You, Arthur Morgan, spent most of your day on the back of your horse. Under the scorching sun, you tracked and hunted game, later handing it over to camp cook Pearson. As the sun set, you put on your brave face and robbed a train. After all, you are an outlaw, and Dutch keeps emphasizing the need for money.
Later in the evening, you also carried out a rescue mission before finally heading back to camp. You hitch your horse and hear an enthusiastic Dutch announce a party.
The atmosphere is cheerful and the camp feels more alive than usual. You grab a beer while music plays in the background. People are singing and dancing around the campfire. Something is happening everywhere. Who is always up for a party? Who prefers to keep to themselves? Which member of the Van der Linde gang maintains the best atmosphere, and which member gets rowdy when drunk? Planning to throw a party around the campfire? Here are 20 members of Red Dead Redemption 2’s Van der Linde gang, sorted by how much they deserve an invitation.
Note that this list contains spoilers of events taking place during Red Dead Redemption 2.
20. Micah Bell
I don’t think this needs much explanation. Micah is a rat, and he makes little effort to hide it. Usually, traitors try extra hard to be loved or at least appreciated. But this jerk prefers to antagonize everyone (except Dutch, of course), even during parties.
You don’t want him around. He tries to win over women in the most disgusting and disrespectful ways. When he’s not doing that, he tells depressing stories in the vein of “kill or be killed”. When Micah speaks, your beer instantly goes flat.
19. Molly O’Shea
Molly doesn’t exactly become more pleasant during the events of Red Dead Redemption 2. Dutch’s partner feels superior to the group and doesn’t lift a finger to help the gang. She even admits this to Arthur when he reminds her that there’s work to be done.
She quickly starts clashing with Dutch, and their bickering can be heard on a daily basis. The last thing you want at a party is a quarreling couple ruining the mood. Besides that, she’s never really seen in a party mood either. Molly can stay at home.
18. Reverend Swanson
We can be brief about Swanson; he’s a mess of misery. The Reverend tries to drown his sorrows all day to no avail. He has no idea what he’s doing and mostly pities himself (and rightfully so). At parties, he keeps to himself, stating that he doesn’t want to ruin the fun for others. That does earn him some points, though.
17. Bill Williamson
Some people loosen up and become more fun after a few drinks. Bill is a guy who could use that because you won’t find much fun or cheer from him while sober. But pour a few drinks in him, and he becomes even more grumpy. Bill has a typical ‘angry drunk’ personality. It’s not unlikely that he would throw a punch at a party. You will want to avoid that as a host. Bill doesn’t deserve an invitation.
16. Abigail Roberts/Marston
John Marston’s sweetheart is usually busy taking care of Jack during the parties. After all, Marston is not really a father who showers his child with attention, so that burden often falls on Abigail’s shoulders. We never see her in a party mood because she’s always in her mother role. In the list of “best mothers in the Van der Linde gang,” she would be number one without a doubt. Who knows, maybe I’ll make that list someday. But for now, Abigail will have to settle for spot number 16.
15. Charles Smith
Where would the gang be without the unwavering, hardworking Charles? In all the time I’ve spent at camp, I’ve never seen Charles loafing around. He’s always busy with something, whether it’s fixing wheels, making weapons, or chopping wood. And that work never stops, not even during the parties. While the others are enjoying themselves, Charles continues his work undisturbed. If anyone deserves to relax for a bit, it’s Charles. But apparently, he thinks differently, and he’ll have to pay for it with this low ranking.
14. Tilly Jackson
I always enjoy antagonizing the other gang members. Arthur comes up with the most hilarious insults and remarks. But with Tilly, I can never bring myself to do it. Even when I make up my mind to do it because I’m curious about what kind of venom Arthur will spew this time, that innocent and enthusiastic “Hi, Arthur” disarms me. Tilly is hardworking and doesn’t harm a fly (at least not within the gang). She’s a bit of a wallflower though. Therefore, it’s not very surprising that she doesn’t take center stage during parties.
13. Sadie Adler
Sadie is a pleasant and useful member of the Van der Linde gang. However, she contributes less to the parties. During the first party, she stayed on the sidelines and was not in the party mood. Quite understandable, after what happened. At the second party, she also didn’t really mingle with people. She observed the party from a distance while enjoying some drinks. Sadie would undoubtedly rank high on many other lists, but unfortunately, she falls behind in the party rankings.
12. Kieran Duffy
Kieran Duffy is a bit difficult to rank. He could probably be quite enjoyable, but he never feels truly safe and at home in Dutch’s gang (where you, as Arthur, can contribute to this by continuing to antagonize him). He doesn’t mingle with the rest during the parties and lets the gang have their moment. It’s a bit like Swanson’s reason, but with Kieran, it seems more genuine. The fact that he can enjoy the time in his own way, bother no one and observe the party shows that he would probably be a great party companion under different circumstances.
