Highlights

• Arthur Morgan's quotes in Red Dead Redemption 2 are powerful and relevant, showcasing his moral compass and loyalty to his gang.
• Arthur's realization that the Van der Linde gang is made up of thieves in a changing world displays his introspection and understanding of their criminal nature.
• Arthur's quotes highlight his wisdom and the lessons he imparts, even to those who may not be as intelligent or perceptive as him.

The protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2 may not be the brightest, but he certainly is a man of morality. Arthur Morgan watches helplessly as his family, the Van der Linde gang, crumble under the pressure of a changing world that doesn’t want gunslingers and outlaws anymore. Red Dead Redemption 2 does a stellar job with Arthur Morgan and cements him as one of the best characters in gaming.

Throughout the entirety of Red Dead Redemption 2, the game explores Arthur Morgan’s relationship with friends, foes, and even himself. Arthur’s dialogue leads to some of the most powerful quotes by Arthur Morgan, some that stay relevant and gut-wrenching today.

Updated May 22, 2024, by Jake Fillery: With an amazing performance from Roger Clark and incredibly well-written dialogue, Arthur Morgan has been fleshed out to be one of the most memorable characters of all time, and his story in Red Dead Redemption 2 is nothing short of a spectacle, and a tragic one at that. Throughout RDR2, Arthur Morgan provides words of wisdom and commentary on his world that provide an insight into his thoughts, as well as some truly deep quotes that remain memorable, even 6 years after the game has been released. Here are some of the best Arthur Morgan quotes with some true power behind his words throughout Red Dead Redemption 2.

Spoilers ahead for Red Dead Redemption 2!

20 "You Gotta Run And Don't Look Back. This Is Over."

Arthur's Sound Advice To John On The End Of The Gang

Doubts plague Arthur, both in how much time he has left to live and with how far off the deep end Dutch has swum. It seems that things are coming to an end, and with John ignorant of the fact, Arthur tries to give him a reality check and lets him know that the time will soon come when he has to leave this life and take his family, and not look back at those left behind.

Arthur doesn't want John to be consumed the same way he was, too loyal to a gang that's going to see the fires of Hell sooner than they should out of sheer stubbornness. It's one of the many powerful moments that shows the brotherly bond between Arthur and John, and how the former is always looking out for the latter.

19 "Get The Hell Out Of Here And Be A Goddamn Man!"

Arthur Gives John One More Brotherly Push Before The End

When it's time for John and Arthur to say their final goodbyes, Arthur spurs him on by telling him to leave him here and go be a man. That line would go on to follow John throughout his own life, as he would finally do things for himself and protect his wife and son, rather than following the orders of those worse than him, who only want to fill this new life with pain and misery.

The fact that Arthur's parting words to John were more sound advice on being a man, not just for his sake, but the sake of his wife and child, shows how deeply Arthur cares, and presents a powerful brotherly figure that makes it even harder to mourn.

18 "Maybe When Your Mother's Finished Mourning Your Father, I'll Keep Her In Black On Your Behalf."

Arthur Shows A Selfish Lack Of Sympathy

Before Arthur faced his own mortality, he was addicted to the toxicity that was requested of him by the gang he was so loyal to. When it is time to collect on debts owed, Arthur puts on the skin of a wolf, becoming the monster that he believes he is just so he doesn't feel a nudge of morality for the business he's in.

With that, he threatens a grieving woman's son, not only by taking his life but keeping his mother in mourning for the rest of her life, ensuring that she wears black until her last days. It's a tragic line that shows the divide within Arthur's soul, and the depths he would go to get what he wants.

17 "Just Do One Thing Or The Other, Don't Try To Be Two People At Once."

More Sound Advice From Arthur To John About What Kind Of Man He Needs To Be

Arthur might be modest and full of doubt, claiming that he doesn't know much about anything, but his advice is always sound, and his words are always powerful. His spoken words to John about doing just one thing, being true to himself and who he wants to be, rather than dividing himself into an image for others, is something everyone should listen to.

Arthur's powerful words help to stick with John, and even players, as they listen further to his words of wisdom. The fact that Arthur knows that people don't need to try and be two people at once to impress others, comes from how he's done it before, and he knows how it feels.

16 "Despite My Best Efforts To The Contrary...It Turns Out I've Won."

At The End Of Arthur's Journey, He Wins

The ending of Red Dead Redemption 2 is perhaps one of the saddest of all, and it involves an injured and dying Arthur reaching for his gun to kill Micah, the rat who destroyed the Van der Linde camp. He is stomped by Dutch, and this emotional moment showcases a few things going on in Arthur's mind, but most importantly, how he views his end as a victory.

Arthur has always had a complicated relationship with the world, and the people in it. It can be interpreted that Arthur believes he's won because he managed to get John Marston out of this life, free from the Van der Linde gang to raise his child with his wife. It was a worthy sacrifice, knowing that one of the few good men left has managed to escape with his help, and all will remember Micah as nothing but a rat.

15 "I Tried. In The End... I Did."

