There were over twenty members of the Van der Linde gang in Red Dead Redemption 2, and by the end of the game, players have a good idea of what happened to all of them. While some met untimely and brutish deaths, others went on to do much better and brighter things once the gang disbanded, choosing to leave their life of crime behind.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, which is a prequel to the original Red Dead Redemption game, players assume the role of Arthur Morgan, one of the main members of the Van der Linde gang spear-headed by Dutch Van der Linde. In the original game, however, players get to play as another gang member, John Marston, and hunt down their old associates, many of which players form friendships with in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Some of the fates of the Van der Linde gang members were made very clear by the end of both Red Dead Redemption games, but some were only mentioned in passing. Luckily, Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption franchise takes the time to tie up loose ends and give closure to these characters’ storylines.
What Happened To Red Dead Redemption’s Van Der Linde Gang?
Simon Pearson worked primarily as the cook for the Van der Linde gang after joining following a rough encounter with loan sharks. The end of RDR2 reveals that Pearson has completely turned his life around and runs a general store in Rhodes. He also got married. But a photograph of the gang in his shop reveals he still reminisces about the good old days occasionally.
Mary-Beth Gaskill joined the Van der Lindes after getting in trouble with pickpocketing. She eventually runs into John Marston at the train station during the game’s epilogue, revealing she’s become a writer. “I write now. Silly romances, but it’s fun,” she tells John, describing her novels as “awful.” She leaves him with a copy before catching her train.
Tilly Jackson was originally a member of the Foreman Brothers gang before killing one of their cousins, causing a rift. She later joined the Van der Lindes, but once the gang disbanded, she goes on to get married and welcomes a baby. Tilly sees John in Saint Denis during the game’s epilogue and she later writes him a letter saying she lives in a large home with servants.
Lenny Summers was killed by Pinkertons while the Van der Lindes escaped their bank heist-gone-wrong on top of Saint Denis’ rooftops. Arthur kneels down next to him to check his pulse, but the other gang members encourage him to keep moving. This is the same bank heist in which Hosea dies. Sadie later buries their bodies in the Bluewater Marsh.
Reverend Orville Swanson saved Dutch’s life at one point, making him an official member of the Van der Lindes. Arthur eventually runs into him at Emerald Station as the Reverend is trying to flee. He admits he’s leaving, calling himself a “changed man.” In the epilogue, John later mentions that the Reverend moved to New York and became a preacher in the First Congressional Church of New York.
Susan Grimshaw, a former girlfriend of Dutch, was one of the founding members of the gang. She was eventually killed by Micah Bell after Arthur confronted him for ratting the gang out to the Pinkertons. After Javier tells the group that he sees the Pinkertons coming, Micah shoots a distracted Susan in the stomach. She writhes in pain before succumbing to her injuries.
Josiah Trelawny quietly left the gang during the Beaver Hollow Chapter after Arthur gives him his seal of approval. Trelawny’s family – a wife and two sons – was mentioned during the course of the game, so it’s assumed he went back to Saint Denis to be with his family after abandoning the Van der Lindes.
Hosea Matthews joined forces with Dutch after the two of them realized they were trying to con the other. In the Saint Denis chapter, during the bank heist that went wrong, Hosea is captured and held hostage by Agent Milton, who ends up shooting him in the chest in front of the rest of the gang. “There’s your deal, Dutch,” Milton said after doing the deed.
Molly O'Shea was the lover of Dutch, but when things go sour between them, she shows up at the camp drunk and mouthing him off. In the process, she claims she was the rat feeding information to the Pinkertons. “I told them, and I’d tell them again,” she says in reference to Mr. Milton and Mr. Ross, adding that she wishes they would’ve killed Dutch. Though Dutch wants to kill her, as is gang policy for being a snitch, Arthur encourages him not to. But in the end, Susan Grimshaw picks up a gun and shoots Molly through the stomach. “She knew the rules, Arthur. What the hell is wrong with you?” Susan then says. Agent Milton later reveals Molly wasn’t the rat. Instead, the title belonged to Micah.
