Strange Man

Strange Man
Nickname(s)	Mysterious Stranger
Gender	Male
Location	Bayall Edge shack in Lemoyne (RDR2) Transitory (RDR)
Status	Undetermined
Affiliations	John Marston Jimmy Brooks (possibly)
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 is 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 the shack as John Marston, the painting will gradually become more and more complete over the next few days, and John will document his thoughts of 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. He tells 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, being the reason for the Cholera epidemic.

Herbert Moon has a portrait of the Strange Man in his general store, similar to the one in Bayall Edge, though much smaller. John will ask about it, claiming he recognizes the man, and Herbert Moon will simply say that somebody gave it to him, and he has it in his store because 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.

Trivia

General

• He has a similar appearance to Josiah Trelawny.

• 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.

Red Dead Redemption

• During the third encounter with the Strange Man he says, "This is a fine spot." This location later serves as John, Uncle and Abigail's gravesites.
• Near the end of the encounter John fires 3 bullets at him but before he could fire a 4th his gun jams; it is possible the 3 bullets symbolizes John, Uncle and Abigail dying in "The Last Enemy That Shall Be Destroyed" and the 4th jamming is Jack being spared.
• 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."

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".
• In the story's epilogue John can visit the General Store in Armadillo, where he will notice a picture of the Strange Man owned by the shopkeeper, John will say that he looks familiar. Oddly enough, the only time that we are aware of where John meets with the Strange Man is in the first Red Dead Redemption, which takes place after the events of Red Dead Redemption 2.
• There is a dead alligator beneath the Strange Man's cabin.
• In the cabin there is also a map of Armadillio with a hand written note which reads "I offered you happiness or two generations. You made your choice." This is could be in reference to the Cholera outbreak and possibly allude that it was caused by a deal with the Strange Man.   

Quotes

“	Yes, many have...	„
	—The Strange Man's last words

“	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 isn't my old friend.	„
	—The Strange Man "surprised" to see Marston again.

Gallery

The Strange Man with John.

A picture of the Strange man in Red Dead Redemption II.

Painting of the Strange Man in Red Dead Redemption II.

The Strange Man in the mirror behind John.

Videos

Red Dead Redemption "I know You" Strange Man Theories

Red Dead Redemption 2 - Meeting Herbert Moon who has a picture of the "I Know You" Stranger

Red Dead Redemption 2 - John finds a painting of the Strange Man

Red Dead Redemption 2 Easter Egg - The Strange Man

Achievements/Trophies

Aiding Strangers will contribute toward the following Trophies/Achievements:

	STRANGE THINGS ARE AFOOT 10 gamerscore Bronze bronze Complete a task for a Stranger.

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	PEOPLE ARE STILL STRANGE 25 gamerscore Silver silver Complete 15 tasks for Strangers.