The funniest conversation about Uncle in II is between John and Jack when Jack asks why everyone calls him Uncle then asks if Uncle was old when Jack was a kid and John goes "He was old when I was a kid son."
Uncle openly criticizes Dutch and calls him a would-be king, and Dutch calls Uncle a court jester - It’s often said that a jester was the only one at court who could point out a king’s flaws and get away with it, since his antics wouldn’t be taken seriously
it's not that they wouldn't be taken seriously, court jesters were highly respected and their satirical criticisms of the king would be very important to any king not up his own ass. it's just that getting mad at a court jester and punishing them would be seen as a very insecure act both personally and diplomatically, and court jesters are usually trusted, respected and liked by the king to the point they can get away with such educational and entertaining criticisms, like constructive banter
Uncle can get away with it because, I believe, Dutch understands Uncle's true identity. He might be the only one who does. The exchanges between Dutch and Uncle always struck me as a display of friendship rather than a question of insulting. Dutch seemed to be privy to something that eluded everyone else. Thus, when Uncle spoke about Dutch, it appeared more as a friend attempting to help Dutch realise his mistakes. A true close friend wouldn't hesitate to highlight the other's faults. Dutch may not have always appreciated it, but it seemed he grasped the underlying messages Uncle was trying to convey.
I’ve always loved the theory that Revolver is a version of true events that did happen to him, but exaggerated by Uncle to the point of ridiculousness like all his stories. The broad strokes happened, but not the insane shit.
@@ACLA23 Doesn’t matter, it’s been turned into legend due to his own exaggeration and the telephone game being played at those campfires, or even because Revolver is the fictionalized versions of the events told to John Marston by Uncle when he was still a kid. The half remembered exaggerations of an old drunk told to a child, remembered a decade or more later as the basis for a fiction book that was “inspired” by those events. We know RDR as a whole exists within GTA as a series of books by the “real” John already.
@@ElectricheadPt1 it would actually matter because why would you try to tell a story about yourself and exaggerate it. That's like me telling a story when I was 15 but say I was actually 22 years old.
@@Detahramet I beg to differ. Uncle never narrates stories that are remotely similar to Red Dead Revolver's narrative, so if he never did, then how can you be so sure of it happening anyway?
The scene with him calling out Dutch and being threatened just gives me the vibe that Uncle is sitting there like "Boy, I'm twice your age, seen and done things that'd make you shit yourself.", but he's not dumb and plays it off as a joke.
@@ACLA23 the age difference actually only being that much kinda gives even more credit to uncle cus he sure as shit looks way older than only six years 😭
@@solveigsgang2909 ya idk where TF this idiot came up with that "6 yr diff" considering neither shares how old they are in either game except John telling Jack "idk how old uncle is, he was old when I was ur age!" And uncle says "I was born between the fall of 45 and fall of Rome!" Witch would mean uncle is 50 yrs or so at least!!! Dutch Is deff younger, by 10 plus yrs
Regardless of whether or not Uncle is actually Red Harlow, I most definitely feel like there is more to Uncles past than we realize. It wouldn’t surprise me if it turned out he really was some sort of badass gunslinger who simply grew old and turned into the lazy drunk we know and love.
Better to be a lazy drunk than a hardcore killer and I get the feeling Uncle did enough killing to lose his taste for it. Being lazy and drunk made Uncle happy. All throughout the game he kept encouraging Arthur and John to find something that made them happy, perhaps seeing himself in them.
I've always believed he is Red Harlow: Think about it, Uncle died defending Beecher's Hope and his family, if he is Red Harlow, his story ended like it started...
If this theory turned out to be true it would be Poetic and Tragic to think about Uncle (Red) Dying, trying to protect a family something that he couldn't do when he was a kid and dying on a Farm
My answer is always: Why not, it's fun to think that the Red Harlow stories grew from the seed of Uncle's young escapades. I enjoy watching different takes on it, whether or not the vid agrees with me :)
It's the unreliable storytelling of both Uncle and Red Dead Revolver as not 100% canon and yet gets mentioned events wise loosely regardless that may provide pause for details to differ, however it's pretty clear that Uncle would need vastly different circumstances to fit into the life of Red Harlow as we knew it.
It is not actually known what age Red's parents died at, his age is not stated at any point in the game. Not only is his age not mentioned, but neither is the year. At no point do they give a date.
Always liked Uncle. Sure he's annoying but he clearly has wit that he masks as a lazy fool but you don't live as long as he has with just luck alone. He's clearly well traveled and has a knack for reading people. He clearly has Dutch figured out because he's probably seen dozens of men like him over time.
I could see Uncle being a Civil War Vet. I feel that he is much older than we realize. Could be how he got his nickname, especially if he was an older service member in the unit. Due to the trauma of the war he drops his name because that part of him died on the battlefield and adopted “Uncle” to remind himself of his fallen brothers and he doesn’t want to talk about his past because he just wants to forget (also to avoid the political fallout if a person he is talking to fought for the opposite side of the war). This could also explain his “lazy” attitude in Rdr1, he isn’t lazy but actually much older than we once thought. It would also give him a redemption line at the end of Rdr1 trying to right the wrongs he committed during the war.
That may he partially true. He may have been in the service with Dutch's father in the war. Brothers in arms. That maybe how he got the name uncle. Dutch called him uncle.
I think Uncle being Red would fit in quite nicely with R*'s misanthropic view of westerns. Red's a heavily romanticized and hyperbolic story which, as is presented by that NPC conversation, is seen as aspirational in the R*'s version of America. For that same Red to turn into just another fat, lazy old drunk like the rest of us feels like such a fitting twist on the story. Not to mention Uncle's reticence towards his past, which would make Red's folk heroic stature rather ironic if the man himself is ashamed of it. None of this is evidence that he is Red, of course, but I think from a story-telling perspective it'd be quite fitting if he was.
@@maxrockatanskytheroadwarriorthat’s the point, that this great american hero of a legendary western tale is all but a bumbling drunk now, is what makes sense with rockstars view in romanticism
He’s nothing like Red in any way. Red wasn’t even a criminal in Red Dead Revolver and his ending never showed anything that would show he would turn to crime for money when he literally turns down money and gives it to his friends at the end of the game. Uncle was his own character. He’s not Red.
Uncle standing there talking at a clearly audible level about a really messed up childhood/adolescent age of having both his parents die, and having to make it on his own, and Susan just giving a hearty “good morning Arthur” like nothing😂 That might be the most Red Dead camp interaction ever🤣🤣
A more “canon” theory that is still just as absurd is that Uncle is actually Otis Miller who faked his death with a stunt double and fell in with Dutch due to his similar ideals. He knows the danger that being in the spotlight brings, adopting the persona of “Uncle” and the “camp rat” as Arthur calls him. Not to mention they look kinda similar, at least from Otis Miller’s cigarette card.
As someone who is aging myself here (42). I will say that as we grow older we learn a thing or three. The wisdom we gain changes us in ways that you may not anticipate until time teaches us. Not to get all deep here lol. Just saying that to me Uncle was someone who knew a lot more then he let on. I enjoyed his character very much. He may have had a sometimes silly and lazy demeanor, but he was also fiercely loyal and stoic in his own unique way. Always enjoy your videos Fiz. Keep up the great work my friend!
I turn 44 this year and you've pretty much hit the nail on the head. I used to be terrified to turn 40 but I have a completely different outlook on life than I did when I was 20. Very well said in my opinion 👌
I agree turn 45 tomorrow and I grew to finally understand what the old timers and my old man use to say “ if I could only go back to my younger years knowing what I know now”
One thing that i’ve seen in my play-through is that out in the RDR1 region of RDR2, you can actually find an abandoned cabin out in the desert that is all but identical to the one red and his family lived in before it was torched, so SOME bits of RD-revolver had to have happened in the redemption timeline
Say that hypothetically, after the events of Red Dead Revolver, Red Harlow was challenged by several more gunman. He never got any rest because of his name and history. Eventually with his age, physical exhaustion, stress, and rampant alcohol consumption he wore down. He got out of shape and developed a bad back. Because people would come after him if he told the truth about who he was and what he had done in his past, he got into the habit of telling lies all the time to throw people off. He grew a big beard to hide his scars. And joined up with Dutch's gang so he could be in the safety of a group of Outlaws who don't even know he's actually Red Harlow. It would be kind of ironic that he spent all of his youthful days hunting down evildoers, only to take shelter in their numbers in his twilight years. It's got the Rockstar storytelling charm to it.
