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Character Bio's
John Marston:
Early life
John Marston was born in 1873. His father was an illiterate Scottish immigrant who himself was born on a boat to New York City. John's mother was a prostitute who died during childbirth. When John was only 8 years old, his father died during a bar fight whilst in Chicago. John was then sent to an orphanage, which he promptly ran away from. He later joined Dutch's gang, who took care of him, and taught him how to read, the way around a pistol, and the ways of the street.
Early career
John Marston is a former outlaw and bandit. He ran with Dutch Van Der Linde, Bill Williamson, Javier Escuella, and other men, committing bank robberies, train raids, and other various crimes across the country. According to Marston, the gang stole and fought for a reason. In stealing from the rich and those who were given too much to give to the poor, they wanted to elicit change in the people of the West, although this might just be his own justification for their actions.
After being seriously wounded in a bank robbery, and left to die by Bill Williamson and his other former brothers in arms, Marston sought to retire from the outlaw lifestyle. Putting his past deeds behind him, he disappeared along with his wife Abigail Marston and young son Jack and purchased himself a ranch. Between his abandonment of the gang and the beginning of the game, Marston had a daughter, but she died of unknown causes.
Despite Marston's apparent reformation, he is still a masterful gunman, rider, rancher and hunter. Marston is a rugged survivalist and knows life as a fight to survive; he lives old-fashioned in a world rapidly experiencing the encroachment of technology.
As the old Wild West is tamed by encroaching technological advances, such as railroads, telegram offices, and stricter law enforcement, the federal government creates the Bureau of Investigation to aid in the process, headed by Edgar Ross. One of their major goals is to rid the region of all of the major, violent gangs running wild and unchallenged, especially that of Bill Williamson's. Edgar decides to use an ex-associate of Williamson's to hunt him down, John Marston, kidnapping his wife and son to force him to comply. After leaving the region for unknown reasons, John is escorted by ferry by Edgar Ross and Archer Fordham to the town of Blackwater, then sent off by train to Armadillo. Once there, John was escorted to the gates of Fort Mercer by an old man named Jake. In confronting his old friend, Marston tries to reason with Williamson in giving up peacefully, but this alone results in a rifle bullet to the ribs.
Bonnie MacFarlane and her ranch hand Amos find him left for dead on the side of the road, which the two pick him up, treats his wounds, and provide lodging with the condition of helping them on their ranch.
John helps them, majority to Bonnie (as well some tutorial missions and game-play mechanics) but after Bill found out that John survived and was staying at the MacFarlane Ranch, the gang burnt the barn down.
John also worked and helped US Marshal Leigh Johnson, merchant Nigel West Dickens, dysfunctional alcoholic Irish and psychotic treasure hunter Seth Briars. After the burning of the ranch, John recruited them and plans a "Trojan Horse" strategy to attack Fort Mercer, which was Bill's main hideout. They successfully raid the fort (with Dickens' armored stagecoach, Irish's gatling gun, Seth's distraction and Johnson's assistance) but only to find out that Bill had fled to Nuevo Paraiso to Javier Escuella.
Irish takes John to Nuevo Paraiso and was, to gain information on Williamson and Escuella, forced to work with Colonel Allende, the corrupt military general of the area, as well as Abraham Reyes and Luisa Fortuna, two revolutionaries, working for both sides in their fight against each other. However, Allende betrayed John and attempts to kill him causing him to join Reyes' rebellion and successfully captures or kill Escuella and leads an attack to Allende's villa. John managed to kill Allende and Williamson, but Fortuna was killed by the Federales in attempt to save Reyes. Reyes then take over the villa and John heads back to Blackwater to meet Ross again.
Though he killed Williamson, Ross tells him that he needs to kill Dutch Van Der Linde, leader of John's old gang or he cannot meet his family again. John, along with Ross, his lackey Archer Fordham, meet in several fights across West Elizabeth against Van Der Linde and his gang, but he escapes capture or death every-time. Eventually, he joined the Army in ambushing Dutch's hideout and confronted Dutch himself, who warns John that the government will always find a "monster" to justify their pay. Rather than dying by John's hand, Dutch chooses to commit suicide by falling from a cliff.
After the confrontation, John was released by the government and reunited with his family, but Ross launches an attack on the Marston ranch, and Uncle is killed during the fight. John continued fighting the army, telling Abigail and Jack to run while he planned to stay behind and hold them off from the barn. But in reality he realized this would be the last time he would see them, as his plan was to lay down his life so they would be free.
