Arthur Morgan | 4

Dutch's trusted right arm and the story protagonist. Arthur has been a member of the gang since he was a young boy, when he was saved by Dutch - and has followed him ever since. His loyalty to the gang leader has been unwavering in this time, though the recent events at Blackwater have clearly troubled him. Arthur Morgan was born circa 1863[1] to Beatrice and Lyle Morgan in the northern United States.As a child, his mother died of unknown causes, while his father was a petty criminal and outlaw. In 1874, when Arthur was 11 years old, his father was arrested for larceny. Morgan later witnessed his death and, despite a strained relationship with him, still donned his hat and kept a picture of him. Around 1877, Arthur was found as a "wild delinquent" and picked up off the streets by outlaws Dutch van der Linde and Hosea Matthews. Viewing the pair as surrogate father figures, Arthur came to share Dutch's vision of a life lived free from the constraints of civilization and the rule of law. The pair taught him how to read, write, hunt, fight, shoot, and ride, becoming their first protégé as well as one of the founding members of the Van der Linde gang. A little later, Arthur met Susan Grimshaw as she got romantically involved with Dutch and joined the gang, acting as a tough mother figure. As a young adult, Arthur met a girl named Mary Gillis where the two fell deeply in love and even became engaged. He befriended her younger brother Jamie and taught him horseback-riding. On the other hand, Mary faced disapproval from some female gang members such as Susan Grimshaw. However, Arthur's preference for a life of crime coupled with the prevalent disapproval of Mary's family, most strongly from her father ultimately caused their relationship to fall apart, and the pair separated at some point between 1894 and 1899.

In 1884, Arthur was sent out fishing and pridefully returned with three beautiful bass. The gang celebrated with a big feast and toasted him all night long. The following week, Arthur and Dutch walked in the local market where it was revealed that he had simply purchased the bass from a fishmonger, much to his embarrassment. In 1885, Arthur met a 12 year-old boy named John Marston who had been saved by Dutch from being lynched by a group of Illinois homesteaders. John was inducted into the gang and raised alongside Arthur with the pair growing as close as brothers. Dutch instilled the boys with his anarchist worldviews against a corrupt government and preached that revenge was a fool's game. Over the years, Arthur and John became regarded as Dutch's favorite 'sons'. In 1887, Arthur participated in the gang's first major bank robbery alongside Dutch and Hosea. At 2 o'clock, the trio burst into the banking house of Lee and Hoyt and managed to make off with $5000 in gold. After the robbery, they lingered in town, going to hovels, shanties, and orphanages handing out money, envisioning themselves as 'Robin Hood' figures. It was following this event where Arthur became a wanted man.

Some time after, Arthur met and slept with a 19 year-old waitress named Eliza, resulting in her becoming pregnant with their son, Isaac. Although Eliza knew of Arthur's lifestyle, she accepted whatever support he offered to her and their son. Arthur, not wanting to promise anything he couldn't keep, said that he would do right by them. He would periodically visit Eliza and Isaac every few months and stay with them for days at a time. Arthur remembered fondly of Isaac as a 'good kid'.

Tragically one day, however, Arthur arrived at their home and saw two crosses outside. He knew immediately that they were both dead, and later learned that they had been shot and killed by robbers, all for ten dollars.This traumatic incident hardened Arthur as a result as he never truly coped with the pain and gave him the understanding to not live the life of an outlaw and expect good things to happen to him.

At some point, Arthur found a pet dog named Copper, whom he grew particularly close to and occasionally took baths with. Although Arthur had difficulty controlling him, he admired the dog's spirit. He also acquired a mare at some point named Boadicea whom he became fond of, although she passed away sometime before the gang's arrival at Colter.

In 1894, a prostitute named Abigail Roberts joined the Van der Linde Gang after being introduced by Uncle. At some point, she fell in love with John Marston and became pregnant with their son named Jack. Arthur became a surrogate uncle figure towards him growing up. John however refused to accept responsibility over the boy and soon left the gang around 1896. Around a year later, John returned, and while Dutch and the majority of the gang welcomed him back with open arms, Arthur felt betrayed by his actions and a rift was formed between the two which steadily grew over the years.

