Is Carl Johnson the best character from GTA San Andreas

Carl Johnson from GTA San Andreas is undoubtedly one of the best protagonists from the entire series.

But is he the best of all?

The internet is rife with discussions about Carl Johnson and why he is unanimously agreed upon as the most influential character not only from GTA San Andreas but the entire GTA series.

Here, we take a trip back to GTA San Andreas and analyze one of the most beloved characters from the series with a fresh perspective.

Note: This article reflects the author's views

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Why is CJ the best character from GTA San Andreas? A glance into his past

"Man, what the hood done for me? Always dragging me down. Ever since I got out of the hood shit been cracking! That's everybody's dream, to get out of the hood…"

Carl Johnson is the second-in-command of The Grove Street Families, a street gang based in Los Santos led by his older brother Sean Sweet Johnson.

CJ was exiled from the gang after the death of his brother, Brian Johnson. The cause of Brian's death was not revealed in GTA San Andreas but according to Sweet, Carl 'let Brian die.' Maybe CJ could have saved his brother, but life isn't fair and Sweet, in his outrage, ends up losing not one but two brothers.

After his exile, CJ moved to Liberty City and befriended Joey Leone. The two took up minor jobs, mostly car theft.

Later when CJ returns to San Andreas to attend his father's funeral, Sweet decides to forgo the past and rejuvenate his old gang with CJ's help.

And that's how CJ gets his life back.

While every playable character from the GTA series has always had a profound backstory, no one's got a better story than CJ.

While he can't be called a result of his circumstances (let's face it: he is a madman at heart), players can certainly sympathize with him on a certain level.

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Is CJ from GTA San Andreas really the best character from the series though

Image via denofgeek.com

The simple answer is, yes. Sure, Michael has his frequent reflections on life and Trevor has his grown-up tantrums that always result in someone dying rather tragically, but no other character from the series is as human as CJ.

GTA San Andreas wasn't about wannabe criminals. It was about a beaten-down prodigy who, after countless struggles, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and learns how to earn his place in the underworld, which is, of course, where he belonged.

GTA San Andreas' story also had a role in bringing out CJ's character and endearing him to the audience. Unlike many Grand Theft Auto characters, CJ didn't get everything on a plate. His life wasn't always easy and his support system wasn't perfect. Despite all that, CJ managed to be a great leader and an even greater friend. He was loyal to his friends, and unlike Big Smoke, wouldn't have betrayed them for all the world.

Moreover, CJ was the first GTA character who could swim and sport different clothes. Players could also play with the shape of his body and endow on him as many muscles as they like.

Overall, CJ was a great character with an expansive character background that made him seem real and allowed fans to connect with him on a personal level.

So is CJ from GTA San Andreas the best GTA character? Maybe. Maybe not. Is he the best GTA Protagonist? Some might say yes, others might argue otherwise, but that doesn't change the fact that he's the most talked about playable character of all time. GTA San Andreas was timeless in a number of ways, but the inclusion of a character as diverse as CJ was perhaps what made the game so popular among fans.