Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 introduces the Van der Linde gang after a heist-gone-wrong. Even though the events of the failed Blackwater heist are never shown on camera, it plays an important role in setting up RDR2's story while also providing context into the strained relationship between gang members.
Red Dead Redemption 2 acts as a prequel to 2010’s equally-popular Red Dead Redemption. Rather than immediately stepping into the shoes of the first game’s main protagonist, John Marston, players first have the opportunity to experience the Western Frontier as Arthur Morgan. Similar to John, Morgan was adopted into the gang at a young age, with Dutch Van der Linde playing a fatherly role to both men.
By the time the original Red Dead Redemption takes place, the Van der Linde gang has long disbanded, leaving John to track down some of his former comrades. While the first game provides few details into the dissolution of the gang, RDR2 helps fill in the gaps, showcasing Dutch’s increasingly erratic behavior as the game progresses. This provides players insight into why the gang fell apart before Red Dead Redemption, and perhaps the initial turning point that indicated things were going sour was the gang’s failed ferry heist, which took place in Blackwater.
The Truth Behind RDR2’s Blackwater Massacre
Red Dead Redemption 2's gameplay begins in 1889, shortly after the Blackwater Massacre has already taken place. As players begin the main story, they learn that the Van der Linde gang had to recently leave Blackwater after the authorities chased them out of town. The gang manages to set up camp in Colter, an old mining town, before Arthur, Micah, and Dutch find a homestead - specifically, they run some O’Driscolls off the property and find the newly-widowed Sadie Adler, who becomes a major part of the gang from there on out.
As the story progresses, more details became available about the Blackwater heist, including the impact it had in intensifying tensions between Red Dead Redemption 2's characters. The Van der Linde gang learned a ferry would be making its way through the town carrying $150,000 in bank money, and it was that money they were attempting to rob. While the heist seemed to be going to plan at first, it wasn’t long before the Pinkertons found the Van der Lindes, leading to a shoot-out.
Several of the Van der Linde members were injured in the fight, and both Jenny Kirk and Davey Callander succumbed to their injuries. Sean MacGuire was also captured, requiring the gang to rescue him later in RDR2's story. A young girl, Heidi McCourt, was also killed during the gunfight. The gang quickly realized they had to leave town if they wanted to evade the law, leading them to brave the snowy mountains of Ambarino before making it to Colter. Players can find various references made to the Blackwater Massacre throughout Red Dead Redemption 2 that sheds light on the ill-fated heist, but they never actually see the events play out on screen.