Powerful Quotes By Arthur Morgan

Summary

• Arthur Morgan’s quotes in Red Dead Redemption 2 are powerful and relevant, showcasing his moral compass and loyalty to his gang.
• Arthur’s realization that the Van der Linde gang is made up of thieves in a changing world displays his introspection and understanding of their criminal nature.
• Arthur’s quotes highlight his wisdom and the lessons he imparts, even to those who may not be as intelligent or perceptive as him.

The protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2 may not be the brightest, but he certainly is a man of morality. Arthur Morgan watches helplessly as his family, the Van der Linde gang, crumble under the pressure of a changing world that doesn’t want gunslingers and outlaws anymore. Red Dead Redemption 2 does a stellar job with Arthur Morgan and cements him as one of the best characters in gaming.

Throughout the entirety of Red Dead Redemption 2, the game explores Arthur Morgan’s relationship with friends, foes, and even himself. Arthur’s dialogue leads to some of the most powerful quotes by Arthur Morgan, some that stay relevant and gut-wrenching today.

Updated on January 5, 2025, by Jake Fillery: Engross once more into the immortal and tragic story of Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2 with some of his most iconic quotes. Arthur Morgan’s best quotes from Red Dead Redemption 2 often showcase his confidence, snarky attitude, and his powerful status as a gunslinger, while also showcasing a vulnerable side as he seeks his redemption. Arthur Morgan is a legend, and the best Arthur Morgan quotes prove just that.

Spoilers ahead for Red Dead Redemption 2!

28

“All Them Years, Dutch, For This Snake?”

Arthur Doesn’t Mince His Words About Betrayal

Arthur is never one to be quiet about his feelings, especially when it comes to Micah Bell. Arthur questions his love for his father figure of Dutch van der Linde, and it seems at this point down the road, it’s time to stop being nice and to just say it how it is, which Arthur does with scorn as he calls out Micah for being a snake.

It’s also a heartbreaking quote that emphasizes how much Dutch meant to Arthur, how he has wasted all those years trusting him and bonding with him, just to see it all crumble down for someone who isn’t even regarded as human, but as a snake in the grass.

27

“I Hope It’s Hot and Terrible, Mrs. Downes, Otherwise, I’ll Feel I’ve Been Sold a False Bill of Goods”

Arthur Doesn’t Fear the Fires of Hell

One of the earlier quotes in the game shows Arthur’s change of heart in his response to Mrs. Downes, in which he seems to welcome the idea of burning in Hell. Arthur never seems to be a religious man, so it makes sense that he does not fear what comes in the next life, and his demonic grin is almost like a challenge to his fate for all his misdeeds.

Looking back on this quote, it’s rather sinister and powerful to see how this gunslinger almost wants Hell to be as bad as he’s been told it is, otherwise, there’s no telling what other criminal things he would have gotten up to. Despite this quote showcasing Arthur as hardened and evil, deep down, he’s a softy.

26

“We Ain’t Both Gonna Make It.”

Always to the Point, Arthur Knows His Time Has Come

With TB ravishing Arthur’s body, and the law honing in on all he holds dear, Arthur realizes that maybe he isn’t going to get out of this fight to ride through another sunset. Instead, Arthur tells it blatantly to John Marston and decides that if he can save anyone, it’s who he sees as a little brother who still has a life to live.

Arthur’s decision to give up his life to save another is a heroic last action from a man who’s done a whole lot of bad, and his hardened exterior and rock-wall emotional state of simply stating that he isn’t going to make it, and somehow he’s okay with that, shows just how strong Arthur is.

25

“Women Voting? Sure, Why Not? Anyone Dumb Enough To Wanna Vote, I Say Go For It.”

Arthur Couldn’t Care Less About an Evolving West Seeking Democracy

In a world so heavily caught up in politics, it’s actually rather endearing to see Arthur’s views on the matter back in 1899, where it seems he genuinely couldn’t care less about those in power. It harks back to a simpler time, where Arthur and the gang simply followed their own rules and moralities, rather than relying on those that have been voted in.