@@LoserLoiue2009He did kill a governor though, even if he was corrupt, Red probably would have been on the run from the law the rest of his life. It would make sense why he would change his name and appearance and fall in with Dutch’s boys
@@jaredwilliams2357 Red killed a governor yes, but there's nothing to prove that Red would be found out as the killer. All of the Governors men were slaughtered by Red Harlow himself, and Annie, Buffalo Solider and the Sheriff would obviously not snitch on him. Because one, they appear as very honourable and good people, and two for Annie and Buffalo they wouldn't want to snitch on Red as he did give them 5,000 in gold at the end and also because Annie and Buffalo did semi take place in the raid with Red Harlow meaning they'd also be arrested. As for the Sheriff, he himself states that he doesn't want Red to be hanged for it and clearly respects Red alot. So no, Red probably would not become wanted for the murder of Griffon because simply there would be no way for the army to find out it was Red
There are also some other supporting reasons to uncle being red Harlow, 1. Uncle carries a red cloth in his back pocket, like the one red wears. 2. Uncles revolver is exactly the same as Harlows accept uncles is a bit old and rusty due to his aging. 3. In rdr1 you can actually see some markings on uncles hands, some people think it’s just his hand but others think it’s red Harlows burn marks🤨
But all of that is destroyed by the simple fact that Uncle does not have the facial scars that Red has. Red Harlow has scars on both cheeks. Uncle has none. Boom. Case closed. They aren't the same person.
@DeadPixel1105 ( Half of this is from original post ) 1. He has a beard, 2. Aging happens, scars can slowly heal slightly over time, concealing them slightly. 3. Uncle has the same rag Harlow uses for his burnt hand 4. In RDR1, Uncle has burns over his hand, the same as red Harlow 5. Uncle was the ‘ One Shot Kid ‘ 6. Uncle has the same gun colour as Harlow, transferred into the new game facts line up, stories line up, Uncle said at the campfire that his parents died when he was a very young age ( The same age exactly when red Harlows parents died. ) Too many facts line up to write the whole thing off to “ His face doesn’t match up “ when aging happens and scars can heal over time.
@ ALSO! MASSIVE EVIDENCE! Harlow was born in the very early 1850s and late 40s approximately 49-51 and uncle has stated in a gang encounter that he was born in between 1849 and the Fall of Rome which is the 1870s I believe, this would make Harlow his Mid 20s during RDRVLR ( Approximately 24 ) whilst uncle being approximately 20’s-30’s which match up incredibly well.
My theory is that Uncle knew of Red Harlow, he might've befriended and rode with him at some point. Guess nobody in the Van der Linde gang ever bothered to ask or didn't really care what the old man said because he's looked at as the drunk a bum but he knows way more than what he lets on. I love the part where owned he Dutch during the campfire dialog.
Aye, I've been imagining the same thing with Uncle having some sort of run-in or history with Red. First time I've seen someone else with the same idea.
The age difference actually corroborates the Penny Dreadful theory. There was this badass gunslinger that was famous when he was around 25ish. His story became legend, and roughly 10 years later someone manages to print a collection of stories about his life, but of course the story will present him as the age he had back when he was so infamous, even though the real man is now older, at the time of printing.
Considering that there are fame dependant campfire stories about John Marston literally being impenetrable by bullets, it follows that the stories about Red Harlow similarly exaggerated tales, which are nonetheless true to some extent.
i dont want a 3rd red dead redemption (at least not with the gang we know) but i gotta be honest a spin off following uncle as a young gun slinger/bounty hunter would be interesting
i think that stuff like being a bounty hunter and being born on a ranch is just a typical western trope. having their parents killed as well actually, orphan seeking vengeance is a very compelling storytelling device. if they were both, idk, marine biologists and born in korea that would be distinct enough to make some parallels, but the way it is shown, it's just ambience.
That’s what I was thinking. Uncle may have been a bounty hunter at some point and may have lived on, worked on, or owned a ranch? So did a lot of people back then, especially in the west. Like Fizhy said, any parallels between the two are so generic that it really doesn’t mean much. Besides, imo Uncle is too old to be Red Harlow (he was definitely born in the 1830s or 40s), and their physical appearances don’t match. Uncle is not Red Harlow.
@terminallumbago6465 I like to think that's just age and whiskey taking its toll on his skills and memory. He may have not been Red but he definitely has seen his fair share. He can't survive to this age by just being a parasite. He had to have at least known how to take care of himself since he was orphaned.
To me, Uncle is the direct antithesis to Jim "Boy" Calloway in the game - you can tell Calloway's exploits were completely embellished and even outright made up as we progress through his story, riding the notoriety coattails of real gunslingers and killers. I believe Uncle to be the opposite - no hes not Red Harlow but i believe he probably fought in the last year or two of the civil war (a lot of kids joined at 14-15) and may have even known or met Red Harlow at some point. The point is, I believe that at some point in his past, Uncle has a lot of history and experience that actually happened that *should* have been the focus of a book like the one that was written about Calloway and his fake accomplishments.
This would be true if Uncle was actually a good shooter but in any mission he’s involved in he’s not seen doing anything extraordinary, he’s just supplying support fire but rarely hits anyone. Uncle also embellishes his past like his Africa story and all the other times Arthur called him out on his bs. Even in red dead 1 when he fights against army boys he gets shot almost immediately
@@josephstalin2606Uncle doesn’t make up stories to convince people he actually did those things, he makes them up to be entertaining. That’s how he gets away with doing nothing minus the rare job tip, he keeps the boredom away
@@DwarvenSupremecy Either way he still makes it up. People give him way too much credit or take him at his word but he literally makes up half the stuff he says, regardless of his intention. I agree he’s not intentionally being deceitful as much as he is just trying to entertain the camp but it still stands that if half the stuff he says is made up u should take everything he says with a grain of salt
Uncle was a badass in rdr1 who went down fighting and is far smarter then we think in rdr2. Itd be nice to have him be a bit of that universes red whos in retirement and relaxes around after everything hes been through. People assume when you say "Uncle is red" they think you're talking about the Revolver Red. When in reality were talking about an alternate red whos stories have been exagerated. But without a doubt weather he is red or not there is something about uncle which reeks of "retired old gunslinger" well that and whiskey.
I like to think the reason uncle has no hand scarring is just due to natural healing, assuming Uncle is around the age of 60-65 in rdr2, and somewhere in his 80s in rdr1, red harlow wouldve had to have been born in the 1830s to 1840s. Since rdr2 takes place in 1899, and in 1911, rdr1's time frame, uncle would be in his 80s if he WAS born in the 1830s. So we can assume Uncle/Red Harlow was born in 1831. And rdr would take place in the 1850s-early 1860s. This would add up for Uncle not having much scarring, since the scars would have to have been caused a bit before 1850. Scar wounds due heal over time, becoming flatter and duller until they're essentially non-visible. So a mininum of 49ish years should def work
I always assumed that Red Harlow served as an example of how Gunslingers and Bounty Hunters were wrapped in this fantasy via Dime Novels. Just as Dutch wanted to be a King with Knights, Kids grew up wanting to be Gunslingers and Bounty Hunters, something Uncle saw both sides of the gritty coin.
I think what really sold it for me was the camper who talked about red Harlow, and also how twin rocks is in both games. So both have to be around the same area. And I like to picture uncle as the old ultimate badass.
I think Uncle is Red Harlow. He did all those things in the stories, but it’s HIGHLY romanticized and the actual events are really embarrassing for him so he keeps it a secret. Either way even if he isn’t, I like to think he is hiding a past he’d rather have left behind. He’d rather have his actions be remembered as uncle, and not for the past of who he once was.
