Tell 'Em I Sent You: The Trial of Anthony Foreman in Red Dead Redemption 2 (No, No and Thrice, No)

SPOILER WARNING: The following contains minor plot points that take place during the gang's residence at Shady Belle in Chapter 4.

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Game: Red Dead Redemption 2

Quest: No, No and Thrice, No

Location: Radley's House, Scarlett Meadows, Lemoyne

Summary: After a high-tail pursuit across the rural outstretches of Rhodes, Lemoyne, gunslinger Arthur Morgan arrives at Radley's House with a special bounty in tow: Notorious gang leader Anthony Foreman. 

He's a wanted man for a number of reasons, namely the (twice) kidnapping of ex-gang member Tilly Jackson who awaits the chance to dish out her own flavour of justice and send him back to base with the message she isn't to be trifled with. Susan Grimshaw, on the other hand, believes a swift death the more fitting fate - leaving Arthur with an ultimatum: Send Anthony packing or straight to hell.

More information: No, No and Thrice, No | Red Dead Wiki | Fandom

Radley's House, Lemoyne. Photo credit: FetchQuester

Found Family

When another botched bank robbery drives Dutch's Boys into the ruins of Shady Belle, laying low is the name of the game - but there's another stake in it for Tilly. The rampant racism devouring the South, for one thing - but even more pressingly, their close proximity to the Foreman Brothers' safe house. Her history with the group is tainted: Considering Tilly's spree with the gang began with her abduction at 12 and ended when her fatal attack on Malcolm Foreman after an attempted assault forced her to flee, there's little love lost between them - and the vengeful Anthony is far from sympathetic to her cause. While her original kidnapping may have been spurred by compassion in sparing Tilly a life of enslavement, this act is undermined by the abusive language Anthony uses to deride her, revealing her subjugation within the group itself. "He thinks he owns me," she tells Arthur after he finds her tied to a bedpost covered in bruises. 

For Tilly, loyalty to her newfound family - a far cry from the iron-fisted Foreman Brothers whose violent legacy is felt across the South - is unquestionable, and it's easy to see why. Dutch's Boys uphold an admirable code for a ragtag crew whose road to fortune is paved with scandal, earning them a reputation of the "lesser evil" among the fringes of society while answering to no law but themselves, and instead fostering a close-knit community built on self-reliance and cooperation. Here, Tilly is home - accepted, loved, and allowed to flourish among her equals. And in spite of Grimshaw's cutting criticism of her work ethic, a genuine sense of motherly protection prevails - which is why she is willing to risk everything to "get her girl back".

Where it all began: Blackwater, West Elizabeth. Photo credit: FetchQuester

Put an End to Anthony Foreman

Leaving loose ends in the wild frontier is a liability, and the shrewd matriarch of Dutch's clan endorses minimizing risk at all costs. "Finish the bastard off, you know my choice," Grimshaw advises, hinting at a quick slice to the jugular. Arthur hesitates. While his interpretation of justice might be skewed amidst the chaos of an America in transition as outlaws vanish from the cultural landscape, there is an enduring conviction of righteousness that precedes his actions if played with high morality; one could reason there is justice in putting down a man who treats women as objects to be controlled, and even greater reward for a low-morality player who smites his rivals to level the playing field without hesitation. 

That Foreman's henchmen have failed to heed Arthur's warning - issued while caught stalking Tilly in Valentine - present three problems: Their lack of respect for the peace of the townsfolk, a disregard for meddling on enemy turf, and their refusal to cease their vendetta against a vulnerable woman for whom they have cost everything: The innocence of childhood, the chance of reconciliation with her mother (who passed during her first captivity) and - until now - the prospects of a hopeful future. 

The Heartlands, near Valentine. Photo credit: FetchQuester

"You Foreman boys ain't no kind of family I want," Tilly scolds as Anthony pleads with her - one minute endearing to their familial bonds then threatening her the next. Itching to claw her back under any circumstances, it's clear the Foremans can't be trusted as the intensity of their actions escalate, leading up to Grimshaw's intervention and the bloodbath at Radley's House. 

If not Tilly, we must question how many other women are likely to suffer at their hands: Old habits die hard, and the pattern of abuse exhibited by Anthony and his ilk are indicative of a normalized behaviour vs. rogue mishaps (aka Micah). The likelihood of the Foremans disbanding persists greater than a possible retaliation with Anthony taken out of the picture, thus releasing Tilly from her troubled history and allowing her to thrive in a safer, more caring world with one less burden to harbour.

Ambarino, where we are first introduced to the Van Der Linde gang as they survive a brutal winter. 

Photo credit: FetchQuester

Don't Kill the Messenger

"You know a friend of mine, he always says... revenge is a fool's game," reflects Arthur as he interrogates Anthony on their return to Radley's House. Thankfully, seeking revenge is absent from Tilly's docket - or even granting her former captor the chance to repent, though there is merit in releasing the Foremans' ring leader despite his sins: Perhaps his brush with near-death and seeing an empowered Tilly reclaim her freedom with allies who respect her autonomy will alter his outlook on life and steer him towards a different cause. A long shot, yes - but not impossible, and we must look to the potential of an individual when given the context of their struggles and question whether a system (white supremacy) which is deliberately stacked against them isn't somehow contributing to their behaviour and offer them a second chance.

Yet ultimately, this isn't about redemption or justice. It's about Tilly's wants and needs for which her friends willingly advocate, promising her the last word. And those last words are spoken. "I want him to go away," Tilly insists as she stares him down defiantly, "and tell the remaining of his cousins and the clowns he rides with to LEAVE. ME. ALONE!" 

There is purpose behind her verdict. Tilly's nature - despite the trauma she has overcome - is a merciful one, and carrying the blood of a murdered man on her hands is not the release from persecution she seeks. Anthony will live, yes - but with the lingering knowledge that crossing the wrong people will have repercussions; knowledge which can be used to reign in his own unruly lot for good.

Saint Denis, Anthony's new stompin' grounds. Tilly and John reunite (inset).

 Photo credit: FetchQuester

Spoilers affecting choice:

If Arthur pursues the path of "low morality", Anthony will be executed. "Sorry partner... we can't take no chances with the likes of you," Arthur says as he leaves him to die. There appears to be no further conflict from the Foreman Brothers.

Anthony stays true to his word if Arthur lets him go. "I'll leave you alone. History is done,"

he swears. Though Tilly is never troubled by the Foremans again, Anthony's misdemeanours catch up with him; the player can choose to turn him in during "Epilogue: Part 2" for a reward.

Either way, Tilly will eventually lead a fulfilling family life in Saint Denis years after helping the Marstons escape the fallout of the gang's betrayal. Arthur, John, Jack, and Abigail remain dear to her.

After the fall: Tilly's good deeds allow John a second chance at life.

 Photo credit: FetchQuester

- Lucy A.

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Sources: 

Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games); fandom.com