It’s nice to see that Arthur isn’t a misogynist, and he says to the women who do want the right to vote that it’s their choice, but he just doesn’t care about voting himself. While some might view it as an arrogant and privileged stance, there’s still a level of humor there that Arthur just wants to be free without needing to put his name on a piece of paper.

24

“There Ain’t No Shame In Looking For A Better World.”

Arthur’s Reassurance To Mary’s Brother Shows How He Understands A Cruel World

On a mission to save Mary’s little brother from a wild cult, Arthur helps the boy see the error of his indoctrinated ways. Arthur, often describing himself as someone with not much brains, shows a bout of wisdom to the young man, and reassures him that there’s nothing wrong with trying to find a better world than the one they currently live in 1899.

Arthur isn’t blind to the cruelty of the world, and not everyone can be as hard as nails. Arthur’s care for the young man and attempts to save him and reassure him that everything is going to be okay proves that he’s not a bad man, even if he puts on the image of one.

23

“Should I Slit Your Throat And Save Us All The Bother?”

Arthur Defends Tilly Jackson By Threatening The Man Who Hunts Her

Arthur does not tolerate the abuse of the people he cares about, so when he discovers that Tilly Jackson is the target of a man with a feud, he wastes no time in threatening him with a knife to his throat. Arthur lets Tilly decide his fate, and even when Tilly says she wants this man to leave her alone, Arthur locks eyes with him and asks him directly if he should slit his throat.

It’s one of Arthur’s harsher moments that shows what kind of animal he can be when those he cares about are threatened, and he won’t hesitate to do the dirty work required of him if it means the people in his life are kept safe.

22

“Five Thousand Dollars? For Me? Can I Turn Myself In?”

Arthur Morgan Refuses To Be Stared Down By Pinkertons, Whether It’s With Money Or Guns

Agent Milton and other Pinkerton agents do their best to intimidate Arthur Morgan whilst he’s out fishing with Jack Marston. Yet, he doesn’t let them get to him, and even when they inform him of the bounty on his head, Arthur only has a snarky and confident reply that proves he cannot be bought or intimidated.

Five thousand dollars is a lot of money today, and that’s not even accounting for 1899. The fact that Arthur doesn’t even blink at the comment and stands his ground to protect himself, the gang, and Jack, proves the powerful man he is.

21

“We Even Helped Some Folk…”

Arthur Reminisces On The Old Life Of An Outlaw

After Dutch abused the anger of the Wapiti people, Arthur Morgan and Charles Smith are set to aid them in recovering what was lost without the violence that Dutch wants as a diversion to his own schemes. On a horse ride, Arthur and Charles reminisce about the gang prior to Hosea’s death, and Arthur states that it wasn’t all killing and robbing.

Arthur seems to miss the old life, where they actually helped people sometimes and didn’t just do things for their own benefit. Yet, the tone of Arthur’s voice and the words he speaks, it’s clear that this is something that has long since passed.

20

“You Gotta Run And Don’t Look Back. This Is Over.”

Arthur’s Sound Advice To John On The End Of The Gang

Doubts plague Arthur, both in how much time he has left to live and with how far off the deep end Dutch has swum. It seems that things are coming to an end, and with John ignorant of the fact, Arthur tries to give him a reality check and lets him know that the time will soon come when he has to leave this life and take his family, and not look back at those left behind.

Arthur doesn’t want John to be consumed the same way he was, too loyal to a gang that’s going to see the fires of Hell sooner than they should out of sheer stubbornness. It’s one of the many powerful moments that shows the brotherly bond between Arthur and John, and how the former is always looking out for the latter.

19

“Get The Hell Out Of Here And Be A Goddamn Man!”