@frankcastle8397 what about the red cloth that he carries around that is similar looking to Red's? His birth year being the same and his conversation with Pearson about watching his parents killed?
Half the video explains that info in the game is more of an exaggeration of popular stories and not a extreme accurate info source and yet you still want to take it as a extreme accurate info source
I remember using the Red Harlow skin for the first game’s online mode. Whether or not he’s uncle, he is kind of in the first game. 😋 I also like to think Red’s stories are romanticized tales of Uncles past he wants to run away from like the rest of the gang wants to run away from their problems. I also feel the same way about RDR1&2 being romanticized tales from Jack’s perspective after he becomes a writer. All of it is mostly head-canon, but it’s is just fun to think of it that way.
What makes me think that uncle might be red harlow is the fact that uncle never says he's red harlow, which is something red harlow would do since he wants to hide his identity so as to not face any legal consequences for his actions in red dead.
Because the gang of outlaws he’s riding with who are currently being hunted down by the law would care if he was Red? That doesn’t make sense either. He’s not Red because not only are they not the same age (Uncle is at least 10 years older than Red) they aren’t the same race, and they don’t have any distinguishable traits like the scars which rockstar would’ve 100% included if he was but they didn’t. The only evidence that supports the theory is that we don’t know Uncles read name and the “one shot kid” line that can easily be passed off as a mere reference
I don't know if anyone told you this but at the end of RDR1 jack tell John about a book he just read, it was about Red and his adventures, Jack talked about red almost like a role model he wished to grow up and be like one day, I just find it funny if Uncle really was red then Jack got to meet his idol without ever knowing it.
Its funny, I have seen people be like "he said that the used to be called the one shot kid." Meanwhile, uncle also said to john, "I cant move like i used to, and I never was that fast" (red harlow is known for being a bounty hunter and a quick drawer)
He is not that fast compared to some of the bosses, (jack at the brimstone battle royale for example, always gets his pistol out before you, even if you draw first.)
@@catwithevilintentions2632Uncle is the type to build himself up, not talk himself down. He calls himself a “one shot kid” jokingly to Arthur but he’s serious when he says he was never that fast to John. He’s not Red
One of the biggest questions in RDR2 is why Uncle has been able to stay with the gang for so long? If he's always been useless, then why does he get to spend their money, eat their food and travel with the gang? I think it's possible that he helped set them up initially, to the point where they were relatively comfortable. Once he got older he became a useless drunk, but by that point had established relationships with everyone, particularly Abigail, Hosea, Arthur Morgan and John Marston, that he became like family. It's possible that Hosea and Dutch even know Uncle's real name, but who knows. Perhaps Uncle acts kind of bumbling in RDR2 ad beyond because it keeps him relatively safe; The way he reflects Dutch's threat is a good example of how he's kept himself safe around would-be threats to himself. If he didn't act that way, Dutch would've probably taken steps to get rid of him, similar to John Marston and Arthur Morgan.
Content is content my friend. You give the RDR2 community the opportunity to discuss theories on the subject. Every character will have a background and Uncle is a vague name lol
Also, in RDR1 Uncle has the scars and a glove always on his right hand. It was meant as an Easter egg kind of "is it? Could it be?...nah.." type thing and people went apeshit about it. So they removed that stuff in RDR2 to show he isn't Red, but got whatever between RDR2 and 1. Edit: Like Tenkai Nankobo is Samanosuke Akechi in Onimusha: D.o.D. (though they flat out say it there). If your familiar with that series.
Ive said this before and ill say it again, the whole event in red dead revolver was written in the book made by a sheriff, if you play the game the whole menu proves that thats the case. Red harlow is a legend in redemption timeline but his story might be a little fabricated but still true. So red harlow is real,Uncle could be red harlow too that is if rockstar wants him to be red harlow. ( at this point its just a matter of if rockstar wants to deliver a fan service😂)
I never knew that his parents also died when he was just 9 years old. Interesting… I think rockstar wanted us to question if he is Red Harlow. He actually really did look like him in RDR1
I always believed that somehow when playing revolver and the first redemption game that there might have been some connection between Annie Stokes and Bonnie Mcfarline, maybe she was Bonnie's great-grandmother or something maybe a relative of some kind. But that also brings up another question, how far would brimstone be from say Valentine in the Red Dead universe or beecher's hope where John Marston's home is located. And that's going off the basis that in some form or fashion these universes are connected loosely.
You're forgetting one thing. Red Harlow's age might be wrong on the romanticized version we got. Even Arthur is referred as a young man and "pretty boy" by literally everyone other than gang members who knows he's almost 40. So people might have misinterpreted red Harlow's age because he looked so young.
I think Red Dead Revolver is a more exaggerated and mythologized version of Uncle's Life. I'd love to see a Remake of Red Dead Revolver where they actually Canonize this Theory.
My theory: Yes but no. RD2 has this whole side quest about "legendary gunslingers" not living up to their name (Except Black Belle. I hope she's in RD3) From what I understand, Red Harlow was one of the best. So it makes sense that he doesn't want some young upstart trying to find their name by taking him down. (Kinda like what Buster Scruggs was talking about in his last duel) Maybe It's just a coincidence but Uncle getting thrown out of the SAME tavern where you get the quest is kinda suspicious. As for what happened in the Red Harlow Games, I wouldn't know because I never played them BUT I chose to believe that those games is you playing as the legend, not the man. Lumbago will be the death of us all
I've ways thought Uncle was Red Harlow. I think it'd be pretty awesome if Red Dead 3 was a continuation of Revolver and maybe showed Red traveling the country until eventually joining Dutch's gang
In my opinion, Uncle is Red Harlow. He dies helping John’s family survive so Jack doesn't have to grow up the way he did. Sadly, like Arthur, John, and Abigail wanted for Jack, didn't happen. Jack went for revenge, Like John and Red Harlow before him
10:39 uncle is known as lazy in RDR ? the man dies trying to protect Jack, John and Abigail he was a damn hero a legend of the old west put some damn respect on UNCLE's name dude fr
I honestly believe he was, until the creation of the RDR2 was made. However, they wanted him to be a lighter character and fully focus in on Arthur, Dutch, and John.
I like the uncle/red harlow theory but i also like the theory that red dead revolver is the over-the-top Hollywood wild west movie based off the book "Red dead" by Jack Marston that was the retelling of Arthur's and John's lives.
I really think it just makes too much narrative sense for Uncle to be Red. He's been in both the games, we know his parents died young, he's one of the few in the gang members we don't know the past of, we know some version of Red exists, Uncle clearly is a capable and life long gunslinger, and he's clearly got more going on than just being an old drunkard. It also works narratively chronologically. Red goes a raging warpath of vengence, Red grows old and buries his path and goes on the run from his past, goes by Uncle and joins gangs to help keep running, runs into our gang and rdr2 happens, stays with John, stops running and fights as long as he can until he can't. That is a story of revenge, running, and redemption. A story good enough for one of my favorite side characters in fiction
Just gonna point out, randomly, in camp, if you talk to uncle, he has a chance to mention something about having a Native American mother. I don’t remember which chapter, but it was shortly after eagle flies getting captured by the u.s government.
The only thing that busts this theory is the fact that Uncle doesn't have the face scars, yes his beard covers most of his face but you would still see the scar that Red has on his nose. I have a feeling that Uncle was very good friends with Red and the Red bandana is a memento given to him by red. It would make sense that he would try and take on some of reds legends for himself as a way to keep his memory alive.
BIG THOUGHT! R* made Uncles past a question because it could be easier to write for a story about uncle, RDR3 could be about uncle and how he met Dutch and the gang.
In my heart I want landon rickets or uncle to be Red Harlow. But in my brain I know that Red Harlow is actually John Marston. Rockstar initially intended to make red dead redemption as a sequel to revolver, however partway through development the plans changed and Red evolved into John. This is why their designs are so similar, down to the facial scars and hat worn by each character. Red is John
You mentioned that Uncle shooting skills were not so impressive but have in mind that the whole time Uncle was not only fighting the Pinkerton's but an incredible deadly disease called Lumbago, it's like wolverine having his healing factor diminished by his adamantium skeleton
There are 2 important details you didn't talk about, if you look closely, uncle has a burn mark on one of his hands and a red piece of cloth attached to his pants .
