How Did Micah Bell Lose an Eye in Red Dead Redemption 2?
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The burning question for many Red Dead Redemption 2 fans is: how did Micah Bell lose his eye? The short answer is: Micah Bell does not canonically lose an eye during the main storyline of Red Dead Redemption 2. However, this is a commonly confused detail due to one specific ending variant in the game. Micah only obtains a significant facial scar over his eye if the player achieves a high honor playthrough and chooses to return for the money in the mission “Red Dead Redemption,” specifically the “Go after the money” version. In this scenario, during the final confrontation with Micah, Arthur slashes him across the face with a knife, causing a significant wound that manifests as a large scar over his eye. This scar is what leads many to mistakenly believe that Micah lost his eye, and indeed, it gives the visual impression of such an injury. Therefore, to clarify, Micah does not lose an eye, but he gets a prominent scar over it under specific high honor circumstances. This scar becomes a defining physical trait of Micah in the post-game epilogue.
Micah’s Scar: The Misconception of Eye Loss
The confusion arises from the visual presentation of Micah’s injury. The deep, jagged scar that runs across his face and over his eye gives the impression that he has lost the eye. The scarred eye appearance is only a result of this cut during the high-honor “Go after the money” ending and is the only scenario where Micah gets this particular scar. In all other instances, Micah does not have this scar, as the other encounters leading up to the epilogue do not result in a direct facial slashing. This detail is important because it distinguishes different player choices and their impact on the game’s ending and character appearances.
The Impact of Player Choice on the Final Showdown
The fact that Micah’s scar is directly related to player choice demonstrates the dynamic nature of Red Dead Redemption 2’s narrative. The game rewards players for high-honor decisions, and one way it manifests is in this physical change to a key antagonist. The developers deliberately linked Micah’s scarred appearance to the player’s actions, making the confrontation feel more personal and meaningful. This specific outcome is a direct response to Arthur’s actions, and it further solidifies how the choices made in RDR2 can profoundly alter how the story unfolds and how the characters look in the end.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Micah Bell
1. Why does Micah call Arthur “cowpoke”?
The term “cowpoke” is used frequently by Micah after he is called it by Arthur in Strawberry. Before then, Micah never uses the term and, after that one instance, he adopts the use of the word quite frequently. Micah seems to use “cowpoke” as a derogatory term, meant to belittle Arthur’s traditional outlaw background and perhaps to show his own supposed superiority. He possibly began using it after Arthur called him that as a way to mock or insult him.
2. Did Micah contract tuberculosis (TB)?
There is no indication that Micah contracts TB during the game. While Arthur is infected by a coughing encounter during a mission, Micah does not show any symptoms of the disease, even after being subjected to a scenario that would have transmitted the disease such as blood mixing through a wound. The game focuses on Arthur’s struggles with the illness and the fact that Micah is not ill only helps to show how formidable and dangerous he is even without illness.
3. Why did Dutch shoot Micah in the end?
At the end of the game, Dutch does shoot Micah, but it isn’t to immediately kill him. The shooting is more about Dutch’s own redemption. By shooting Micah, who was the main cause of the gang’s destruction and a contributing factor to Arthur’s demise, Dutch partially redeems himself. It is an admission of his own mistakes and that Micah was ultimately the one to blame.
4. Why did Micah shoot Arthur in the face?
Micah shoots Arthur in the face in the final showdown because he sees Arthur as a traitor. In the eyes of Dutch and other members of the gang, Arthur was perceived as a threat to their operation and stability as their relationships were deteriorating. Micah painted Arthur as a traitor to Dutch, and Dutch ultimately believed him. This action is primarily to ensure Arthur’s downfall.
5. Is the scar on Micah’s face always there?
No, the scar on Micah’s face is not always there. It only appears if the player chose the “Go after the money” version of the mission “Red Dead Redemption” with high honor. This variation includes Arthur slashing Micah’s face during their fight. If this outcome doesn’t occur, Micah does not have the scar in the epilogue.
6. Could Arthur have killed Micah without TB?
Yes, it’s highly likely Arthur could have killed Micah if he hadn’t been sick with tuberculosis. Arthur was one of the strongest characters in the gang, and the TB significantly weakened him. If he had been at his full strength, it is implied that he could have overcome Micah in their final fight.
7. Why did Dutch seem to favor Micah so much?
Dutch’s apparent favoritism of Micah is complex. Micah saved his life early on, leading Dutch to feel obligated and perhaps even indebted to him. Additionally, Micah often tells Dutch what he wants to hear, unlike Arthur, who starts to question him. This, coupled with Dutch’s own descent into madness, contributed to his biased view of Micah.
8. What did Dutch and Micah do to the girl in Blackwater?
During a ferry robbery in Blackwater orchestrated by Micah, Dutch shot an innocent woman which marked the beginning of the gang’s downfall. This violent act pushed them further into trouble, highlighting how Micah’s poor planning and Dutch’s increasingly erratic behavior led to the gang’s decline.
9. Why did Dutch believe Micah instead of Arthur?
Dutch believed Micah over Arthur due to several factors. After the death of Hosea and the failed heist in Saint Denis, Arthur began to doubt Dutch and his ideals. Micah on the other hand told Dutch what he wanted to hear, playing into his ego and reassuring him. This is a significant part of the game that shows how Dutch was increasingly losing touch with reality and surrounded himself with yes-men.
10. Why is Micah considered a bad guy in RDR2?
Micah is depicted as evil from his introduction to the game. He commits numerous atrocities including murder, robberies, and manipulation. Even in his early life, Micah was involved in violent acts, solidifying his status as a morally corrupt individual.
11. How old is Micah at the end of RDR2?
Based on a newspaper scrap within the game, it is theorized that Micah is approximately 39 years old during the events of the story.
12. Could Arthur have survived his TB?
No, Arthur could not have survived his tuberculosis. There was no known cure for the disease in the 1890s, and the severity of Arthur’s case meant that his death was unavoidable.
13. Does Micah ever sleep in RDR2?
It’s often noted that Micah rarely sleeps in the game, which is an unusual trait for a gang member. This further emphasizes his restless, and perhaps paranoid, nature.
14. What mental illness does Dutch exhibit in RDR2?
Dutch displays symptoms of narcissism and personality disorder. He exhibits traits such as dramatic and exaggerated behavior, intense emotionality, erratic actions, and unpredictability. All these suggest an underlying mental instability.
15. Is Micah actually a good guy?
No, Micah is definitively not a good guy. His violent past and constant involvement in immoral activities throughout the game prove that he is always self-serving and a negative influence.
In conclusion, while Micah Bell doesn’t canonically lose an eye, he does get a significant scar over his eye under specific circumstances within the game. This distinction is important as it helps highlight the branching storylines and the influence of player choices in Red Dead Redemption 2. The FAQs also reveal many other facets of Micah’s character, which further solidify the complicated narrative and the many dynamics at play in this incredible game.