You’ve spent days hunting down Professor Andrew Bell IV. You’ve stolen a literal ton of moonshine from the Braithwaites. You’ve tracked down Wilson McDaniels in the heart of the swamp. All of it leads to a muddy, miserable clearing in Saint Denis where a crowd has gathered to watch "progress" in action. The Mercies of Knowledge VII is the grim payoff to one of the most cynical questlines Rockstar Games ever wrote.
It’s not a hero’s ending. It’s a mess.
If you’re looking for the final beat of this Stranger mission, you’re basically here to witness a legal execution that goes horribly, predictably wrong. Unlike earlier stages where you’re active—chasing bounties or haggling for permits—part VII is almost entirely observational. It is a scripted event that serves as a biting critique of the "civilized" world Arthur Morgan is so desperate to understand.
What Actually Happens in The Mercies of Knowledge VII
To trigger this final scene, you have to wait. After you turn in McDaniels to the Saint Denis police station in part VI, the game needs a bit of breathing room. Usually, 24 in-game hours does the trick. You’ll see the "Stranger" icon reappear near the gallows in the northern part of Saint Denis, right near the police station where you dropped off the test subject.
Arthur shows up. Bell is there, vibrating with a kind of manic, academic energy. He’s convinced he’s about to change the world. He’s replaced the "barbaric" noose with the "humane" power of electricity.
The crowd is a mix of the curious and the disgusted. Bell gives a speech. He pulls the lever. And then, well, the game reminds you exactly what kind of world 1899 really was. Instead of a quick, painless death, Wilson McDaniels—the man you captured—undergoes a prolonged, agonizing execution. Smoke. Screams. The smell of burning flesh is practically implied through the screen.
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Why the Mission Glitches and How to Fix It
Sometimes, the icon for The Mercies of Knowledge VII just won't show up. It’s a common frustration. You’ve done all the work, but the Professor is nowhere to be found.
Usually, this happens because the game’s "scheduled events" are clogged. If you have another active bounty or a high wanted level in Saint Denis, the execution won't trigger. The city needs to be "calm." Try sleeping at the local tavern or riding out to the Bayou and camping for a night.
Another weird quirk? The time of day matters. This is a public event. It almost always triggers during the daylight hours. If you’re rolling up at 3:00 AM, the Professor is probably sleeping off his ego in a boarding house somewhere. Head to the nearby post office, wait until morning, and the white circle should pop up.
The Dark Irony of Andrew Bell’s Failure
The writing here is sharp. Throughout the questline, Bell argues that he is a man of science. He views the electric chair as a mercy. But when the machine malfunctions and Bell accidentally shocks himself in the process, the irony is thick.
Arthur’s reaction is what makes it. He’s a man who kills for a living, yet even he looks disturbed by the "scientific" brutality on display. It’s a pivotal moment for his character development if you’re playing a high-honor run. It reinforces the idea that the "civilization" coming to the West isn't necessarily better than the lawlessness it replaces. It’s just more organized in its cruelty.
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Looting the Professor
Don't just walk away when the crowd scatters.
Once the disaster is over and Bell is slumped on the ground—ironically killed or incapacitated by his own invention—you can actually loot him. You’ll find the Electric Chair Blueprint.
Does it do anything? Honestly, no. You can’t build your own chair back at Shady Belle or Horseshoe Overlook. It’s a unique collectible, a morbid souvenir of a failed era. It sits in your satchel as a testament to the fact that Arthur’s world is ending, and the one replacing it is built on flawed foundations.
Common Misconceptions About the Ending
People often ask if you can save McDaniels.
Short answer: No.
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You can try to shoot the Professor or the guards, but you’ll just end up with a massive bounty and a "Mission Failed" screen. This isn't a "choose your own adventure" moment. It’s a scripted tragedy. The game forces you to be a bystander, which is exactly why the mission feels so uncomfortable. You are complicit. You caught the guy. You provided the moonshine for the battery.
Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you want to wrap this up and get it out of your log, follow this exact sequence:
- Check your map: If you just finished part VI, ride to Rhodes and back. The game needs a cell transition to reset the NPC state.
- Look for the "Mercy" icon: It appears near the Saint Denis gallows (north side of town).
- Approach on foot: Sometimes riding a horse too fast into the zone can spook the scripted NPCs.
- Watch the disaster: Let the entire cutscene play out. If you skip it, you might miss the chance to loot the body.
- Loot the Blueprint: Check Bell’s pockets immediately after the crowd starts to panic.
- Read the Note: Check your satchel for the blueprint and read the text. It adds a final layer of "mad scientist" flavor to the whole ordeal.
This mission serves as one of the most memorable "Stranger" encounters in the game because it perfectly encapsulates the theme of Red Dead Redemption 2: the transition from the old world to the new is messy, bloody, and rarely as "civilized" as the history books claim. If you've reached this point, you've seen the worst of Saint Denis's intellectual elite.
Now that the Professor is dealt with, your map should be a little cleaner. Your next move should be heading toward the "Idealism and Pragmatism for Beginners" questline if you want to continue exploring the corrupt underbelly of the city's politics.