Summary
Red Dead Redemption 2’s Dutch van der Linde is a born orator, whose honeyed words earn him the respect and admiration of many. The product of a brilliant performance by Benjamin Byron Davis, Dutch is one of the most memorable characters inRDR2. The leader of a small posse, Dutch styles himself a noble outlaw, defending the last bastion of Old West freedom while attempting to secure a sufficient retirement fund for his followers. He considers himself a strategic mastermind, but his frequent missteps often leadRDR2’s gang straight into trouble.
[Warning: Some of the following quotes includespoilers for the endings of RDR1 and 2.]
However,it’s Dutch’s gift of gab that keeps his friends and allies coming back. He always seems to know what to say - he can deliver a rousing speech, make a quiet promise, or guilt others into doing his will. It’s this tension between his true belief in himself and the gang, and his constant dishonesty, manipulation, and backstabbing to maintain it, that makes Dutch a compelling character, and one of the most memorable figures inRDR2’s take on the Old West. These are some of his finest lines, his grandest speeches, and his cuttingest quips.
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10“You’ll Betray Me In The End, Arthur, You Seem The Type.”
A Random Camp Encounter With A Tinge Of Martyrdom
If Arthur seems to be having too good a time while wandering aroundone ofRDR2’s camps, Dutch may look up from his book, look him in the eye, andtell Arthur he expects to be betrayed. This quote comes completely out of nowhere; players report it occurring in bothhigh- and low-honor playthroughs ofRDR2. It’s a very prescient moment for Dutch, too. He’s technically right about Arthur turning against him, although it’s less a malicious betrayal and more a last-ditch effort to survive.
This quote also appears to contain a biblical reference, and coming from the well-read Dutch, that’s probably intentional. During various accounts of the Last Supper, Jesus looks around at his disciples, and announces that he expects one of them to betray him. Dutch’s use of the word “betray” is loaded - by using similar phrasing, he literally martyrs himself, positioning himself as a noble paragon of sacrifice for his found family.
9"I Choose Whom I Kill And Rob, And You Destroy Everything In Your Path."
Putting Leviticus Cornwall In His Place
InRDR2’s revolving door of villains, Leviticus Cornwall is one of the most compelling, and sticks around the longest. The gang repeatedly runs afoul of Cornwall, first robbing his train, then stealing a set of important documents, and finally, by threatening his very life. Cornwall admonishes Dutch as a worthless outlaw, which triggers Dutch’s self-righteous streak. He reminds Cornwall that they’re one and the same: killers and thieves all, butDutch is Robin Hood, while Cornwall is a mere robber baron.
This is a surprisingly self-aware moment for Dutch, who doesn’t always acknowledge the violence of his own lifestyle. The thing is, he’s half right: Cornwall is every bit the villain he is. That kind ofcontrast between the greed of well-heeled capitalists and that of independent outlaw upstartsis a big part ofRDR2’s central theme, and the defining factor in its take on the American Dream. Dutch just believes that his goals are less selfish, as he has a gang to look out for, while Cornwall is only out to stuff his own coinpurse.
8"We Don’t Want To Kill Any Of You, But Trust Me, We Will."
Assuaging Hostages' Fears During A Stick-Up
As he stalks down the aisle of Cornwall’s train, Dutch brandishes a pistol and promises its passengers that his intention is not to harm them, but simply to take their money. Of course, whether the gang actually kills any innocent people during this mission is entirely up to the player - like mostRDR2robberies, it’s entirely possible to pull this one off (mostly) non-lethally.
This line distillsDutch’s entire noble outlaw philosophy into a single sentence. He takes no joy in wanton violence, but will more than happily carry it out if it suits his needs. He’s at once greedy and selfless, murderous and peaceful - or at least he believes himself to be so magnanimous. Ultimately, this line is very telling about what Dutch views as his place in the world, and how that correlates to actual reality. It adds context to those jobs gone wrong, demonstrating that Dutch’s initial intentions are often relatively nonviolent.
7"You Can’t Fight Nature, Captain. You Can’t Fight Change. You Can’t Fight… Gravity!"
A Reference To Dutch’s End In RDR1
When Arthur and Dutch are cornered by a group of agents cliffside, one of them reminds Dutch that he can’t go against his own nature. Dutch immediately strikes up a confident speech, lamenting his regrets, and claiming that he sees the wisdom in the captain’s words now. “You can’t fight nature,” he repeats, “you can’t fight change. You can’t fight…” He pauses as he takes a half-step backwards, and then cries out, “Gravity!” as he and Arthur dive into the river below.This is a pretty funny moment out of context- a veryLooney Tunes-esque trick of the tongue by Dutch.
But when considered in conversation with his appearance inRDR1,this is one of Dutch’s most revealing moments. He repeats a similar speech (sudden jump included) when John Marston finally confronts him, before jumping off a sheer cliff wall. Voice and motion capture actor Benjamin Byron Davis delivers a consistent performance across both games, portraying Dutch’s pride in his own wit and eloquence. Both times, he’s willing to risk his own life for a chance at continued freedom. The repetition of these lines also reveals that Dutch seems to have handy speeches like this one prepared in his head, ready to be delivered at a moment’s notice.
6"Have Some Faith!"
Dutch’s Oft-Repeated Refrain
Dutch’s demand for “faith” from his followers is often overshadowed by his constant harping on “plans,” butit’s the former phrase that he actually speaks more often. Dutch repeatedly barks at his fellow gang members that they need to have faith: when they’re in a tight spot, when his plans go wrong, when they don’t see the wisdom of his actions. Dutch is a master tactician; given time, he can weasel his way out of any situation he finds himself in. His allies have witnessed that, and even if it doesn’t always work out in his favor, at least a few of them have always come out alive.