At some point between 1893 and 1899, Arthur, Uncle, and recent recruit Bill Williamson robbed a bank near Canada. Uncle served at the lookout, which Arthur claims he performed poorly at, while Bill and Arthur acted as gunmen. In the mid-1890s, Arthur also took part in a bank robbery in Tucson, Arizona, alongside fellow gang members Javier Escuella and Karen Jones. The heist was a success, with the pair sending Karen to infiltrate the bank disguised as nun, concealing two pistols in her clothes.

Sometime prior to 1899, Javier and Arthur attempted to rob a stagecoach after receiving tips from a crooked lawman in Reno, Nevada. However, they decided to let the stagecoach go when they found out that it was full of women and children. To their disappointment, the stagecoach was robbed by the O'Driscoll Boys the very next day, who murdered all its passengers.

By 1898, the gang had found itself in Montana. During their stay, Hosea caught several large salmon during a fishing trip and planned to prepare a feast for the whole camp. However, the feast was cut short when Copper found and ate the fish, passing away soon after. Arthur would keep a picture of Copper on his wagon as a memento. After a fire, in which Arthur's old journal was lost, and some trouble up north, the gang traveled south and east, taking a slow and tortuous trail down through the Northern Grizzlies to throw off anyone tracking them. They then spent several months in the wilderness. During the winter, they stuck mostly to the western foothills of the mountain.

Arthur Morgan is a cold, brooding outlaw who often resorts to violence and has very few qualms about killing. At his worst Arthur could be extremely ruthless and completely unsympathetic to the people he hurts. Despite being capable of committing such violence, Arthur does have a playful side to his personality that comes out around those he is friendly with. He isn't above joking or employing sarcasm with his friends. Notably Arthur was kind and polite to John Marston's then-four-year-old son, Jack, having a gentle demeanor around the young boy in contrast to his threatening persona.

Despite his ability to commit great acts of violence Arthur has his own moral code and doesn't believe in what he deems as unnecessary killing, especially if it endangers himself or those he cares about. Dutch also raised Arthur to believe that revenge is a fruitless endeavor. It seems that Arthur strictly believes that violence should be cold, necessary and without feeling, never out of personal enjoyment or without reason. Thus, his strict beliefs are a major part of why he turns against Dutch later on, when the latter goes against the beliefs he taught Arthur and starts enjoying his violent methods and begins killing enemies out of vengeance.

Arthur cannot be bought, bullied or intimidated, regardless of an antagonist's size, strength, wealth or power. He is fully self-aware of his imposing nature and the effect that his own force of intimidation can have on others. Although Arthur demonstrates time after time that he fears no man, he does fear for the safety of those he cares about. Supremely confident in his ability to handle any situation or overcome any adversary, Arthur rarely shows any hesitation and will engage in combat even when outnumbered. Despite Arthur's usual bravery and calm demeanor, he does display a rare moment of fear when he confides in Sister Calderón, revealing to her that he is afraid of his own impending death as a result of his terminal illness.

In his own terms Arthur is aware that he is a “bad man” and clearly understands that his behavior is morally wrong, though he justifies his own actions as being different from most criminals, as the Van der Linde gang carries a philosophy that Arthur genuinely believed could help people. As time went on however, Arthur realized this philosophy was a ruse or an "excuse" to let him and the gang rob and kill indiscriminately, as John Marston would later put it.

Arthur's degradation of faith in Dutch caused him to go through an existential crisis. Because Dutch had raised Arthur since he was a young teen, his philosophy, particularly that of loyalty, was primarily the only thing Arthur ever believed in up until the gang’s downfall. As the gang fell apart, Arthur realized that social issues were more complex than he had ever thought, and that these issues were beyond the gang's ability to control. Perhaps most disturbing to Arthur was seeing how easily Dutch could influence younger, disenfranchised men such as Eagle Flies to commit acts of violence for him. Undoubtedly this gave Arthur a new perspective on his own childhood and how Dutch had been taking advantage of him.

