Best Reasons To Do A High Honor Run in Red Dead Redemption 2

This list contains spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2’s main story.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is celebrated for its deeply moving story, particularly the complex journey of its main character, Arthur Morgan. Like the first game, this expansive open-world title from Rockstar lets players shape Arthur’s personality through a unique honor system. This system doesn’t just affect his personal goals and how he behaves, but also how other characters react to him throughout the game.

Since the game is quite lengthy, most players will only complete the story once, meaning they’ll need to decide whether to play as an honorable Arthur or a less virtuous one. You can choose a neutral path, but for your first playthrough, I suggest fully committing to either good or evil. While playing as a low-honor Arthur can be enjoyable, the story of Red Dead Redemption 2 is generally considered best experienced when Arthur consistently makes honorable choices. If you’re unsure, or have only tried a low-honor game, the following information might change your mind.

The initial reasons are broad, but they get more detailed and contain spoilers as the list goes on.

Arthur’s Dialogue

May Aswell Protect The Payment

Choosing a ‘high honor’ path in the game significantly changes how the main character acts and speaks, particularly after he learns he’s sick. When playing as a high-honor Arthur, he tends to be much gentler and prioritizes the well-being of his gang over making money.

As Arthur Morgan nears the end of his story, especially in conversations with John Marston, he becomes much more thoughtful and persuasive when it comes to John’s family. The version of Arthur who consistently makes honorable choices appears to have come to terms with his past and genuinely wants to help others. He deeply mourns the loss of fellow gang members, a reaction that contrasts with the more self-centered concern for lost money shown by players who make dishonorable choices.

Exploration Bonuses

That Haircut Is Now 50% Off

Earning a good reputation unlocks rewards throughout the game world, including unique clothing and a 50% discount at all shops. Building up a positive morality early on can be very helpful, though it might take some effort – like making sure to greet everyone in Valentine – to achieve.

The 50% discount across all shops is a huge advantage, whether you’re buying clothes, armor, or horses. It’s especially helpful for players aiming for the challenging platinum trophy. Plus, it subtly reflects what other players think about the game.

Story Implications

The Canonical Journey

Honestly, for me, the whole story of Red Dead Redemption 2 is about Arthur being a genuinely good guy deep down. That’s what makes his struggles so believable – watching him constantly worry about his past mistakes and how Dutch messed him up as he grew. It really feels like a classic hero’s journey, you know?

Arthur’s mistakes aren’t just happening during the main story; they’ve been a pattern throughout his life. If you play as a low-honor character, you see someone stuck in bad habits. But if you choose a high-honor path, it fits perfectly with Arthur’s journey of changing beliefs and struggling with Dutch’s increasingly misguided leadership.

The Deer Spirit

Caregiving Nature

When a player is diagnosed with tuberculosis, they’ll begin to experience visions of one of two spirits. The Deer spirit embodies the noble Arthur. Deer often symbolize compassion, gentleness, and comfort in Native American traditions, representing caring protectors.

When Arthur grapples with who he is, he often remembers bits of conversations with other characters. What he recalls changes based on how honorable the player has been. If you’ve played as a high-honor character, Arthur tends to remember positive and trusting moments with his gang. These memories are a great way the game shows Arthur reflecting on his past and how much he’s changed since the events at Blackwater.

The Last Ride

The Many Things He’s Learned

Once Arthur says farewell to Abigail and Sadie, he begins his last journey back to camp, a truly memorable ride. The scene is deeply moving and often brings viewers to tears. If you’ve played with high honor, the music is uplifting and inspiring, and the screen glows with a warm, hopeful light.

Arthur often thought about the times people genuinely thanked him and told him he was a good person. Though he usually dismissed these comments at the time, deep down, all he ever wanted was to be kind. As he approached what he believed would be the end, being a good person meant everything to him.

Story Choices

Should Probably Spare Them

The game’s story presents players with several choices, and usually it’s pretty clear which ones are the best options. A lot of these choices involve Arthur deciding whether to show mercy and spare someone’s life.

Arthur Morgan isn’t usually a cold-blooded killer; he actually challenges Dutch when Dutch resorts to such tactics, especially as Dutch loses his grip on reality and his moral compass. Dutch originally taught Arthur this principle, though he often didn’t practice what he preached.

Arthur’s Conversation With The Sister

Take A Gamble That Love Exists

Rescuing Monroe triggers a memorable scene in Red Dead Redemption 2 featuring Arthur Morgan and Sister Calderon. It’s a particularly emotional moment, as Arthur reveals his fear of death and admits he’s lost his faith to someone for the first time.

Sister Calderon comforts Arthur, reminding him that despite his self-doubt, his actions are always motivated by a desire to help others. If the player has low honor, this scene features Reverend Swanson instead, who offers no encouragement for redemption and simply states that Arthur will live and die as he has always done.

How The Gang Reminisce

Arthur Didn’t Care About Revenge

In the final chapters of the game, players control John Marston as he reconnects with former gang members. Through these encounters, Rockstar reveals how the gang felt about Arthur Morgan when he was still alive.

I was really struck by a conversation Charles and I had while walking through Blackwater. He was talking about Arthur and everything that happened before, and it made me think. Charles pointed out that Arthur, especially the ‘good’ version of him, knew chasing revenge was pointless. He said the ‘bad’ Arthur probably would have gotten where John was coming from, though. It was interesting because the inscription Charles wrote on Arthur’s grave was different depending on your honor level. If you played as a high-honor Arthur, it said, ‘Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness,’ but if you were a low-honor player, it was, ‘Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.’ It really showed how much Arthur changed, and how different our experiences were.

Relationship With Dutch

Arthur Gave Dutch All He Had

It’s heartbreaking to watch Dutch, who was like a father to Arthur, gradually fall apart and try to pull everyone else down with him. After Hosea died, there was no one left to keep Dutch’s increasingly erratic behavior in check, or to talk him down when he started to spiral.

The story is much stronger when seen through Arthur’s eyes. He’s deeply loyal to Dutch, but gradually realizes his mentor isn’t who he thought. They clash repeatedly as Arthur challenges Dutch’s hypocrisy and warns that Dutch is abandoning his principles, ultimately endangering the entire gang.

The High Honor Ending

In The End, He Did

Arthur sacrifices his own chance at wealth and safety by giving his hat and bag to John Marston. He then bravely confronts Micah and leads the gunmen away, allowing John to escape. Many players consider this selfless act, performed with honorable intentions, to be the most meaningful and satisfying conclusion to the story of Red Dead Redemption 2.

Badly wounded after a fight with Micah Bell, Arthur collapses, desperately trying to breathe as he crawls towards the rising sun. As he looks on, he sees a vision of the deer, a reminder of his attempts to live a good life. Ultimately, Arthur believed in love, and his last act proved it: he ensured John and his family could escape to safety.

2026-02-14 23:07