He doesn’t have any “burns” on his hand, and either way if it’s not in a scorpion shape like Reds burn on his palm then it’s irrelevant. Not to mention Uncle has no scars on his face like Red did which would’ve been added if rockstar truly wanted to connect the two. You guys also forget Red was half Native and even had the skin but 15 years later he’s suddenly an old white man with a country accent?
@@josephstalin2606e watch this video. Uncle has a scar on his nose as the same way Red’s one was. And Read dead revolver is a canon game but with the story told a little differently. Did you even watch this video??
@@turtlesquare7174 I did, did you? Even he says that he still thinks Uncle and Red are separate characters. And Red had more than just a nose scar his scar was nearly identical to Johns but on both sides of his face and that would’ve shown on Uncles face if he was him, and no the beard wouldn’t fully cover such scars. Not to mention the scorpion burn scar is the most significant scar he had and Uncle doesn’t have it at all. I can go on and on about the multiple differences between both characters, many were already said in the video, but even he admits that it’s just a fun theory and nothing more
@@turtlesquare7174 Imagine trying to start a debate only to back down when presented evidence. Also liking your own comment doesn’t make it more valid just a heads up
i think it would be cool if uncle was red harlow and was just actually crazy or at least pretending to be, then while playing the game in a cut scene where the enemy corners the (main character) uncle steps in then actually fights incredibly well. then surprises us that hes actually red harlow XD
Uncle to have once been Red Dead Harlow is my definition of a fall from grace 😢. For me, Harlow did what he had to do and moved on. Uncle probably kissed ass to join the Van Der Linde gang.
Wow, its cool to see uncle get "deep" and to see just how "deep" RDR2 can get at times. Its more than a game at times, speaking life truths and pointing out hypocrisy in alot of our lifes and the characters lives. And much more than that. It makes us run through and feel so many different emotions just like IRL. Thats pretty cool and is the best n most real game I've played so far. Bravo Rockstar! Please keep our Wild West adventures going whether with another RDR or a new name. We gotta have more!!!
It’s a bit of a tenuous connection but often Africans and African Americans refer to older men as Uncle. Maybe he did go to Africa and that’s where he got the nickname?
Another addition that i can add, is that we dont really know who uncle is. He dosent have a very significant role except for taking on in robbing the rhodes bank. But i think the reason he dont do much with the gang was he was a bounty hunter. And he stays with the gang for the sake of not being alone.
I remember Red Dead Revolver from when it was an obscure rockstar title nobody ever heard of. I absolutely loved it, so much so, I now own it on my PS4, shamelessly. It's a game that forged my gaming tastes.
In greater Rockstar lore, Red Dead Revolver is in the SD universe and Redemption is in the HD universe. They're separate continuities, but events in the SD universe are partially canon. The important thing is that it seems that SD universe protagonists are all dead in the HD universe. Red Harlowe did some neat stuff, but he didn't die on John Marston's porch.
I think you shouldn't assume that uncle was born. There is plenty of evidence that shows uncle is an immortal primordial force of nature.
True
Yeah he's immortal except for that pesky "dying at the end of rdr1" incident
@@michaeldebidart that’s just Pinkerton propaganda
@@michaeldebidart immortal =/= invincible
The primordial force that chose Uncle is known only by one name: Lumbago.
The funniest conversation about Uncle in II is between John and Jack when Jack asks why everyone calls him Uncle then asks if Uncle was old when Jack was a kid and John goes "He was old when I was a kid son."
I read that last part in John's Voice😂😂
So did i lol
@@REL-420same😂😂
Proof that uncle is actually an anomalous entity here to spite everyone, roast them, and trick them into serving his will.
Another good one is when Jack asks John if uncle is really his uncle and John replied with "I hope Not" 😂😂😂
Uncle openly criticizes Dutch and calls him a would-be king, and Dutch calls Uncle a court jester - It’s often said that a jester was the only one at court who could point out a king’s flaws and get away with it, since his antics wouldn’t be taken seriously
I just thought the same thing during the video
when we laugh at the jester, the king laugh at us.
it's not that they wouldn't be taken seriously, court jesters were highly respected and their satirical criticisms of the king would be very important to any king not up his own ass. it's just that getting mad at a court jester and punishing them would be seen as a very insecure act both personally and diplomatically, and court jesters are usually trusted, respected and liked by the king to the point they can get away with such educational and entertaining criticisms, like constructive banter
Uncle can get away with it because, I believe, Dutch understands Uncle's true identity. He might be the only one who does. The exchanges between Dutch and Uncle always struck me as a display of friendship rather than a question of insulting. Dutch seemed to be privy to something that eluded everyone else. Thus, when Uncle spoke about Dutch, it appeared more as a friend attempting to help Dutch realise his mistakes. A true close friend wouldn't hesitate to highlight the other's faults. Dutch may not have always appreciated it, but it seemed he grasped the underlying messages Uncle was trying to convey.
@@advakart4208 "any king not up his own ass" - so none that ever existed in our history then
I’ve always loved the theory that Revolver is a version of true events that did happen to him, but exaggerated by Uncle to the point of ridiculousness like all his stories. The broad strokes happened, but not the insane shit.
I feel like this is the strongest explaination that still adds to Uncle as a character.
The only problem is the timeline really. Uncles far too old
@@ACLA23 Doesn’t matter, it’s been turned into legend due to his own exaggeration and the telephone game being played at those campfires, or even because Revolver is the fictionalized versions of the events told to John Marston by Uncle when he was still a kid. The half remembered exaggerations of an old drunk told to a child, remembered a decade or more later as the basis for a fiction book that was “inspired” by those events. We know RDR as a whole exists within GTA as a series of books by the “real” John already.
@@ElectricheadPt1 it would actually matter because why would you try to tell a story about yourself and exaggerate it.
That's like me telling a story when I was 15 but say I was actually 22 years old.
@@Detahramet I beg to differ. Uncle never narrates stories that are remotely similar to Red Dead Revolver's narrative, so if he never did, then how can you be so sure of it happening anyway?
I personally like the idea that revolver is a dramatization of young uncles life before the gang.
The one shot kid!
@@Kyle-xy3dx" Alright I ain't even gonna ask why"
@@anotherhappylanding4746 you're a sad man Arthur
@themangledwither but I know you love me
Sureee. Your my faviroute parisite.
The scene with him calling out Dutch and being threatened just gives me the vibe that Uncle is sitting there like "Boy, I'm twice your age, seen and done things that'd make you shit yourself.", but he's not dumb and plays it off as a joke.
Funny cuz uncle is only like 6 years older than Dutch
@@ACLA23 must’ve been a rough six years.
But then,the next six years weren’t so kind to Dutch either…
I got the same vibe he was itching to rip Dutch a new asshole he clearly didn't trust him byt respected how the gamg members respected him
@@ACLA23 the age difference actually only being that much kinda gives even more credit to uncle cus he sure as shit looks way older than only six years 😭
@@solveigsgang2909 ya idk where TF this idiot came up with that "6 yr diff" considering neither shares how old they are in either game except John telling Jack "idk how old uncle is, he was old when I was ur age!" And uncle says "I was born between the fall of 45 and fall of Rome!" Witch would mean uncle is 50 yrs or so at least!!! Dutch Is deff younger, by 10 plus yrs
Regardless of whether or not Uncle is actually Red Harlow, I most definitely feel like there is more to Uncles past than we realize. It wouldn’t surprise me if it turned out he really was some sort of badass gunslinger who simply grew old and turned into the lazy drunk we know and love.
Just like Gene Wilders character in Blazing Saddles...
Uncle did outlive every other male in the gang that we know of except for John and Jack.
