Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) is a sweeping, emotionally resonant prequel set in the American frontier of 1899, during the final years of the Wild West. Players assume the role of Arthur Morgan, a senior member of the Van der Linde gang, a group of outlaws on the run after a botched robbery. Led by the charismatic but increasingly unhinged Dutch van der Linde, the gang robs and fights to survive while federal agents and bounty hunters close in. The gang's flight across a stunningly detailed open world tests its members' loyalties as internal conflicts and Dutch's paranoia begin to tear them apart. As Arthur grapples with his own morality, an unexpected tuberculosis diagnosis forces him to confront his life choices and legacy. His journey is one of possible redemption, driven by the player's honor choices and his growing concern for the gang's future, particularly for John Marston and his family. Ultimately, a final confrontation with the treacherous Micah Bell forces Dutch to choose sides, leading to a tragic end for Arthur. The epilogue, picking up with John Marston, resolves the story by tying into the events of the original Red Dead Redemption.