There are many fictional characters that people tend to look up to: Peter Parker, Batman, Goku, Luke Skywalker and that’s just to name a few. Most individuals look at these characters for their human aspects, how they help others and how they balance all that with just their everyday lives.

After finishing Rockstar Games’ “Red Dead Redemption 2” over the summer, sinking over 60 hours of playing as the protagonist Arthur Morgan, without a doubt this character has left the biggest impact on my life. His character is so rich and deep, it makes him not only relatable to the player, but also creates for the player to become deeply attached to Mr. Morgan as well.

To give some background of Arthur’s character, he was raised by a group of outlaws known as the Van der Lindes. Growing up he watched his mom, dad, son and wife all die, and was taught most things in life from the gang.

In the past he has killed many innocent people and lawmen during robberies while running with the gang. Quickly we can see that Arthur is a selfish, cold-hearted outlaw who only cares what happens to himself, or the other gang members.

However, as the game progresses, tensions rise in the Van der Linde gang, Arthur begins to lose trust in the people he has known his entire life. Arthur begins to question if all the efforts he is putting into the gang are really the best for them, and also for others.

At the end of chapter five, Arthur gets diagnosed with tuberculosis, which at the time was an incurable disease. At this point, Arthur knows he is slowly dying, but rather than acting in fear of it, he chooses to embrace it.

Arthur begins to start caring for others more than himself. People you end up wronging throughout the game, you try to make amends with. As the gang begins to collapse, Arthur helps most of them sneak away, and even gives them money to help them start a new life.

As Arthur meets his end in chapter six, in his dying breaths, he reflects on even though he lived a bad life, he at least tried to make other individuals’ lives better than his own.

What sets Arthur’s character apart from someone like Spider-Man’s, is Arthur never once questions why all this is happening to him. Whereas Peter Parker consistently asks himself why of all people does he now have these responsibilities.

In the mission “Archeology for Beginners” Arthur is taking a ride with Native American Rains Fall. On their journey Arthur tells him “you don’t get to live a bad life and have good things happen to you.”

Despite all these clear as day good deeds Arthur is doing, he refuses to accept that he is a good man. He doesn’t want people to thank him or give him a reward in exchange for his kindness. He always lives with the bitter taste in his mouth of all the bad things he has done in the past. He does these good things because it means a lot to him.

Another factor that sets Arthur apart from other great fictional characters, is his ability to actually open up to others. Characters like Batman for example, don’t ever talk to others about their double life, or just how they are doing mentally as a human.

There is a nun Arthur meets early on in the game, and he encounters again at the end of chapter six. During their conversation, Arthur vents to the nun about how he has lived a bad life, is dying of tuberculosis and how he had to watch all of his loved ones die.

Arthur wraps up the conversation by telling the nun two simple words: “I’m afraid.” This is the moment where you truly see Arthur change. Seeing him at the start of the game as a cold-hearted careless cowboy, and then watching him attempt to change his wicked ways sat with me on a larger scale than any other fictional character.

One final quote from Arthur happens right after he gets tuberculosis. “You can’t change what’s done, you can only move on.” Arthur Morgan does just this, he continues to live with all the sins he has committed in the past, but doesn’t let it drag him down as he begins to help others.

Arthur Morgan is a testimony that it is never too late for an individual to change who they are. His troubling past, wicked nature and selfish personality are what make him so relatable, it’s what makes us human.

When I watched Arthur die at the end of chapter six, it felt like experiencing the loss of a loved one. “Red Dead Redemption 2” is still the only game that has made me cry, and has changed my outlook on life for the better.

Contact the writer: [email protected]