#Thomas Downes

[banjobeetle]

You won the fight already, surely that's enough?

[readdeadreader]

Something I enjoy about Tumblr is that y'all make the kind of queer content that's so sadly lacking in RDR2. Today I'm beginning a three-part essay about gender (and sexuality) in the game. Here's Part I, discussing masculinity and how R* somehow manages to be homophobic about death (among other things). Also I say "penetration" a lot. Also:

How Arthur Morgan is more complicated than most people care to admit — especially where gender is concerned

Some extremely weird dialog that I don't analyze so much as say "would you look at this shit. What the shit is that"

No I did not have time to talk about John Wayne's real name being Marion but like who cares. People are so weird

[asoulwithadream]

Vengeance is an idiot's game.

Looking at the Downes' for the second time is melancholic. The low, rumbling strings of despair that follow Arthur's debt collection, his constant yet accidental revisit of their family as their lives and his sickness progresses, it shows the different ways money is a pthsis for man.

But I got 2500 American dollars out of that mission so does it really matter?

[dyingbuck]

the tragedy of the downes

[itiswritteninthestarsabove]

There's a thing I've been wondering about for a long time...

When you collect Thomas Downes' debt, Arthur will write about it in his journal. Not only that, he will accompany the entry with a drawing of a cauldron amid a forest.

When I first saw it I thought nothing of it, as I assumed maybe the drawing was referencing a random encounter I had earlier like the Witches Cauldron in Ambarino, given that it didn't tie in with anything about the mentioned mission.

But as time passed and I revisited the journal, I noticed that that assumption didn't make sense chronologically, at least for my gameplay experience. And then I searched on Youtube multiple videos that also aligned this drawing with Arthur's thoughts about Thomas Downes' debt collection, so now I'm certain that the cauldron drawing is directly correlated with that entry.

The thing is, Arthur is what I consider a pretty straightforward artist when it comes to drawing. He tries to replicate as faithfully as possible the animals, people, and landscapes he encounters on his journey. He doesn't characterize himself as being particularly abstract or metaphorical in his art.

That being said, and considering there was no presence of a cauldron or a forest like the ones depicted in his journal in Thomas Downes' debt collection, the thing I've been wondering for months and that I haven't been able to answer to this day is: Why a cauldron in the woods? What does it mean? What's the symbolism behind it? Why did Rockstar choose for Arthur to accompany the entry of one of the most important missions story-wise with that ambiguous imagery?

Please feel free to share your thoughts and theories

[revswanson]

[docdalas]

— 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘪’𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘺

[trbotunnel]

ive been avoiding doing the mission where you have to beat up mr downes because of tb reasons,,,, ive been perfectly content galloping around,, coming back to my roots (hunting & gathering) WITHOUT some sickness incubating inside of me. its been real nice....

anyway mary sent her first letter & now the game is FORCING me to go talk to downes........ i cant do any mission OTHER THAN THIS ONE. i cant even interact with objects or change my outfit. i have to beat someone up in this fruity ass baby pink button up. i look like a pansy......... im not just a fruit IM THE WHOLE BASKET

for fucks sake let me live TB LESS please!!!!!!! i want to go SHOPPING for SLUTTY CLOTHES!! I WANT TO HUNT FOR PELTS TO UPGRADE MY CAMP FOR MY BROTHERS & SISTERS!!!!!!!! LET ME LIVE IN PEACE!!!!!

[ethel-cyanide]

going to collect the debt from thomas downes

[luvliewriting]

If you ever feel safe remember

I'm out there

[fogaminghub]

🌄✨ Unravel the poignant narrative of Thomas Downes from Red Dead Redemption 2! This minor character plays a pivotal role, linking themes of morality, struggle, and consequence in the game. Join us as we analyze his background, his tragic fate, and how it impacts Arthur Morgan. 

[dudedidujust]

The daily planet runs a front page article calling superman the light of mankind

Cue the batfam launching a counter campaign in support of Signal,  the real Light of Mankind.

It starts as a joke but quickly derails into an all out war.

[arkangelo-7]

Love the idea of the Batfamily showing a serious, united front whenever they’re working with the Justice League (i.e., obeying Bruce’s orders without question or defaulting to Dick’s authority, following Bruce’s comm protocol, upholding expected field etiquette, coordinating with one another with terrifying efficiency, and generally just not fucking around), but then the minute they get back to the Cave they immediately start to throw hands over who gets to use the PS5.

[tiger-grace]

Superman: I haven’t seen you at the watchtower for a while. Where have you been the last few weeks, Batman?

Bruce: Rehab.

Superman, worriedly: Oh, I’m so sorry- I never knew you struggled with that. If you don’t mind me asking, what for?

Bruce, grimacing as he watches public footage of Signal and Red Hood starting a dumpster fire out of Pro-Joker merch: ..adoption.

[dyingbuck]

mr thomas downes 😔

[bruciemilf]

As a reward for helping with a problem, John Constantine wants to give Bruce a chance to talk to his parents. “I can only do one at a time, thought, so, who’s first?”

Bruce sweats, “That won’t be necessary.”

The batkids watch like ??? they’ve seen Bruce in every state a man could succumb and raise, but they’ve never seen him scared. Alfred calmly steps forward, “Please do.”

“No. Don’t.”

John “I don’t want peace, I want trouble, always” Constantine smells some opportunity for chaos and grabs it.

The result of that is the very angry spirit of Thomas Wayne fixing Bruce with the glare of the year, “You dropped oUT OF MED SCHOOL?!” The entire mansion seems to tremble.

Bruce yelps like a scolded cat and runs around the dining table, “I was busy with BATMAN—“

“ Che cazzo è un Batman, — Get back here! You were there a year, — Che cazzo fai, CHE CAZZO FAI?! Pack your bags, you’re going back.”

To the batkids’ absolute horror Bruce starts to cry, face watery and bright, and they finally understand what Alfred meant by tantrums. “Non voglio tornare indietro, papà!”

“Non mi interessa, cazzo, — wait till your mother hears about this, Harley graduated with HONORS. What exemple are you giving to my grandkids? Don’t — Don’t run, GET BACK HERE!”

Tim sweats in high school dropout, Dick sweats in cop, Jason sweats in drug lord, Damian sweats in art kid, and Stephanie just sweats in general.

“Should, uh… Should we help?”

“Are you kidding? I haven’t seen Jason this happy since the Queen died.”