What Happens if You Say No to Mary in Red Dead Redemption 2?
So, you’re playing Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2), and you’re faced with a difficult choice: Mary Linton needs your help. But what happens if you, as Arthur Morgan, decide to decline her request? The short answer is this: saying no to Mary immediately ends the current quest line involving her. You’ll exchange parting words, hinting at a finality to your relationship, and you will permanently miss out on any future missions tied to Mary and her family. This includes a subsequent mission where you would help her father. It’s a decision that has both immediate and long-term consequences for your gameplay experience and Arthur’s character arc.
The Immediate Fallout: A Farewell (For Now)
When you reject Mary’s plea for help, the immediate effect is a rather melancholic scene. Arthur and Mary share a farewell, and the quest line connected to her simply ends. There’s a palpable sense of loss and finality in their parting words, suggesting that this might be the last time they see each other. You won’t be able to proceed with the quest to find Mary’s brother, Jamie, or provide assistance to her father later on. In essence, you’re closing a significant narrative door within the game.
The Long-Term Consequences: Missed Opportunities and Narrative Impact
The implications of refusing Mary’s request extend beyond the immediate quest. You will miss a later mission to help Mary’s father. While RDR2 offers a vast and branching narrative, certain choices, like this one, have definitive consequences. Deciding against helping Mary alters Arthur’s relationships, potentially impacting your overall sense of connection to the world and its characters. While it might not affect the main storyline directly, it influences the richness and depth of Arthur’s journey, which can influence your ending and honor.
FAQs: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mary and Arthur
What Happens if You Accept Mary’s Request?
If you choose to help Mary, you embark on a series of missions that involve rescuing her brother, Jamie, from a cult (the Chelonians) and assisting her father in Saint Denis. These missions offer unique gameplay experiences and further develop the complex relationship between Arthur and Mary.
Can Arthur and Mary Ever Truly Be Together?
Sadly, no. Despite their strong feelings for each other, Arthur and Mary never rekindle their romance. Mary eventually marries another man, Barry Linton, who later dies, leaving her a widow. Even when they cross paths again, their relationship remains platonic due to Arthur’s lifestyle and moral constraints.
Does Rejecting Mary Affect Arthur’s Honor?
Rejecting Mary’s plea doesn’t have a direct impact on Arthur’s honor level. Honor is primarily affected by actions like helping strangers, completing story missions in an honorable way, and making moral choices in certain encounters. However, consistently acting against compassion and empathy can gradually lower your honor.
What Kind of Missions Are Involved if I Help Mary?
Helping Mary involves a variety of missions. First, you’ll be tasked with finding her brother, Jamie, who has fallen in with a cult known as the Chelonians. This will require you to infiltrate their camp and extract Jamie. Later, you’ll assist Mary’s father in Saint Denis, which involves navigating the city and dealing with his personal struggles.
Is There a “Right” Time to Make a Move on Mary?
According to some information found in the game, if you get the timing exactly right, it will trigger a raunchy sex scene in the theatre bathroom.
What Happens to Mary-Beth After the Events of RDR2?
Mary-Beth, a member of the Van der Linde gang, finds success as a romance novelist after the gang dissolves. You can encounter her at the train station in Valentine after completing the main story.
Can You Sleep with Abigail in RDR2?
Yes, in the Beecher’s Hope safehouse, you can sleep in the same bed as Abigail.
Does Arthur Hate Micah?
Yes, Arthur hates Micah because Micah is a traitor. Micah sold information to the Pinkertons about the gang’s movements, leading to their downfall.
Did Sadie Have a Crush on Arthur?
It is hinted that Sadie admired Arthur and trusted him due to his resemblance to her deceased husband.
Is It Better to Have High or Low Honor in RDR2?
Both high and low honor have their advantages. High honor leads to reduced prices in stores and better loot from enemies. Low honor leads to more loot from enemies, geared toward causing mayhem. The “better” option depends on your preferred playstyle.
What Happens if Arthur Has Low Honor at the End?
If Arthur has low honor, his death scene involves Micah shooting him in the face.
What Is Arthur’s Relationship with the Van der Linde Gang?
Arthur is deeply loyal to the Van der Linde gang, viewing them as his family. However, his loyalty is tested as the gang becomes increasingly morally compromised, leading to internal conflicts and ultimately their downfall.
Was Arthur In Love With Mary?
Yes, it is implied that Arthur loved Mary deeply, and they were even engaged at one point. However, their contrasting lifestyles and Arthur’s commitment to the gang ultimately prevented them from being together. They loved each other but their lifestyles are too different to last.
Why Do Arthur and Mary Ultimately Separate?
They love each other, but their lifestyles are too different to last. Mary is too upper-class and sophisticated for Arthur, and Arthur is too rough, jaded, and loyal to the gang. She acknowledges that Arthur’s preference for his criminal lifestyle would prevent them from ever having a future together, eventually coming to terms with it and deciding to cut ties with him.
Can Arthur Eloping With Mary Change Their Fate?
Arthur states that he wants to, but the gang needs him. Even if Arthur had the possibility of eloping with Mary, he would not change his mind because of the loyalty he has towards the Van der Linde gang.
The Broader Implications: Choice and Consequence in Storytelling
The decision to help or reject Mary highlights a key element of RDR2’s storytelling: the importance of choice and consequence. The game presents you with opportunities to shape Arthur’s character and his relationships with the world around him. Your decisions have tangible effects, leading to different outcomes and impacting your overall experience.
Making Your Decision: Roleplaying and Personalization
Ultimately, the choice of whether or not to help Mary is a personal one. It depends on how you want to portray Arthur and what kind of story you want to experience. Some players may prioritize completing every quest and maximizing their interactions with all characters. Others may choose to align Arthur’s actions with their own sense of morality or with a specific roleplaying style. There’s no right or wrong answer; it’s about creating a narrative that resonates with you.
Exploring Further: The Intersection of Games and Learning
Choices like the one involving Mary, showcase how video games can serve as powerful tools for exploring complex themes like morality, relationships, and consequence. To delve deeper into these concepts and understand the educational potential of games, consider visiting the website of the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. This organization explores the ways that games can be used to foster learning and development. GamesLearningSociety.org offers resources and insights for educators, researchers, and anyone interested in the intersection of games and learning.
By engaging with these themes and reflecting on the decisions you make in RDR2, you can gain a deeper appreciation for the game’s narrative complexity and its ability to evoke emotional responses. Whether you choose to help Mary or not, the decision offers a valuable opportunity to explore the nuances of Arthur Morgan’s character and the consequences of his actions.