Jim “Boy” Calloway is a side-character in Red Dead Redemption 2. He is part of the stranger mission “The Noblest of Men, and a Woman”, given to you by Theodore Levin in Valentine. Levin hopes to earn a fortune by writing Calloway’s biography. Why would anyone read about this old drunk? Well, legend has it that Calloway was one of the best gunslingers in the Wild West.
Over the course of the mission, you uncover the truth behind the legend by talking to (and dueling to the death with) Calloway’s old associates. However, the reality is far less noble and exciting than the urban legends that circulate Calloway. Some stranger missions are worth doing, some aren’t. This one definitely is, but in case you missed these things or don’t have time to replay the game, here are some of the truths about Calloway you should know.
10 He Is The Only Left-Handed Gunslinger
Over the course of both Red Dead Redemption games, you will fight countless duelists, bandits, and outlaws. Not that anyone would be expected to notice, but none of them - bar Calloway - shoot with their left hand. Around 10% of the population is left-handed, so why is Calloway the only southpaw gunslinger? Perhaps the game is trying to point towards this unique trait as the reason behind his deadly legacy. You will meet one other left-handed person during the game’s epilogue, see if you can tell who it is.
9 He Has The Fastest Draw In The Game
Sadly, the way the mission pans out means you’ll have to duel Calloway. Of all the duelists you’ll face during your time in Rockstar’s Wild West, Jim “Boy” Calloway is the deadliest of them all. It appears his status isn’t entirely myth and fantasy; the man is deadly. If you try and face him straight up, by letting the draw meter fill, you will lose. Either partially charge the meter and just start blastin’, or, use dead eye like the cheating outlaw you truly are.
8 His Revolver Contains An Easter Egg
You can obtain many unique weapons and trinkets in Red Dead Redemption 2, one of them being Calloway’s revolver. Engraved on the barrel of the revolver are the words “Canis Canem Edit”, meaning “dog eat dog” in Latin. The saying basically means “it’s everyone for themself” and so could be a reference to the harsh nature of life in the Wild West.
It could also be a reference to Rockstar’s 2006 game, Bully, renamed Canis Canem Edit in Europe. It’s most likely both, a clever way to reference life as a gunslinging lone wolf and an old Rockstar title simultaneously.
7 He Seems To Be Past His Prime
In the saloon, in Valentine, he seems to be quite reluctant to talk to Levin about his past. While this initially comes off as grumpy old man talk, it’s probably because he can’t keep all the lies straight. He seems saddened by his faux glory, stating “the dead got off lucky, the living gotta keep suffering.” Arthur doesn’t think much of the gunslinging way of life either, calling the people he needs to track down “sad, deluded fools” and saying he’d rather shoot people in the back. Can you really be surprised? He is an outlaw, after all.
6 He’s A Drunk
While it’s fine to enjoy a tipple every now and then, Jim “Boy” Calloway seems to indulge far too much. You’ll first meet him while he’s drunk and barely able to string a coherent sentence together. Fortunately, there are better conversationalists out there. When you try to find him again, the bartender in Valentine calls him Drunk Boy Calloway and says “we have bullet holes here thanks to him!” Once you go to Saint Dennis, the riverboat attendant notes that if you’re lucky, you might catch Calloway sober. A sad legacy to be leaving behind.
5 His Legend Is Built On Lies
Most of the gunslingers you track down don’t seem too happy to be found. They all try to duel you apart from Black Belle. Unfortunately, you lead some bounty hunters straight to her. After the pair of you take them out, she tells you that all Calloway did was run from fights. She says the rest of them were “too busy worrying about getting scalped” to bother doing interviews. Emmett Granger also thinks Calloway is undeserving of his fame, stating the book should be about him instead.
4 He Doesn’t Like Being Impersonated
When you catch up to Calloway and Levine in Saint Denis, Arthur regretfully informs the writer that you didn’t have time for quotes as he was too busy shooting people. He gives him permission to say it was Calloway who did it, so long as he still gets half the money. Calloway doesn’t like this, saying a nobody like Arthur can’t be him. Seems a little rich coming from someone whose entire legacy is built on lies.
3 You Can Skip His Mission If You’re In A Rush
If you really can’t be bothered to track down all the other gunslingers before you duel Calloway (which you should do, by the way, as many drop unique firearms) there is a way to get around the mission. With so much to do in this game, it’s understandable you may want to skip some of it.
If you’re a coward like Calloway, you can simply shoot him while he’s drunk in the saloon. This tactic is particularly under-handed, but given what we learn about Calloway, probably serves him right. Keep in mind, however, that you can only do this on a non-updated version of the game.
2 His Legend Is A Lie Even In Death
Perhaps as a nod to the way Calloway’s legend was all a bunch of hot air, even the in-game compendium inaccurately details his last moments. The description of his revolver claims that he was “shot in the back by the coward Slim Grant”, but of course, we know that it is Calloway who shot Slim Grant in the back. Seems like there isn’t enough redemption for everybody. This is a nice detail, as it means only the players who actually completed the mission will know the truth.
1 His Book Is A Hit
Well, it isn’t his book, but it is a book about him. Sometime after completing the mission, Arthur receives a letter from Levine with some royalty money included. Levine is grateful that Calloway is dead, as it means he can go back to writing rather than having to be out in the muck. It seems people love reading about old heroes, as you get $350 from the proceeds of the book, a great way to earn a lot of in-game cash. It’s nice to know that the legends of the Wild West still bring people joy.
