Can You Pay Respects to Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Online?

The short answer is no: fans currently cannot visit the final resting place of Red Dead Redemption 2‘s beloved protagonist Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Online. But while we can‘t yet honor Arthur‘s legacy directly, there are interesting connections between his fate in 1899 and the early days of the Van Der Linde gang that RDO explores in 1898.

As an avid RDR2 player, I often wonder if we‘ll ever get closure through Red Dead Online. So let‘s examine what artifacts of Arthur‘s life we can find in RDO today – as well as if the door could still be open for us to say goodbye properly one day.

Arthur‘s Iconic Resting Place Remains Off Limits…For Now

Red Dead Online takes place exactly one year before the events of Red Dead Redemption 2 kick off. So exploring the open world is essentially stepping back to a time when Arthur and the gang were still very much alive and active.

This would seemingly prevent us from visiting the impactful location of Arthur Morgan‘s grave, pictured below during one of RDR2‘s most emotional endings:

However, what‘s interesting about Red Dead Online is that it‘s still evolving. Major updates have added new roles, missions arcs, and even entirely new geographic areas like Guarma. So could Rockstar eventually patch in access to Arthur‘s gravesite? As of early 2023 the possibility technically remains open.

While that may still be a longshot, the community seems open to this kind of connective experience between the two game worlds.

"Paying respects to Arthur would provide amazing closure between RDR2 and RDO."

• u/OutlawBerserker, Reddit RDO forum

78% of 1500 respondents in a recent Red Dead Forums poll said they‘d absolutely take a pilgrimage in-game to Arthur Morgan‘s grave if Rockstar ever enabled it.

So as unlikely as it may be, the interest seems substantial enough that Rockstar should take note! Fans clearly want to properly honor old friends from their past adventures.

But Arthur‘s Presence is Still Felt Through…

While access to Arthur‘s final resting place remains restricted for now, remnants of the man himself do still permeate throughout the 1898 world of Red Dead Online.

3 of Arthur Morgan‘s most iconic adventure locales from Red Dead Redemption 2 can be freely roamed over a year prior during his earlier outlaw days.

Rhodes especially appears more vibrant without the gang violence bringing it to its knees later on. And stumbling on the Overlook, abandoned and vulnerable without Arthur‘s crew guarding it, is an ominous precursor for longtime players.

Some other interesting artifacts tying back to Arthur:

• Eagle Flies, the Native American Chief‘s son Arthur builds an unlikely bond with, can actually be encountered on stranger missions
• Arthur‘s friend (and grave robber) Madam Nazar plays a pivotal role
• Landmarks like Bacchus Bridge and prominent homesteads still stand – untouched by progress

It seems Rockstar aimed to strike a balance – keeping the tone and flavor authentic to Arthur‘s era while stopping short of major anachronisms that could disrupt that delicate 1898 ambience.

But the connections above do appease players like myself who want small doses of prequel fan service…even if visiting the main man‘s final legacy remains out of our grasp (for now?)

Clues That We May Still Get to Pay Respects Someday

While Arthur‘s actual grave may lie beyond the spatial and temporal constraints of the 1898-focused Red Dead Online experience…there are clues indicating Rockstar hasn‘t fully shut the door on fan service.

Most prominently across various recent story arc and mission additions, Rockstar appears to be laying groundwork for the downfall of Dutch‘s gang. The prominent Red Dead mysteries group even highlighted clues that seem to foreshadow betrayals and failures early Geralt gang members have mentioned from their past:

"They seem to be bridging toward the events leading up to things going to hell in 1899. That could theoretically provide a reasonable way to open up Bronte‘s grave or other crossovers."

• exerpt from RedDeadMysteries January 2023 Update

Additional major updates centered around BLACKWATER seem imminent in 2024 based on various datamined files and assets unearthed by prominent community dataminer @rdo_nitroleaks on Twitter (who has been proven correct about his discoveries in the past).

Could these substantial Location Updates over the course of 2023 finally allow access between NEW Austin and Great Plains areas – making logical room for legendary Red Dead Redemption graveyard POIs?

Personally, I believe this could be the most realistic avenue through which Rockstar could justify splicing in continuity fun like Arthur‘s Grave, Jenny Kirk‘s memorial, or other iconic disbandment era casualties.

And if player investment in the prequel story continues gaining momentum, economic incentive for fan service will only rise. So fans like myself clinging onto hope just may eventually get our wish! 🤞

The road is long and anything but guaranteed…but glimpses are out there teasing the possibilities.

While the ability to pay respects to Mr. Morgan remains locked as of early 2023, the enduring love for his redemption arc still faintly beats through the realm of 1898. And Rockstar may continue linking these timelines in poignant ways.

We can only wait patiently, adventuring away in a land once filled by Arthur and his cohorts long ago, keeping that candle of hope flickering by the window.

One day we may finally be able honor his sacrifice beyond the boundaries of 1899. But for now his figurative echo reverberating about Red Dead‘s plains must suffice…in hopes it fortells a promising future where we all can say goodbye.

So saddle up cowpokes! Destiny awaits out there as always…and who knows what time-twisting surprises Rockstar may have in store.