What Really Happened in Blackwater?

[GameOnPlay BR]

The Blackwater massacre is undoubtedly one of the most significant events in the Red Dead Redemption franchise. It serves as the catalyst for the events of the second game and, consequently, the first. Although many details remain shrouded in mystery, some clues throughout the narrative suggest that Blackwater may have been a trap. Let’s explore this possibility.

Early in Red Dead Redemption 2, while in the snowy region, Dutch Van der Linde tells Arthur Morgan that he believes it was an ambush, pointing out the overwhelming presence of Pinkerton agents during the incident. This hypothesis is quite plausible, and there are strong indications that Micah Bell, one of the newest members of the gang, may have played a crucial role in this supposed betrayal.

Micah joined the gang shortly before the heist and may have been the one to suggest the attack on the ferry. At his old camp in Strawberry—possibly used before joining the group—there is a wanted poster for Dutch with a reward of one thousand dollars. This suggests that the Pinkertons were already monitoring the gang before Blackwater. Considering that, at the beginning of the game, Arthur himself has a bounty of five thousand dollars, it’s reasonable to assume Dutch’s bounty was even higher after the massacre.

All this points to the possibility that the Pinkerton agents infiltrated Micah into the gang, using him to manipulate Dutch and the rest of the group into carrying out this disastrous heist. When the plan went wrong, Micah remained with the gang, possibly under orders from the Pinkertons, with the ultimate goal of destroying it from within. This is precisely what happens in the final chapter of the game.

Another important point to consider is the dialogue between Agent Milton and Arthur in Chapter 5. Milton reveals that Micah betrayed the gang after the group’s return from Guarma. However, I don’t believe this betrayal occurred solely at that moment. All the evidence points to Micah’s collaboration with the Pinkertons much earlier, going back to the very conception of the Blackwater heist.

This theory positions Micah Bell as a key player in a larger Pinkerton plan to destroy the Van der Linde gang. His behavior throughout the game, combined with the clues left in the environment and the dialogues, reinforces the idea that Blackwater was a carefully orchestrated trap—a calculated move to destabilize the gang and precipitate its downfall.

[sancisco]

if they ever made a next prequel, Micah might be the key character but i don't care. i only care about Mac Callander beating 15 guys' arse