What Mission Does Arthur Morgan Contract Tuberculosis in Red Dead Redemption 2?
Arthur Morgan, the gruff yet moral outlaw protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2, contracts deadly tuberculosis during the "Money Lending and Other Sins III" mission in Chapter 2. This fateful debt collection job on the Downes ranch sets in motion Arthur‘s physical decline over the next four chapters.
As a passionate RDR2 fan, I‘ll explore what exactly transpires during this pivotal mission, how it leads to Arthur‘s illness, and the harrowing impact it has on our hero‘s body and redemption arc.
Who is Arthur Morgan?
For context, let‘s briefly recap Arthur Morgan‘s backstory. He‘s a senior gunslinger in the Van der Linde gang, a notorious group of outlaws rampaging across the 1890s American West.
Taught to steal, murder, and survive at a young age by the gang‘s leader Dutch van der Linde, Arthur struggles between loyalty to his found family and nagging doubts about their violent criminal ways.
These internal conflicts set the stage for Arthur‘s tuberculosis diagnosis to profoundly impact the remaining months of his life.
The Fateful Mission
The "Money Lending and Other Sins" missions involve the gang‘s loan shark, Herr Strauss, dispatching Arthur to collect debts owed by various town residents.
In Part III, Arthur heads to the Downes ranch to shake down owner Thomas Downes for an overdue $154 sum.
He finds Downes already gravely sick with tuberculosis yet still working his fields.
A Scuffle Ensues
When Downes claims his family can barely afford food let alone repaying loans, a frustrated Arthur beats him, demanding the money. As he tosses Downes to the ground, the farmer coughs bloody sputum directly into Arthur‘s face.
Unbeknownst to either of them, this blood splash has sealed Arthur‘s fate – he‘s just inhaled a face-full of tuberculosis bacteria.
Arthur contracts TB after Thomas Downes coughs on him
From this point forward, tuberculosis will incubate within Arthur‘s body before causing coughing, exhaustion, and weight loss several chapters later.
The Symptoms Begin
Following the Downes altercation, Arthur‘s TB follows a slow, grim progression:
Chapter 2 – No visible symptoms, TB bacteria are multiplying
Chapter 3 – Occasional minor coughs, declining stamina
Chapter 4 – More prolonged coughing spells, high risk of exhaustion
Chapter 5 – Severe symptoms spur diagnosis (detailed below)
Chapter 6 – Extreme fatigue, crippling coughs, gaunt appearance
Let‘s look closer at the ramp-up of Arthur‘s illness across these chapters…
Low Energy and Persistent Cough
During Chapter 3, players may notice Arthur tiring more quickly from sprints or taking damage. His newfound limits hint at the infection compromising his lungs.
Sporadic coughing fits also begin, increasing in duration and intensity throughout Chapter 4. Arthur lacks his usual fortitude for gunfights, hunting, and other stamina-taxing activities.
The Saint Denis Incident
In Chapter 5, the tuberculosis reaches advanced stages, triggering major incidents:
While chasing Angelo Bronte‘s men through Saint Denis, Arthur suddenly collapses into a violent coughing fit and passes out. He‘s quickly dragged to a doctor‘s office by a helpful citizen.
Despite Arthur‘s protests, the doctor examines his symptoms before delivering chilling news:
"I‘m really sorry son, it‘s tuberculosis."
Arthur reacts angrily to the "death sentence" diagnosis. But his denial can‘t change the reality – an incurable disease has taken hold from his fateful beating of Downes.
Arthur‘s Redemption Arc
From this diagnosis onward, Arthur is a doomed man fighting against time.
In some beautifully bittersweet storytelling, Arthur‘s sickness helps catalyze a redemption arc. He focuses on making the most of his final days:
Helping John Marston escape the life → Making peace with ex-lover Mary → Supporting gang members in crisis
All while reflecting on his regrets, life of violence, and complex relationship with Dutch.
In an ironic twist, the TB weakening Arthur‘s body ultimately saves his soul. It spurs returning lost loved ones, righting past wrongs, and finding fulfillment before his end.
Let‘s explore some common reader questions around Arthur contracting tuberculosis during Money Lending and Other Sins III:
Could players have avoided the TB transmission?
Unfortunately, no. Thomas Downes coughing into Arthur‘s mouth is a scripted story beat that cannot be dodged.
How historically accurate is Arthur‘s TB progression?
Extremely so – in the early 1900s, dying from TB took an average of 3 years after initial exposure. Arthur‘s symptoms rapidly decline over a similar several months.
If Arthur beat Downes less violently, could that have prevented catching TB?
Doubtful. While the face coughing increases infection risk, just spending extended time with a TB carrier is enough for bacteria transfer. The progression may have been slightly slower if Arthur kept distance.
Does Arthur infect other gang members?
It‘s never shown or implied he passes TB to his outlaw family or companions. Likely because he tries to minimize close contact once symptoms manifest.
Arthur‘s tuberculosis originates from a bloody encounter with a desperate, dying man that escalates out of control.
While Downes technically triggers Arthur’s fate, neither is truly to blame – it’s a disease cutting swaths across America.
Ironically, chasing Downes’ repayment to aid the gang ultimately dooms Arthur Morgan instead. It sets tuberculosis loose within his body to inescapably ravage his health until the very end.
For me as an RDR2 diehard fan, Arthur‘s illness added emotional weight and poetry to his redemption. And the mission where he contracts TB kicks off one of gaming‘s most affecting final acts.