Arthur Gives John One More Brotherly Push Before The End

When it’s time for John and Arthur to say their final goodbyes, Arthur spurs him on by telling him to leave him here and go be a man. That line would go on to follow John throughout his own life, as he would finally do things for himself and protect his wife and son, rather than following the orders of those worse than him, who only want to fill this new life with pain and misery.

The fact that Arthur’s parting words to John were more sound advice on being a man, not just for his sake, but the sake of his wife and child, shows how deeply Arthur cares, and presents a powerful brotherly figure that makes it even harder to mourn.

18

“Maybe When Your Mother’s Finished Mourning Your Father, I’ll Keep Her In Black On Your Behalf.”

Arthur Shows A Selfish Lack Of Sympathy

Before Arthur faced his own mortality, he was addicted to the toxicity that was requested of him by the gang he was so loyal to. When it is time to collect on debts owed, Arthur puts on the skin of a wolf, becoming the monster that he believes he is just so he doesn’t feel a nudge of morality for the business he’s in.

With that, he threatens a grieving woman’s son, not only by taking his life but keeping his mother in mourning for the rest of her life, ensuring that she wears black until her last days. It’s a tragic line that shows the divide within Arthur’s soul, and the depths he would go to get what he wants.

17

“Just Do One Thing Or The Other, Don’t Try To Be Two People At Once.”

More Sound Advice From Arthur To John About What Kind Of Man He Needs To Be

Arthur might be modest and full of doubt, claiming that he doesn’t know much about anything, but his advice is always sound, and his words are always powerful. His spoken words to John about doing just one thing, being true to himself and who he wants to be, rather than dividing himself into an image for others, is something everyone should listen to.

Arthur’s powerful words help to stick with John, and even players, as they listen further to his words of wisdom. The fact that Arthur knows that people don’t need to try and be two people at once to impress others, comes from how he’s done it before, and he knows how it feels.

16

“Despite My Best Efforts To The Contrary…It Turns Out I’ve Won.”

At The End Of Arthur’s Journey, He Wins

The ending of Red Dead Redemption 2 is perhaps one of the saddest of all, and it involves an injured and dying Arthur reaching for his gun to kill Micah, the rat who destroyed the Van der Linde camp. He is stomped by Dutch, and this emotional moment showcases a few things going on in Arthur’s mind, but most importantly, how he views his end as a victory.

Arthur has always had a complicated relationship with the world, and the people in it. It can be interpreted that Arthur believes he’s won because he managed to get John Marston out of this life, free from the Van der Linde gang to raise his child with his wife. It was a worthy sacrifice, knowing that one of the few good men left has managed to escape with his help, and all will remember Micah as nothing but a rat.

15

“I Tried. In The End… I Did.”

Arthur’s Takes His Last Breaths As A Hero, Not A Villain

There is no greater tragedy in Red Dead Redemption 2 than the death of Arthur Morgan. The lead character desperately clings to his last breath, struggling and wheezing to take in air as he lies there helpless, at his end, among a traitor and the man he once considered a father. Yet, Arthur sees right past them, and in the end, he confirms with himself that he did the right thing.

Arthur not only managed to save John, but perhaps he even saved himself and his own soul, confirming that he tried, and that can be openly interpreted as he tried to be a good man, despite how he was raised, despite his deeds before and during Red Dead Redemption 2. His final act was one of nobility, and as he lies there broken and dying atop a mountain, he knows his final sunrise will be a peaceful one.

14

“You Might Be The First Bastard To Ever Have Half His Brains Eaten By A Wolf And End Up More Intelligent.”

Arthur’s Banter With John Marston Showcase Their Brotherly Rivalry

Whilst this quote might show more of a bantering side to Arthur Morgan than a powerful one, it still exhibits those big brother traits that Arthur presented to John Marston. Interacting with John was always a sour one, and Arthur and John never really saw eye-to-eye until Arthur was drawing his dying breaths, he wanted to do right about the young man and his family whom he felt like he could still save.

