| “ | People call me lazy. I’m not lazy, just don’t like working. There’s a difference. | „ |
| —Uncle |
"Uncle" is a recurring character in the Red Dead series, featured as a major character in both Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2.
With the addition of the Myths and Mavericks DLC pack, Uncle is also a multiplayer character model that may be selected in the "Revolution" section of the Outfitter.
History
Background
Biography in RDR 2 (click to enlarge)
Uncle was born in Ohio at some point prior to 1849. He had an "uncle" named Jeb (who was actually the cousin of his maternal uncle), who Uncle implies to be a pedophile, saying that he was a man that "you didn't want to be left alone with". Uncle was nine years old when both of his parents died, forcing him to move to a new city and "live on his wits" from there on out.[1] He was also married at least twice before 1899.
Uncle tells stories about times he went to Africa; he mentions that he sold camping supplies in East Africa, which resulted in him being worshipped as a god by the locals in the Congo on one occasion.[2] It is unknown how much truth, if any, this story has to it. Uncle claims to have been known as the "one-shot kid" in his youth, though the dubious nature of his life stories imply that it may not be true. At some point before 1899, Uncle joined the Van der Linde gang. His role in it was fairly minimal, owing to him being an unproductive, elderly alcoholic.
Events of Red Dead Redemption 2
| “ | A hanger‐on and good‐time guy, Uncle is always around when the whiskey is open and never around when there’s any work to be done. If he wasn’t so entertaining, Dutch would have cut him loose years ago. | „ |
| —Rockstar Games' description of Uncle for Redemption 2. |
Colter Chapter
Uncle accompanies the rest of the gang into the mountains of Ambarino, in the aftermath of Dutch's botched ferry robbery in Blackwater. A few days later, after Charles and Arthur have been out hunting, Uncle is seen drinking whiskey in the kitchen with Pearson, but Arthur asks him to leave.
Horseshoe Overlook Chapter
After finding Uncle taking a nap at camp, Arthur decides that the pair should go to Valentine. Some of the girls ask Arthur to take them too, and the group head out. Once they get there, Arthur and Uncle go to the shop to buy some supplies, and share a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon outside the shop afterwards, before having a rest. Meanwhile, the girls go looking for leads; Mary-Beth gets a lead on a possible train robbery while Karen starts planning to rob the Valentine Bank. When Arthur is approached by a stranger with allegations that he had a role in the recent robbery, Uncle and the girls return to camp while Arthur gives chase to the man.
Clemens Point Chapter
Uncle finds a tip about a supposedly unguarded Cornwall company stagecoach heading through Rhodes, and tells Arthur about it. While unsure at first, Arthur decides to rob it with him, alongside Charles and Bill. Despite starting off well, the robbery quickly goes downhill, as uncountable numbers of Cornwall's men descend upon them. The four hide in an old barn, but they are found by the law. The barn is lit on fire, so they are forced to fight their way out of the barn and escape into the forest. The group spilt up; Uncle is paired with Arthur, and after being reunited with Charles and Bill, the four finally manage to escape. After dividing up the money, Uncle says that he is "officially retired".
Saint Denis Chapter
Uncle can inform Arthur of a cattle rustling opportunity he managed to catch wind of while drinking in Rhodes. The two ride up to Hill Haven Ranch to steal the cattle and encounter their drunken owner who attempts to stop them but ends up knocking himself out. Afterwards, they sell the herd of cows to Clay and Clive Davies.
Beaver Hollow Chapter
Uncle arrives at the camp with Molly O'Shea, who is drunk, claiming that he found her in Saint Denis. Later, Uncle leaves the gang along with several others, sensing its imminent doom. His activities in the immediate aftermath of this are unknown.
Beecher's Hope Chapter
Having been reunited with John in Blackwater, Uncle informs him that Charles is alive and in Saint Denis, so the two travel to the city by train to find him. After they find Charles at a fighting match, Uncle says he has some errands to run and that he’ll catch up with the duo later. At some point after the trio reach Beecher's Hope, Uncle takes John to Albert Cakes in order to purchase a pre-cut house to use as their home. While John and Charles travel to Manzanita Post to collect some tools, Uncle stays behind at the ranch. With everything prepared, Uncle oversees John and Charles building the ranch. Despite annoying John and Charles to no end, John does credit Uncle with being very helpful in getting the ranch moving in the right direction.
After the house is built, Uncle says the ranch needs to be developed further, suggesting that the land could be used for grazing; the two subsequently decide on having sheep. As a result, Uncle takes John to Albert Cakes again to buy a pre-cut barn for the animals, and later helps with the construction of it. After they finish, the trio have a drink in celebration, but Uncle is kidnapped by the barbaric Skinner Brothers while the three are hungover. Alarmed, John and Charles proceed to track Uncle down and rescue him from the Skinners' hideout, during which most of them are slain. During his capture, Uncle sustained a badly burnt back after having it roasted over a fire by the Skinners, but eventually recovers from it after recuperating at the ranch.
Later on, Uncle is present for John and Abigail's wedding. Despite Charles and Sadie subsequently departing Beecher's Hope for good, Uncle instead opts to stay at the ranch with the Marston family.
