Back in 2018, it became clear Arthur Morgan had become one of Rockstar Games’ most definitive protagonists. Roger Clark’s performance as the lead in Red Dead Redemption 2 remains arguably one of the most nuanced depictions of a main character for the gaming industry. Being able to top the original Red Dead Redemption is a feat in and of itself, and even though both games have very different gameplay standards, both have incredible narratives.
Those who’ve played through Red Dead Redemption 2 are fully aware of Arthur Morgan’s eventual fate. The devastating TB diagnosis, paired with the manipulation and betrayal of Micah, all break Arthur’s resolve. Even after all that turmoil, he’s able to save John, Sadie, Abigail, and several others from the path of destruction that was the ending of Dutch’s gang. Despite this, Arthur’s actor Roger Clark would be absolutely willing to step back into the boots of Arthur Morgan, he tells Game Rant.
There isn’t a whole lot of wiggle room for Arthur Morgan to return in a Red Dead Redemption story, at least not at first glance. There are some elements of history that’s been hinted at/talked about in Red Dead Redemption‘s lore that still hasn’t taken place in game. Rockstar Games has had clever spin-offs and offshoots of existing games, like Grand Theft Auto 4‘s Episodes of Liberty City expansions. However, with Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Online effectively eliminating any possibility of singleplayer DLC, there’s not very many options. Pushing aside any logistical or narrative hurdles, Roger Clark mentioned he would absolutely reprise his role as Arthur Morgan:
“Sure! The creatives at Rockstar Games are my friends and colleagues. What’s more, they are my favorite video game studio.”
While the odds may not be in Arthur’s favor for a grand return, it’s not an impossible feat. Red Dead Redemption 2‘s prequel story brought back the revered John Marston in a very vulnerable way, showing his character evolution of maturity and fatherhood amongst the Van der Linde gang’s downfall. Through various moments throughout Red Dead Redemption 2, players can learn bits of information about how Arthur grow up with the Van der Linde gang from a young age. Dutch was a very formative part of that. Clark echoed this sentiment, at least from a writing perspective, stating that Arthur Morgan’s return would be a welcome surprise.
“How [Arthur’s return] were to happen, I don’t know, but one thing I do know: Rockstar Games never fail to surprise and deliver quality.”
If it were the case that Rockstar Games intended to bring back Arthur Morgan in a Red Dead Redemption storyline, one big potential area would be something like the Blackwater Massacre. This particular inciting event that kicks off Red Dead Redemption 2‘s narrative still hasn’t been witnessed by players, and yet it’s one of the most talked about events in the history of the local states in the area. Even in the first Red Dead Redemption, whenever John Marston seems to bring up Dutch Van der Linde’s gang, everyone’s first thought is the Blackwater Massacre.
Obviously Arthur won’t be showing up in any sequels any time soon, so that’d be the next best bet. It’s unclear if that’d be enough material for yet another Red Dead Redemption prequel, especially considering Red Dead Redemption 2 took around eight years to fully develop and ship. From Roger Clark’s perspective, he (along with several of his castmates) spent around five years doing performance capture for Red Dead Redemption 2. That alone is a huge commitment to the game, even without working on additional expansions or plans for another game.
“We worked in the same space, pretty much for five years. Every day the same studio was a different location though, you know? One morning we’re in Gaurma, the next afternoon it’s the mayor’s mansion in Saint Denis… It takes a lot of imagination and a commitment to focus on little details to bring the authenticity of these locations to the audience and make them feel real.”
Like Clark said, perhaps Rockstar Games will once again surprise fans with another story in the existing Red Dead universe. As to what form that will take, it’s more than unclear. There is some potential in the Blackwater Massacre, assuming the narrative design team feels its warranted to go back even further in the Red Dead Redemption storyline. Either way, at least we know that an authentic Arthur Morgan would be ready to hop back into the boots one more time.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
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