Arthur jests with John about the wolf attack that gave him his iconic scar and even compliments him on how he’s becoming wiser, even after such a stupid attack. This all comes after John comes up with a pretty good plan, which is rare for the character at this point in time. Nevertheless, Arthur compliments him in classic big brother style: with an insult.

13

“We’re Thieves In A World That Don’t Want Us No More.”

Tensions Arise Between Dutch & Arthur

Dutch’s philosophy on life seems to be waning on Arthur with this quote, and he informs the leader, and the mentor of the Van der Linde gang that their true nature as thieves is unfaltering, and perhaps to a negative degree. Arthur knows that the Van der Linde gang aren’t just survivors and outcasts, they are criminals and crooks that refuse to get with the times. With the world so quickly evolving around them, they can’t seem to find their ground to stand on.

Powerful quotes from Arthur Morgan are always the ones in which he stands up for authority and realizes what is best for not only himself but for the people he cares about. Arthur’s stark realization that he’s in a band of killers, and they are not there to save people, or even themselves, just shows that his undying loyalty to Dutch is beginning to strain.

12

“Some Jobs Aren’t For Saving, And Some Legacies Are For Pissing On.”

Arthur Shows That His Morals Are More Important Than Money

If there was ever a quote in Red Dead Redemption 2, to sum up the character of Arthur Morgan, it could very well be this one. Whilst this quote may be about a disgraced homeless slave owner, it shows that, despite not believing it himself, Arthur Morgan is a good man in his heart. Arthur sticks with his morals and refuses to help a slave owner, but it’s his quote that really strikes hard.

The fact that Arthur would turn away payment and declare that some “legacies” are better off dead and discarded like toilet waste just shows what kind of man he is. For Arthur, it’s not about legacy or the payout, but about doing what’s right, and he clearly sticks by that until the very end and beyond.

11

“You’re Gonna Sleep With Your Chest Open If You Ain’t Careful, Boy.”

Threats From Arthur Morgan Should Not Be Taken Lightly

This comes between a conversation with the young and brass Sean. This quote shows how much of a savage Arthur can be when someone’s threatening him, or disrespecting him. Arthur takes full offense to Sean’s comment that he better “sleep with his eyes open”, and so he comes back with the brutal imagery of Sean sleeping with his “chest open”, implying Arthur is going to shoot the man dead.

Sean gets to see the wrath of Arthur, and the threat of his words. Arthur proves himself a powerful character who demands the respect of the Van der Linde gang, and he more than proves it with his brutish strength and his cunning skills with a gun. If there’s one thing to know about Arthur, it’s that he knows how to threaten someone.

10

“I Wish Things Were Different… But It Weren’t Us Who Changed.”

The Sad Reality Of Not Recognizing People Once Considered Family

As the world becomes more civilized, and the age of outlaws comes to a whimper of an end, Arthur reminisces to John Marston about his life, and how the gang is everything to him. Arthur isn’t afraid to say he would kill for it, or die for it. All that matters to his life, is the life of the gang.

Yet, Arthur is not blinded by his love and loyalty and sees that the gang is crumbling. Each day, their friends become more selfish, and their great leader becomes more unhinged. Arthur said, “It weren’t us who changed.” This is the powerful realization that he and John remain true to themselves, whereas the people around them become sick and shattered.

9

“Lack Of Something To Feel Important About Is Almost The Greatest Tragedy A Man May Have.”

Arthur Stresses The Value Of Importance In Someone’s Life

It’s no surprise that Arthur Morgan can get rather philosophical in Red Dead Redemption 2. After all, he’s living a life in the wilderness and enjoying the calming storm that is the way of an outlaw. Arthur sees the beauty in philosophy, and beneath his ways is a good man.

Arthur recognizes that a person needs something, and more importantly, they need to feel important. Arthur has that security with his gang and realizes the tragedy in someone who can’t have that feeling.