@@pintolerance785 ya he outlived john by like 40 mins! Lol
Better to be a lazy drunk than a hardcore killer and I get the feeling Uncle did enough killing to lose his taste for it. Being lazy and drunk made Uncle happy. All throughout the game he kept encouraging Arthur and John to find something that made them happy, perhaps seeing himself in them.
i will protect uncle with my life.. lumbago and all
I've always believed he is Red Harlow:
Think about it, Uncle died defending Beecher's Hope and his family, if he is Red Harlow, his story ended like it started...
WOAH !
If this theory turned out to be true it would be Poetic and Tragic to think about Uncle (Red) Dying, trying to protect a family something that he couldn't do when he was a kid and dying on a Farm
Red Harlow is not Uncle.
Also worth pointing out rockstar did this exact thing with Jack and Agent Ross meeting each other for both the first and last time by a river
OH HOLY SH-
My answer is always: Why not, it's fun to think that the Red Harlow stories grew from the seed of Uncle's young escapades. I enjoy watching different takes on it, whether or not the vid agrees with me :)
You are a polite, sweet, positive, and non toxic individual and I like that
Stay safe god bless
@@gabrielchastain6091 seems like everywhere there’s toxic people such a shame
@@Mackenzie002 yeah and I'm not gonna sit here and act like I've never got pissed off in a debate but I try not to be mean
@@gabrielchastain6091 Same to you, and thank you so much--I try my best, anyway!
Because it’s straight up insulting and shitting all over revolver just to try to tie it more to the redemption games
The one thing that always tells me otherwise is when uncle tells Pearson about his childhood. He lost his parents at 9 and red lost his at 14
It's the unreliable storytelling of both Uncle and Red Dead Revolver as not 100% canon and yet gets mentioned events wise loosely regardless that may provide pause for details to differ, however it's pretty clear that Uncle would need vastly different circumstances to fit into the life of Red Harlow as we knew it.
My two favorite red dead creators talking never thought I'd see the day
Maybe uncle forgot his age
He’s like 60 something
It is not actually known what age Red's parents died at, his age is not stated at any point in the game. Not only is his age not mentioned, but neither is the year. At no point do they give a date.
@@Fizhy Uncle already knew the gang since before the 1880s (approx.; John says "40 years ago"), according to dialogue from RDR1.
Always liked Uncle. Sure he's annoying but he clearly has wit that he masks as a lazy fool but you don't live as long as he has with just luck alone. He's clearly well traveled and has a knack for reading people. He clearly has Dutch figured out because he's probably seen dozens of men like him over time.
Also he extremely intelligent but plays dumb to hide it he could easily run the gang successfully
His roast of John in 2's epilogue really drove that home for me
Stories are a lot of times far from the truth, we will never know the real story of the primordial god, Uncle.
I love how he was right with arthur on terms of knowing dutch was going crazy
Hes not Lazy, He has Lumbago, Its very serious.
Bold of people to criticize you for having an opinion when a certain other creator who beats dead horses for a living exists. Great job as always.
Oh I beat dead horses for a living too, but at least I enjoy it
I could see Uncle being a Civil War Vet. I feel that he is much older than we realize. Could be how he got his nickname, especially if he was an older service member in the unit. Due to the trauma of the war he drops his name because that part of him died on the battlefield and adopted “Uncle” to remind himself of his fallen brothers and he doesn’t want to talk about his past because he just wants to forget (also to avoid the political fallout if a person he is talking to fought for the opposite side of the war). This could also explain his “lazy” attitude in Rdr1, he isn’t lazy but actually much older than we once thought. It would also give him a redemption line at the end of Rdr1 trying to right the wrongs he committed during the war.
This is a much better idea than the absolutely stupid ones like the one the video is based upon.
@@SpeedDemon55 somedays I wake up, and I'm happy. Then I remember that people like you exist, and that changes my mood right quickly.
That may he partially true. He may have been in the service with Dutch's father in the war. Brothers in arms. That maybe how he got the name uncle. Dutch called him uncle.
@@Nictona Now that I can believe.
Uncle would be 15 at the end of the war
He was pretty impressive leading the group during the Cornwall robbery, he was definitely someone familiar with that life.
I think Uncle being Red would fit in quite nicely with R*'s misanthropic view of westerns. Red's a heavily romanticized and hyperbolic story which, as is presented by that NPC conversation, is seen as aspirational in the R*'s version of America. For that same Red to turn into just another fat, lazy old drunk like the rest of us feels like such a fitting twist on the story. Not to mention Uncle's reticence towards his past, which would make Red's folk heroic stature rather ironic if the man himself is ashamed of it. None of this is evidence that he is Red, of course, but I think from a story-telling perspective it'd be quite fitting if he was.
But it would be dissapointing if Uncle really was Red Harlow because then that would mean he really let himself go
@@maxrockatanskytheroadwarriorthat’s the point, that this great american hero of a legendary western tale is all but a bumbling drunk now, is what makes sense with rockstars view in romanticism
A drunken hero who died defending the one’s he loved in the end tho
Those events of a young man could be the reason Uncle drinks like he does.
He’s nothing like Red in any way. Red wasn’t even a criminal in Red Dead Revolver and his ending never showed anything that would show he would turn to crime for money when he literally turns down money and gives it to his friends at the end of the game. Uncle was his own character. He’s not Red.
Uncle standing there talking at a clearly audible level about a really messed up childhood/adolescent age of having both his parents die, and having to make it on his own, and Susan just giving a hearty “good morning Arthur” like nothing😂 That might be the most Red Dead camp interaction ever🤣🤣
A more “canon” theory that is still just as absurd is that Uncle is actually Otis Miller who faked his death with a stunt double and fell in with Dutch due to his similar ideals. He knows the danger that being in the spotlight brings, adopting the persona of “Uncle” and the “camp rat” as Arthur calls him.
Not to mention they look kinda similar, at least from Otis Miller’s cigarette card.
Might just be a coincidence but uncle also uses a schofield which is also what otis's revolver is
Would make sense when you find his gun, since along with it is a bunch of erotic photos, something Uncle would definitely do.
As someone who is aging myself here (42). I will say that as we grow older we learn a thing or three. The wisdom we gain changes us in ways that you may not anticipate until time teaches us. Not to get all deep here lol. Just saying that to me Uncle was someone who knew a lot more then he let on. I enjoyed his character very much. He may have had a sometimes silly and lazy demeanor, but he was also fiercely loyal and stoic in his own unique way.
Always enjoy your videos Fiz. Keep up the great work my friend!
I turn 44 this year and you've pretty much hit the nail on the head. I used to be terrified to turn 40 but I have a completely different outlook on life than I did when I was 20. Very well said in my opinion 👌
I agree turn 45 tomorrow and I grew to finally understand what the old timers and my old man use to say “ if I could only go back to my younger years knowing what I know now”
One thing that i’ve seen in my play-through is that out in the RDR1 region of RDR2, you can actually find an abandoned cabin out in the desert that is all but identical to the one red and his family lived in before it was torched, so SOME bits of RD-revolver had to have happened in the redemption timeline
We just need an uncle game, that would make it all clear
Uncle's Redemption
@@Belisimo125 Red Dead Lumbego
L U M B E G O ‘ S R E D E M P T I O N
Red dead lumbago the legends of uncle
We fall off our horse and get diagnosed with Lumbago half way through the game
Say that hypothetically, after the events of Red Dead Revolver, Red Harlow was challenged by several more gunman. He never got any rest because of his name and history. Eventually with his age, physical exhaustion, stress, and rampant alcohol consumption he wore down. He got out of shape and developed a bad back.
Because people would come after him if he told the truth about who he was and what he had done in his past, he got into the habit of telling lies all the time to throw people off. He grew a big beard to hide his scars. And joined up with Dutch's gang so he could be in the safety of a group of Outlaws who don't even know he's actually Red Harlow.
It would be kind of ironic that he spent all of his youthful days hunting down evildoers, only to take shelter in their numbers in his twilight years. It's got the Rockstar storytelling charm to it.
