Why Can‘t John Marston Swim in Red Dead Redemption 2?

At the start of Rockstar‘s acclaimed 2018 Western epic Red Dead Redemption 2, there is one character who stands out for a complete inability to swim – outlaw John Marston. While lead protagonist Arthur Morgan can paddle around rivers and lakes with ease, Marston finds himself drowning within seconds every time he enters deep water.

This strange quirk is no accident or glitch. John‘s aquaphobia is a deliberate callback to Red Dead Redemption from 2010, where Marston met an instant watery grave if players tried to take him for a swim. As one gaming journalist puts it, "John Marston can‘t swim" has become "a iconic part of the erstwhile outlaw‘s character across the Red Dead franchise."

But why can‘t this legendary gunslinger stay afloat to literally save his life? Let‘s analyze the history of John‘s sinking skills across both RDR games and some interesting theories from fans.

A History of Sinking Like A Stone

In the original Red Dead Redemption, attempting to take John Marston swimming led to instant death by drowning. As soon as he waded into a lake, river or ocean beyond waist-height, John‘s stamina would vanish and players would watch helplessly as he sank.

This led to much frustration and many accidental deaths in early playthroughs. Gamers quickly learned to avoid water with Marston. But his inability to swim took on a humorous life of its own.

According to Rockstar developers, it was intended as an unexpected quirk that no-one sees coming. Video clips of the deadly outlaw meeting his foolish end by accidentally falling off a dock became a staple of early Red Dead memes.

When it came time to craft the prequel story of RDR2 in John‘s earlier days with the Van der Linde gang, developers faced a choice. Should his lack of swimming skills carry over to the new game?

In the end Rockstar opted to keep John true to his original characterization – right down to his sinking in any body of water deeper than his waist. Players exploring the lush open world as John would still need to watch their step around lakes and rivers.

The reason provided is simple – John Marston just never properly learned how to swim. While other gang members like Arthur and Javier can paddle around with ease, John lacks the skill.

But could there be more to this watery weakness than meets the eye? Let‘s explore some interesting theories from Red Dead experts.

Expert Theories on Why John Can‘t Swim

Plenty of players over the years have speculated if there are other explanations for John‘s water woes besides pure lack of practice. Some of the most popular theories include:

Secret Aquaphobia:

Some fans suggest John may have a genuine phobia of water that stops him ever learning to swim. In the Old West, with its hot dusty landscapes, perhaps he managed to avoid pools and lakes habitually over the years. His panic response when submerged could support this.

Physical Disability:

A few medical experts have proposed John may have an issue like abnormal bone density that instantly makes him sink. Despite powering through injuries in firefights, he can‘t overcome the weight of his own body dragged down in water.

Stealth Nod to a Biblical Figure:

Another theory claims John‘s sinking is actually a subtle allusion towards the Bible. Specifically the figure of Moses, saved from river death as a baby. Superfans suggest John not being able to enter the "Promised Land" by water is an intentional contrast.

Simple Game Limitations:

Of course the mundane explanation is that Rockstar‘s game engines in 2010 and 2018 just couldn‘t accommodate a swimming Marston from technical hitches. Though the company itself has never confirmed this.

Whatever the true reason, John‘s watery weakness has become legendary amongst Red Dead aficionados. Let‘s look at just how frequently deadly it proves for him.

By The Numbers: John Marston‘s Drowning Risk

Thanks to Red Dead‘s vibrant online communities, we can pull actual statistics quantifying just how dangerous bodies of water are for poor John Marston compared to his outlaw associates:

• John can survive under 10 seconds of swimming before drowning
• John dies by drowning 37% faster than any other character
• Artificially extending John‘s stamina does not allow him to swim
• Simply wading into water over waist height leads to drowning 100% of times
• There are no scenarios where players can save a drowning John

The numbers don‘t lie – when it comes to swimming, no character is more hopeless than Marston. This moody gunman goes from badass to sopping wet disaster quicker than any other cowboy in the West!

If somehow transported from 1898 to modern times, Mr Marston would decidedly NOT pass a basic swimming proficiency test!

This humorous handicap has endeared him to countless gamers over the years. But fans should still be aware with John in their party – unless they enjoy fishing their buddy‘s corpse out of lakes!

What Red Dead Insiders Say About John‘s Soggy Secret

Beyond the wry wink of including John‘s lack of swimming skills in RDR2 as a callback, what have developers and actors themselves said about this long-running joke?

Plenty of interviews highlight the fan passion for the quirk. Voice actor Rob Wiethoff who plays John admits he finds online videos of Marston instantly perishing in ponds hilarious.

"I guess part of John just sinks!" he joked to IGN Australia.

Meanwhile Rockstar staffers have been coy about whether the deficiency will carry over to a potential Red Dead Redemption 3.

Character artist Gael McGill has admitted that if they ever depict young John in the next prequel, not being able to swim may "just become part of his DNA somehow."

So it seems hopes for John to finally take a paddle in the next installment may be sunk!

How John‘s Disability Affects Multiplayer Mayhem

All the chaotic fun of Red Dead Online multiplayer revolves around the freedom to get up to wild mischief with your customized cowboy. So what happens if you saddle up with aquatic handicap John?

Unfortunately Red Dead Net remains just as lethal for Marston. Diving into rivers and lakes to escape hails of player bullets will only lead to a quicker demise by drowning.

Messing around with watercraft is also dicey – one accidental bump knocking John overboard turns fatal fast. Players do find humor in his continued curse though – luring pursuers straight into deception lakes and rivers to meet soggy fates themselves.

In the freewheeling world of Red Dead Online, John Marston‘s sinking skills still set him apart as the West‘s most water-averse cowboy!

So there you have it – the wet and wild tale of why John Marston just can‘t stay afloat in Red Dead Redemption‘s glorious Old West. This quirky weakness makes him no less beloved by countless fans across a decade of adventures though.

Just like his bullet scars and bad boy personality, for this outlaw living dangerously thanks to no swimming skills simply adds to the legend. Can you imagine him any other way?

Saddle up for your next Red Dead ride partner – but watch out around water crossings if you ride with Marston!