With his faith in Dutch and the Van der Linde gang crushed, and learning that he is terminally ill with tuberculosis, Arthur gained insight into his own feelings, opening up to Rains Fall about traumatic experiences including the death of his own son, Isaac. He also said how his terminal diagnosis made him see the world "more clearly", telling Mary-Beth that the world seemed "better, almost". In the end, one of Arthur's last objectives was to protect John Marston's family, and to secure Dutch’s hidden money for them in order to hopefully build a better life for themselves, making all the suffering that the gang had gone through worth something in the end. Regardless of Arthur's honor, the gang's decline, Dutch’s descent into madness, and learning of his own imminent doom, Arthur sought to secure a future for the people he cared about; a future he could never live to see but one he could guarantee.

Regarding Arthur's general attitude, he is stoic and humble, and never feels a need to prove himself to other members of the gang. Arthur has, in various forms and for various reasons, been called an "idiot" and a "fool" by others, but often brushes off these criticisms. The only criticisms that seem to affect Arthur are from Mary Linton, his former lover. Though he often kept his complicated, mixed feelings about his past with her to himself, Arthur quietly pondered what his life could have been like had he and Mary stayed together.

Arthur is cunning and rather intelligent, and demonstrates more self-awareness than almost everyone else in the gang, allowing him to maintain his cool demeanor, especially under pressure, and not fall under the weight of vindicating himself.

Unlike most people during the time period, Arthur is quite progressive in his views concerning women and minorities. He is seen to be disgusted by racism and has no qualms with the women doing work traditionally associated with men. Regarding his religious beliefs, Arthur mentions that he's irreligious, but he does appear to believe in some form of afterlife.

As of 1899, Arthur is approximately 36 years of age, with a muscular build perfect for his position, with a head of thick, light brown hair and green eyes. He also has a scar near his chin, which leaves a bald patch visible in his beard around level 2 and 3.

One of the Van der Linde gang's most prominent members, Arthur is Dutch's strongest, most reliable, and most versatile disciple. Dedicated and commanding a broad skill set, he is always willing and able to do whatever is needed in a given situation to help the gang as a whole or its individual members.

Arthur is widely regarded by allies and foes alike as the single-most dangerous member of the Van der Linde gang, and he is recognized and feared as its primary enforcer. By 1899, his reputation is such that fellow gang members and enemies regularly comment on his ability and stature in the gang. On multiple occasions, he is the target of attempted ambush, assassination, capture, or bribery, with Pinkerton and rival gang leaders hoping to eliminate him or turn him against Dutch and the gang. Colm O’Driscoll, Dutch's most prominent rival has praised Arthur's skills, calling him a "fine gun" and even casually offering him to join their gang.

His proficiency, versatility, and ferocity, combined with his natural strength and toughness, prove him to be a peerless combatant. From antiques such as the Volcanic Pistol to modern Mauser Pistols, his competency with a variety of weapons and fighting styles in itself makes Arthur an invaluable asset. Arthur is seen to be one of the gang's best gunslingers, if not the best, rivaling if not surpassing John and Micah. Furthermore, along with Charles, he is the best melee fighter in the gang. One of the most notable displays of Arthur's physical dominance comes during the infamous Valentine bar brawl. Here, in a matter of minutes, he rescues Bill and Javier, knocks out three opponents in succession, and single-handedly defeats the colossal Tommy (reputedly the town's toughest resident) by nearly beating him to death, even after being defenestrated. This incident in itself establishes a lasting reputation of formidability for Arthur in the town.

Even when afflicted with advanced tuberculosis, and near death, Arthur is still able to hold his own against Micah, leaving him with a severe beating or, if Arthur's honor is high, blinded in one eye. Although occasionally susceptible to surprise, when fully healthy he scarcely encounters a physical contest that he cannot overcome or, if necessary, escape. He repeatedly leads Van der Linde gang members in defeating vastly numerically superior forces of law agents, soldiers, and rival gang members.

Arthur's skills go beyond those purely necessary for physical confrontation, however. A skilled interrogator, he proves capable of using not only intimidation and force but also charm and charisma in order to elicit payment and information. He often displays a working knowledge of - or quick ability to learn - how to operate machinery or transportation, including steam locomotives. Although there is no evidence that he ever received any formal training or education, his journal entries demonstrate a natural talent for writing and art.