Red Dead Redemption IIreveals the story of the Van der Linde gang. Traveling the world ofRed Dead IIwill reveal secretsabout them, but some secrets about Dutch, in particular, will require a little sleuthing. Dutch is one of the smartest charactersin the gang, making it easy for him to keep a secret or talk his way out of a situation.
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A lot of Dutch’s past is known to the player and the gang, but some parts of his past must be discovered by exploring and talking to other characters. Today, we’ll be uncovering some of those secrets about this iconic leader of the Van der Linde gang.
10Hair Color Changes
Players ofRed Dead Redemptionand its sequel are able to see how Dutch loses color in his hair and gains a little of it back. Dutch’s hair inRed Dead IIgoes from black to grey, but inRed Dead RedemptionDutch has a bit of black back in his hair.
It is a tiny detail, but it is interesting to see. Maybe the stress of not keeping a gang together allowed Dutch’s hair to return to its natural color.
9Father Figure To Arthur And John
Arthur Morgan and John Marstonwere both brought in to the Van der Linde gang at young ages. Both characters did not have a family and were committing crimes before being saved by Dutch. Arthur was 14 and John was 12 when they joined the gang.
Dutch rescued John from being hanged, while Arthur came to view Dutch as a father figure, taking on his views of the world. This makes the end ofRed Dead Redemption IIa little sadder,as the gang falls apartand people’s opinion of Dutch shifts. Even more heartbreaking, Dutch walksaway while Arthur is dying.
8His Mother Is Buried In Blackwater
The grave of Dutch’s mother can be found in the cemetery ofBlackwater. As mentioned by Dutch, he did not know she had died until an uncle told him. It is sad to think Dutch missed the funeral of his mother because he was on the run from the law.
7One Of His Aliases Is A Reference
While trapped on the island of Guarma, Dutch tells the authorities his name is Aiden O’Malley. Anyone who has playedGrand Theft Auto IVmight recognize this as the name of a certain character. Aiden O’Malley inGrand Theft Auto IVis a character the player must break out of prison and kill.
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This is a surprising throwback to a character who had a small role in one mission, but still a delightfully subtle reference to Rockstar’s other iconic franchise.
6Dutch’s Father Died In Civil War
When the gang first gets to Lemoyne, Dutch tells Arthur that his father died in a field in Pennsylvania during the Civil War. This is likely a reference to the Battle of Gettysburg, one of the few battles that took place in Pennsylvania. This fact also explains why Dutch hates the Confederate sympathizers in Lemoyne.
Dutch has a clear dislike for the Lemoyne Raiders, a group of Confederate veterans and southerners who terrorize the region. Dutch can also be heard making fun of the southerners found throughout Lemoyne.
5Susan Grimshaw Was His Lover Once
Susan Grimshaw isone of the original membersof the Van der Linde gang and was once the lover of Dutch. Despite this, she is still close to Dutch and the gang. This includes after Dutch took on other lovers, including one that was part of the gang.
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When the gang falls apart, Susan is killed by Micah. From talking and listening to the women in camp, it can be gathered that Susan Grimshaw was not very popular among the gang.
4Dutch’s Horse Is Named The Count
It would make sense for a charismatic and powerful gang leader to have a beautiful horse. Dutch’s horse is named The Count and is a white Arabian. This is one of the rarer horses in the game. It is also mentioned that Dutch and The Count have a very close bond with each other.
Arthur Morgan is ableto attest The Count will not let anyone but Dutch ride him. Arthur says he tried to ride The Count, but was bucked off very quickly.
3Considered The Gang A Family
Dutch is quicker to call his gang a family than an actual gang. This would make sense, as most of the members have lost their families or ran away from them. This includes Dutch, who ran away from home at the age of 15. Every family has problems, but these problems become very big towards the end ofRed Dead Redemption II.
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Dutch started to break, becoming more reckless and killing innocent people. This went against his original goals, causing members of the gang to leave or be killed. Every family has some dysfunction, but Dutch’s family had suddenly become insane.
2Colm Killed His Lover
Dutch and his enemy Colm O’Driscoll were once on friendlier terms, working together. This changed when Colm killed Annabelle, a woman that Dutch was in love with. This killing came in retaliation after Dutch killed Colm’s brother.
This caused a feud, which explains why the Van der Linde gang and O’Driscoll gang are constantly fighting. InRed Dead Redemption II, Colm and Dutch meet to try to form a type of peace. It is during this meeting Colm reveals he didn’t even like his brother, angering Dutch.
1Dutch Formed The Gang With Hosea After Trying To Rob Each Other
Explaining how you met your best friend always comes with a good story. The way Hosea and Dutch met was, ironically, while they were trying to rob each other. Hosea tried to con Dutch, but Dutch was doing the same thing and had actually stolen from him. The two realized they could put their skills together and become rich.
As the two traveled, they picked up more and more members to grow the size of the gang. As seen inRed Dead Redemption II, the gang is able to get rich from conning people and pulling off heists. Sadly, it is during one of these heists that Hosea is killed and the gang realizes Dutch is going mad.