I don't think he got hunted or ever became an outlaw since he never cared about the money, he truly only cared about his revenge
After reading the first 3 words, Ben Shapiro’s voice came to my head
@@kilgore1863same
@@LoserLoiue2009He did kill a governor though, even if he was corrupt, Red probably would have been on the run from the law the rest of his life. It would make sense why he would change his name and appearance and fall in with Dutch’s boys
@@jaredwilliams2357 Red killed a governor yes, but there's nothing to prove that Red would be found out as the killer.
All of the Governors men were slaughtered by Red Harlow himself, and Annie, Buffalo Solider and the Sheriff would obviously not snitch on him.
Because one, they appear as very honourable and good people, and two for Annie and Buffalo they wouldn't want to snitch on Red as he did give them 5,000 in gold at the end and also because Annie and Buffalo did semi take place in the raid with Red Harlow meaning they'd also be arrested.
As for the Sheriff, he himself states that he doesn't want Red to be hanged for it and clearly respects Red alot.
So no, Red probably would not become wanted for the murder of Griffon because simply there would be no way for the army to find out it was Red
Uncle was always the main character but the lumbago was hiding his true strength
There are also some other supporting reasons to uncle being red Harlow, 1. Uncle carries a red cloth in his back pocket, like the one red wears. 2. Uncles revolver is exactly the same as Harlows accept uncles is a bit old and rusty due to his aging. 3. In rdr1 you can actually see some markings on uncles hands, some people think it’s just his hand but others think it’s red Harlows burn marks🤨
But all of that is destroyed by the simple fact that Uncle does not have the facial scars that Red has. Red Harlow has scars on both cheeks. Uncle has none. Boom. Case closed. They aren't the same person.
@DeadPixel1105 ( Half of this is from original post ) 1. He has a beard, 2. Aging happens, scars can slowly heal slightly over time, concealing them slightly. 3. Uncle has the same rag Harlow uses for his burnt hand 4. In RDR1, Uncle has burns over his hand, the same as red Harlow 5. Uncle was the ‘ One Shot Kid ‘ 6. Uncle has the same gun colour as Harlow, transferred into the new game facts line up, stories line up, Uncle said at the campfire that his parents died when he was a very young age ( The same age exactly when red Harlows parents died. ) Too many facts line up to write the whole thing off to “ His face doesn’t match up “ when aging happens and scars can heal over time.
@ ALSO! MASSIVE EVIDENCE! Harlow was born in the very early 1850s and late 40s approximately 49-51 and uncle has stated in a gang encounter that he was born in between 1849 and the Fall of Rome which is the 1870s I believe, this would make Harlow his Mid 20s during RDRVLR ( Approximately 24 ) whilst uncle being approximately 20’s-30’s which match up incredibly well.
My theory is that Uncle knew of Red Harlow, he might've befriended and rode with him at some point. Guess nobody in the Van der Linde gang ever bothered to ask or didn't really care what the old man said because he's looked at as the drunk a bum but he knows way more than what he lets on. I love the part where owned he Dutch during the campfire dialog.
Aye, I've been imagining the same thing with Uncle having some sort of run-in or history with Red. First time I've seen someone else with the same idea.
The age difference actually corroborates the Penny Dreadful theory.
There was this badass gunslinger that was famous when he was around 25ish.
His story became legend, and roughly 10 years later someone manages to print a collection of stories about his life, but of course the story will present him as the age he had back when he was so infamous, even though the real man is now older, at the time of printing.
Recently I was looking up on your videos and couldn’t find one on why Van Horn feels so creepy, strange and hostile. Please do one!
Considering that there are fame dependant campfire stories about John Marston literally being impenetrable by bullets, it follows that the stories about Red Harlow similarly exaggerated tales, which are nonetheless true to some extent.
I honestly dont care if Uncle is or isnt Red Harlow, He will always be the One Shot Kid in my eyes.
i dont want a 3rd red dead redemption (at least not with the gang we know) but i gotta be honest a spin off following uncle as a young gun slinger/bounty hunter would be interesting
They already made that game... It's called Red Dead revolver. 😅
Red dead revolver 2
red dead revolver is folklore in the red dead universe. but bro whatever floats your boat lol
i think that stuff like being a bounty hunter and being born on a ranch is just a typical western trope. having their parents killed as well actually, orphan seeking vengeance is a very compelling storytelling device. if they were both, idk, marine biologists and born in korea that would be distinct enough to make some parallels, but the way it is shown, it's just ambience.
That’s what I was thinking. Uncle may have been a bounty hunter at some point and may have lived on, worked on, or owned a ranch? So did a lot of people back then, especially in the west. Like Fizhy said, any parallels between the two are so generic that it really doesn’t mean much. Besides, imo Uncle is too old to be Red Harlow (he was definitely born in the 1830s or 40s), and their physical appearances don’t match.
Uncle is not Red Harlow.
@terminallumbago6465 I like to think that's just age and whiskey taking its toll on his skills and memory. He may have not been Red but he definitely has seen his fair share. He can't survive to this age by just being a parasite. He had to have at least known how to take care of himself since he was orphaned.
@@terminallumbago6465counterargument: itd be cool
To me, Uncle is the direct antithesis to Jim "Boy" Calloway in the game - you can tell Calloway's exploits were completely embellished and even outright made up as we progress through his story, riding the notoriety coattails of real gunslingers and killers. I believe Uncle to be the opposite - no hes not Red Harlow but i believe he probably fought in the last year or two of the civil war (a lot of kids joined at 14-15) and may have even known or met Red Harlow at some point. The point is, I believe that at some point in his past, Uncle has a lot of history and experience that actually happened that *should* have been the focus of a book like the one that was written about Calloway and his fake accomplishments.
This would be true if Uncle was actually a good shooter but in any mission he’s involved in he’s not seen doing anything extraordinary, he’s just supplying support fire but rarely hits anyone. Uncle also embellishes his past like his Africa story and all the other times Arthur called him out on his bs. Even in red dead 1 when he fights against army boys he gets shot almost immediately
@@josephstalin2606Uncle doesn’t make up stories to convince people he actually did those things, he makes them up to be entertaining. That’s how he gets away with doing nothing minus the rare job tip, he keeps the boredom away
@@DwarvenSupremecy Either way he still makes it up. People give him way too much credit or take him at his word but he literally makes up half the stuff he says, regardless of his intention. I agree he’s not intentionally being deceitful as much as he is just trying to entertain the camp but it still stands that if half the stuff he says is made up u should take everything he says with a grain of salt
Uncle was a badass in rdr1 who went down fighting and is far smarter then we think in rdr2.
Itd be nice to have him be a bit of that universes red whos in retirement and relaxes around after everything hes been through.
People assume when you say "Uncle is red" they think you're talking about the Revolver Red.
When in reality were talking about an alternate red whos stories have been exagerated.
But without a doubt weather he is red or not there is something about uncle which reeks of "retired old gunslinger" well that and whiskey.
I like to think the reason uncle has no hand scarring is just due to natural healing, assuming Uncle is around the age of 60-65 in rdr2, and somewhere in his 80s in rdr1, red harlow wouldve had to have been born in the 1830s to 1840s. Since rdr2 takes place in 1899, and in 1911, rdr1's time frame, uncle would be in his 80s if he WAS born in the 1830s. So we can assume Uncle/Red Harlow was born in 1831. And rdr would take place in the 1850s-early 1860s. This would add up for Uncle not having much scarring, since the scars would have to have been caused a bit before 1850. Scar wounds due heal over time, becoming flatter and duller until they're essentially non-visible. So a mininum of 49ish years should def work
I always assumed that Red Harlow served as an example of how Gunslingers and Bounty Hunters were wrapped in this fantasy via Dime Novels. Just as Dutch wanted to be a King with Knights, Kids grew up wanting to be Gunslingers and Bounty Hunters, something Uncle saw both sides of the gritty coin.
I think what really sold it for me was the camper who talked about red Harlow, and also how twin rocks is in both games. So both have to be around the same area. And I like to picture uncle as the old ultimate badass.
I think Uncle is Red Harlow. He did all those things in the stories, but it’s HIGHLY romanticized and the actual events are really embarrassing for him so he keeps it a secret. Either way even if he isn’t, I like to think he is hiding a past he’d rather have left behind. He’d rather have his actions be remembered as uncle, and not for the past of who he once was.