Arthur's Takes His Last Breaths As A Hero, Not A Villain

There is no greater tragedy in Red Dead Redemption 2 than the death of Arthur Morgan. The lead character desperately clings to his last breath, struggling and wheezing to take in air as he lies there helpless, at his end, among a traitor and the man he once considered a father. Yet, Arthur sees right past them, and in the end, he confirms with himself that he did the right thing.

Arthur not only managed to save John, but perhaps he even saved himself and his own soul, confirming that he tried, and that can be openly interpreted as he tried to be a good man, despite how he was raised, despite his deeds before and during Red Dead Redemption 2. His final act was one of nobility, and as he lies there broken and dying atop a mountain, he knows his final sunrise will be a peaceful one.

14 “You Might Be The First Bastard To Ever Have Half His Brains Eaten By A Wolf And End Up More Intelligent.”

Arthur's Banter With John Marston Showcase Their Brotherly Rivalry

Whilst this quote might show more of a bantering side to Arthur Morgan than a powerful one, it still exhibits those big brother traits that Arthur presented to John Marston. Interacting with John was always a sour one, and Arthur and John never really saw eye-to-eye until Arthur was drawing his dying breaths, he wanted to do right about the young man and his family whom he felt like he could still save.

Arthur jests with John about the wolf attack that gave him his iconic scar and even compliments him on how he’s becoming wiser, even after such a stupid attack. This all comes after John comes up with a pretty good plan, which is rare for the character at this point in time. Nevertheless, Arthur compliments him in classic big brother style: with an insult.

13 “We’re Thieves In A World That Don’t Want Us No More.”

Tensions Arise Between Dutch & Arthur

Dutch’s philosophy on life seems to be waning on Arthur with this quote, and he informs the leader, and the mentor of the Van der Linde gang that their true nature as thieves is unfaltering, and perhaps to a negative degree. Arthur knows that the Van der Linde gang aren’t just survivors and outcasts, they are criminals and crooks that refuse to get with the times. With the world so quickly evolving around them, they can't seem to find their ground to stand on.

Powerful quotes from Arthur Morgan are always the ones in which he stands up for authority and realizes what is best for not only himself but for the people he cares about. Arthur’s stark realization that he’s in a band of killers, and they are not there to save people, or even themselves, just shows that his undying loyalty to Dutch is beginning to strain.

12 “Some Jobs Aren’t For Saving, And Some Legacies Are For Pissing On.”

Arthur Shows That His Morals Are More Important Than Money

If there was ever a quote in Red Dead Redemption 2, to sum up the character of Arthur Morgan, it could very well be this one. Whilst this quote may be about a disgraced homeless slave owner, it shows that, despite not believing it himself, Arthur Morgan is a good man in his heart. Arthur sticks with his morals and refuses to help a slave owner, but it’s his quote that really strikes hard.

The fact that Arthur would turn away payment and declare that some “legacies” are better off dead and discarded like toilet waste just shows what kind of man he is. For Arthur, it’s not about legacy or the payout, but about doing what’s right, and he clearly sticks by that until the very end and beyond.

11 “You’re Gonna Sleep With Your Chest Open If You Ain’t Careful, Boy.”

Threats From Arthur Morgan Should Not Be Taken Lightly

This comes between a conversation with the young and brass Sean. This quote shows how much of a savage Arthur can be when someone’s threatening him, or disrespecting him. Arthur takes full offense to Sean’s comment that he better “sleep with his eyes open”, and so he comes back with the brutal imagery of Sean sleeping with his “chest open”, implying Arthur is going to shoot the man dead.

Sean gets to see the wrath of Arthur, and the threat of his words. Arthur proves himself a powerful character who demands the respect of the Van der Linde gang, and he more than proves it with his brutish strength and his cunning skills with a gun. If there’s one thing to know about Arthur, it’s that he knows how to threaten someone.

10 “I Wish Things Were Different… But It Weren’t Us Who Changed.”

The Sad Reality Of Not Recognizing People Once Considered Family

As the world becomes more civilized, and the age of outlaws comes to a whimper of an end, Arthur reminisces to John Marston about his life, and how the gang is everything to him. Arthur isn’t afraid to say he would kill for it, or die for it. All that matters to his life, is the life of the gang.

Yet, Arthur is not blinded by his love and loyalty and sees that the gang is crumbling. Each day, their friends become more selfish, and their great leader becomes more unhinged. Arthur said, “It weren’t us who changed.” This is the powerful realization that he and John remain true to themselves, whereas the people around them become sick and shattered.

9 “Lack Of Something To Feel Important About Is Almost The Greatest Tragedy A Man May Have.”

Arthur Stresses The Value Of Importance In Someone's Life

It’s no surprise that Arthur Morgan can get rather philosophical in Red Dead Redemption 2. After all, he’s living a life in the wilderness and enjoying the calming storm that is the way of an outlaw. Arthur sees the beauty in philosophy, and beneath his ways is a good man.

Arthur recognizes that a person needs something, and more importantly, they need to feel important. Arthur has that security with his gang and realizes the tragedy in someone who can’t have that feeling.

8 “I guess… I… I’m Afraid.”

