Summary
In the lore-deep world ofRed Dead Redemption 2, where every corner of the map holds secrets, the town of Rhodes stands out as a place of particular intrigue and mystery. Amidst the hustle and bustle of theWild West themed game, a dark secret lurks beneath the surface revolving around a bewildering character named Jasper. As players delve deeper into his story, it becomes apparent his tale is not limited to the kidnapping of the mysterious stranger, but a tangled web of deception and tragedy that clouds this quaint town.
Random encounters are the order of the day inRed Dead Redemption 2, and Jasper’s tale begins with Arthur Morgan coming across a man looking through a barred window and calling out for help. The man reveals he has been kidnapped by the store owner, Jasper Feeney, and needs rescuing. Players can decide to help the man and accost Jasper, demanding to see his basement, although the store owner insists he has nothing to hide – as his “son” is sleeping. After marching Jasper into the basement and finding the young man from earlier, the store owner explains that he locked his “son” in the room to stop him from stealing candy. However, the kidnapped man has a different version of the story, saying Jasper abducted and dressed him in sailor clothes, keeping him bound in chains.
RELATED:Red Dead Redemption 2’s Supernatural Weird West Elements Explained
Jasper’s Tear-Jerking Story in RDR 2 Has a Few Holes in it
IfArthur Morgandecides to shoot the shackles and set the young man free, Jasper will apologize for his actions, blaming trauma at the loss of his actual son and telling a heartbreaking tale of what befell him. Jasper was teaching his kid, supposedly named Sammy, to shoot a rifle by the river. However, he was unprepared for the gun’s recoil, falling into the water and quickly disappearing downstream. The store owner says he searched the area for days for any trace of his son, but the boy was lost. He kidnaps the young man because he resembles his lost child, refusing to acknowledge the boy’s death.
Although the kidnapping case appears easily solved as the result of a father in emotional pain, there’s more to the story than meets the eye. Exploring thetown of Rhodes, tidbits of interesting NPC dialogue hint at more than Jasper Feeney’s explanation lets on, and the townspeople at large might have had a hand in his son’s disappearance. Players can overhear NPCs speaking about the mystery in hushed tones, and their manner of speaking suggests a murder occurred, rather than an accidental death. Some refer to Sammy as the boy who got killed, and there’s a camper by the Kamassa River that alludes to the townspeople’s guilt over the death of an innocent hanging like a gloomy cloud.
The hushed, anguished conversations of Rhodes residents confirm the element of guilt, and their unwillingness to divulge the truth about what happened to Sammy indicates their complicity. This detail shows that the townspeople had a role to play in Sammy’s death, or at the very least, know the person responsible for his demise. In Jasper’s case, he has no reason to lie about what transpired, but his broken mental state that drove him to kidnap a stranger may have clouded his memory of the true events. Gamers have come up with a few theories to explain away the townspeople’s silence and guilt, but like many ofRed Dead Redemption 2’s mysteries, there’s no official explanation to clear the shadows of doubt.
Some suggest Sammy ran away from home to become theFeral Man, and others think the townspeople are referring to a dead slave near Braithwaite’s Manor, thereby giving Jasper’s tale some plausibility. However, with the true mystery unsolved, the conclusion to this dark and convoluted tale is left for the player to decipher.
Red Dead Redemption 2is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
