One Year Later

"We're taking you in, Calvin!"

Jack and Irene converged on Calvin Drexell and his people from two sides. Jack concentrated on the gang while Irene chased their fleeing target. He rode out as fast as his horse could go and headed towards Riley's Charge. Irene spurred her own horse and chased after him. She roped Calvin, jerking him from the saddle and then shot him in the leg to slow him more.

Irene had never lassoed anything before. Jack had taught her soon after they had started to chase bounties together. Irene roped Calvin and spurred her horse again to drag him back towards the hide-out. Jack was on his horse and approaching. He jumped off the horse and hog-tied Calvin. He looked at Irene and smiled.

Jack picked up Calvin and placed him onto one of the gang's horses and then mounted his own horse. He led the other horse as he and Irene rode towards Armadillo to turn Calvin over.

Jack was completely recovered. One would look at him and never guess that anything bad had happened to him. He had taken Irene's advice and put Keller out of his mind.

Weeks later, Irene had read in the newspaper that Keller was removed from duty and had left the state of West Elizabeth. Jack was thrilled about that.

In Armadillo, Irene and Jack rode to the newly-finished police department office and turned over Calvin to the authorities.

Jack and Irene accepted the bounty payment and rode out of town together. The couple rode towards MacFarlane's Ranch, where they often rested before going home after a chase. They rode their horses at a walk, side-by-side, holding hands along the way.

Jack and Irene were now optimistic about their future. A new era was dawning onto the country and onto the couple. They both looked forward to see what it would all bring.

Stay Tuned for What's Up Next For Jack And Irene!

Author's Notes:

My Opinions on the Game: It's a great game and I love it. I hope that the next one will continue Jack's story. I like Jack. He could be a bounty hunter, maybe? Anyway, I like to keep both John and Jack on the right side of the law. John was trying to get out of that life, so he would likely try to stay out of trouble as much as possible. I keep Jack on the right side of the law because I believe that would honor his father's memory and it's obvious that he did love his father very much. He had told Jack many times that he wanted Jack to live a better life and not "do what I did." So, I keep his honor high, keep him sober most of the time, and help many people. I do get him into fist-fights to "express" his anger and rage. I think if Jack were to turn into a criminal, he would be betraying the memory of his father. He obviously loved his father. I love how they animated Jack to look so much like John! If these men were real, you would not need a DNA test to see they are father and son. (Remember, John is told by Bill that Jack may not be his son; yeah, look at him!) I do wish they had put in some female characters like "The Quick and The Dead" and "Hannah's Law"! There were no women in USA on a horse! There were some on wagons, but not horseback (except Bonnie, and only during missions with her). Also, why didn't they include female gunslingers and dueling rivals? Come on, Rockstar Games! Stop the damned gender stereotypes! Other game designers are doing great with female fighters. Take a hint! That's the one thing I just hated! It's a little sexist. Altogether: great job to Rockstar Games, but quit the damned gender bias!

Facts And Trivia:

1. Many people believe that the adult Jack Marston is suffering from depression. However, there may only a hint of that. It seems that he is suffering more anger and rage; directed straight at all law enforcement, whom he knows killed his father and he blames for ruining his life. The fact that he does not at all blame civilians for his father's death is the first clue. A depressed person will usually blame the world and want revenge on anyone who may come across him/her. If you follow the game, you see that Jack does seem to care and does not like to harm innocent people (listen to what he says, especially when he helps people) and he seems to be happy to help those who need it. ("I like to see justice served" is one; if he helps a woman, he may say "I was raised to be a gentleman"). All these are indications that he is not depressed or he is only slightly depressed. In the game, he does say things to law enforcement officials (when aiming a gun at them or shooting them) such as "You killed my pa!" or "That's for my pa!" He will hunt bounties, but that's for the reward. He seems to grasp that the civilians have nothing to do with what happened on the ranch. He possibly sees the civilians as the same victims of a corrupt and unfair and unjust government as he and his family are. Today, he could be treated with counseling and medication. Then, there was little known on how to help a person in his predicament. Another Point: Jack seems proud of his father, bragging "I'm John Marston's boy!" or "Now do you believe that I'm a Marston?" It's obvious that he did love his father very much and misses him.

I personally believe it is mostly Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that he is suffering from. I believe that he sees the government, mainly Law Enforcement, as corrupt, unjust, and unfair. He sees the civilians as the same victims that he is; victims of a government that does not care about them at all.

2. Game Trivia: The "I Know You" Stranger is meant only for John Marston. However, Jack Marston's voice actor did record dialogue for it. (John's voice actor is Rob Weithoff. Jack's voice actor is Josh Blaylock.)

