Red Harlow
| Red Harlow | |
|---|---|
| Red Dead character | |
| First appearance | |
| Created by | Rockstar Games San Diego |
| Voiced by |
|
| In-Universe Information | |
| Occupation | Bounty hunter |
| Weapon | Revolver |
| Nationality | American |
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Red Harlow is a central protagonist and main playable character in the 2004 video game Red Dead Revolver by Rockstar San Diego. A novice gunslinger turned ruthless bounty hunter after being orphaned at a young age, Red must pursue a series of outlaws to uncover the deadly plot that killed his parents and enact vengeance on those responsible. Red is also a playable character in Revolver's local multiplayer mode and is an available character model in the game's sequel, Red Dead Redemption.[1] He is voiced by Robert Bogue and Jason Fuchs (young).
Red only appears once in the Red Dead series. He is referenced in both of the game's spiritual successors, Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2, yet Dan Houser has suggested that the events of Revolver take place within a timeline separate from its Redemption sequels.
Creation
Angel Studios began developing a protagonist for its first entry in the Red Dead series in 2000.[2] Both Jason Fuchs and Robert Bogue were hired to voice Red.
Angel Studios had originally considered including multiple playable characters for Revolver. However, the concept was never developed due to technical limitations of the time. Under the collaboration with Capcom, lead designer Akira Yasuda was tasked with development of Revolver's protagonist.[3][4] Capcom developers later decided on "Red" for the protagonist's name after previously proposing the game's title under Red Dead Revolver. Yoshiki Okamoto later stated that, "We tried to put stuff in the game to make the name make more sense, like naming the character Red and having his hand get burned so his hand was red.”[5] Angel Studios developers had initially wanted Red to portray a classic Spaghetti western hero, taking inspiration from Clint Eastwood's character as the Man with No Name for both his voice and appearance.[6][7][8][9] Capcom developers had a differing approach to the game's setting, wanting Revolver to take place in a more mythical representation of the Wild West and designed Red's character to be surrounded by a variety of supernatural elements. Unlike the protagonist of the game's sequel, developers designed Red less personally and focused more on his exploits as an homage to the gunslingers and bounty hunters in classic Westerns.[10]
IGN's Douglass C. Perry described Red as "a dirty western cowboy bad-ass, a Clint Eastwood-like bounty hunter with a grudge against corruption, greed, and power".[11]
Red's canonicity is disputed.[12][13] Despite his mentioning in the latter two instalments of the Red Dead series, Red's character likely exists within the Red Dead games' world through the nature of legends.[14][15][16] Due to the game's "fantastical" narrative, the existence of Red as seen in the events of Revolver is unlikely.
Character biography
Red was born to prospector Nate Harlow and Native American mother Falling Star. Through his mother, Red is of half Native American descent. Red (Jason Fuchs) witnessed a raid on his homestead by hired mercenaries at the age of fourteen. In an attempt to conceal the location of a prosperous gold deposit discovered by Nate and his partner Griff, lead mercenary, Colonel Darren, murders both Nate and his wife. Red escapes by shooting off Darren's left arm using his father's revolver, severely burning his hand in the process.
Twelve years later, Red, a now seasoned bounty hunter, travels to a nearby settlement known as Widow's Patch to collect the bounty of gang leader, Bloody Tom. Red befriends the town's local sheriff, O'Grady. O'Grady denies Red his reward due to the relinquishment of his funds to the town's occupiers, the Ugly Gang. Red then engages the gang, killing both the gang's leader, "Ugly" Chris Bailey, and several others. After sustaining injuries from the shootout, Red brings O'Grady to Brimstone to seek a doctor and receive his reward from the town's lawman, Sheriff Bartlett. Red botches an attempted train robbery performed by the Pandrosa Brothers on the way to Brimstone. While in Brimstone, Bartlett hires Red to trace several outlaws in the town's surrounding areas. While pursuing one of his bounties, Pig Josh, Red meets English gunslinger, Jack Swift, after saving him from the outlaw's captivity. Bartlett explains to Red the motives behind his father's murder, and reveals the involvement of Darren's boss, Javier Diago, and his partner Griff. Red makes his way to Sunset Canyon to kill Diago and seek retribution for his father's death. Red kills Darren after storming Diago's camp.
Red eventually pursues Diago as he attempts to flee via train. Red destroys the train's engine and executes Diago as he pleads for his life. After killing Diago, Red returns to Brimstone where he engages in the Brimstone's annual dueling tournament hosted by Bartlett and Griff. After attempting to kill Red, Griff flees Brimstone. Red traces him back to his mansion where he kills Griff in a duel, completing his quest for vengeance.
Personality
Red Harlow is portrayed as a stoic, determined, and highly skilled gunslinger. Following the murder of his parents during his childhood, he develops a strong sense of justice and an unwavering desire for revenge against those responsible.
Unlike many other characters in the series, Red rarely speaks about his emotions and instead expresses himself through his actions. His relentless pursuit of outlaws and refusal to abandon his quest for vengeance define much of his personality throughout the events of Red Dead Revolver.
Legacy
Although Red Harlow has appeared in only one game in the Red Dead franchise, he remains one of the series' most recognizable characters. Fans have frequently debated whether Red exists as a historical figure, a folk hero, or a legendary figure within the universe of later Red Dead games.
The character's appearance, backstory, and quest for revenge have often been compared to protagonists from classic Spaghetti Western films. His influence can also be seen in later Rockstar Games protagonists who share similar themes of redemption, justice, and personal loss.
Cultural impact
Since the release of Red Dead Revolver in 2004, Red Harlow has developed a cult following among fans of the Western genre. Discussions regarding his connection to later protagonists such as John Marston and Arthur Morgan have remained popular within the gaming community.
Theories concerning Red's place in the overall Red Dead timeline have contributed to his enduring popularity. Many players continue to regard him as one of Rockstar Games' most iconic Western characters despite appearing in only a single main title.
References
- ↑ Games, Rockstar. "Red Dead Redemption". Rockstar Games. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Staff, I. G. N. (2002-03-22). "Capcom Unveils Four Major Games". IGN. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ "Capcom cancels Red Dead Revolver and Dead Phoenix". GameSpot. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ "Capcom no longer sponsoring Red Dead Revolver". GameSpot. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Hester, Blake (2018-10-17). "How the Red Dead franchise began". Polygon. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ "Red Dead Revolver Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ "Red Dead Revolver". EW.com. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ "MAXIM ONLINE". 2004-05-05. Archived from the original on 2004-05-05. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Games, Rockstar. "Red Dead Revolver". Rockstar Games. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ "Red Harlow (Character)". Giant Bomb. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Perry, Douglass C. (2004-05-01). "Red Dead Revolver". IGN. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Games, Rockstar. "The Legends and Killers of Red Dead Revolver: Part Two". Rockstar Games. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Games, Rockstar. "The Legends and Killers of Red Dead Revolver: Part Two". Rockstar Games. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Rowley, Jim (2020-11-25). "The Untold Truth Of Red Dead Revolver's Red Harlow". SVG. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Games, Rockstar. "The Legends and Killers of Red Dead Revolver: Part One". Rockstar Games. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ↑ Robinson, Martin (2010-02-22). "The Revolution of Red Dead". IGN. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
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- Fictional character
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