1. Dutch Van Der Linde
RDR is a tragedy and aside from John, Dutch van der Linde is undoubtedly the most tragic character in it. He is the one character John struggles to confront as he serves as a reminder of his past and the man who taught him everything. Dutch accepts he must die with the Old West while John insists he can change and create a new life. Dutch does not belong in the New America that is stamping out the lawlessness and freedom of the Old West so he chooses to fight to the death against the law. Whereas Bill Williamson and Javier Escuella were merely out for themselves by the time RDR begins, Dutch still claims to fight for something, though what exactly that is even Dutch cannot explain. The tragic thing about Dutch is that he knows he has lost, but as he can't "fight own nature" he carries on living the only way he knows how, by fighting and killing. The mission in which the player assaults Dutch's fortress to take him down is the most thrilling mission in the game. The verbal sparring as John and Dutch ascend up the mountain provides the most significant quote that captures all of RDR's story when Dutch says to John -"you can't change who you are". This is the central theme of the game and the one thing John desperately wants is to change. But as John kills more people in the game's missions it proves John, like Dutch, seems unable to stop spilling blood, it is in their very nature. His finest moment comes when John and Dutch face-off on the mountain top. Instead of a deadly shoot-out immediately, Dutch drops his gun and laments his whole life, and how he has been trapped in an endlessly perpetuating losing battle. While the speech is a strong moment for Dutch, it also foreshadows the events of John's own story, confirming that after Dutch is gone "they'll just find another monster" to kill, and that monster is John. Who do you think is the greatest Red Dead Redemption character aside from John? Share your own thoughts below.