Benutzer:Tobiasi0/Arthur Morgan

Vorlage:Short description Vorlage:Infobox character Arthur Morgan is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2. A high-ranking member of the Van der Linde gang, Arthur must deal with the decline of the Wild West whilst attempting to survive against government forces, rival gangs, and other adversaries in a fictionalized representation of the Western, Midwestern and Southern United States. He is portrayed by Roger Clark, who provided the character's voice and performance capture.

The development team at Rockstar Games decided that the player would control one character in Red Dead Redemption 2, as opposed to the three protagonists in Rockstar's previous title Grand Theft Auto V (2013), in order to follow the character more personally and understand how the events impact him. They felt that a single character felt more appropriate for the narrative structure of a Western. Clark wanted to portray the character in a manner that was complex enough for the player to choose his path and still make sense. He took inspiration from actors such as Toshiro Mifune, John Wayne, and Rob Wiethoff, who also played John Marston in the game and its predecessor.

The character has received acclaim from critics, with his complexity and path to redemption most frequently the subject of praise. Reviewers also lauded the character for bringing the game's world and other characters to life. For his work on the game, Clark received numerous nominations and was awarded Best Performance at The Game Awards.

Character development

The development team at Rockstar Games decided that the player would control one character in Red Dead Redemption 2, as opposed to the three protagonists in Rockstar's previous title Grand Theft Auto V (2013), in order to follow the character more personally and understand how the events impact him. They felt that a single character felt more appropriate for the narrative structure of a Western. Nelson felt that the decision to limit to one protagonist shaped the other creative decisions of development. The conversations and sense of life within the gang environment was inspired by Grand Theft Auto Vs exploration of the lives of two of the game's playable characters while the player was controlling the other one. Rockstar wanted to grant agency to the player when experiencing the story of Arthur; Unsworth noted that Arthur is neither controlled by the storytellers or by the player, but consists of "a delicate push and pull between the two". The team attempted to give the player more freedom with Arthur's relationship with other characters; when the narrative begins, Arthur has already formed relationships with the other gang members, so the team aimed to develop them in a way for the player to respond appropriately.

For his portrayal as Arthur, actor Roger Clark took main inspiration from Toshiro Mifune. He found that Mifune's characters were very stoic while also having a "crazy" sense of humor, a complexity he wanted to portray within Arthur. Clark also took inspiration from The Proposition (2005) as it involved a similar situation to Arthur's, wherein he is forced to betray some of his loyalties. He watched films such as High Noon (1952), as well as the work of John Wayne; despite watching the Dollars Trilogy (1964–1966) he did not take much inspiration from Clint Eastwood's portrayal of the Man with No Name, as he felt that Arthur was more talkative. Clark wanted to portray a character that was complex enough for the player to choose his path and still make sense. He initially faced difficulty with this concept, as the high honor performance was different to the low honor, but he reminded himself that Arthur was a complex character who could easily contradict himself. He aimed to portray vulnerability with Arthur's ego. Clark felt that Arthur initially resented John Marston, as he had a family—something Arthur wishes he could have—but as the gang begins to fall apart, Arthur acts to help John, "try[ing] to do what he wishes he could have done for himself". Clark looked to Rob Wiethoff's portrayal as John in the first game for inspiration with his own performance. A second love interest for Arthur was cut from the game during development.

Vice President of Creativity Dan Houser was interested in subverting the trope of the protagonist starting as weak and becoming stronger as the story progresses; instead, Arthur is already tough at the beginning of the game, and is "taken on a more intellectual roller coaster when his world view gets taken apart". Houser felt that the decline of the American frontier has a deep impact on Arthur, noting that the character is "caught between the nastiness of nature and the brutality of encroaching industrialization in civilization". Houser avoided meeting Clark on set to avoid hearing his real voice.

Appearances

Arthur joined the Van der Linde gang when he was 14-years-old, having lost his parents at a young age, and soon became Dutch's first protégé.Vorlage:Sfn Arthur had a son, Isaac, with a waitress named Eliza; he demonstrated regular support for them until they were killed by robbers for a trivial sum of money. Over time, Arthur transformed from a lost cause into Dutch's most dedicated enforcer.Vorlage:Sfn When the gang is forced into a blizzard, Arthur helps to find supplies and later tracks down John. He helps to rob the trained owned by Leviticus Cornwall and, after moving to Horseshoe Overlook, fights against Cornwall's hired guns. After moving to Clemens Point, Arthur becomes involved in conflict between two warring families, the Braithwaites and the Grays. The conflict leads to the death of a gang member and the capture of Jack Marston.

