Summary
- Red Dead Redemption 2 hints at a connection between Red Harlow and Uncle, sparking a major theory.
- The timeline and backstory support the theory that Red Harlow and Uncle are the same character.
- A sequel focusing on Red Harlow in Red Dead Redemption 3 could offer closure and connect the franchise.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is well known for its many mysteries. Rockstar is notorious for hiding gems within its stories that remain unsolved, and Red Dead Redemption 2 brings even more weight to a long-running franchise theory. There are currently three games within the series, but the game that started it all, Red Dead Revolver, has inspired one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in Rockstar's roster.
Red Dead Revolver kickstarted Rockstar's venture into the Old West back in 2004. Although the game isn't necessarily considered canon to Red Dead Redemption and its 2018 prequel, the latter offers some of the strongest evidence of the trio of games being intrinsically intertwined. Red Harlow, the protagonist of Red Dead Revolver, has yet to be seen again in the Red Dead universe. At least, as far as players are aware. Uncle, one of the older members of Dutch's gang, has dropped hints that he could very well be an older version of Red. It's been a popular theory among the franchise's community, and Red Dead Redemption 3 will hopefully finally bring an official answer.
Red Dead Redemption 3 Needs to Address the 'Red Harlow is Uncle' Theory
A Likely Theory Deserving of Answers
There is a lot of evidence to back up the theory that Red Harlow is actually Uncle. The most convincing piece of evidence is that the timeline matches up perfectly. Uncle is around 50 years old at the time of Red Dead Redemption 2, whereas Red Harlow is estimated to be 30 during the events of Red Dead Revolver. With Red Dead Redemption 2 taking place around 20 years after Red Dead Revolver, this would make the ages of Red and Uncle match up. Not only that, but Uncle's comments about his past life sound an awful lot like Harlow's. Between both characters being young when their parents died and fending for themselves as orphans, many are convinced the two are the same person.
As of now, there is no confirmation of where the story of Red Dead Redemption 3 will go from here. There are theories that it could follow Sadie Adler or Charles Smith, but there is also the possibility to jump back in time once again. Since Red Dead Revolver is the game responsible for igniting this franchise, going back and revisiting Red Harlow and answering the question of his fate once and for all could be compelling.
Another theory suggests that the story of Red Harlow is simply a fictional gunslinger legend that is told in the Red Dead Redemption universe.
Choosing to make the next chapter a Red Dead Revolver sequel would be an unexpected, but welcome, turn for many fans. Although there are plenty of questions surrounding the whereabouts of Sadie and Charles, Red Harlow's fate has been an even bigger open-ended finale that deserves to finally get closure.
Rockstar Bringing the Franchise Full Circle
Despite Red Dead Revolver's canon status being murky, a sequel to the game could be the perfect way to bring the entire franchise full circle, connecting them once and for all. The timeline of the Red Dead series spans decades, and with 20 years missing between the events of Red Dead Revolver and Red Dead Redemption 2, there is still room left to explore.
There is also only so much time to work with when telling an epic story about the lawless Old West. This era of history was a very short-lived timeframe, and exploring the gap between Red Dead Revolver and Red Dead Redemption 2 is an untapped source in the timeline. The theory of Red Harlow being Uncle is quite solid, and finally having an official answer one way or the other in Red Dead Redemption 3 would be a huge revelation.
Red Dead Redemption 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- October 26, 2018
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Engine
- RAGE
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- N/A
