Red Dead Redemption 2: The Lore of the Van der Linde Gang

Overview

• The video explores the extensive lore of the Van der Linde gang from Red Dead Redemption 2.
• Focuses on the gang's history up until the events of the game in 1899.
• Includes characters, events, and the gang's rise and decline.

Key Characters and Origins

• Dutch Van der Linde

  • Born in Philadelphia, 1855.
  • Father died in the Civil War, instilling a grudge against the South.
  • Embarked on a life of crime at 15, driven by ideals of freedom and liberty.
  • Met Hosea Matthews, forming a lifelong partnership.

• Hosea Matthews

  • Born around 1844, raised in the mountains.
  • Former stage actor turned con artist.
  • Met Dutch in the 1870s; became lifelong partners in crime.

• Arthur Morgan

  • Born around 1863, joined the gang at 14.
  • Viewed Dutch and Hosea as father figures.

• John Marston

  • Born in 1873, joined after being saved by Dutch from a lynching.

Gang Development

• Early Years

  • Dutch and Hosea scammed people and committed crimes for a "higher purpose."
  • Gang's initially Robin Hood-like, stealing from the rich to help the poor.

• Key Events and Members

  • 1877: Dutch and Hosea escape from prison in Kettering, Ohio.
  • 1885: Dutch saves John Marston; he joins the gang.
  • Bill Williamson joins in 1893 after trying to rob Dutch.
  • Uncle, a mysterious freeloader, joins the gang.

• Major Heists

  • 1887: First major bank robbery in an unnamed town.
  • Approximately 36-40 bank robberies from 1887 to 1899.

Decline and Internal Struggles

-Shift in Ideals

• Dutch's disillusionment led to a decline in the gang's moral compass.

  • Leopold Strauss introduces loan sharking.

• Rivalries and Feuds

  • Feud with Colm O'Driscoll after Dutch kills his brother.
  • Dutch's romantic entanglements and personal losses.

Members' Personal Stories

• Karen Jones and Orville Swanson: Joined under unclear circumstances.
• Josiah Trelawny: Con man with a double life.
• Sean MacGuire: Irish-born member, tried to rob Dutch initially.
• Molly O'Shea: Dutch's lover from Dublin.
• Lenny Summers: Joined after the murder of his educated father.
• Charles Smith: Brought survival skills, joined after feeling treated fairly.

Final Days Pre-1899

• Failed Blackwater Heist

  • Plan to rob a ferry goes awry, leading to losses and a retreat into the mountains.

• New Members

  • Sadie Adler: Joins after her husband is killed by the O'Driscolls.
  • Kieran Duffy: Former O'Driscoll captured by the gang.

Key Themes

• The gang is a complex entity with blurred lines between family and outlaw life.
• The slow decline and moral decay as the world modernizes.

Conclusion

• The video emphasizes the gang's dynamic history and characters, ending as the game begins.
• Acknowledges potential missed details and invites viewers to contribute.