Events of Red Dead Redemption
Four years later, after Abigail and Jack are abducted by Edgar Ross and held for ransom, John reluctantly puts Uncle in charge of looking after the ranch at Beecher's Hope. John is then forcibly sent to New Austin to hunt down Bill Williamson and Javier Escuella, having no contact with Uncle. When Marston finally returns from his quest to bring his former gang members to justice, he finds the ranch in disrepair and the livestock rustled. Consequentially, John continually berates Uncle for his inability to maintain the ranch whilst he was away.
Uncle continues to live with the Marston family after John's return. Working at the ranch, Uncle can be seen assisting with blacksmithing and animal tending duties. He and John herd cattle on one occasion and break horses on another. At most other times, he can be seen napping around the ranch.
At some point later, US Army soldiers and Bureau agents launch an attack on the ranch. Uncle spots them and immediately alerts John, enabling them to mount a defense and plan for the escape of Jack and Abigail. Uncle assists John in fighting the soldiers, but is ultimately shot in the chest during the skirmish. Jack ceases firing and comes to Uncle's side, while John continues fending off the soldiers. John returns to Uncle and thanks him for his sacrifice, but Uncle merely demands that they escape and, to Jack's horror, subsequently dies.
Following the assault on the ranch, Uncle is buried atop the ridge at Beecher's Hope, next to John. His grave marker provides no birth year and his epitaph reads "Impossible to forget".
Events of Undead Nightmare
Note: The events of Undead Nightmare are not considered part of the same canon as Red Dead Redemption. The following description is therefore not contiguous with the preceding section on Red Dead Redemption.
Uncle makes his first and last appearance in the mission "Love in the Time of Plague".
John, after riding through the intense downpour from the storm, comes home at night to find Uncle has not returned from town, with the family assuming he has taken shelter from the storm. Later that night, while John and Abigail are in bed, Uncle bursts in, zombified, snarling and growling. As John tells Uncle "he don't look so good", Abigail sees Uncle's bloodied, torn-up appearance and yelps in horror, putting as much distance between her and Uncle as she can. Uncle slowly approaches John. John then grabs him by the throat and asks what's wrong with him, ending the situation by beating the now-undead Uncle over the head with the base of a nearby lamp.
John leaves the bedroom to retrieve his gun, leaving the disgusted Abigail to look at the beaten Uncle lying on the floor. As John is getting a shotgun from his workshop, Uncle chases Abigail out to the front porch. She trips in the yard near the porch, and Uncle takes the opportunity to jump Abigail and bite her on the neck, infecting her. John, arriving to see Uncle had already jumped Abigail, yells at Uncle, causing him to turn and face John. John then proceeds to shoot him in the head, putting Uncle out of his misery.
During this encounter, he has a deep gash crossing down diagonally from the top of his forehead to his left eye. He's missing his hat, revealing the bald spot atop his head. The part of his beard below his mouth is matted with blood, suggesting that he had already infected another victim or had been vomiting blood. His eyes appear to be heavily bloodshot with dried streaks of blood under his eyes, possibly from blood running out of his eyes. His clothes appear bloody and tattered, suggesting he either put up a fight trying to kill whatever infected him, or he received heavy resistance when he attacked one of his previous victims.
Character
Personality
Uncle is a reformed petty thief with a notable love for alcohol. He is notoriously lazy, both in the Van der Linde gang and while working on the Marston ranch, and often says that his supposed medical condition of "terminal lumbago" stops him from being able to work. Despite contributing occasionally to everyday tasks, Uncle is frequently belittled for being useless and inept, much to his chagrin. In his own way, Uncle can be viewed as seeking redemption from his life of petty crime by working at Beecher's Hope, and later losing his life to keep the Marston family safe.
Despite seeming borderline dysfunctional, Uncle is perhaps more intelligent and shrewd than he may appear. This is exemplified in a hidden dialogue with Dutch; during this conversation, Uncle calls out Dutch by saying he wants to be an American King with his knights that leads the people of the world to a new way of living. Dutch insists this isn't so, claiming he only wants the gang to have a better life, but Uncle retorts by saying Dutch only wants "his" definition of better. In this instance, Uncle shows a clear understanding of Dutch's real intentions and his desire to make everyone live the way of life he thinks he is best for everyone.[3]
Uncle has a laid back and carefree attitude, often wanting to joke around and have fun, rather than doing anything serious. He is friendly towards other gang members and often joins in with games such as poker if the player initiates a game of it in camp. Uncle's jokey and vivacious personality is demonstrated in a conversation with the contrastingly serious Charles at camp,[4] where Uncle tries to get Charles to open up to him and share a joke, but to no avail. Uncle also has a caring side to him, shown with his fairly close bond with Jack, but he can also be thought of as having a strong sense of loyalty - exemplified in how he ultimately gave his life for the Marston family.