11. Dutch Van der Linde
The leader of the Van der Linde gang himself. The hope in dark times, Dutch. Dutch is a bit like the typical boss at an office party; he kicks things off with an inspiring speech (I haAAave a PlaaaAAaaaAn!!!). He tries to ignite the fire and then takes a step back and lets his people have their moment. When he mingles with the people, it’s always about work.
Dutch also doesn’t mind handing out a cigar or two to his companions. Nothing wrong with that.
10. John Marston
During parties, the protagonist of the first Red Dead Redemption, John Marston, doesn’t stand out too much. However, Arthur Morgan’s predecessor does participate in the festivities. He’s not adverse to having a drink with his gang members. John drinks in moderation, as you won’t often find him staggering around like some of the other members (although “not often” doesn’t mean “never”..). John would be a fine addition to any party.
9. Mary-Beth Gaskill
To be fair, Mary-Beth wouldn’t have been out of place around the rankings of Tilly, Sadie, Charles, and Abigail. But since I don’t want it to be a total sausage party, I’ve placed her a bit higher. Mary-Beth even invites our beloved Arthur to dance, which is as intimate as it gets for our cool-headed protagonist. So bonus points for Mary-Beth, who’s heart is in the right place.
8. Susan Grimshaw
Miss Grimshaw, usually the camp’s drill sergeant, transforms into a fun-loving aunt during a party. She enjoys singing along to a song while having a drink and a smoke. She mingles with the crowd, engages in conversations, and visibly enjoys the evening. This hardworking lady deserves to let loose for an evening and relax. She’s probably the one who will clean all the mess up as well. Always good having someone like that attend your party.
7. Hosea Matthews
Susan Grimshaw may be the fun aunt at the party, but Hosea is the fun uncle. The uncle who treats you to the same stories you’ve been hearing your whole life at every family gathering. But who cares? It’s a party, so let the man tell his story one more time. And you still laugh just as hard as the first time you heard it. If only to give the oldest member of the gang some well-deserved joy.
6. Simon Pearson
People often make fun of the camp cook, and not entirely without reason. The burly man seems to embellish his past regularly, and his cooking skills are not always appreciated by everyone. However, Pearson works hard for his fellow gang members, and during a party, he rewards himself by frequently reaching for the bottle. He enjoys the company and can sometimes go beyond his limits.
Pearson shines at the second party, when he starts singing a song in the pouring rain while the rest of the gang is already asleep or knocked out. As Arthur, you can fortunately sing along with him to end the party together and in style.
5. Lenny Summers
Or rather: LENNAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY Summers. The youngster has a special place in Arthur’s heart, and therefore in mine as well. Lenny is not an outspoken party animal during camp parties, but deserves this listing due to his and Arthur’s escapade in the saloon of Valentine. Arthur and Lenny push it to the limit, which leads to a hilarious evening. Arthur desperately searching for Lenny and mistaking every guest for him is one of the funniest moments in the game.
4. Javier Escuella
No party is complete without music. Javier owes his high ranking to his musical talents. While others bring the vibe with their personality, Javier does so with his guitar and singing. When Dutch requests it, Javier delivers. The gang gathers around him and sings along wildly. Apart from the music, Javier is calm and often stays in the background. But the parties wouldn’t be as rich in atmosphere without his exotic musical contributions.
3. Karen Jones
If you want to get a party started, you should definitely invite this blonde drunkard. Her alcoholism is becoming increasingly concerning, but you can’t deny that she’s a lot of fun. She can be a bit short-tempered at times, but for the most part, she gets the party going in a good way. She sings, dances, and spends time with her fellow gang members. She also tries to get members who are more reserved and introverted to loosen up. For example, Karen tries to involve Kieran three times during the second party. It’s unsuccessful, but the effort is appreciated.
2. Sean MacGuire
The Irish loudmouth is an absolute party animal that you should always have around when there’s something to celebrate. The Irish are known for not shying away from a drink, and Sean confirms that stereotype. But even without a drink, the man is lively, noisy, and full of strong, funny stories. His strong accent makes him even more entertaining. The only good reason not to invite Sean is if you have a crush on Karen. Sean might make a move on her.
1. Uncle
Uncle is one of the most useless members of the Van der Linde gang. The old coot spends his days mostly drinking, sitting, and sleeping (who can blame him?). A party is well-suited for him. Nobody is as cheerful of a drunk as Uncle. Arthur doesn’t say “At least you’re a happy drunk” to him for nothing, and there’s not a word of a lie in it. Just like there’s not a word of a lie in saying that a party night for Uncle is “just like a regular evening” for him.
At a party, Uncle is not shy to sing along to the songs and share anecdotes. I mentioned that Hosea is the uncle of the group, but Uncle lives up to his nickname as well. He contributes little to the camp’s tasks, but during parties, he definitely contributes to the atmosphere. No Uncle, no party. And the next day, the next bottle is simply uncorked at breakfast again. Nice one!