Red Harlow is not Uncle.
@frankcastle8397 what about the red cloth that he carries around that is similar looking to Red's? His birth year being the same and his conversation with Pearson about watching his parents killed?
@@craigsovilla6578Red Harlow was born in the 1860s. Uncle was born in 1849.
uncle isn't red harlow, Fizhy actually is and he's just trying to draw attention off of himself
Fuark you got me
Fizhy is Uncle
The mystery has finally been solved!?!!!!?!?!??
I thought Fizhy was Gavin?
Half the video explains that info in the game is more of an exaggeration of popular stories and not a extreme accurate info source and yet you still want to take it as a extreme accurate info source
I remember using the Red Harlow skin for the first game’s online mode.
Whether or not he’s uncle, he is kind of in the first game. 😋
I also like to think Red’s stories are romanticized tales of Uncles past he wants to run away from like the rest of the gang wants to run away from their problems.
I also feel the same way about RDR1&2 being romanticized tales from Jack’s perspective after he becomes a writer. All of it is mostly head-canon, but it’s is just fun to think of it that way.
What makes me think that uncle might be red harlow is the fact that uncle never says he's red harlow, which is something red harlow would do since he wants to hide his identity so as to not face any legal consequences for his actions in red dead.
Because the gang of outlaws he’s riding with who are currently being hunted down by the law would care if he was Red? That doesn’t make sense either. He’s not Red because not only are they not the same age (Uncle is at least 10 years older than Red) they aren’t the same race, and they don’t have any distinguishable traits like the scars which rockstar would’ve 100% included if he was but they didn’t. The only evidence that supports the theory is that we don’t know Uncles read name and the “one shot kid” line that can easily be passed off as a mere reference
I don't know if anyone told you this but at the end of RDR1 jack tell John about a book he just read, it was about Red and his adventures, Jack talked about red almost like a role model he wished to grow up and be like one day, I just find it funny if Uncle really was red then Jack got to meet his idol without ever knowing it.
Its funny, I have seen people be like "he said that the used to be called the one shot kid." Meanwhile, uncle also said to john, "I cant move like i used to, and I never was that fast" (red harlow is known for being a bounty hunter and a quick drawer)
A lot of people do tend to look down on themselves, so that could just be him doing that.
He is not that fast compared to some of the bosses, (jack at the brimstone battle royale for example, always gets his pistol out before you, even if you draw first.)
@@catwithevilintentions2632Uncle is the type to build himself up, not talk himself down. He calls himself a “one shot kid” jokingly to Arthur but he’s serious when he says he was never that fast to John. He’s not Red
I think it’s just him humbling himself
11:56 [Speech 100/100] Put me out of my majesty, your misery!
One of the biggest questions in RDR2 is why Uncle has been able to stay with the gang for so long? If he's always been useless, then why does he get to spend their money, eat their food and travel with the gang? I think it's possible that he helped set them up initially, to the point where they were relatively comfortable. Once he got older he became a useless drunk, but by that point had established relationships with everyone, particularly Abigail, Hosea, Arthur Morgan and John Marston, that he became like family.
It's possible that Hosea and Dutch even know Uncle's real name, but who knows. Perhaps Uncle acts kind of bumbling in RDR2 ad beyond because it keeps him relatively safe; The way he reflects Dutch's threat is a good example of how he's kept himself safe around would-be threats to himself. If he didn't act that way, Dutch would've probably taken steps to get rid of him, similar to John Marston and Arthur Morgan.
Content is content my friend.
You give the RDR2 community the opportunity to discuss theories on the subject.
Every character will have a background and Uncle is a vague name lol
Also, in RDR1 Uncle has the scars and a glove always on his right hand. It was meant as an Easter egg kind of "is it? Could it be?...nah.." type thing and people went apeshit about it. So they removed that stuff in RDR2 to show he isn't Red, but got whatever between RDR2 and 1.
Edit: Like Tenkai Nankobo is Samanosuke Akechi in Onimusha: D.o.D. (though they flat out say it there). If your familiar with that series.
I imagine they didn’t send the army after John, but they did it instead because Uncle was there
Ive said this before and ill say it again, the whole event in red dead revolver was written in the book made by a sheriff, if you play the game the whole menu proves that thats the case.
Red harlow is a legend in redemption timeline but his story might be a little fabricated but still true. So red harlow is real,Uncle could be red harlow too that is if rockstar wants him to be red harlow.
( at this point its just a matter of if rockstar wants to deliver a fan service😂)
I never knew that his parents also died when he was just 9 years old. Interesting… I think rockstar wanted us to question if he is Red Harlow. He actually really did look like him in RDR1
I always believed that somehow when playing revolver and the first redemption game that there might have been some connection between Annie Stokes and Bonnie Mcfarline, maybe she was Bonnie's great-grandmother or something maybe a relative of some kind. But that also brings up another question, how far would brimstone be from say Valentine in the Red Dead universe or beecher's hope where John Marston's home is located. And that's going off the basis that in some form or fashion these universes are connected loosely.
Anyone who reaches old age in the wild west, must have been a badass
I think uncle would be a potential protagonist for rdr3 if it ever happened
Well he does die I guess, but I do need someone to die in my games in this franchise for thematic purposes.
Maybe a kind like war stories in battlefield with all the old gunslingers but way more fleshed out
@@kristopherruiz7644 his redemption arc would be getting lumbago and passing of the role of main character to someone else
You're forgetting one thing. Red Harlow's age might be wrong on the romanticized version we got.
Even Arthur is referred as a young man and "pretty boy" by literally everyone other than gang members who knows he's almost 40.
So people might have misinterpreted red Harlow's age because he looked so young.
I think Red Dead Revolver is a more exaggerated and mythologized version of Uncle's Life.
I'd love to see a Remake of Red Dead Revolver where they actually Canonize this Theory.
My theory: Yes but no.
RD2 has this whole side quest about "legendary gunslingers" not living up to their name
(Except Black Belle. I hope she's in RD3)
From what I understand, Red Harlow was one of the best. So it makes sense that he doesn't want some young upstart trying to find their name by taking him down.
(Kinda like what Buster Scruggs was talking about in his last duel)
Maybe It's just a coincidence but Uncle getting thrown out of the SAME tavern where you get the quest is kinda suspicious.
As for what happened in the Red Harlow Games, I wouldn't know because I never played them BUT I chose to believe that those games is you playing as the legend, not the man.
Lumbago will be the death of us all
I've ways thought Uncle was Red Harlow. I think it'd be pretty awesome if Red Dead 3 was a continuation of Revolver and maybe showed Red traveling the country until eventually joining Dutch's gang
This, like a lot of your works, is wonderfully written and has a lot of curiosity and thoughtful analysis. You're a great media critic.
Imagine being a legendary gunsliger. So legendary people think your existance was a myth. And you succumb to terminal lumbago
In my opinion, Uncle is Red Harlow. He dies helping John’s family survive so Jack doesn't have to grow up the way he did. Sadly, like Arthur, John, and Abigail wanted for Jack, didn't happen. Jack went for revenge, Like John and Red Harlow before him
Revenge to Redemption… “Revenge is a fool’s game.”
in my opinion halo and mario are in the same universe because its a dream by snake from metal gears solid
Red Harlow is not Uncle.
@@frankcastle8397why you say that
@@Drexzzz4 Because Uncle ain’t nothing like Red. Red was not a criminal.
10:39 uncle is known as lazy in RDR ? the man dies trying to protect Jack, John and Abigail he was a damn hero a legend of the old west put some damn respect on UNCLE's name dude fr
"Put me out of my majesty, you misery."
Words that were overlooked by the human race.
@@KC.45 Indeed. If only the human race had paid attention to the wisdom of the One-Shot Kid also known as "everyone's favorite Uncle."
"I'm not lazy. I just don't like working. There's a difference" ~ Uncle
What a wise man he is...
Ima just say the interaction between Dutch and uncle is so wholesome
Idk man that stuff felt kinda tense knowing where the game goes
Yeah, not sure wholesome is the word. The subtext is extremely tense.