Mission appearances
- Red Dead Redemption
- "The Outlaw's Return"
- "By Sweat and Toil"
- "A Continual Feast"
- "Spare The Love, Spoil The Child"
- "The Last Enemy That Shall Be Destroyed"
- Undead Nightmare
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- "Outlaws from the West"
- "Old Friends"
- "The Aftermath of Genesis"
- "Eastward Bound"
- "Polite Society, Valentine Style"
- "A Strange Kindness"
- "An Honest Mistake"
- "Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern"
- "The Battle of Shady Belle"
- "Fleeting Joy"
- "That's Murfree Country"
- "Money Lending & Other Sins VII"
- "My Last Boy"
- "Home of the Gentry?
- "Bare Knuckle Friendships"
- "Home Improvement for Beginners"
- "The Tool Box"
- "A New Jerusalem"
- "A Quick Favor for an Old Friend"
- "Uncle's Bad Day"
- "A Really Big Bastard"
- "A New Future Imagined"
- "American Venom"
Quotes
| “ | You are a sad man, Arthur Morgan. But I know you love me. | „ |
| —Uncle to Arthur Morgan ("Polite Society, Valentine Style") |
| “ | My second wife always used to describe me as "ageless", though... she did leave me for a younger man. | „ |
| —Uncle to Arthur, about his short-lived relationship with his second wife |
| “ | I'm real sick, John. Lumbago. It's a slow and painful death, my brother. | „ |
| —Uncle to John Marston ("Home of the Gentry?") |
| “ | Oh darling Abigail, I’ve changed! Come live with me in this outhouse I wouldn't ask my worst enemy to take a shit in! | „ |
| —Uncle mocking John about the condition of the newly-bought shack ("Home Improvement for Beginners") |
| “ | You always were a hard and nasty man, John Marston. | „ |
| —Uncle responding to John's idle death threat ("By Sweat and Toil") |
| “ | It's easy to pick on the elderly. It's easy, but it ain't dignified. | „ |
| —Uncle to John Marston ("By Sweat and Toil") |
| “ | Ain't time, John. I ain't gonna make it off this porch anyhow. You take Jack and Abiga... (coughs). Take them and... (coughs). Don't worry about me, just get them out of here. | „ |
| —Uncle's last words ("The Last Enemy That Shall Be Destroyed") |
Multiplayer
- "I'll bed y'all down!"
- "Back the hell off!"
- "You're dead, ya son of a bitch!"
- "You're mine, ya bastard!"
- "Leave us alone!"
- "Come on, then!"
- "You ain't gettin' away with this!"
Trivia
- Red Dead Redemption
- While riding back to the ranch with the horses in the mission "A Continual Feast", Uncle implies that he once was a rancher who owned his own spread. Uncle's knowledge of farming and ranching is further shown in Red Dead Redemption 2.
- Uncle can be seen with a yellow-brown residue in his beard, implying his drinking/smoking habits. In Red Dead Redemption 2, this residue is absent.
- In the mission "Wolves, Dogs and Sons" John suggests that Uncle has some illegitimate children, remarking he is "probably lots of people's father".
- After hearing stories at a campfire, John may sometimes comment that he "knows an old drunk who would love that one", most likely referring to Uncle.
- Marston can shoot Uncle's hat off; following mission cutscenes that feature him will depict Uncle without a hat.
- Uncle can sometimes be seen smoking at the dinner table in Beecher's Hope at around 8:40 PM.
- Despite John's accusations of laziness, Uncle can often be seen performing various tasks at Beecher's Hope, such as mending the corn silo's ladder with a hammer and crafting horseshoes outside the barn. In Redemption 2, however, he is considerably less productive around the ranch.
- Uncle's corpse cannot be looted after his death scene.
- The player can throw dynamite, fire bottles, and throwing knives at Uncle to kill him.
- Edgar Ross wears an outfit similar to Uncle's in the Stranger side mission "Remember My Family".
- When the player walks by prostitutes as Jack, he may say "Uncle told me about girls like you", or "Uncle warned me about women like you".
- Undead Nightmare
- In Undead Nightmare, the unidentified yellow stain on his beard has been replaced with blood.
- In the mission "On a Pale Horse", Uncle appears to have not been buried next to John, in contrast to the base game where he was buried a couple yards next to John.
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Uncle seems to have a grudge against British people, complaining about how they have "silly voices" and that they're "stuffed-shirted windbags". He also tells Jack about a time that he beat up several Englishmen in a bar.
- Uncle says that he is ill with "terminal lumbago", despite the fact that lumbago cannot be terminal.
- In Chapter 2, Uncle temporarily has a gun belt and what appears to be a brass-plated Schofield Revolver with a black cylinder. After chapter 2, it is never seen again.
- After building the ranch, Uncle can sometimes be seen lazing about in the exact spot he will later die in.
- Uncle can sometimes be found being threatened outside of a Saloon in either Valentine or Blackwater. Intervening will increase the player's Honor.
- At camp, Uncle sometimes plays the banjo.
- Redemption multiplayer
- In multiplayer mode, Uncle's mouth doesn't move when the player taunts.
- While in the game's story mode depicts Uncle with a single glove on his right hand, his multiplayer model features him wearing two gloves.
Gallery
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption
Undead Nightmare
References
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