Red Dead Redemption 2: Everything You Need To Know About Tuberculosis

Arthur Morgan contracts tuberculosis early on in the story during a routine mission.

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Note: This post contains spoilers!

Red Dead Redemption, as one long narrative, is riddled with unforgettable moments and compelling characters that will remain staples in the industry. Though John Marston might be Rockstar’s breakout Western protagonist, Arthur Morgan immediately stole the show upon his debut in Red Dead Redemption II. His acclaim was so renowned he spawned a mass internet frenzy, where heartbroken players endlessly searched for a way to save him in the plot’s endgame.

His allure, in many ways, encapsulates the Red Dead motif. Like John Marston before him, Arthur feels death nipping at his heels. Given that tuberculosis is not only one of the most deadly viruses in the world but likewise has one of the largest body counts on record (an estimated 10.7 billion death toll), Arthur’s deathly premonition was on the nose.

No Way Out

Arthur Morgan contracts tuberculosis early on in the story during a routine mission to collect money lent out via Leopold Strauss, the Van der Linde gang’s loan shark. The lendee, a severely ill and elderly farmer, coughs on Arthur’s face in the midst of a heated confrontation. This is where Arthur contracts the TB bacteria, known as Mycobacterium, which immediately attacks the infected’s lungs. In Arthur’s case, it takes many months to rear its ugly head, yet the TB is always there lurking under the surface, multiplying sporadically with vicious intent.

As the untreated tuberculosis festers, the worse the symptoms become. The infected will experience a cough unlike any other, a vile hacking that will bring up with it both mucus and blood. The reason for Arthur’s demise, however, has much to do with the character’s choices, his outlaw life and blatant disregard for healthy habits. Many of the missions lead Arthur into direct danger, one of which even sees him kidnapped, malnourished, and tortured. Coupled with the many instances where the character is smoking and drinking, it’s clear Arthur’s inevitable demise lies ahead.

The Cost of Evil

It is not until much later into the game — when Arthur collapses in the street and awakens in a hospital bed — that he discovers his prognosis. This is the sole moment in Arthur’s life, the brief second of clarity, wherein the Van der Linde gang lieutenant looks back on his sins with contempt. Yet, it’s also the point in Arthur’s life where he accepts his failures and faults, learning instead to live above them.

Akin to how Rockstar needs to grow up about sex, Arthur Morgan fans need to accept the fact that he’s gone and his story has come full circle. He’s not without his detractors, but his message is still everlasting. Despite his terminal diagnosis, Arthur still found a way to be the best he could. As he himself reveals in his dying words:

“John made it. He’s the only one. Rest of us…? No. But…I tried. In the end…I did.”

Heart of Darkness

Red Dead has always been a story about men unwilling to adapt in a time when change is necessary for survival. In the original, John Marston knew from the outset that the law was never going to allow him his peace. His hunt for the last surviving Van der Linde gang members, like Arthur’s deteriorating health in the sequel, is just another parallel to a wayward life that needs amending. With John and Arthur both dying in their respective titles, the narrative’s namesake is crystallized. Despite proving to be good men, in the culmination of the story their redemption is secured only by way of an untimely end.

For now, with no known endgame tuberculosis cure, players only have one option to keep Arthur Morgan alive and it’s by ignoring late-game story missions. Thus explains why Red Dead is so addictive —not only is the habitat that surrounds the protagonist so life-like and serene, but the character of Arthur himself compliments that realism.

Link Source : https://www.thegamer.com/red-dead-redemption-2-tuberculosis-explained/