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| Unknown | |
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| Nickname(s) | Strange Man Mysterious Stranger |
| Gender | Male |
| Location | Baygall Edge shack in Lemoyne (RDR2)
Transitory (RDR) |
| Status | Undetermined |
| Affiliations | John Marston |
| Weapon | Cattleman Revolver |
| Voice Actor | Brennan Brown (RDR) |
| “ | I'm an accountant... in a way. | „ |
| —The Strange Man to John Marston |
The Strange Man is a minor character and Stranger featured in Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2.
Background
An enigmatic and otherworldly character, the Strange Man appears to know John Marston very well, including details about his past life in the Van der Linde gang that not even John himself remembers. The Strange Man dresses in a black three-piece suit with a black tie and black top hat.
Red Dead Redemption 2
There's an abandoned shack in Bayall Edge, Lemoyne that seems to belong to the Strange Man. The shack is riddled with cryptic writing alluding to Armadillo, Herbert Moon, and the cholera outbreak of New Austin. If the player visits it as Arthur Morgan, there will be an unfinished painting of the Strange Man. If the player visits it as John Marston, the painting will gradually get mysteriously finished over days and John will document his thoughts on it in his journal, saying how it makes him feel "fascinating, awful, and seductive, all at once". John can also see the Strange Man stalking him in the mirror like a phantom.
A stranger in New Austin, around Hennigan's Stead, alludes to the Strange Man, saying how a man wearing a "black suit and big top hat" whom he believes to be the Grim Reaper haunts and curses the town of Armadillo.
Herbert Moon has a portrait of the Strange Man in his general store like the one in his shack, though much smaller. John will ask about it, recognizing it, and Herbert Moon will simply say someone gave it to him and he likes it.
Red Dead Redemption
The Strange Man is the focus of the stranger side-mission I Know You, which is only available for John Marston. John meets the Strange Man in three separate places during the mission, once in each territory of the game. Each time, the man gives vague answers to John's questions, and twice, asks John to perform errands for strangers. The first is to visit a man about to cheat on his wife, the second is to visit a nun trying to raise money for charity. The player can either do the right thing by stopping the man and donating to the nun, or do the wrong thing by encouraging the man and robbing the nun. The Strange Man appears one final time overlooking Beecher's Hope, and his standoffish, creepy behavior enrages John enough to open fire on him. The Strange Man is completely unaffected and mysteriously vanishes right before John's eyes.
Speculation
- Main article: Strange Man/Speculation
Trivia
- During the third encounter with the Strange Man he says, "This is a fine spot." This location later serves as John's gravesite.
- In an issue of Gamepro Magazine, a closer look at Red Dead Redemption was given. When asked about the Strange Man quest, and whether the "man in the black top hat" represented God or Satan, Rockstar told the magazine that they could not tell if the Strange Man was God, Satan, or anything else.
- It is actually possible to kill the Strange Man. The player just has to shoot him before triggering the cutscene. Doing so will fail the mission.
- The player cannot kill him once the mission is complete.
- The Strange Man can be "killed" right after the second encounter. He will appear to have died and the body can be looted. Doing so does not affect the "I Know You" side missions in any way.
- If the player points a gun at him, he can pull out a Cattleman Revolver and shoot and kill the player. He may also run away while yelling at John.
- After the first encounter with him, players can point a gun at him and he will start to run. If he is hogtied, he will keep talking as if the situation were normal. However, pointing a gun at him is considered a crime and civilians will attempt to alert law enforcement.
- The Strange Man is the only character John meets within all three territories of the map.
- If the player attacks the Strange Man he will say things like, "You always were a nasty little orphan," "Come now, Marston," or "You haven't changed."
- He has a similar appearance to Josiah Trelawny.
- In Red Dead Redemption 2, if the player takes a screenshot of the Strange Man's cabin and uploads it to the Rockstar Social Club. The social club will list the photo's location as "Serial Killer".
Quotes
- John: “Damn you!”
- Stranger: “Yes, many have...”
- ―John Marston and The Strange Man
| “ | Why would you remember me, friend? You've forgotten far more important people than me. | „ |
| —The Strange Man |
| “ | You kill people so easily, yet you respect the vows of marriage. That's very curious, John. | „ |
| —The Strange Man |
| “ | This is a fine spot. | „ |
| —The Strange Man referring to what will later become John's gravesite |
| “ | We have to stop meeting like this John. | „ |
| —The Strange Man before meeting John for the last time |
| “ | Marston, what a coincidence! | „ |
| —The Strange Man before the last encounter. |
| “ | If it isnt my old friend. | „ |
| —The Strange Man "surprised" to see Marston again. |
Gallery
Videos
Achievements/Trophies
Aiding Strangers will contribute toward the following Trophies/Achievements:
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10
 Bronze
 Complete a task for a Stranger.
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25
Silver
 Complete 15 tasks for Strangers.
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Related Content
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