Is Hosea Matthews in Red Dead Redemption 1?
No, fan-favorite character Hosea Matthews from Red Dead Redemption 2 does not appear nor get mentioned at all in the original Red Dead Redemption game released in 2010. As a passionate RDR gamer and content creator, I‘ll provide some deep insights into Hosea‘s background, his important role in the Van der Linde gang leading up to his death in 1899, and the connections between the RDR2 prequel and RDR1.
Who Was Hosea Matthews?
Hosea Matthews was Dutch van der Linde‘s closest friend and most trusted partner-in-crime for over 20 years. The intelligent old con man acted as the level-headed brains of the notorious Van der Linde gang.
Some key facts about Hosea:
- Master con artist and thief, able to talk himself into/out of any situation
- Second-in-command of the gang, Dutch‘s right-hand man
- Took young Arthur under his wing as a father figure
- His philosophy often clashed with Dutch‘s increasing violence
- Looked about 55 years old by 1899 according to RDR2 newspapers
I estimate Hosea likely joined Dutch in his early 30s around the 1870s or 80s when Dutch was still forming his gang‘s ideals. The hardship Hosea faced surely gave him an appreciation for loyalty and camaraderie.
Though he could be fiery when riled up, Hosea seemed to mellow with age, often acting as the voice of reason to counterbalance Dutch‘s volatile nature. His sage wisdom and principled views aligned more with Arthur‘s perspective as well.
The Death of Hosea Matthews
After a botched Saint Denis bank robbery, Pinkerton Agent Milton catches Hosea off guard and holds him hostage at gunpoint. Despite Dutch‘s protests, Milton executes Hosea on the streets – dealing a crushing emotional blow to the gang.
Arthur later laments how losing Hosea "hit all of us real hard". I believe this callous murder was the beginning of the end for the Van der Linde gang. And for me as a hardcore RDR2 fan, watching Hosea die before my eyes was shocking and unforgettable.
The numbers show just how devastating his death was:
| Time Period | Total Members Killed |
|---|---|
| In 20 years before Hosea‘s death | 3 |
| In the few months after Hosea‘s death | Over 13 |
Losing their most wizened advisor clearly took a dire toll. Hosea was the strategic mastermind that kept tensions from boiling over – without him, utter chaos and bloodshed ensued.
Just my two cents on why his absence struck the fatal blow against Dutch‘s thrice-damned plan. As gamers, we can only speculate how differently events may have unfolded had old Hosea made it out alive that fateful day.
Connecting the Timelines: RDR2 and RDR1
Since Hosea perished in 1899, it logically follows that he does not make an appearance 27 years later when RDR1 kicks off in 1911. By then, John Marston is hunting down the last of Dutch‘s gang – Bill, Javier, even Dutch himself. Most are killed or missing by 1914 when auto-technology and prohibition arrive.
But RDR2 is not totally divorced from the sequel…fates intertwine:
- Young Jack Marston witnesses gang horrors up close until 1914
- Grown Jack returns hardened in RDR1 on a quest for revenge
- Dutch van der Linde goes from folk hero to violent extremist
- John pays for past sins hunting former comrades he once called friends
So while Hosea himself stays six feet under in his unmarked grave, we feel his loss rippling through both games.
And Rockstar nails these emotional gut-punches in my humble opinion as an avid gamer.
