Following years of anticipation, Red Dead Redemption 2 came out in October of 2018 to wild fanfare, garnering praise for nearly every facet of its design. Of course, not everything about it was golden - some reviews justly criticized the less than stellar shooting mechanics - but it succeeded in sucking players into a fully fleshed out open world. Many would also say it told one of the best stories to ever grace the medium. One reason its plot was so effective was the large cast of beautifully written characters and the nuance with which their relationships developed.
Because of the amount of detail and personality packed into every character, it is easy to spend hours focusing on one ing role or their interactions with another. So, instead of spending the next twenty five entries focusing on Arthur Morgan, the main character, let's use this time to explore John Marston and the love of his life, Abigail. Their turbulent love story is explored over two games and many years, so there is a lot to unpack and discuss. Some of the details explored will be obvious, while others will only come to light after looking at the two with a more critical lens.
So get ready for a house building montage, because here are 25 Wild Revelations About John Marston And Abigail’s Relationship.
He Proposed To Her With Arthur's Ring
Their courtship and marriage was anything but a fairy tale, but it did include what most consider vital to an ideal relationship - a proposal. After a romantic date ending with a relaxing ride on a canoe, John Marston gets down on one knee and pops the question. Those who paid attention to the events leading up to the heartwarming moment will know that the ring he uses previously belonged to Arthur Morgan, who used it during his ultimately failed engagement with Mary Linton.
They Were Both Orphans
Both of these lovers had a very tough life from day one. Specifically, they were both orphaned from a young age. Almost nothing is known about Abigail's parents, and there are only a few details about John's. Marston's mother ed away during childbirth, and John's father left the mortal coil when the character was only eight years old. They both had rough childhoods, but being connected by a common tragedy could be the reason why the two grew so close.
They Had A Daughter
Everyone knows Jack, John and Abigail's child who eventually grows up to carry on the Marston name and avenge the unjust slaying of his father, John. Little do people know, however, that the two had a daughter who sadly did not live past infancy. She is rarely mentioned throughout Red Dead Redemption, but one can deduce that she was birthed sometime after the events of the second game. It makes sense why John would rarely bring up a lost child.
They Left Each Other Several Times
Readers who are or have been in long term relationships can relate to this. Stay with someone long enough and one finds out that love isn't roses and kisses. Oftentimes people will split up once or twice during an extended courtship, only to reunite several times. Emotions are complicated, and people find out they weren't ready to permanently break up or that they were the one true love. The Marstons, despite their unconventional lives, went through these usual steps too.
John Was An Unwilling Father
At the beginning of Red Dead Redemption 2, players see a radically different John than they are accustomed to. The most shocking thing is his reluctance to spend time with Jack. In Red Dead Redemption, he is doing whatever possible to get his family back, while the prequel shows a man barely willing to acknowledge his wife and child as existing. Players who didn't play the first game undoubtedly received a drastically different first impression of the character than long time fans.
Abigail Had Relationships With Most Of The Gang
To start, this entry isn't meant to harsh judgement on Abigail. Before becoming John's wife, Mrs. Marston worked in the world's oldest profession; also known as a woman of the night; or a night butterfly, for those familiar with Slavic metaphors. Because of this, she did spend intimate time with most of the gang, save for a few who were already loyal to another partner. Ultimately, though, she fell in love with John and left that profession behind to focus on raising a son.
Uncle Introduced Abigail To The Gang
Uncle is one of the more colorful personalities of the franchise, and at times one of the irritating. Pay close attention to the dialogue to find out that he was the one who brought Abigail to the camp, ultimately being responsible for her meeting John. After this revelation, it makes more sense why Abigail and John keep him around after they build their house. They might feel a bit of unspoken gratitude for his part in introducing the two destined lovers.
After Accepting Jack, John Still Wasn't The Best Father
John comes along quite a bit over the course Red Dead Redemption 2. He goes from not giving Jack the time of day to making an honest attempt at raising him and being the best father he can be. Unfortunately, being the best he can be is still a far cry from being the greatest dad possible. In RDR2's epilogue, he sometimes says unknowingly hurtful things and, while he teaches good life lessons, he doesn't teach them in the gentlest ways. Still, he does better than a lot of real life fathers.
John Would Have Lived Longer If He Listened To Abigail
Abigail's biggest problem with John's behavior is his unwillingness to abandon his violent ways. Even when he was turning over a new leaf and trying to be a better man, he would always look for the solution that involved fighting. When it came time for RDR2's final showdown, Abigail pleaded with him not to go out for vengeance, but he went anyway. Had he listened to her, the Pinkertons would not have found the aftermath of the carnage and traced it back to the farm.
John Was Completely Faithful To Abigail Once They Got Married
John Marston may not have the typical code of ethics most people have, but he never philanders once the two are officially hitched. Cheating is still common today, so one can only imagine how rampant it must have been over a hundred years ago. John is a loving husband, though, and manages to spend the epilogue and the entirety of RDR without betraying his wife.