John then sacrifices himself in a desperate last stand against Ross and his men, realizing it was the only way to truly save Abigail and Jack. He was shot to death in front of the barn after exiting it calmly, drawing his pistol and shooting as many men as he could, a testament to his warrior spirit. He breathes vigorously, hinting that his lungs were hit in the process. He drops his revolver, falls to his knees and then eventually falls to the ground. Ross and his army left the ranch after John was killed, Ross happy with the fact that the final member of Dutch's gang was murdered. Abigail and Jack, upon hearing the gun fire, returned to find John's body. They then proceeded to bury it up on the hill to the north of the ranch, alongside Uncle.
His death at the hands of Ross was a poetic end to his life. He sacrificed himself to save his family so they could lead a better life, the reason he sought forgiveness in the first place. Knowing John was dead, Ross wouldn't follow Abigail or Jack so desperately any more, allowing them, and more importantly Jack, to start life fresh; finally gaining Redemption.
In 1914, three years after John was killed, Abigail dies from unknown causes. An older Jack, now a mirror image of his father, returned and buried her body up on the hill next to John's. From then on, he is playable throughout the remainder of the game; maintaining all his father's weapons, clothes, money, horses, and fame/honor.
Eventually, Jack finds Ross, who was responsible for killing his father. The two duel on the Mexican side of the San Luis River, with Jack defeating Ross, and causing Ross' body to fall back into the river - ironically, taking a life and heading on a path his father fought to save him from.
Jack Marston:
Jack was born in 1895, when his father John, and mother Abigail were still in the gang of Dutch Van Der Linde, terrorizing people and breaking the law. Jack grew up surrounded by the gang; his parents later commenting on how Jack "saw things" as a young child that no boy should see.
Some time later, John was badly wounded in a botched bank robbery. John took this as an opportunity to abandon his life of crime and left with Abigail and Jack, moving them to a ranch on Beecher's Hope to try and start over as farmers.
At some unspecified point in 1911, Jack and his mother were taken hostage by Edgar Ross of the Bureau of Investigation (B.O.I.) in order to extort John. Toward the end of the story, Jack was released along with Abigail, and they headed back to the farm where they were reunited with John. After his parent's commented on how Jack had been troubled, "growing up without a father", Jack began to finally share some time with John, as he was taught how to hunt, skin, herd cattle and become a better ranch-hand.
Wanting to prove that he was not a child anymore, but a man, Jack rode off alone to hunt a Grizzly, despite his father's previous warnings not to head out of the farm by himself. Uncle, after failing at preventing Jack from leaving, reported what had happened to John shortly after. John then traveled to the top of Nekoti Rock where he found Jack injured and the Grizzly bear that had caused the wounds. Saving Jack from the animal, they both rode back to Beecher's Hope, with John "disappointed" in his son's behaviour.
Later the ranch was attacked by government soldiers, leading to a large gunfight between the US military and John, Jack and Uncle. After initially hiding inside the house with Abigail whilst his father took down the first wave of enemies, Jack soon came out onto the porch and helped fight off the second wave, which managed to mortally wound Uncle. Jack was told by John to only shoot the horses, as he was still a boy, and not a killer.
Eventually, after defeating numerous more soldiers, Jack was ordered by his dad to retreat alongside his mother to the barn. Once John joined them, Jack and Abigail were commanded to ride far away from the farm to find a place to hide. John stated that he would catch up. With this, John hit the horse causing it to run out of the barn, and away into the Great Plains. In order to ensure safety for his family, John stepped outside the front barn doors and allowed his life to be taken by the soldiers waiting there, taking as many as he could down with him. Knowing that the government would no longer terrorize Abigail and Jack, John died redeemed, as Edgar Ross and his men silently walked away.
A few minutes later, Abigail told Jack that they had to return after hearing gunshots. They arrived at the barn to find John lying in a pool of blood, his revolver by his side. After great mourning, they buried John's body atop a nearby hill overlooking the house.
Three years later, an 18 (or 19) year-old Jack buried his mother next to his father's and Uncle's graves. Jack then proceeded to Blackwater, where he met a man of no name at the train station. After discovering that Ross, the man that betrayed his father, had retired a year ago to live near Lake Don Julio, Jack traveled to New Austin, hoping to confront the former agent. After reaching a cabin by the lake, Jack learned from Edgar's wife that he had gone on a hunting trip with his brother Phillip in Rio del Toro, Mexico. Jack gave her his thanks and stated after hearing the woman worry for her husband that he was sure Ross would be "just fine". After finding Philip, and soon after Edgar himself, Jack shared words with the old man by the riverside. Ross stated that he would kill Jack too if he didn't leave, causing Jack to challenge him to a final showdown. Jack drew first and killed Ross, sending his body into the river, and sending himself down the path of a life that John had tried so desperately to save him from. Finally, after delivering justice to his father's killer, Jack turned and slowly walked away. The main credits then hit.