Coming To Terms With Mortality Isn't Easy

Vulnerability is not something one would expect from an outlaw in the Wild West, but Red Dead Redemption 2 does a wonderfully tragic job of portraying the fear of terminal illness within Arthur Morgan. Arthur second-guesses his life after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, and as the clock ticks, his fear grows.

Not only is Arthur Morgan’s line “I’m afraid” hard to hear for how strong and mighty we view this cowboy, but the voice cracks and shaking is felt behind the performance of Roger Clark. It’s powerful to see Arthur so vulnerable and scared, even if audiences don’t want to see him go.

7 “You Don’t Get To Live A Bad Life And Have Good Things Happen To You.”

Accepting His Fate As Part Of The Pact For His Misdeeds Is A Hard Pill To Swallow

After Arthur’s tragic diagnosis of TB, he begins to see a change in his morality. Arthur realizes that if he is facing the crux of his end due to a past mistake, then the best thing he can do is give the people he loves a better chance. Arthur has resigned himself to fate but knows John Marston has hope.

With everything, Arthur has done, and everything the Van der Linde gang has done, Arthur tells John “You don’t get to live a bad life and have good things happen to you.” It’s a changing point for Arthur when he realizes that John must change, or follow the same fate as the others.

6 “I Gave You All I Had.”

Arthur's Dying Plea To Dutch Is A Heartbreaker

There are plenty of gut-wrenching and emotional scenes in Red Dead Redemption 2, but for the majority of the players, Arthur Morgan’s death is perhaps the most heartbreaking. In his final moments after a fistfight with Micah, Arthur struggles to breathe, through injury and tuberculosis. Arthur takes one look up at Dutch, who no longer sees Arthur as a son, only for Arthur to struggle to say “I gave you all I had.”

These words bring guilt to Dutch, and he realizes the horrors that he has committed, and how he has betrayed his son and lost his gang, all for a rat. This heartbreaking line encapsulates how much Arthur admired Dutch, and even in his last breaths, stayed true to his word.

5 “We Can’t Change What’s Done, We Can Only Move On.”

Wise Words Spoken To John, The Last Good Man In Camp

For someone often seen as just the muscle of the Van der Linde gang or an idiot with a hat and a gun, Arthur Morgan can offer some really good advice. These words echo to him during a dream-like sequence when his illness takes the better of him.

Arthur’s quote “We can’t change what’s done, we can only move on”, is not only about how he’s dying, and nothing can change that, but it’s also in the power of his guilt. Arthur has lived through survival and trauma and has infected others with this trauma through murder and transgressions of innocents. He knows that he can’t change that, he can only move on, no matter how hard that is.

4 “We’re More Ghosts Than People.”

Recognizing That This World Doesn't Have Much For Him Anymore

Sadie Adler goes through enough trauma for multiple lifetimes when the O’Driscolls murder her husband and leave her cowering in fear. This grief and anger turned Sadie into a strong gunslinger, one that ventured to wipe out the remaining O’Driscolls. If Arthur goes with her, they can have an intimate conversation about what’s next for life after vengeance.

Arthur tells Sadie “We’re more ghosts than people”, truly encompassing how Arthur feels that he is a relic, a person who doesn’t have much time left but can still make a difference with that time. For Sadie, that quote also means something, that her life and love for her husband need to move onward, outside of revenge.

3 “Vengeance Is An Idiot’s Game.”

Arthur Won't Allow Himself To Be Consumed By Revenge

During the opening chapters of the game, the player will see that Arthur Morgan isn’t exactly someone who cares about putting people six feet under. Whether it’s robbery, murder, or debt collection, Arthur Morgan cares little for people, and little still for those who owe his gang money.

In a warning to a boy who can’t affix his scornful gaze, Arthur Morgan tells him that “vengeance is an idiot’s game”. Despite being a cool line from a gunslinger, it’s also a line that harbors plenty of truth and is a warning not only to him but to anyone who seeks that life.

2 “Be Loyal To What Matters.”

Arthur Understands The Importance Of Family

Throughout the majority of Red Dead Redemption 2, players will further learn of the strained brotherly relationship between Arthur Morgan and John Marston. Much like Arthur, John was taken in by Dutch, and raised within the gang, however, as the older and more experienced member of the gang, Arthur can see that the Van der Linde gang is falling, and John needs to take priority in his family over the life of an outlaw.

It goes to show Arthur’s changed perspective, as he tells John to “be loyal to what matters”, a powerful statement that rings true today. John needs to find loyalty in his wife and his child, to give them a better life than what they can have here, dying for a world that isn’t there anymore.

1 “I Have To Insist.”

A Desperate Plea To Dutch, Heard With Bitterness

The relationship between Dutch and Arthur is one of fatherhood and friendship and one that audiences helplessly watch dwindle into a relationship of strangers. With each chapter showing a further slip of Dutch’s mental decay, and Arthur’s mortality reaching an end, Arthur finally puts his foot down to Dutch and says “I have to insist.”

This is the first time that Arthur has gone against Dutch’s words and his plan, and it cements the fact that they are not the same people they once were. This powerful quote has Dutch festering in his own rage and warped sense of betrayal.