The fall of the Van der Linde gang is a major plot point across the Red Dead Redemption games, with the 2018 prequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, showing the group's final days in 1899. Red Dead Redemption's story picks up years later with John Marston tasked with tracking down the remaining , including leader Dutch Van der Linde, in a bid to save his family from Edgar Ross and the Bureau of Investigation.

When players are re-introduced to the Van der Lindes in Red Dead Redemption 2, it's clear that the group has been around for quite some time. Red Dead Redemption 2's opening sequence immediately introduces players to the game's protagonist, Arthur Morgan, and the Van der Linde Gang. The group is facing desperate times, as they try to survive a harsh winter on the run after a failed ferry heist in Blackwater.

Dutch realizes that the "age of outlaws" is finally coming to an end, which is all the incentive he needs to acquire enough money for his gang to escape the law and retire, leading to his obsession over "one last heist" throughout the campaign. The game also makes it clear that Dutch and a portion of his gang are no spring chickens, making their age an important factor in the group's activities.

How Old Is Dutch Van der Linde In Red Dead Redemption 2?

Dutch Has Been A Role Model To Younger Of The Gang

The Van der Linde gang is mostly split into two age ranges: the younger generation in their 20s and 30s, and the older in their 40s and 50s. Dutch falls into the latter category, which leads to many of the younger of the gang initially looking to him for guidance, even if later in the game it becomes evident that his leadership is flawed.

According to the official guidebook published by Piggyback, Dutch was born in 1855, making him 44 years old during the events of Red Dead Redemption 2. The ages of the Van der Linde gang during Red Dead Redemption 2 are as follows:

By the time the events of Red Dead Redemption roll around, 12 years have ed since the second game (which is actually a prequel). Dutch and his gang show up in the first game as older and more seasoned characters, though no longer together as an official group. Since the events of Red Dead Redemption take place mostly in 1911, this means that Dutch is 56 years old when players meet him in RDR1. It also means that John Marston, the protagonist of the first game, is 38 years old when that game takes place.

How Long Has The Van Der Linde Gang Been Around?

Dutch And Hosea Formed The Gang Decades Before The Events Of Red Dead Redemption 2

The gang's roots lie in a fateful meeting between Dutch van der Linde and Hosea Matthews at a campfire on the road to Chicago around the mid-1870s. At the time, the two were small-time hustlers, and Hosea attempted to con and rob Dutch, but realized that Dutch had done the same and stolen from him in the meantime.

Instead of coming to blows over the deception, both recognized the other's skill and laughed about it before deciding to team up, forming The Van der Linde gang. While neither the game nor the guidebook narrows down the date further, a newspaper clipping in Hosea's room in Chapter 4 of the game refers to a heist the duo performed in March 1877, suggesting that they were established by then. This places the gang's formation at 1875 or 1876.

Around the same time that the gang was formed, Hosea met a woman named Bessie, whom he eventually married, and while the two briefly attempted to leave the life of crime behind, Hosea eventually drifted back into it. Despite this, Bessie stayed with Hosea until she ed away, with her death coming as a huge blow to Hosea.

One of Dutch's main aims for the Van der Linde gang was to find redemption for their past sins by robbing the rich and giving to the poor, similar to the story of Robin Hood. He saw himself as a revolutionary and thought that by only taking from those who they believed deserved it, the gang could be an example to others who would follow their lead.

This clearly worked, as the gang attracted characters from various backgrounds, including a 14-year-old Arthur Morgan and 12-year-old John Marston. Dutch took these two future protagonists under his wing, teaching them to read, write, shoot, and survive.

Unfortunately, as time went on, Dutch's ideals began to weaken. The group forgot their initial cause of being charitable, and instead started to assist the likes of Leopold Strauss with his loanshark schemes. In essence, they started to target the very same lower-class citizens that they originally wanted to fight for. During the events of Red Dead Redemption 2, Dutch's leadership begins to unravel, resulting in the deaths of several of his followers and, ultimately, the Van der Linde gang was disbanded in 1899.

Source: Piggyback