Characters

John Marston

• The protagonist of Red Dead Redemption. Previously a member of the dangerous Van der Linde gang, John left the outlaw lifestyle to raise his family after a botched train robbery. He is forced by agents representing the Bureau of Investigation to hunt down his former brothers-in-arms across the dying Wild West. John is a hardened and serious man trying to live out his bloody past as a dangerous outlaw, despite being labeled as such by his former associates and government sources.

Abigail Marston

• John's wife and Jack's mother. Like her husband, she's a former member of the Van der Linde gang, and used to be one of the gang's prostitutes. Choosing John as her significant other is one of the things that worsened relations between Marston and his then-brothers in arms. Along with her son, she was kidnapped by the Bureau to force John into hunting their former comrades. Although illiterate and perhaps not as intelligent as her husband and son, Abigail is a stubborn and strong-headed woman who deeply loves and cares about her family.

Jack Marston

• The only surviving child of John, and the secondary protagonist of Red Dead Redemption. He was born while his parents were still members of the Van der Linde gang, so he was also raised by the gang's senior members. He is kidnapped alongside his mother, Abigail, by government agents to serve as leverage against John.

Uncle

• A former drinking partner of John's. He used to be a member of the Van der Linde gang back in the day, but left alongside the Marstons. Nowadays he works as a hired muscle for the Marston Ranch at Beecher's Hope, and lives in their house. Despite his occupation, Uncle is normally a lazy and drunk man who rarely does his job properly. In spite of this, he is a good and loyal friend to John and his family.

Bill Williamson

• The dangerous leader of the New Austin-based Williamson gang and a former member of the Van der Linde gang. He is the first of 3 former associates John is forced to hunt down, with the 2 originally being close friends who grew apart due to Bill's jealousy towards John. Now basing himself at Fort Mercer, Bill terrorizes the entire region. He is a cruel and confident outlaw with no whelms about committing the most heinous of crimes, but is also a coward at heart.

Javier Escuella

• The second of 3 men John is tasked with bringing down. An outlaw of Mexican heritage, Escuella left for Nuevo Paraíso after the disbandment of the Van der Linde gang; there he became a mercenary and hitman, often working for the Mexican Army. Like Bill, Escuella is a cowardly man who prefers to avoid John, but at the same time he can also be a cunning individual.

Dutch Van Der Linde

• The final man John is tasked with hunting down, and the leader of both the original Van der Linde gang and the Native American-formed Dutch's Gang. He was also John, Bill and Javier's former mentor figure. He is the most notorious criminal in West Elizabeth and the biggest enemy of the Bureau and its attempt to civilize the region. Dutch is a charismatic yet dangerous and violent man who is ready to wage his war against technology and governmental spreading by any means necessary.

Edgar Ross

• A senior member of an American federal outfit called the Bureau of Investigation, tasked with civilizing the dying Old West, and in the process taking down infamous members of the now-defunct Van der Linde gang. He kidnaps John's family and forces him into hunting down his former associates, one by one. Ross is a man of modernism with preferences for semi-automatic weapons and automobiles. He's a sarcastic and calm man, but ruthless enough to bring his own view of justice by any means.