10 Best Grand Theft Auto Protagonists

Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto series is filled with unforgettable characters. Whether wacky side characters, loathsome villains, or compelling heroes, GTA’s catalog of personalities is vast. However, it’s the “good” guys who we spend the most time with, making them the stars most will remember. We’ve gone through every game in the Grand Theft Auto series to pick our favorite protagonists. Let’s see if yours tops the list.

10) Victor Vance – GTA: Vice City Stories

Vic’s brother Lance is the lesser-known of the Vance brothers, but he’s the best of the bunch. The former soldier never wanted to turn to a life of crime. He just wanted to take care of his family, but after he was set up and discharged from the military, Vic slowly began to take over Vice City’s criminal underworld.

His military background makes him unique among Grand Theft Auto protagonists. Sure, he eventually becomes a hardened criminal, but that was never one of his goals. More than nearly anyone on this list, Vic’s a victim of circumstances, or in his case, Sergeant Peppah’s poor decisions.

9) Claude – GTA 3

We hear you. Claude doesn’t talk, so how can he be a great character? And, to be fair, you aren’t wrong. Even when he comes back in San Andreas, he lets Catalina do the talking for him.

RELATED: 8 Vice City Characters Who Should Appear in GTA 6

That said, there’s something to be said for the strong, silent type. It helps sell the idea that Claude is a trained, efficient killer who won’t stop until the mission is over. His lack of personality is as memorable as some of the more over-the-top characters he meets during his travels through the streets of Liberty City.

8) Johnny Klebitz – GTA IV: The Lost and the Damned

Johnny’s story is filled with tragedy. All the man wants to do is keep his biker gang together. Unfortunately, when Billy Grey gets out of rehab and takes back over as president of the Lost MC, Klebitz’s life is thrown into turmoil. Not only is he dealing with Grey’s return, but his on-again, off-again girlfriend Ashley Butler comes back into the picture, stretching Klebitz thin as he tries to help her fight her demons.

The schism between Billy and Johnny turns into a full-blown civil war between the Lost. Things finally end with Grey’s arrest, but things don’t get much better for Klebitz. With the gang in ruin after a conflict with Ray Boccino, Johnny eventually moved to Sandy Shores, Blaine County. That’s where things end for the tortured former protagonist, as Trevor Phillips, one of GTA 5‘s leading men, murders Johnny.

7) Michael De Santa – GTA V

Michael De Santa might be most notable for essentially experiencing the typical rags-to-riches story of Grand Theft Auto in reverse. He goes from having it all (a luxurious mansion, an easy retirement, all the whiskey you could want) back into a life of crime, where things quickly begin to fall apart.

The reason we have Michael a little lower on this list than the other GTA 5 protagonists is that, more than any of them, he can be overshadowed by his supporting cast. Franklin has Lamar, and Trevor has Wade, but Michael’s family often turns into the stars of his show. We still love his multi-layered story, but Michael was ultimately our least favorite of the three great GTA 5 heroes.

6) Luis Lopez – GTA 4: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Like Michael, Luis is sometimes overshadowed by his boss, “Gay” Tony Prince, the nightclub owner and namesake of the GTA 4 DLC. However, his grounded presence helps keep Tony in check, making him a key player in Prince’s schemes.

Plus, he might be the funniest protagonist in Grand Theft Auto’s history. Trevor’s got him beat in over-the-top antics, but Lopez is full of witty one-liners that left us in stitches. Hopefully, he makes a comeback in GTA 6.

5) Trevor Phillips – GTA V

Trevor is chaos incarnate, which easily makes him one of the most unforgettable characters in GTA’s long history. In many ways, Rockstar saw how players were playing GTA outside of the story and turned that into a character. He’s brash, prone to fits of rage, and is more than willing to burn the entire city down based on whim.

Some fans bristled at Trevor’s sadistic hijinks, but it’s worth noting that there’s quite a bit of heart underneath the wildman persona. Remember, the guy never gave up the search for Brad. He might be prone to violent outbursts, but Trevor is loyal to the people he cares about.

4) Franklin Clifton – GTA V

Of the three GTA 5 protagonists, Franklin is most like the heroes of Rockstar’s previous games. His rags-to-riches story through the criminal underworld mirrors characters like Carl Johnson and Tommy Vercetti. However, putting him between Michael and Trevor gives Rockstar room to create a character who stands out.

Franklin might be the youngest of the trio, but he’s often the most mature. He has an excellent head on his shoulders and shows off his quick wit early and often. We also get to see how attaining wealth doesn’t necessarily give Franklin everything he wants, making for a compelling branch of the larger GTA 5 story.

Plus, he has the best special ability.

3) Carl “CJ” Johnson – GTA: San Andreas

Of all the Grand Theft Auto leads, no one is more likable than CJ. His down-to-earth demeanor and loyalty to his family make him easy to root for. It also doesn’t hurt that Officer Tenpenny is one of the strongest villains in the series’ history.

On top of that, CJ doesn’t return to the life of crime for fame and fortune. He just wants to help his family and Grove Street get back on their feet after corrupt cops and the Ballas engulf Los Santos into chaos.

If nothing else, CJ is the guy we’d most want to get a beer with.

2) Tommy Vercetti – GTA: Vice City

Tommy Vercetti is a classic gangster. And we’re not just saying that because Vice City is set in 1986. By design, you could take Tommy and put him into any Martin Scorsese movie with little issue.

As a businessman and criminal, Tommy is incredibly ambitious, willing to do whatever it takes to get on top. That makes sense considering he’s coming off a fifteen-year prison sentence to start Vice City. After that much time in the slammer, you don’t want to miss your second chance at becoming the top dog.

Tommy does just that, becoming Rockstar’s version of Tony Montana in Scarface. Like Tony, Tommy is as quick-witted as he is vicious. He’s just as likely to cut you to pieces with a Uzi as he is with one-liners. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s voiced by Goodfellas‘ star Ray Liotta, giving him even more credibility as a hardened criminal

1) Niko Bellic – GTA 4

Niko is Rockstar’s stab at the American Dream. He comes to Liberty City with promises from his cousin about the land of opportunity, only to be met with a rundown apartment and a share of the weight of Roman’s gambling debts.

What follows is the darkest, most mature story Grand Theft Auto has ever told. Niko becomes fueled by a desire for revenge against the people who betrayed him and his men during the Yugoslav Wars.

However, Niko is a multi-dimensional character. He’s not just an agent of revenge. He’s loyal to a fault, deeply introspective, and the most grounded character in the series’ history. Niko might lack the bombastic personality of previous (and future) GTA heroes, but he is the most captivating character Rockstar has ever created and the bar for everything that’s come after.