The Red Dead Redemption games are so appealing because they offer an unparalleled world with a great story. Red Dead Redemption 2 offers a huge, detailed world where you can spend hours exploring and interacting with its complex characters. After putting roughly 200 hours into this incredible series (and probably double that in lore videos), I've noticed the deeper storylines and how they could develop in a possible third game.

There are plenty of speculative articles about who could be the main character for the third game, from Arthur's very own dad. While there are many theories, my time in the game has led me to believe that the character who will definitely be the main protagonist in Red Dead Redemption 3 has been right in front of us all along, quietly taking the spotlight. That's because they fit the requirements of being a gang member with Dutch, but they also need a redemption arc.

Many RDR2 Characters Would Make Good Protagonists In RDR3

There's More Theoretical Protagonists Than Main Characters

Many characters in Red Dead Redemption 2 are well-developed and interesting enough to deserve their own stories in a sequel or prequel. Take Sadie Adler, for example; she's a fan favorite. Her journey from a grieving widow to a tough bounty hunter shows her ability for both violence and vulnerability, making her a compelling character. A game focused on Sadie could dive into the moral dilemmas of having sought out revenge, but there's a big issue there.

Sadie definitely showed herself to act without thinking and being nearly bloodthirsty in RDR2. However, she was a lot calmer by the end of RDR2 and seemed to have accepted everything that had happened, so Sadie doesn't need redemption because she is already doing well. She's redeemed and hasn't kept up with the outlaw life, so she chooses to be a bounty hunter.

Charles Smith would make an interesting main character. As a man of Native American background caught between two cultures, he provides a unique view of the changing West. However, he has always had a strong sense of right and wrong, and his commitment to helping those in need doesn't align with how each protagonist starts. Charles doesn't need to be redeemed, so a Red Dead sequel with Charles isn't likely at all. It's also not as fun to play as a character you know won't die, so a prequel with Charles likely won't be the direction.

Dutch van der Linde is a complicated and tragic character, and his backstory is interesting to many people. A prequel that looks at how the Van der Linde gang was formed through Dutch’s perspective could help us understand his early dreams and goals before he turned into the disillusioned person we see in Red Dead Redemption 2. Dutch never receives redemption, which is the main theme of the games, so a prequel starring Dutch likely isn't coming.

While Sadie, Charles, and Dutch are the most obvious choices for the main character in Red Dead Redemption 3, many others are worth considering that are easily squashed. Javier and Bill were not redeemed before their deaths, so it can't be about them. Characters like Uncle and Hosea are redeemed in the games, so they also are unlikely to lead.

Some players want Landon Rickets as a protagonist, and while it's a good idea, it doesn't make sense because Landon Rickets was arguably a good man compared to Dutch's gang, so it's unlikely to be him. However, we did see a gang member who has yet to receive redemption fall into the outlaw life. One who would be the hardest to redeem because he only saw the evil of the world.

RDR3 Should Focus On Jack Marston After RDR2

I Know, But Hear Me Out

The main theme of the Red Dead Redemption series is redemption, which is deeply explored through the stories of Arthur Morgan and John Marston. However, the first game ends on a sad note, showing that some characters are trapped in a cycle of violence. This is especially clear in the character of Jack Marston, who was raised among the Van der Linde Gang and watched his family get betrayed and gunned down by the lawmen Dutch warned him about.

At the end of Red Dead Redemption, Jack takes revenge on Edgar Ross, the man who orchestrated his father's execution. This moment isn’t celebrated as a victory; instead, it highlights Jack’s tragic fall into the darkness that his parents tried to protect him from. After killing Ross, Jack looks at his gun, clearly contemplating whether to throw it into the river. By choosing to holster the weapon, Jack shows that he is stuck in the same violent cycle.

Jack is the final student of Dutch and didn't get to see Dutch fall; Jack only sees Dutch's messages come true. He represents the continuation of a harsh legacy. It's likely that in Red Dead Redemption 3, Jack Marston will start his own gang and try to live the outlaw life he grew up with. At 19, Jack is younger and as good as Arthur and John in their prime. He also learned about gang life from Dutch, so he could do a lot of evil that requires redemption.

Why Jack Would Make The Logical Main Character For Red Dead 3

The Game Was Rigged From The Start

With Dan Ho, the main writer of the previous Red Dead Redemption games, no longer at Rockstar Games, the studio faces a challenge with Red Dead Redemption 3. The deep stories and complex characters that fans loved were mostly thanks to Ho's creative vision. Without Ho, the studio may take a safer and more straightforward approach. This makes it less likely for the game to introduce a completely new main character.

The most sensible choice for the lead character in Red Dead Redemption 3 would be Jack Marston. Other potential characters have interesting traits, but none are as perfectly set up for this role as Jack. A key theme in the series is how the story gets ed from one main character to another, giving them a chance to redeem themselves.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, Arthur Morgan hands the story over to John Marston, helping him find a way to leave the gang behind. John hands the story off to his son, Jack, who should take on the lead role, allowing the game to explore new themes while still holding onto what made the series popular. This shift from Arthur to John and then to Jack helps give the story a sense of continuity and would make for a great trilogy.

Jack Marston is the last surviving Van der Linde Gang member and has the chance to seek redemption. He grew up during the chaos of his family's life in the gang and lost everything when it fell apart. Thanks to Dutch, Jack ired his father and their wild lifestyle, believing it was meaningful in a world that tried to bring them down. He viewed the "civilized" world as his enemy, which took away his childhood, his friends, and his parents.

The series shows how the Wild West is fading away, but for Jack, the civilized world he was shown wasn’t something he would choose. It robbed him of what he knew and loved, and he seems destined to fight back the same way Dutch did. While I personally don't love the idea, it's easy to see that RDR1 and RDR2 were setting up Jack's backstory for his redemption arc.

If Jack decides to become a gunslinger, as hinted at the end of Red Dead Redemption, he will complete his story as set up by the previous games. Therefore, making Jack the main character of Red Dead Redemption 3 makes perfect sense, as he is the last surviving gang member who needs redemption and has the chance to pursue it.