But his weakness is that he’s not always given the time he needs to come up with a solution. In the absence of a concrete plan,Dutch instead demands unquestioning faith, promising he’ll work it out soon. And he usually does, until he doesn’t.
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5"I’ll Keep Trying, And You’ll Keep Doubting Me, And We’ll Keep Failing."
Dutch Pins His Problems On Arthur
Andwhen he doesn’t get the faith he demands, Dutch responds angrily. During the Beaver Hollow chapter ofRDR2, Dutch and the gang meet up with a tribe of Wapiti led by Rains Fall. They’re embroiled in their own conflict with the army, and Rains Fall’s son, Eagle Flies, approaches Dutch for help getting back their stolen horses. Dutch agrees to help them, but Arthur sees through his ruse: his actual plan is to use the Wapiti as a distraction, letting them take the brunt of the Army’s force while he and the gang get off scot-free.
Arthur critiques Dutch for this decision, and Dutch responds by blaming Arthur’s doubts for all the gang’s failures. Benjamin Byron Davis' performance perfectly walks the line between truth and dishonesty, so it’s hard to say whether Dutch actually believes his own projection, or whether he’s just trying to manipulate Arthur into believing in him again. One thing is for sure:Dutch fails to acknowledge that his usual strategies no longer work because the world he grew up in is disappearing, marking the tragedy at the center of his character arc.
4"There Ain’t No Freedom For No One In This Country No More!"
Duch Acknowledges His Failings While Making Himself A Hero
Late in the game, Dutch wakes up to realize that many of his trusted companions - Mary Beth, Pearson, and even Uncle - have fled camp under cover of night. Arthur already has more than his own share of misgivings, and knows John and his family do, too. So he gently suggests that Dutch give up the ghost, and let John pack up and go his own way.Dutch, of course, flies off the handle at the very mention of “freedom,“declaring it an outdated concept.
Once again, Dutch is half right - the freedom of his young, outlaw life is no longer viable. The West is rapidly becoming industrialized, and those once free to seek their own fortunes are forced to do backbreaking labor for ultrarich robber barons. But he’s still being classic, manipulative Dutch.He frames himself as John, Arthur, and everyone else’s sole salvationfrom the rapidly closing window to freedom.
3"It’s Man So In Love With Greed, He Has Forgotten Himself And Found Only Appetites.”
Dutch Rejects Manifest Destiny
Although himself an archetype of the period, Dutch rejects the idea of Manifest Destiny out of hand. When confronted with the idea that people like Leviticus Cornwall and the US Army agents chasing after the gang are only trying to “civilize” the Wild West. Dutch scoffs. He claims that civilization doesn’t enter into the equation. The motivating factor behind everything Cornwall, the army, and Dutch’s other enemies are doing isboundless capitalist greed.
Again, Dutch is right here, but he’s projecting.He’s losing sight of his own moral code, which previously guided his noble outlaw lifestyle. He’s been dipping his fingers into the camp’s coffers, and lying to the rest of the gang about how much he has squirreled away. His own greed might not be on par with Cornwall’s quite yet, but it’s rapidly heading in that direction, and he repeatedly rejects any of his friends' attempts to get him to quit while he’s ahead.
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2”‘Real.’ How I Detest That Word. So Devoid Of Imagination."
Dutch’s Redeeming Qualities
But for all Dutch’s violent tendencies and manipulation,he actually has a handful of redeeming qualities as well. The implication is that those qualities were once at the forefront of his personality, but have since given way to bitterness and greed. When Dutch claims, for the billionth time, that his upcoming plan is the gang’s last before retirement, John questions him, claiming he’s just trying to keep expectations realistic. Dutch responds by expressing his own point of view - that realism is for the unimaginative.
This reveals thatDutch is a dreamer who really does, deep down, believe a better world is possible. As much as he self-sabotages his attempts to create one, he really does think the grass is greener on the other side. The only problem is that, over the course ofRDR2, he gradually becomes willing to throw anyone and everyone under the stagecoach in order to get there.
1"I Ain’t Got Too Much To Say No More."
Dutch Gives Up
InRDR2’s epilogue, John, Sadie, and Charles are reunited eight years after the gang fell apart. They learn that Micah is still out there somewhere, and vow to pursue their revenge. They find him with Dutch, and as Micah and John are arguing over who’s responsible for destroying the gang, John grows desperate for Dutch’s input. But when he pleads for him to say something,Dutch simply mutters, “I ain’t got too much to say no more.“This line is delivered at a lower volume, and with a subtle, yet meaningful, voice crack, a testament to Benjamin Byron Davis' nuanced performance.
It becomes immediately apparent thatDutch has given up completely. He has no more flowery words; he knows John sees through his ruses, and he no longer has the faith of his gang to back him up. He’s a man broken by the modern world, and he can no longer pretend to be anything else. Here, players see Dutch at his lowest, in a tragic - if fitting - ending toRed Dead Redemption 2.
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Did you love the original Red Dead Redemption back in 2010? Check out this prequel to the first game, Red Dead Redemption 2. Players explore the complex Western world as Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang. Get ready to find an adventure in the western frontier in the 1800s, fighting against government figures and famous rivals. While some controls are difficult to manage at first, after some practice mounting and dismounting your horse, you should be ready to meet more characters. The stunning graphics are to be expected with Rockstar Games, as they created other popular open world games such as Grand Theft Auto.