3. Game Trivia: The stranger side missions can be done by either character, except the "I Know You" (meant for John) and "Remember My Family" (only for Jack). The dialogue may change, however. This all seems a bit funny, considering that these strangers will be in the same spot for the three years from playing as John to playing as Jack. Also, if you start the "Aztec Gold" stranger (Mexico) with John and finish it as Jack (in John's old clothes, the Duster Coat works best), the man will remark that "you look younger." Personally, I save the strangers for Jack so he will have more to do once you take over with him as your character.

4. Until about the early 1900's you could be hanged for stealing a horse.

5. I mention in the story that "they do not like to hang women" and that is exactly true. They wanted to treat women more "gently" and give them lighter sentences, no matter what they committed. However, they would never (and still will not) execute a pregnant woman because the baby is indeed innocent. They would (and will) wait for the baby to be born and then later execute the woman. This was done with Mary Reade and Anne Bonney, two female pirates who sailed with Calico Jack in the mid 1800's when they were arrested. It is still done today.

6. In the 1800's and early 1900's it was not at all common for women to smoke. It was then considered a male thing. Most women who did smoke rarely did it publicly. They would often even hide it, mainly from their husbands.

7. In the game, you hear how Jack often refuses the "offers" from prostitutes. Jack is supposed to be either 19 or 20 years old. In these days, it was not unusual for a single man his age to still be a virgin. Then, more than 90-percent of the population waited for marriage before they had sex. Most married when they were in their mid-twenties. Also, many of these prostitutes are likely at least ten years older (if not more) than Jack. Then, it was extremely uncommon (and even shocking) to be with a person that far apart in age. Some of these women were likely old enough to be Jack's mother, which would make matters worse in those days. (I think that part of it was also repulsive to his character; he loved his mother.) The final reason I believe Jack refused was because his own memories of growing up as a "whore's child." Then, the child of a prostitute was often ostracized and treated as if they did not matter. I think Jack simply did not want to risk causing that emotional pain on another child.

8. The first semi-automatic pistol was invented in 1892. The automatic pistol we see now (like the one given to John by Ross) was invented by John Browning in 1911.

9. Revolvers are considered safer than automatics because they are much less likely to misfire. Automatics have a spring in them that is set when you cock the gun and it can become old and cause a bullet to fire when you are not attempting to do so.

10. The "motorcars" in the early 1900's were indeed slow and seldom exceeded 15 to 20 MPH. A horse can indeed run much faster than this.

11. You see silent movies in the game. The first movie with sound was made and released in 1927. This game takes place in 1911 and 1914.

12. The national legal drinking age in the United States became 21 in 1984. That means, in 1914 that 19 or 20-year-old Jack could consume alcohol without fear of arrest. Most saloons, however, refused to allow anyone younger than 15 into their establishments. Some had lower age standards, one known to be at the age of 10 in Arkansas.

13. The "Undead Nightmare" is a separate story and not meant to have happened during all the main game storyline. Clues include the fact that everything and everyone was normal when Ross and his army come to the ranch. Had this was supposed to have happened; John and his family would still have been zombies, Jack would not have aged at all, neither parent would have died, and John received no shots to the head when he was killed. (Personally, I think it was all John's dream, perhaps predicting his death). Undead Nightmare was actually the original game idea. But after Rockstar Games bought the rights to complete the game from its original designers, they opted to create a more down-to-earth western with the same characters the others had created.

14. A newspaper refers to Bonnie at the "ripe old age of 29." Though the kids thought that was old, that was indeed still an age many women married and could still bear children. Most women, both then and now, lose their ability to reproduce in their fifties. Yet, as we have seen on the news, it can be much later. Every woman is an individual.

15. John was 38 when he died and Abigail was 37 when she died.

16. Though many characters have long hair on the game; you only see the wind blowing the hair of John and Jack Marston and Landon Ricketts (what I saw).

17. You only see women riding horses and fighting in Mexico. I don't see why Rockstar Games did that. There were indeed some American female outlaws and cowgirls in real life. Also: there were even a few female bounty hunters. There are some great movies about such subjects: "The Quick and the Dead," "Hannah's Law," and "Bad Girls" (among many others). This is why I gave Landon a daughter rather than a son. Plus, Jack needed a sweetheart! If Jack were real and closer to my age, I would date him. They designed him so handsome. I hated his original outfit and I like to put him in the Duster Coat. Later, I unlock the "Legend of the West" outfit and put that on him. That looks perfect on him!

I was told there are spelling errors, but I did use Spell Checker. I will check again to be sure. I hate when I have bad spelling.

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