Jack, from here-on, is the playable protagonist, set in the world during 1914.
Abigail Marston:
In 1911, Abigail and Jack are abducted by Edgar Ross and agents of the newly appointed Federal Bureau. John is extorted into seeking out his former comrades throughout New Austin, Nuevo Paraiso and into West Elizabeth before their eventual release. During their time in captivity, Abigail stresses how difficult it was for Jack. She also hints that a guard tried to rape her but regretted that decision and no one tried it again after that.
Upon John's return to the ranch, Abigail criticizes John for their untimely rescue, but ultimately is happy to return to normalcy.
Several weeks after the reunion the ranch is assaulted by Edgar Ross and a large contingent of U.S. Army soldiers and lawmen. Uncle is killed in the initial assault, with Abigail and Jack fleeing to the barn alongside John.
John demands that Jack ride Abigail to safety. John states he will catch up. Accepting the realities of John's imminent sacrifice, Abigail and John declare their love and kiss before John sends the horse out the back door of the barn.
John returns to the approaching lawmen, and is shot and killed in a showdown by their overwhelming numbers. Hearing the gunshots cease, Abigail demands that Jack return to the ranch. There they find John's bloodied body. Abigail is seen mourning the loss, and clinging to Jack for support.
In 1914, Abigail Marston dies of unknown causes. Jack has her remains returned to Beecher's Hope to be buried beside John Marston and Uncle. Details surrounding her death and what happens in the years after the Beecher's Hope showdown are unknown. Players have speculated that she contracted a vascular illness, such as tuberculosis. Evidence offered in support of this idea is that Abigail will harshly cough if followed between gameplay missions at the Marston Ranch.
Bonnie Macfarlane:
Bonnie rescues John after being wounded in the initial confrontation with Bill Williamson at Fort Mercer. She pays for a doctor to heal Marston's wounds and provides lodging in return for assistance with ranch duties on the MacFarlane's Ranch.
John does several missions at the ranch such as herding cattle and breaking horses. After finding out that John is at the ranch, Bill Williamson's boys set the ranch's barn on fire, and John risks his life to rescue the horses out of the burning barn. Bonnie is later taken hostage by members of Bill Williamson's gang, who threaten her life unless Marston and the Marshall release Norman Deek from the Armadillo jail. After traveling to the ghost town of Tumbleweed and attempting to hand the man over, it is revealed to be an ambush. The gang attempts to hang Bonnie, but she is saved by John at the last second. She then rides back to Armadillo with the Marshall.
After John kills Dutch Van Der Linde and recovers his family, John returns MacFarlane's Ranch and visits Bonnie to purchase cattle. Shortly after, Bonnie calls upon John by telegraph to bring the ranch some corn to make up for corn lost to pests at their ranch. After John and Abigail Marston leave the ranch, she gazes longingly after the couple, shuffling her feet as she watches the wagon leave. She then turns to Amos as he walks into the general store, and then follows him in. It is suggested by Abigail that Bonnie had developed feelings for John as they ride back to Beecher's Hope. This is the last time you see Bonnie in the main storyline.
VIncente De Santa
Biography
De Santa is portrayed as a cruel, abusive and sadistic man. He frequently personally participates in the slaughter of civilians that support the rebels and willingly kidnaps women to satisfy the sexual appetite of his commander, Colonel Allende. He is also a vicious sycophant, who is not above sending competitors on suicide missions for personal gain. Despite his rather sadistic and homicidal personality, he is also portrayed as a spineless coward when verbally abused by Allende. Despite the abuse --or perhaps because of it-- he seems to genuinely admire and look up to Allende, seeing him as a savior of the Mexican way of life.
Red Dead Redemption
He works alongside John Marston after his first visit to Escalera. John eventually captures De Santa, and either kills him himself, or allows his rebel comrades to kill him.
