Rockstar Games has created many iconic characters with GTA. But which protagonists are the 5 coolest?
How is this list composed? We examined the different parts of Grand Theft Auto and compared the protagonists of the games.
In composing the rankings, we focused on the character traits of each person and how, if at all, they change throughout the story. The more unique a character, the better.
An important factor was whether the characters follow certain principles, ideals, or goals. For example, Claude from GTA 3 is not included in our ranking because his story largely revolves around seeking personal revenge – and in the meantime, simply doing jobs for various gangsters.
Rank 5: Carl Johnson – GTA San Andreas
What is CJ’s story?
- Carl Johnson (CJ) returns to his hometown of Los Santos after the murder of his mother.
- In Los Santos, Carl learns that his old gang is going through a tough time due to drug problems and internal disputes.
- He decides to help the gang regain its former strength together with his brother, but is soon betrayed by his former friends Ryder and Big Smoke.
- CJ has to leave Los Santos but soon meets the leader of the San Fierro Triads, Wu Zi Mu, who owns a casino in Las Venturas.
- With Wu Zi Mu, CJ enters into a significant collaboration, during which CJ robs a rival casino.
- After a while, CJ returns to Los Santos and helps his gang rise again. He also takes revenge on the betrayer Big Smoke and the corrupt police officer Officer Tenpenny.
With the Definitive Edition, GTA San Andreas will also be revamped. Here’s a trailer:
What makes Carl Johnson special? CJ is a family man and very loyal to his brother, business partners, and his gang. Unlike other GTA protagonists, CJ does not appear to be after the big money; he commits crimes not to get rich, but rather to support his brother, help his gang gain power, and take revenge on the traitors.
Over the course of the story, CJ undergoes a significant transformation. Initially, his actions are limited to the comparatively chaotic “gang everyday life” that follows no strategy. Later, his methods resemble organized crime, including robbing a rival casino and taking over a villa.
CJ’s story fully embodies the idea of “from rags to riches” – albeit in the criminal variety. He goes from being a small, insignificant gangster who is shoved around by corrupt police officers and betrayed by his friends to an important figure in the underworld of San Fierro, Las Venturas, and ultimately Los Santos.
Rank 4: Michael De Santa – GTA V
What is Michael’s story?
- Michael De Santa was originally named Michael Townley and had been involved in numerous crimes years before the events of GTA V.
- During a heist in the town of Ludendorff, Michael betrayed his accomplices Trevor Philips and Brad Snider, the latter of whom was killed. Trevor managed to escape.
- During the heist in Ludendorff, Michael faked his own death to start a new life with his family. From then on, they lived in Los Santos under the name “De Santa,” where he meets small-time criminal Franklin Clinton.
- When Michael learns that his wife is cheating on him with her tennis coach, he destroys a house. However, the house belongs to the mistress of Martin Madrazo, the boss of a drug cartel.
- As Michael is forced by Madrazo to pay for the repairs of the house, he becomes active as a criminal again and robs a jewelry store with Franklin. Through the heist, Trevor learns that Michael is still alive and pays a visit to his former accomplice.
- Michael, Trevor, and Franklin then commit numerous heists and other criminal activities together.
What makes Michael special? Michael is also fundamentally different from other GTA protagonists, as he is not nearly as loyal to his gangster colleagues as CJ and betrays his former accomplices Trevor and Brad to the FIB.
However, Michael’s family life does not go as smoothly as hoped, and through his selfish actions, he often gets into disputes with his wife and children. While Michael acts thoughtfully and calmly as a criminal and presents himself as a competent leader, he is significantly more uncontrolled and impulsive when it comes to family problems. His family life slips further out of his hands, which affects him mentally, leading him to seek therapy.
This conflict in Michael’s life makes him a unique GTA protagonist, as the familial chaos ultimately leads him back to crime – a life he had actually left behind for his family and even betrayed his partners for.
MeinMMO editor Dariusz has spent many hours in GTA 5 – both as Michael De Santa and in online mode. However, his GTA career began with San Andreas. Today, Dariusz enjoys playing PvP shooters the most, and GTA has contributed to that: I spent 1,800 hours in GTA V – and it turned me into a sweaty shooter tryhard
On page 2, you can find ranks 3 to 1
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