5 saddening moments in the GTA San Andreas storyline

The storyline of GTA San Andreas was and still is a captivating one. It captures the different aspects of human emotions and makes the story and the character feel grounded and real.

Players follow CJ on his quest to find out the real killers behind his mother's demise and his rise to the top. While GTA San Andreas remains true to its nature and continues to be a top game, some elements resonated with the player base and fans.

This article will outline the five saddening moments in the GTA San Andreas storyline.

The neighborhood we all know! pic.twitter.com/Zsv6KgyJmP

— GTA San Andreas (@gtasafan) May 10, 2020

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Tragic bits in GTA San Andreas

1) Death of CJ's mother

At the beginning of the game, the players and CJ are met with unfortunate news by Sweet. As per the latter, their mother had passed away and was killed in a drive-by shooting.

It was a sad way to start the storyline and was something that CJ constantly thought about and wanted to get to the bottom of.

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2) Big Smoke's and Ryder's betrayal

Big Smoke and Ryder were close allies of CJ and members of the Grove Street Families. CJ and Ryder's friendship dates back to their childhood times. So when their true colors came to light during The Green Sabre mission in GTA San Andreas, it was a shocking moment for both CJ and the players.

The sudden turn of events made CJ question numerous things and was something he couldn't wrap his head around.

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3) Working for Tenpenny

Right from the start of GTA San Andreas, it was clear that Officer Tenpenny and his band of officers are corrupt and evil. So it was natural for CJ to feel sad and melancholy while working for Tenpenny.

After Sweet's capture, the protagonist has to work for Tenpenny and carry out his evil deeds to ensure Sweet's safety. It was a tragic event for CJ and the players in general.

I have a theory that the Drive Thru mission from GTA SA was a set-up and the Ballas were sent by Tenpenny or Smoke to kill Sweet and CJ, as well as their other Grove homies

— N3ON 🆖 (COMMS OPEN!) @ FFVIII and Xenogears (@n3on_f0x_Art) March 6, 2021

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4) Killing Ryder

Ryder's death in GTA San Andreas was genuinely heartbreaking. He was a well-written character and a childhood friend of CJ. Players had grown attached to him and his funny one-liners.

Ryder's character was a comic relief to the game and was voiced by MC Eiht, who did a fantastic job bringing the character to life. Some Grand Theft Auto fans and players still think that Ryder shouldn't have been killed.

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5) Killing Big Smoke

During the final mission, CJ ultimately confronts Big Smoke. After killing Big Smoke in a gunfight, players see the soft and caring side of CJ. This was something that was not explored much throughout the game.

He was saddened by his friend's passing, which was one of the most poignant parts of the game. It was especially hard for CJ, who had grown very attached to Big Smoke over the years.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinion of the writer.