Dutch Van Der Linde:
When Bill Williamson is killed in Mexico, Agent Ross refuses to return Marston's family and instead declares John is not finished. He is told Dutch Van der Linde is back in the Blackwater region and Marston is obligated to kill him. Together with the Native American Nastas and Professor Harold MacDougal, John tries to hunt down Dutch. John kills a scout after a battle to reach Dutch's mountain hideout and picks up his binoculars, a vital tool in Red Dead Redemption. When looked through John observes Dutch killing a police officer. He then looks through again and Dutch has his pistol pointed at Marston. A shot is fired but it hits the binoculars and knocks Martston out. Dutch recruits disenfranchised young Native Americans off of the local reservations for his new gang. John and a posse of U.S. Marshals stake out the bank and wait for a chance to kill Dutch. The mission goes south when the gang kills a man in the front entrance and fights off the posse for a few minutes. John corners Dutch in an upper room but he has taken a woman hostage and uses her as a human shield. Dutch escapes after shooting the girl in the head and throwing her body into Marston's arms.
In the final assault on his hideout with the U.S. army, John chases him to a nearby cave. At the top of the cave system Dutch is backed to a cliff by Marston. Marston and Dutch exchange words with Dutch explaining how he can't fight his nature, he can't change. He then tells John that they are a dying breed in a changing world. He casts himself off the cliff and falls to his death. Agent Ross uses Marston's pistol to shoot the corpse and claims it will look better in the report.
When Bill Williamson is killed in Mexico, Agent Ross refuses to return Marston's family and instead declares John is not finished. He is told Dutch Van der Linde is back in the Blackwater region and Marston is obligated to kill him. Together with the Native American Nastas and Professor Harold MacDougal, John tries to hunt down Dutch. John kills a scout after a battle to reach Dutch's mountain hideout and picks up his binoculars, a vital tool in Red Dead Redemption. When looked through John observes Dutch killing a police officer. He then looks through again and Dutch has his pistol pointed at Marston. A shot is fired but it hits the binoculars and knocks Martston out. Dutch recruits disenfranchised young Native Americans off of the local reservations for his new gang. John and a posse of U.S. Marshals stake out the bank and wait for a chance to kill Dutch. The mission goes south when the gang kills a man in the front entrance and fights off the posse for a few minutes. John corners Dutch in an upper room but he has taken a woman hostage and uses her as a human shield. Dutch escapes after shooting the girl in the head and throwing her body into Marston's arms.
In the final assault on his hideout with the U.S. army, John chases him to a nearby cave. At the top of the cave system Dutch is backed to a cliff by Marston. Marston and Dutch exchange words with Dutch explaining how he can't fight his nature, he can't change. He then tells John that they are a dying breed in a changing world. He casts himself off the cliff and falls to his death. Agent Ross uses Marston's pistol to shoot the corpse and claims it will look better in the report.
When Bill Williamson is killed in Mexico, Agent Ross refuses to return Marston's family and instead declares John is not finished. He is told Dutch Van der Linde is back in the Blackwater region and Marston is obligated to kill him. Together with the Native American Nastas and Professor Harold MacDougal, John tries to hunt down Dutch. John kills a scout after a battle to reach Dutch's mountain hideout and picks up his binoculars, a vital tool in Red Dead Redemption. When looked through John observes Dutch killing a police officer. He then looks through again and Dutch has his pistol pointed at Marston. A shot is fired but it hits the binoculars and knocks Martston out. Dutch recruits disenfranchised young Native Americans off of the local reservations for his new gang. John and a posse of U.S. Marshals stake out the bank and wait for a chance to kill Dutch. The mission goes south when the gang kills a man in the front entrance and fights off the posse for a few minutes. John corners Dutch in an upper room but he has taken a woman hostage and uses her as a human shield. Dutch escapes after shooting the girl in the head and throwing her body into Marston's arms.
In the final assault on his hideout with the U.S. army, John chases him to a nearby cave. At the top of the cave system Dutch is backed to a cliff by Marston. Marston and Dutch exchange words with Dutch explaining how he can't fight his nature, he can't change. He then tells John that they are a dying breed in a changing world. He casts himself off the cliff and falls to his death. Agent Ross uses Marston's pistol to shoot the corpse and claims it will look better in the report. 
Drew Macfarlane
Drew MacFarlane is seen for the first time in Wild Horses, Tamed Passions, where he accompanies John and Bonnie to tame a herd of horses. John breaks only two, the first being taken away by Drew. He is not seen again until The Burning, where he finds a dead man, a dying man, and two dead horses. He requests John to go get a wagon, however, they don't get it, as they discover that the barn is burning. The next day, he goes to Leigh Johnson, in a panic. Bonnie had been kidnapped. When John finally comes to the jailhouse, Drew begins to question him, until John promises to find his daughter for him, calming him down. He is not seen untill near the end of the game when John Marston and Jack Marston go to MacFarlane's Ranch to buy cows, at that point he is only seen greeting John and Jack as they ride into the ranch. After that he is never seen, or heard from, again.
