RDR2 Story Arc Guide: Guarma — The Island Exile (Chapter 5)
After the Saint Denis bank disaster, Arthur and part of the gang wash up on the Caribbean island of Guarma. This short but intense chapter is missable for collectibles — here's everything you need to know about the five Guarma missions and how to get gold on each.
Xbox button notation is used throughout this guide: LT/RT (triggers), LB/RB (bumpers), LS/RS (stick clicks), A/B/X/Y (face buttons). PC players using a controller will see these same prompts in-game. Keyboard/mouse players: check Settings → Key Bindings for your equivalents.
Stranded in Paradise
Chapter 5 is the game's most linear chapter — five missions on a small Cuban-inspired island, no free-roaming between them (not until the end). You're cut off from your horse, your weapons, and the main map.
Important: Guarma has unique animals and plants that can only be found here. If you want 100% completion, collect them during this chapter — you cannot return to Guarma in free roam through normal means.
Unique to collect:
- Green Iguana (near the sugar mill fields)
- Fer-de-Lance Snake (by the eastern river banks)
- Red-Footed Booby (the cliffs near the final missions)
- Orchids on the jungle floor
The five missions:
1. Paradise Mercifully Departed (wash ashore)
2. Dear Uncle Tacitus (find Dutch and the others)
3. Savagery Unleashed (the plantation)
4. Hell Hath No Fury (the rebel assault)
5. Paradise Mercifully Departed (escape Guarma)
Paradise Mercifully Departed + Dear Uncle Tacitus
Paradise Mercifully Departed: Arthur washes ashore with Dutch, Bill, Javier, and Micah. You're immediately in hostile territory — armed soldiers patrol the island working for a brutal sugar baron.
This first mission is a slow crawl through jungle terrain. Move carefully:
- Soldiers patrol in pairs and will spot you easily in daylight
- Crouch constantly and move between bushes
- Arthur only has his fists and a knife; you'll pick up soldier weapons from bodies as you progress
Dear Uncle Tacitus: The group is separated. Arthur needs to find Hercule Fontaine — the rebel leader who opposes the baron.
Navigation is the challenge here: the jungle paths aren't always obvious. Use Eagle Eye to highlight trails. Hercule's camp is up the hillside above the sugar plantation.
Gold Medal (Dear Uncle Tacitus): Complete within 21 minutes. Move purposefully — don't get distracted by the wildlife (tempting as it is). The path is mostly linear once you know where Hercule is.
Hunt every unique Guarma animal the moment you have a weapon. The Fer-de-Lance Snake is easiest to spot at dawn near the river — it glows faintly under Eagle Eye. The Green Iguana clusters near the sugar mill's outer walls. You'll have a brief window in missions 3 and 4 where you're between objectives — use it to sweep the nearby terrain before the next cutscene triggers.
Savagery Unleashed — The Plantation Battle
Hercule leads Arthur and the gang in an assault on the baron's plantation — a large fortified sugar mill with soldiers everywhere.
The assault has three phases:
1. The outer walls: Cannons in the rebel camp cover the main gate — time your push with each cannon salvo. When a shell hits the wall, the defenders duck; that's your window to advance.
2. Inside the mill: Dense, tight-quarters combat. The sugar mill's machinery creates choke points — use the large industrial equipment as cover and push room by room.
3. The escape through burning fields: The burning sugar cane creates a natural curtain; enemies can't see through it. Keep moving forward and don't stop.
Gold Medal: Kill 6 enemies with a long scoped rifle (Carcano if available) and complete without dying. Sniper kills are possible from the outer walls before the cannon phase — pick off the rooftop sentries early.
Hell Hath No Fury + Escape from Guarma
Hell Hath No Fury: The final confrontation on Guarma. The gang needs to reach the harbor to escape while dealing with a massive enemy response including a gunboat offshore.
- The gunboat is the priority threat — Hercule has a cannon at the cliff position. Wait for a clean line of sight and fire repeatedly at the boat's magazine (amidships)
- Once the boat is disabled, the path to the harbor clears
- Cover Hercule and the rebels as they push forward — they can die and it affects the mission success
Gold Medal: Kill 6 enemies with explosive ammunition and complete within 14 minutes. Craft or find explosive rifle rounds; they're devastating against clustered enemies in the harbor area.
---
The Escape: Once on the boat, the chapter ends and you're heading back to the mainland. Enjoy the cutscenes — they're some of the game's best character work. Chapter 6 begins on arrival back in West Elizabeth.