Preface: Origially published on Blogger Monday, January 21, 2019
I have been playing video games all the way back to the Atari 2600. This does two things; it dates me, but it also hopefully demonstrates I have had a myriad of experiences in the gaming world, and more importantly experiencing the worlds more the more modern day games have crafted.
I’ve fought on the ice in Blades of Steel, cheered when Magus joined my band of heroes in Chrono Trigger and laughed at the corny dialogue supplied by every character while evading zombies in the first Resident Evil. I also got to traverse the wild west with John Marston, a character which I grew to admire and respect. Getting to know Marston and his family made me all the more skeptical when Rockstar Games stated the Red Dead Redemption 2 would be a prequel focusing on some stranger, Arthur Morgan. But now I am true believer, fully convinced that Arthur is one of the greatest protogonists, not only in the history of gaming, but storytelling, PERIOD. - Disagree and come at me if you will.
And here are a few reasons why…
The Man – He's More Than He Appears to Be
One of the main assumptions most of the characters in RDR2 make (including Arthur himself) is that he’s not extremely blessed with intelligence and nothing more than a trigger man. Contrary to this, Arthur demonstrates throughout the game that he cares deeply about those around him and has a very clear delineation of right and wrong. Arthur's biggest issue isn't that he's dim; its that he learns too late that there are many things in this world more important than loyalty (particularly misplaced loyalty). Arthur’s depth as a character is more well known to the player than most of those that surround him in Rockstar’s marvelously crafted world.
The Myth - Why is Arthur so Damn Likable? Arthur’s appeal comes from the fact that he asks the same questions that we ask ourselves. Each of us, deep down wonders if we good enough, or even good at all. Truthfully, his demons likely look familiar to many of us. He contemplates these things even as he faces down his own mortality. In many ways, Arthur is all of us, and I’m not afraid to admit, Arthur is ME.
The Legend – What is Arthur’s Legacy?
Within Arthur’s journey redemption is obviously a theme, but so is that of karma. Arthur’s tale is one that demonstrates quite clearly that despite an ugly past, we must focus our attention on the present in order to be able to have peace in our future.
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