Arthur retrieves Jack from the supervision of crime lord Angelo Bronte, and helps retaliate against the backstabbing Bronte who leads them into a trap. Arthur notices Dutch's violent outburst as uncharacteristic of him. Further exploits lead them to Saint Denis where a failed bank heist forces some members of the gang out of town; they soon shipwreck on Guarma, but fight alongside a revolutionary in exchange for a ship back to the mainland. Reuniting with the rest of the gang, Arthur and Sadie resolve to save the captured John, much to the disdain of Dutch. Upon saving John, Arthur reveals his growing doubts about Dutch, unable to accept his leader's growing obsession. Arthur is soon diagnosed with tuberculosis. Shocked by the grim reality of his imminent death, Arthur contemplates his decisions and reflects on his morals, led further by his friendship with Native American leader Rains Fall. This drives his desire to protect the remnants of the gang, particularly John and his family.

When Dutch ignores Arthur's plea to rescue Abigail from Agent Milton, Arthur disavows the gang. Upon confronting Milton, Arthur discovers that Micah Bell has been betraying the gang. He returns to Dutch to inform him of Micah's betrayal; Dutch turns on Arthur and the newly returned John. When Pinkertons invade the camp, Arthur and John flee. Arthur begs John to return to his family. Arthur is soon ambushed by the vengeful Micah, and Dutch intervenes in their fight. Arthur convinces Dutch to abandon Micah and leave. If the player has high honor, Arthur succumbs to his injuries and disease and dies peacefully while watching the sunrise; if the player has low honor, Micah executes him.

Reception

Roger Clark's performance as Arthur Morgan received high praise from several gaming publications and awards ceremonies.

Arthur's character received generally positive feedback. Giant Bomb's Alex Navarro wrote that the characters possess humanity often lacking in other Rockstar games, particularly in the thoughtful portrayal of Arthur's internal conflicts. Preston Dozsa of CG Magazine felt similarly, praising the game's interactivity for the player to craft the journey themselves. LevelSkip's Kyle Atwood called Arthur Morgan a "character of tragedy and, most importantly, humanity". Kotakus Kirk Hamilton wrote that Arthur initially seemed unremarkable but became more interesting throughout the game, aided by Clark's performance. Ars Technicas Daniel Starkey felt that, while Arthur's story can be considered "poignant and memorable", some will see it as a typical story about a "'bad man' who isn't necessarily in control".

GamesRadar's Tom Power felt that Arthur's story reflects that of a Shakespearean tragedy, with some of the game's characters representing the five stages of grief. David Meikleham of GamesRadar lauded Arthur's story for being "nothing short of astonishing", comparing it to The Last of Us (2013). Electronic Gaming Monthlys Nick Plessas found the journey of redemption for Arthur Morgan to be "far more redeeming" than John Marston's in Red Dead Redemption, noting that his sins heightened his sympathy for the character. Javy Gwaltney of Game Informer echoed this sentiment, noting that Arthur's arc is a "fantastic take on memento mori and how ruthlessly messy and complex redemption can be". Conversely, Eurogamers Martin Robinson considered Arthur to be less compelling than Marston, leading to a confusing narrative as a result.

Several critics felt that the character brought the game's world to life. The Guardians Paul Walker-Emig noted that Arthur's notebook made him feel "like a real person with his own inner life, rather than a puppet who does our bidding". Peter Suderman, writing for The New York Times, found that players "feel for Arthur Morgan, a bad man with a good heart, because his choices are, in fact, your own". Laurence Mozafari of Digital Spy felt that Arthur perfectly encapsulated the feeling of the Old West. VentureBeats Dean Takahashi praised the Clark's performance for adding to the game's immersion and the character's depth. Luke Reilly of IGN celebrated the life brought into the character, describing his voice as having an "infectious authenticity".

For his role as Arthur, Clark won Best Performance at The Game Awards 2018, and was awarded gold from PlayStation Blog. He also received nominations at the 15th British Academy Games Awards, National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards, and the New York Game Awards.

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