Why RDR3 Can Be Held in Canada (with Charles Smith)

The story of Red Dead Redemption 3 may involve many characters, but a trip to Canada with Charlie may lead to the strongest story.

One of the more interesting directions Red Dead Redemption 3 could take for its setting is to follow Charles Smith to Canada. After the events of the first and second games, there are various potential protagonists who could follow up their stories. Not only is Charles a unique protagonist, but Canada could make for a great RDR3 scene.

The Red Dead Redemption series has stated that there are no specific rules for making sequels. Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place years before the original, fleshing out the past of the Van der Linde gang and showing John's situation in the first game. As such, multiple storylines could be followed up in RDR3, such as focusing Red Dead Redemption 3 on Jack Marston after his father's death. Of all these options, though, Charles's might be the most interesting.

Charles Has A Strong Story For Red Dead Redemption 3's Setting

Charles was a member of the Van Der Linde gang, and he managed to survive to the end of the game, though as Dutch descended into villainy in RDR2, he lost faith in his formerly revered man leader. A loyal friend of Arthur Morgan, he has a reputation as the strongest member of the gang as well as their best hunter. Even though he only joined a few months before the events of RDR2, he was respected by everyone except the grumpy Micah.

Like most of the Van der Linde family, Charles was disenchanted with the Dutchman's leadership once the game progressed late. Ultimately, he ends up leaving the game in Chapter 6, staying to help Wapiti after defending them from the evil General Favours trying to start a war for his own glory. Unfortunately for him, his story didn't end so cleanly afterwards.

In the years following Arthur's death, Charles returned west and had difficulty adjusting to life without the gang. In the lengthy epilogue of Red Dead Redemption 2, John meets him again at Saint Denis, where he unexpectedly began his Street Fighter career. After reconnecting, he was able to gain some form of closure by helping John build his home and tracking down Micah before leaving again, intending to start a family of his own in Canada.

By the end of Red Dead Redemption 2, Charles intends to leave the life of an outlaw, just as John once tried to do. Due to the series' history of protagonist deaths, this could paint an unfortunate forecast for Charles if he becomes the protagonist of RDR3. However, if the scene of Red Dead Redemption 3 is Canada, leaving the violent scenes of the first two games may lead to a different fate awaiting him.

Canada Has Yet To Be Explored In The Red Dead Universe

Most of the first two Red Dead Redemption games took place in the same region. There are some differences, like Red Dead Redemption 2's pointless detour of Guarma, but it keeps the general Wild West setting. For the third game in the series, the new location could be a refreshing change. With Charles setting the course for Canada at the end of RDR2's coda, that could be the path to follow in the next race.

RDR3's Canadian setting may offer a harsher environment than the first two games, especially if RDR3 takes place in harsh winters. In this sense, not only will it present new challenges, but a change of location will also Bringing players a host of new flora and fauna. One of Red Dead Redemption 2's strongest points is the sheer amount of detail on how Arthur interacts with the natural world through hunting and foraging. After that impressive display, the team at Rockstar could certainly recreate early 1900s Canada with the same love of detail.

The story of Red Dead Redemption takes players across the Wild West, into Mexico, and even to a country that doesn't exist. However, John and Arthur never make it very far north, at least not while the player follows them. Canada will be an entirely new location for players to explore, with new wildlife to hunt, new terrain to traverse, and settlements to encounter. A new home filled with strange encounters is a perfect metaphor for Charles' desire to break free from the constraints of the past and start afresh.

Charles' Personality Would Make Him A Different Kind Of Red Dead Protagonist

Red Dead Redemption's past protagonists have spent nearly their entire lives as outlaws. Arthur Morgan and John Marston were experienced thieves and killers in their teens. Charles, on the other hand, has only recently fallen into the life of an outlaw and doesn't quite fit it. That distinction could lead him down a different path than Red Dead Redemption's past doomed protagonists.

Unlike John and Arthur, there is not much indication that Charles was a criminal before joining the Van der Linde family. Even in his RDR2 biography, Charles is described as an honest man in a world whose morals differ from his. This may be one of the reasons why Charles, despite being the biggest and strongest Van der Linde, is mainly focused on camp work. Making Charles the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 3 allows this side of him to be explored in greater depth. As much as he longs for peace, he needs more violent skills to survive.

Charles is more of a survivalist who happens to be with a gang than an actual outlaw, which gives him a unique twist as the protagonist. To be able to live an entire game in his head and see him trying to escape the circle of violence his friends failed to escape could have been a fascinating story. Giving Charles a happy ending in RDR3 would be another change of pace for the series, and a welcome one after what he, Arthur, and John went through together.

After the first two games told such great stories, there's a lot to look forward to in RDR3. The next game in the series had to maintain a high quality while offering fans something new. Following Charles Smith to Canada, Red Dead Redemption 3 will be able to bring players a fresh and satisfying experience.