With as many strong leads as the Red Dead series has had, determining who out of the four - Red Harlow, John Marston, Jack Marston, and Arthur Morgan - is best is as tricky as a high-noon showdown. Each protagonist brings something to the table that sets them apart (and possibly above) the others, but as with any Old West showdown, there can be only one winner. To determine who that winner is, a variety of factors must be taken into consideration.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2.]
To determine who the best Red Dead protagonist is, one must look at several areas. Their proficiency at being a cowboy/bounty hunter, like knowing never to camp in RDR2's Roanoke Ridge, is certainly key to them claiming the top spot, but a look must also be taken at how they interact with those around them. Each game features a varied and interesting cast of supporting characters, and how the protagonist interacts with them can give insight into their soul that a gunfight simply couldn't. This includes their four-legged companions as well. Lastly, a look at how each cowboy handles the circumstances they find themselves in will really dial into whom the best of the four is.
Red Harlow: A Simple Man On A Quest For Vengeance in Red Dead Revolver
Many players are unfamiliar with the story of Red Harlow. Red Dead Revolver's main character's hidden in RDR2 through tales told around the campfires, but few may have actually played through Red Dead Revolver to take a firsthand look at its scarred protagonist. Red Harlow is a bounty hunter on a quest for vengeance for the death of his family when he was a child.
Harlow pursues this with an almost single-minded determination, as everyone he interacts with he uses to aid him in achieving his goals. He cares little for money, seeing it mainly as a means to keep living while he pursues his vengeance. The problem with Red is: vengeance is all there is to him. His entire arc is about revenge, and players don't get to see him outside this context.
John Marston: Dragged Back Into Red Dead Redemption's World Of Outlaws
John Marston is a legend in his own right, with several iconic lines from Red Dead Redemption 2 and the original, and his story through both games more than back up that status. John undergoes real growth during the events of the second game, from an immature and self-obsessed outlaw to a family man, willing to do whatever it takes to safeguard them and ensure their future. John forms a brotherly relationship with fellow series protagonist Arthur Morgan, and it's through this intense and dedicated relationship that John's transformation is seen.
By the time of Red Dead Redemption, John is fully committed to his family, and is willing to brave a dying West and go against his former gang if it means securing their safety. John's story ends a tragedy, as he is gunned down by the very government who pulled the strings of his final days to tie up the last loose end of the Van der Linde Gang. While this puts John out of Red Dead Redemption 3 (or does it?), there is another Marston that can carry the torch.
Jack Marston: Carrying The Legacy Of Outlaws In Red Dead Redemption
After the death of his father, Jack Marston takes up the life of a gunslinger on a quest to avenge him in the post-game of Red Dead Redemption. When players first see 19-year-old Jack, it's at the culmination of this hunt as he duels and guns down Edgar Ross, avenging his father. Beyond this, players are free to roam the lands of Red Dead Redemption playing as Jack, but without any real story.
The most memorable character moments come from Jack's interactions with his horses, which are negative to say the least, and have since become a meme among the Red Dead community. Jack's character is ill-suited to the life of an outlaw, as seen by his desire for education and advancement throughout his younger life. There are also theories that Jack isn't John Marston's biological son. It feels like the life of a gunslinger was forced upon Jack, much like Jack was forced upon players after John's fate in Red Dead Redemption.
Arthur Morgan: A Complex Man And An Outlaw To The End In RDR2
Arthur Morgan's story in Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of tragedy, gradual loss, and sacrifice. A deadly outlaw and fierce friend, Arthur Morgan proved that good men can do bad things (or vice versa, depending on the player's choices in regard to his honor). His bonds with his gang ran deep, each of them having a special relationship with Arthur. As time and bullets took them away, Arthur began to look to the future, and he didn't see himself in it.
Arthur's tuberculosis diagnosis in Red Dead Redemption 2 sealed his fate, and he dedicated his final days to ensuring that those left in the Van der Linde gang get out - if not happy, then at least alive. It was his ultimate sacrifice that allowed John Marston to live happily with his family for years before the Pinkertons caught up with him. Arthur Morgan impacted the world and those around him in a way that few others could, and ultimately made many players question who was the better protagonist of the Red Dead series.
When The Dust Settles, Arthur Morgan Is The Best Red Dead Protagonist
Arthur's journey in Red Dead Redemption 2 is one every player should experience at least once. Arthur's skills as a cowboy are second to none, be it gunslinging or horsemanship, and his connections with the Van der Linde gang far outweigh any others seen in the series and show definitively how Arthur and John are different. Combined with a story that sticks with players long after the credits roll, it's clear that Arthur Morgan takes the title of best Red Dead protagonist.
This was a close race between Arthur Morgan and John Marston. Whereas John had his family ties and his cemented legacy, Arthur's bonds and superior cowboy skills won him the day. Red Harlow was too one-dimensional of a character to really be in the running, and Jack had no story to develop his character beyond what players had seen of him as an NPC. With all that being said, the entire Red Dead saga is worth playing and experiencing, as it will leave players thinking long after it's ridden off into the sunset.