Gamers heading into Red Dead Redemption 2 more than likely expect to be dropped into a largely lawless world. What they may not expect, however, is to stumble into a disturbing scene where protagonist Arthur Morgan is apparently sexually assaulted by a complete stranger.
The events play out in a ramshackle hut found in Bayou Nwa, south of Bluewater Marsh in Lemoyne. Hearing a call out through the bush, Arthur approaches a man who asks if he’s lonely before offering to feed him. As soon as Arthur enters the hut, the stranger knocks him unconscious, and the screen fades to black.
The specific context of the next scene relies largely on audio cues: after Arthur hits the ground, the sound of jangling trinkets can be heard, as well as what is likely meant to be the sound of clothing hitting the floor. Waking briefly in a delirious state, the stranger remarks that Arthur put up a considerable fight, one that Arthur ultimately lost.
The cutscene ends on the quote, “See? Friendship ain’t so tough. And neither is you.” After that, Arthur can be heard being thrown onto the ground, with the sound of a trotting horse fading into the distance. Arthur wakes up, expressing disbelief, having been dumped a short distance up the road.
It’s not exactly clear what the purpose of this event may be. There appear to be no collectibles or missions anywhere around the area, and as far as we can tell, the attacker doesn’t come into play for the rest of the game. The player does have the chance to return to the hut and kill the assailant, if they so choose, or just leave him be, presumably free to assault someone else.
If anything, this event and the cutscene show just how dangerous the Old West can be, even for capable outlaws like Arthur Morgan. As for what we’re supposed to think; well, we’ll leave that question for the developers at Rockstar Games.