Uncle just called Dutch out and the whole gang out in a light hearted jokingly tone idk where you got the impression that it was wholesome
I honestly believe he was, until the creation of the RDR2 was made. However, they wanted him to be a lighter character and fully focus in on Arthur, Dutch, and John.
I like the uncle/red harlow theory but i also like the theory that red dead revolver is the over-the-top Hollywood wild west movie based off the book "Red dead" by Jack Marston that was the retelling of Arthur's and John's lives.
I really think it just makes too much narrative sense for Uncle to be Red. He's been in both the games, we know his parents died young, he's one of the few in the gang members we don't know the past of, we know some version of Red exists, Uncle clearly is a capable and life long gunslinger, and he's clearly got more going on than just being an old drunkard. It also works narratively chronologically. Red goes a raging warpath of vengence, Red grows old and buries his path and goes on the run from his past, goes by Uncle and joins gangs to help keep running, runs into our gang and rdr2 happens, stays with John, stops running and fights as long as he can until he can't. That is a story of revenge, running, and redemption. A story good enough for one of my favorite side characters in fiction
Just gonna point out, randomly, in camp, if you talk to uncle, he has a chance to mention something about having a Native American mother. I don’t remember which chapter, but it was shortly after eagle flies getting captured by the u.s government.
The only thing that busts this theory is the fact that Uncle doesn't have the face scars, yes his beard covers most of his face but you would still see the scar that Red has on his nose. I have a feeling that Uncle was very good friends with Red and the Red bandana is a memento given to him by red. It would make sense that he would try and take on some of reds legends for himself as a way to keep his memory alive.
He’s gone by many names… red Harlow, uncle, gavin and the grim reaper in his Sunday best being just a few of those names…
I think of Uncle fondly. His final acts will always endear him to me.
Its sad to think how the once great Red Harlow is now suffering from lumbago😢
Red Harlow is not Uncle.
12:50 Jesters usually are the only ones able to jab at EVERYONE
Red dead revolver could just be one of Jack's books.
The description of Harlow at 3:55 to me sounds like he’s describing Jack’s journey
Jack Marston be like:
Hi Uncle Uncle
BIG THOUGHT! R* made Uncles past a question because it could be easier to write for a story about uncle, RDR3 could be about uncle and how he met Dutch and the gang.
In my heart I want landon rickets or uncle to be Red Harlow.
But in my brain I know that Red Harlow is actually John Marston. Rockstar initially intended to make red dead redemption as a sequel to revolver, however partway through development the plans changed and Red evolved into John. This is why their designs are so similar, down to the facial scars and hat worn by each character.
Red is John
You mentioned that Uncle shooting skills were not so impressive but have in mind that the whole time Uncle was not only fighting the Pinkerton's but an incredible deadly disease called Lumbago, it's like wolverine having his healing factor diminished by his adamantium skeleton
There are 2 important details you didn't talk about, if you look closely, uncle has a burn mark on one of his hands and a red piece of cloth attached to his pants .
He doesn’t have any “burns” on his hand, and either way if it’s not in a scorpion shape like Reds burn on his palm then it’s irrelevant. Not to mention Uncle has no scars on his face like Red did which would’ve been added if rockstar truly wanted to connect the two. You guys also forget Red was half Native and even had the skin but 15 years later he’s suddenly an old white man with a country accent?
@@josephstalin2606e watch this video. Uncle has a scar on his nose as the same way Red’s one was. And Read dead revolver is a canon game but with the story told a little differently. Did you even watch this video??
@@turtlesquare7174 I did, did you? Even he says that he still thinks Uncle and Red are separate characters. And Red had more than just a nose scar his scar was nearly identical to Johns but on both sides of his face and that would’ve shown on Uncles face if he was him, and no the beard wouldn’t fully cover such scars. Not to mention the scorpion burn scar is the most significant scar he had and Uncle doesn’t have it at all. I can go on and on about the multiple differences between both characters, many were already said in the video, but even he admits that it’s just a fun theory and nothing more
@@josephstalin2606 no
@@turtlesquare7174 Imagine trying to start a debate only to back down when presented evidence. Also liking your own comment doesn’t make it more valid just a heads up
I've just found your channel but I can't stop binging these documentary/theory type of videos
This guy has a doctorate in yapping
21:33 haha Uncle's BACK story. I like what you did there 😉
The only reason this makes so much sense is the fact that the gang doesn’t seem to know his real name. He is simply ‘Uncle’.
Uncle is his real name. For every 100,000 Americans, 0.05% have the first name of Uncle.
Dutch got downright menacing to Uncle and Uncle laughed it off.
7:49 underrated statement
i think it would be cool if uncle was red harlow and was just actually crazy or at least pretending to be, then while playing the game in a cut scene where the enemy corners the (main character) uncle steps in then actually fights incredibly well. then surprises us that hes actually red harlow XD
Uncle to have once been Red Dead Harlow is my definition of a fall from grace 😢. For me, Harlow did what he had to do and moved on. Uncle probably kissed ass to join the Van Der Linde gang.
Wow, its cool to see uncle get "deep" and to see just how "deep" RDR2 can get at times. Its more than a game at times, speaking life truths and pointing out hypocrisy in alot of our lifes and the characters lives. And much more than that. It makes us run through and feel so many different emotions just like IRL. Thats pretty cool and is the best n most real game I've played so far. Bravo Rockstar! Please keep our Wild West adventures going whether with another RDR or a new name. We gotta have more!!!
It’s a bit of a tenuous connection but often Africans and African Americans refer to older men as Uncle. Maybe he did go to Africa and that’s where he got the nickname?
Perhaps
He did claim to have been a god for a few days when he sold equipment in Africa 😂
dis has to be racist. we don’t even say uncle we say unc
I love the idea that Uncle is a primordial god yet he just doesn't want to do anything
I think Red Harlow is in the RDR universe, but isn't Uncle
I believe this, he’s out there somewhere
@@Fizhy Why didn't he got a legendary gunslinger cigarette card,then?
@@Fizhy me too. I think it's like you said most of the stories are played up & stories goes through different people & change
@@mapachestudios5993ah he should have that would be super cool
@@mapachestudios5993he wasn’t a gun slinger he was a bounty hunter so no he wouldn’t get a card .
I love that conversation/argument between Uncle and Dutch at the fire place. I would love to see Uncle’s past as the One Shot Kid.
Personally I don't think he really is Red because the age doesn't make sense.
But I can't deny that Uncle past is similar to Reds
The age could easily be Uncle mis-remembering, or due to his alcoholism, or simply something exaggerated in Red Dead Revolver.
@@RaptorJesus I don't think he would exaggerate his age because that wouldn't make sense.
@@NotRJ001 No, no. Not Uncle exaggerating. Those retelling the story doing so.
@@RaptorJesus I mean Red Harlow is mentioned to be alive in RDR1 in a random encounter when you sit around a camp fire.
@RaptorJesus Red Harlow's age is never brought up in the stories told throughout both games, you are making that part up.
Another addition that i can add, is that we dont really know who uncle is. He dosent have a very significant role except for taking on in robbing the rhodes bank. But i think the reason he dont do much with the gang was he was a bounty hunter. And he stays with the gang for the sake of not being alone.
I like the idea that red dead revolver is a story or one of the movies you can see in game
I remember Red Dead Revolver from when it was an obscure rockstar title nobody ever heard of. I absolutely loved it, so much so, I now own it on my PS4, shamelessly. It's a game that forged my gaming tastes.
Uncle is actualy Abraham Lincoln.
He's the sith lord behind the fall of Dutch Moneymaker.
Rdr3 = Uncle's life 🤑
In greater Rockstar lore, Red Dead Revolver is in the SD universe and Redemption is in the HD universe. They're separate continuities, but events in the SD universe are partially canon. The important thing is that it seems that SD universe protagonists are all dead in the HD universe. Red Harlowe did some neat stuff, but he didn't die on John Marston's porch.
yes!!!! i know this theory is implausible but it’s canon in my mind because it’s really funny