10 Exact Moments Video Game Heroes Became Villains
2. Dutch Van Der Linde - Red Dead Redemption 2
Everyone who's played Red Dead Redemption 1 knew how Red Dead Redemption 2 was going to end, and yet the finale still took many players by surprise due to the excellent narrative of Dutch's downfall from a romantic leader to a delusional madman.
Everyone in the gang is a criminal, but early in the game, you see that Dutch inspires his people to be more than just lowlife cutthroats that are only in it for the money.
He talks about how the gang's lifestyle is a rebellion against the corrupt establishment and how everything they do is ultimately meant to help them live a more peaceful life in Haiti.
However, as the reality catches up to him and it turns out the Wild West is no longer out of reach of the government, his mentality shifts drastically.
He turns from a benevolent figure into a paranoid despot that is so desperate to keep his dream of freedom alive, he is willing to doom his closest companions to death.
It all eventually leads to the gang breaking apart, and Dutch even turns on Arthur and John, blaming them for his own shortcomings.
The whole game basically revolves around Dutch's moral decay, which is why it's such a fascinating watch.