Sean MacGuire joined the Van der Lindes after trying (and failing) at robbing Dutch, though he clearly impressed him. He’s eventually killed after the gang shows up to Rhodes to talk to the Gray family about a job Bill was informed about. Out of nowhere, Sean gets shot in the head by a sniper, leading to a full-blown shoot-out between the Grays and Van der Lindes.
Karen Jones was a known scam artist, making her fit in nicely with the gang. She’s depicted as dealing with a drinking problem once the gang moves to Beaver Hollow after Sean’s death. It’s unclear what happened to Karen when the gang disbands, but in a letter Tilly wrote to John, she said she suspects Karen died as a result of her alcoholism.
Leopold Strauss, an old-fashioned loan shark, was eventually kicked out of the gang by Arthur who was angry about what happened to the Londonderry family. “I ain’t gonna kill you though I probably should. You disgust me, and you shame us,” he tells Strauss. In the epilogue, John mentions Strauss was later picked up by the Pinkertons. He died in custody but didn’t reveal any information on the gang, leading John to compliment his loyalty.
Sadie Adler became a bounty hunter in RDR2’s epilogue and goes on to help John and his family substantially, even attending their wedding. Later, a scene shows the family bidding her farewell as she leaves their farm. Though it’s unclear where she ends up, Sadie mentioned wanting to move to South America in the game.
Javier Escuella is last seen running away once the Pinkertons surprise the Van der Lindes after Arthur accused Micah of being a rat. It’s later mentioned that he returned to Mexico, and in Red Dead Redemption, he’s revealed to be a hitman. Escuella’s fate in the original game is left up to the player, who can either choose for John Marston to kill or capture him.
Bill Williamson, similar to Javier, is last seen running away from the Pinkertons as they encroach on the gang’s camp. His whereabouts at the end of the game aren’t explicitly mentioned, but he later goes on to form his own gang. As John attempts to hunt him down in Red Dead Redemption, it's revealed that Williamson has become one of the most feared criminals in New Austin.
After Charles helps John and his family out in the epilogue, a scene shows them saying goodbye to him as he heads off to Canada. It’s assumed he settled down and started a life there, something he had mentioned wanting to do during the game. Similarly, after the Van der Lindes disband, Uncle meets up with John outside of the bank during the Epilogue. He proceeds to help the Marston family build their ranch, and even though Sadie and Charles eventually leave before the game ends, Uncle says on with the ranch. He later dies in Red Dead Redemption after the US Army Soldiers and FBI infiltrated the ranch. Uncle helps John defend the land, allowing Jack and Abigail to escape in the process, but he ultimately dies.
In RDR2’s epilogue, Abigail and Jack are shown trying to make a new life with John on their ranch. Though they have a happy ending in the prequel, with John and Abigail officially getting married, their fates were revealed in Red Dead Redemption. The mother and son escape the attack on their ranch, though John dies in the process. Then, a few years later, Abigail dies of unknown causes. Jack later goes on to avenge his father’s death at the end of Red Dead Redemption.
After the Van der Lindes disband, Micah Bell goes on to form his own gang. Sadie and John eventually track him down, however. They engage in a shoot-out, and Dutch eventually helps them by shooting at Micah. In the end, bullet wounds from both John and Dutch lead to Micah’s end.
Dutch Van der Linde walks away unharmed at the end of Red Dead Redemption 2 after helping John and Sadie put an end to Micah. He simply walks away at the end of the game. In the original title, however, John manages to track down and kill Dutch, who had created a new gang of Native Americans.
Arthur Morgan, of course, does not survive the events of Red Dead Redemption 2. His death depends on what the player chooses, including their honor level. But regardless of how they play the game, Arthur ends up dying in the end. Not all of the Van der Linde gang members met unfortunate ends in Red Dead Redemption 2, but the ending of the game signifies the end of the infamous Van der Linde gang just the same.