Marshals

The United States Marshals Service is a form of law enforcement in Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Red Dead Online

Marshals are also a class of playable multiplayer characters in Redemption.

History

Background

The U.S. Marshal Service is the oldest American federal law enforcement agency, the office being created by the first U.S. Congress in the Judiciary Act of 1789. Marshals in Redemption and Redemption 2 are usually in charge of one county.

Events of Red Dead Online

Several Marshals band together with the local authorities to take out Teddy Brown's Boys at Fort Mercer, which they succeed in doing, with some help from Horley and the protagonist's posse. The protagonist with high honor can also work alongside Marshal Tom Davies to take down the leader of the Del Lobo gang, Alfredo Montez, and other members.

Events of Red Dead Redemption 2

Marshals are seen a few times throughout the story and in free roam as adversaries to the player when seriously violating the law. In particular, a large posse of Marshals must be dispatched in "Sodom? Back to Gomorrah" and Marshal Slim Grant plays a role in "The Noblest of Men, and a Woman V".

Events of Red Dead Redemption

Marston works alongside Marshal Leigh Johnson in New Austin to go after various gangs in the area, culminating in the destruction of Williamson's gang at Fort Mercer.

Later, alongside the U.S. Army and the Bureau of Investigation, several Marshals lead an all-out assault on Beecher's Hope, killing John Marston and Uncle.

When playing as Jack Marston, the player can obtain the US Marshal Uniform. Wearing it means that Jack is treated as part of the law and will not have to pay for stagecoaches.

Overview

Red Dead Redemption

When the player has an active bounty and has killed at least 20 law officers, Marshals are called in to pursue the player in place of the local law enforcement. Marshals will not pursue the player into Nuevo Paraíso, but can sometimes be found waiting at the border if the player tries to cross over to New Austin while the bounty is still active.

Red Dead Redemption 2

In Red Dead Redemption 2, U.S. Marshals pursue the player if the player has killed most of the law presence in a town (including the deputized citizens) and has accrued a bounty of at least $1,000. Despite being identified as "rural" lawmen in the files,^[1] they do not spawn outside of towns, and the player can only kill a certain number of lawmen at a time in the wild before their wanted status is removed.

Known members in Red Dead Redemption

Deputy Marshals

Eli
Jonah

Known members in Red Dead Redemption 2

Marshals

Slim Grant
Fulkerton ^[2]

Deputy Marshals

Tidwell ^[3]

Known Marshals in Red Dead Online

Marshals

Tom Davies
Whitsickle
Alan Peters ^[4]

Red Dead Redemption Multiplayer

Rockstar added Marshals as playable multiplayer characters on 1st October, 2010, giving access to eight characters in the Outfitter. The player can choose which individual Marshal they wish to play as.

As in single player, NPC Marshals will pursue characters with bounties in multiplayer. When the player becomes a Public Enemy, Marshals will often spawn near the player and start pursuing him\her. This can sometimes happen in the wild, though they often spawn relatively close to a town or settlement. It does, however, depend on the player's location.

In multiplayer, Marshals will not give the player a chance to surrender: they will shoot at the player on sight.

Mission appearances

Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption 2

"The Noblest of Men, and a Woman"

Red Dead Online

Trivia

Red Dead Redemption

The Mexican Army act as its counterpart in Nuevo Paraíso.
Several PED models are repurposed as members of the Bureau of Investigation.
The U.S. Marshal badge is the symbol used for the third level of Legend in multiplayer.
Interestingly, similar to the criminal characters, Marshals are arrogant enough not to greet the player or other NPC's back when greeted.