Summary
If there’s one thing that players can rely on, it’s thatGrand Theft Autois going to have an abundance of violence and crime. Now, if there’s a second thing players can rely on, it’s the fact that aGrand Theft Autotitle is probably going to have a pretty dark ending, and one that will keep players pretty upset or disturbed as the credits roll, and some endings that will make the adorable pop songs inGTAnever sound the same.
Some of the bestGTAendings allow the player to make fatal decisions regarding the characters’ fates, whereas others keep players strapped in, unable to change the outcome, and forced to watch the darkness that unfolds the characters within. Not many people get to have thehappy ending they want inGTA. After all, they are usually a band of killers and criminals.
Updated on June 08, 2025, by Jake Fillery:With the impending arrival of Grand Theft Auto 6, it might be a good idea to look back on the previous endings in the GTA franchise to see which of them had the darkest endings. Not every criminal in the GTA series gets away with it, and some of the darkest endings might foretell a rather dark fate for the protagonists of Grand Theft Auto 6.
As Tommy’s beginnings to a criminal empire crumbles after the betrayal of his friend Lance, he’s left to defend his mansion with his life and his guns, fueled with the rage of betrayal from his former friend who left him to rot in prison and now has been the catalyst for the potential collapse of everything he has built. Yet, Tommy wins in the end, and with the Forelli Family from Liberty City essentially erased, Tommy is left to control Vice City himself as a kingpin.
While it’s all well and good for Tommy to have a criminal empire and a city of his own, it’s also a stark reminder of how betrayal makes the world go round in this criminal business, and perhaps it’s only a matter of time before he is betrayed by his other associates, like Ken. Besides, can Tommy even keep his homicidal activities in check? Perhaps answers will be received inGrand Theft Auto 6.
Carl Johnson hasn’t exactly had the easiest life. His mother was killed in a drive-by shooting, and now he has dirty cops who are forcing him to work for them. To make matters worse, he has helped propel the Grove Street gang back into a Los Santos superpower alongside his old friends, only to find out that Ryder and Big Smoke have betrayed him and Grove Street by joining up with C.R.A.S.H. to conquer the city with their own drug empires.
CJ then spends the end of the game taking revenge on his old friends, as he once again tries to bring Grove Street back into power for the third time. Except, this time, the friends he grew up with are now his enemies. There is a silver lining: CJ has a new band of misfits to call his friends to help take over Los Santos and get rid of the pesky Ballas once more in one of thebestGTAgames.
Victor Vance is a tragic character inGrand Theft Auto. Not only is he a former soldier, but he was stationed in a life of crime because he was trying to earn money for his family. Yet, the drug dealing business never goes as smoothly as it’s supposed to, and with Victor’s ties to the armies gone for good, he turns to a life of crime andworks his way across Vice City.
Victor made an impressive feat, as he managed to take out the Mendez Cartel. Victor even swears that he is out of the game and retiring for good, but when players reach the beginning ofGTA: Vice City, they find out that Victor was not true to his word, and just two years after Vice City Stories, he’s dealing drugs and gets fatally gunned down, making his ending underwhelming and sad, knowing where he ends up.
Enter a dysfunctional biker family withGTA 4: The Lost and Damned. This campaign follows Johnny Klebitz, the Vice President of the Alderney chapter of The Lost MC. Johnny is loyal, skilled with a gun, and someone who isn’t afraid to clash heads with others who are threatening him and those he cares about. Throughout the campaign, deceit plagues the MC, and Johnny in particular.
By the end of The Lost and Damned, Johnny seems lost and lonely, as betrayal hits hard, leaving The Lost scattered and with their clubhouse burned down. To make matters worse, it seems The Lost didn’t recover, and inGrand Theft Auto 5, theever-savage and ruthless Trevor Philipsbeat Johnny to death, so this isn’t exactly a good ending when one considers Johnny’s fate.
Claude was the first 3DGrand Theft Autoprotagonist, and whilst he doesn’t exactly speak, he does leave strong impressions based on his game and actions withinGrand Theft Auto 3. When Claude is betrayed by his girlfriend, Catalina, it’s only a matter of time before he catches up with her and proves that crime may not pay, but revenge certainly does. Claude manages to use a rocket launcher to destroy Catalina’s chopper and stop her and the cartel that was after him.
Whilst the ending seems pretty cheery thanks to the up-beat music and the incessant ramblings of Maria, the screen cuts to black and a gunshot is heard, potentially alluding to the murder of Maria or Claude. This can be expected, as Claude made some pretty strong and well-connected enemies withinGrand Theft Auto 3, so it’s a pretty dark ending to consider that after all that, Claude still ends up in the dirt.
Trevor is seen as a liability, and as such, Franklin is tasked with a choice, whether he wants to take out his mentor, himself in a deathwish scenario, or a deranged man who when given eye contact, may kiss or kill someone. Franklin can choose to kill Trevor in one of the endings forGrand Theft Auto 5and work with Michael to ensure that Trevor won’t hurt anyone ever again. Trevor’s demise is tragic and terrifying, as the ending has the man burned alive.
It’s a shame, as despite how terrible Trevor is, he just wants friends, and he sees himself as being betrayed once again by Michael and by his new friend, Franklin. Even in death, there is sadness to be had, as Michael somewhat regrets what has transpired, and even refuses to talk with or see Franklin once the credits roll, showcasing the fractured relationship that the two now have within Los Santos, and how unpredictable it was to be friends in a life of crime.
2Killing Michael As Franklin
Franklin Betrays and Kills His Mentor in Grand Theft Auto 5
Players have a choice betweenthree endings forGrand Theft Auto 5, with arguably the worst one being Choice B: Kill Michael. If the player chooses to do this, Franklin will set up a meeting with his mentor, and they will learn that everything is looking up for Michael. His marriage is on the up, his daughter Tracey is going to college, and his son Jimmy is, well, Jimmy. Yet, Franklin can ruin all of this by choosing to kill Michael with a mission from Devin Watson.
This is by far the worst ending forGTA 5, as although Trevor’s death is sad for those who enjoy the character, he is a threat to Franklin and Michael’s existence. With the decision to go for the Kill Michael ending, Trevor, and Michael’s family, declare that Franklin is dead to them, and so he will spend his years watching his back. It’s always best to go with Choice C: Deathwish, to give the trinity ofGTAprotagonists a happy ending each.
Towards the end ofGTA 4, players meet with Jimmy Pegorino, who will ask Niko to make a heroin deal. Players are then given two options to proceed into the next mission, with both determining differentoutcomes for theGTA 4endingand the fates of those involved. Choosing to take a deal is perhaps the worst choice, as it will see the death of Niko’s beloved cousin, Roman, on his wedding day.
The death of Roman hits hard, especially since he was such a kind soul to Niko, and loyal to his cousin, and bowling. Yet, no ending ofGTA 4is a happy one, as if players choose to take revenge, then Kate is killed. Niko embarks into Liberty City without someone important to him, regardless of the player’s choice.
