Let me tell you something, partner. As someone who's spent more hours in the dusty plains of Red Dead Redemption than I care to admit, one thing's for damn sure: the Wild West in Rockstar's masterpiece ain't exactly a land of saints and samaritans. It's a dog-eat-dog world where, more often than not, it's every man and woman for themselves. Sure, acting out of self-interest can sometimes, maybe, benefit the greater good. But the characters I'm about to talk about? They look out for number one and number one only, and they'll trample over just about anyone to get what they want. Strap in, because we're diving deep into the most self-centered folks this side of the Mississippi.

Alright, let's kick things off with the big man himself, Dutch van der Linde. Now, whether Dutch is the 'real' villain of Red Dead Redemption 2 has been a hot topic of debate for years. Compared to some of the other scumbags, he doesn't always seem that bad. But don't let the fancy speeches and talk of 'faith' and 'family' fool you. Deep down, Dutch's moral compass is busted. He values wealth and prosperity above all else, especially as the American Frontier is collapsing around him. He plays the role of the concerned father figure so convincingly, but his intentions are always... murky. He demanded absolute loyalty from the gang, even if it meant their deaths. He believed dying for his cause was a noble sacrifice—so long as it wasn't him on the chopping block. Talk about a one-way street.

Next up, we've got a pair of star-crossed lovers who are more selfish than romantic. Beau Gray and Penelope Braithwaite are RDR2's version of Romeo and Juliet. Their families are locked in a bitter, decades-long feud. Arthur helps these two contact each other and eventually run off together. Sounds sweet, right? Wrong. These two cared little for how their families would tear each other apart in their absence. They were only focused on their own escape, using Arthur's kindness as their free ticket out of a bad situation. Not exactly a fairy-tale ending for everyone else involved.

Now, I gotta give a shout-out to a character who often gets painted as selfish but, in my book, gets a raw deal: John Marston. He's far from perfect, but calling him purely selfish? That's a tough sell. Throughout both games, John makes most of his big decisions with his family, Abigail and Jack, in mind. He vowed to give up his outlaw life for them, built a home from scratch, and worked a honest job as a ranch hand. Yet, Abigail often gave him hell for it and eventually took Jack and left. While I get not wanting your kid around violence, John was trying his hardest to leave that world behind. His struggle was more about redemption than pure self-interest.

But oh boy, if we're talking about a character who embodies the phrase 'looking out for Numero Uno,' it's Micah Bell. This snake is often labeled the main antagonist of RDR2, and for good reason. He's directly responsible for manipulating Dutch's descent into paranoia and selfishness. Micah is the definition of greedy and opportunistic. He's the rat who sold out the gang to the Pinkertons, indirectly caused Molly's death, and had the gall to ridicule a dying Arthur by calling him 'Black Lung.' He holds no moral standards, treats everyone with contempt, and only cares about how fast he can make a buck. A real piece of work.

Dutch's archenemy, Colm O'Driscoll, is another prime example. Their blood feud started years ago, and it's clear Colm doesn't give two hoots about his own gang members—he doesn't even know many of their names! As the poor soul Kieran Duffy put it, being around Colm was like dealing with the devil himself. When he tries to recruit a captured Arthur, he mocks Dutch's philosophy and tries to sway him with nothing but the promise of cash. Colm doesn't care about anyone but himself, using everyone around him as disposable pawns.

Then there's the matriarch of a dying dynasty, Catherine Braithwaite. She cared deeply about her family's societal image, fortune, and 'values,' but only for those she deemed worthy. She prioritized the Braithwaite reputation over their well-being to a horrifying degree. The most damning evidence? She locked her own daughter, Gertrude, in an outhouse for who knows how long instead of getting her real help, simply adopting an 'out of sight, out of mind' approach. Her wealth and status meant more to her than her own flesh and blood.

Appearing in both games, Edgar Ross of the Pinkerton Detective Agency is a special kind of selfish. While he answered to his superior, Andrew Milton, Ross developed a personal, vicious vendetta against Dutch's gang. He mocked them relentlessly, even young Jack Marston. But his ultimate act of betrayal came after Milton's death. He violated a direct agreement with John Marston to keep his family safe, instead leading the assault on John's ranch and forcing him to sacrifice himself. Ross's pursuit wasn't just about justice; it was a personal crusade fueled by pride and cruelty.

Let's not forget the shifty accountant, Leopold Strauss. This guy was the gang's loan shark, and his business model was pure predation. He deliberately loaned money to people he knew couldn't pay it back—families on the brink of starvation—and then sent a sick Arthur to collect by any means necessary. When a debtor like Thomas Downes died, Strauss coldly transferred the debt to the grieving widow, Edith. He was completely insulated from the suffering his 'business' caused, concerned only with his own bottom line.

Mary Linton, Arthur's former flame, is a more nuanced case. She's not evil, but she's incredibly self-centered in her dealings with Arthur. After her husband died, she repeatedly reached out to Arthur, not to rekindle their romance, but to ask for dangerous favors—like rescuing her brother from a cult. She knew Arthur still had feelings for her and used that to pull on his heartstrings, keeping him at arm's length while knowing he'd come running. She often berated him for his outlaw life, despite her own situation being far from perfect. It was a classic case of emotional manipulation.

Finally, we have the big-money villain, Leviticus Cornwall. The typical snobbish aristocrat, Cornwall financially backed the Pinkertons and was the mastermind behind driving the Native American tribes off their oil-rich land. He single-handedly ignited a bloody war between U.S. law enforcement and the Indians led by Rains Fall and Eagle Flies. His campaign, driven purely by greed, led directly to Eagle Flies' death and the loss of many innocent lives on both sides. Cornwall's selfish pursuit of wealth and resources cost countless lives in a war he provoked for profit.

So there you have it. From manipulative leaders and greedy industrialists to lovestruck runaways and cold-hearted lawmen, the world of Red Dead Redemption is a masterclass in writing characters who put themselves first. Playing through their stories is a constant reminder that in the Wild West, sometimes the most dangerous threat isn't a gun—it's another person's unchecked self-interest. It's what makes the journey of our protagonists, trying to find a shred of honor or redemption in all that mess, so damn compelling. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think it's time for another ride through those plains. Just gotta watch my back... from everyone.