Big Smoke from GTA San Andreas: All you need to know

Big Smoke turned out to be one of the main antagonists in GTA San Andreas. At the beginning of the game, players meet Melvin Harris, aka Big Smoke, while he is protecting CJ's house with a baseball bat in the first mission cut-scene. Big Smoke and CJ reunite at the very beginning of GTA San Andreas; clearly old friends from their warm embrace.

Big Smoke grew up with his own little gang in GTA San Andreas, including CJ, Sweet, and Ryder. They all lived next to one another growing up on Grove Street and can still be found living in their own homes there. However, Big Smoke moved out of Grove Street after starting to work with other gangs like the Ballas and selling drugs; as players find out later in the game.

Big Smoke had been a big part of the Grove Street Family in GTA San Andreas for most of his life, until he defected to the Ballas and became the most crooked character in the game.

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GTA San Andreas: In the beginning

Many of the first missions in GTA San Andreas were done for or involving Big Smoke. Initially, he was known to be one of CJ's cleverest friends in the game.

Big Smoke became Sweet's close friend and right-hand man to the Grove Street Family Gangs after CJ's departure in 1987. Early in the game he seemed like nothing more than an old friend from the Grove Street Family; trying to welcome CJ back into the fold.

Ordering the entire menu (Image via Pinterest/@Lauren Cachera)

Parts of Big Smoke's character are comical in the game, like his famous giant food order, and his inability to do a drive-by whilst eating. He can be a funny fat guy and CJ lets him know it; as do his other friends throughout GTA San Andreas.

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The end of Big Smoke in GTA San Andreas

True Big Smoke comes out through all the mission evolutions in the game. There are hints of his impending betrayal throughout the GTA San Andreas. After the 'Green Sabre' mission, players lost all hope for Big Smoke, after confirmation of him working with The Ballas and other gangs; Officer Tenpenny and C.R.A.S.H.

A lot has happened during the game between CJ and Big Smoke, two once-upon-a-time friends. The biggest shock for fans was when it was revealed that Big Smoke was involved with the car that was used for the murder of CJ's mother.

GTA San Andreas ends as fittingly as it began. The first mission is meeting Big Smoke and the last one is killing him.

A tragic unveiling (Image via YouTube/@Santosx07)

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It's made clear that Big Smoke's main mission, all along, was to bring CJ over to the Ballas' side, as he had failed to do with Sweet; in order for the gangs to sell more dangerous drugs. Gang tensions are felt throughout the game and many hint that Big Smoke is hiding things, which do come out while playing GTA San Andreas.

From missions trying to unite characters from different hoods in the game to inciting gang wars to claim turf; Big Smoke was an integral antagonist in the game. An antagonist that had started his journey as a true friend, and evolved into something completely different. He became a harsh enemy, and possibly the biggest bad guy in GTA San Andreas.

Even after everything that players go through in GTA San Andreas, there is nothing quite as hurtful as getting betrayed by one of the most trusted brothers in the game. And with that, the players had time to say one final goodbye to Big Smoke as CJ exacted his revenge and took him out.