Battle Royale to the sheriff. He declares "It was never about the money." and walks off after holstering the companion to his father's revolver. The money is presumably used to buy back Annie's ranch although the presence of the Buffalo Soldier hints that he may have received some of the reward as well. The sheriff tells Red as he walks out "I'd hate to see you hang, after all you did."

Redemption Saga[]

Note: The events of Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 are not considered part of the same canon as Red Dead Revolver. The following description is therefore not contiguous with the preceding section on Red Dead Revolver.

Griffon is often mentioned in a campfire segments in Red Dead Redemption, with story-tellers recounting how he betrayed Nate Harlow and his mansion being assaulted by Red Harlow, Annie Stoakes, and Jack Swift.[2][3]

Character[]

Personality[]

Griffon is shown to be a very unsympathetic and remorseless man. After betraying his former partner Nate Harlow, he showed no remorse and later mocked his son Red Harlow for the former's demise, even adding that he should have died alongside him as well.

Missions appearances[]

Red Dead Revolver

Trivia[]

  • Griffon is listed in Sheriff Bartlett's Journal under the Protectors of Brimstone section.
  • Griffon undergoes the most significant change in appearance after the flashbacks and looks almost unrecognizable. He gained a lot of weight, became clean-shaven, and started wearing expensive fancy clothing.
  • His psychical appearance seems to be based upon ex-President William McKinley.
    • He also bares resemblance to the former Governor of Georgia, Marvin Griffin.
  • His recolored models in Showdown Mode have him wearing either brown, silver or blue outfit with different-coloured ties and gloves.
  • Griffon can be heard cowardly begging for his life in Fall from Grace when his health is low only for him to seemingly regain his confidence seconds later when he taunts Red about the death of his family right before they duel.
  • According to the letter read by Annie Stoakes during the intro sequence in "Range War", Griffon might have some connections to Sam.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Sheriff Bartlet's journal entry on Buffalo Soldier
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSPhgQtlSBQ
  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZtgX4xiY1Q (4:17)

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