Ranking GTA Protagonists based on their popularity: Most popular to least

The GTA franchise has been around for a long time now, owing to which some memorable characters and storylines have stayed with fans for years after the games' completion.

While the games themselves were masterpieces in their own right, each of them arrived with protagonists that stood out from the maddening crowd, reflected their own aura into the game, and influenced the storyline through their actions.

So, without further ado, it's time to talk about a few of the most beloved protagonists from the GTA franchise.

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Top 5 GTA protagonists

1) Tommy Vercetti - Vice City OG

The early 2000's were dominated by GTA Vice City, and Tommy Vercetti was the poster boy protagonist of that era. Players of the franchise will never forget the name, or his storyline arc within the game itself.

From being framed for a drug deal gone wrong, to eventually becoming the kingpin of Vice City, and controlling most of Vice City itself; Tommy Vercetti is the most popular and iconic protagonist the GTA franchise has to offer till date.

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2) Carl Johnson - Here we go again

If Vice City set the stage for the GTA franchise to blow up, then San Andreas arguably set it on fire with its plethora of colorful characters, and one very popular Carl Johnson aka CJ.

Carl Johnson is one of those protagonists who is extremely hard to forget. In addition to his arc in the game, between taking revenge by eliminating Big Smoke and breaking into Area 51, Carl Johnson takes players on a rollercoaster ride in San Andreas.

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3) Trevor Phillips - The Vaas Montenegro of GTA

When it comes to being chaotic, Trevor Phillips sets the bar high. In essence, he's a psychopath, and is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goal.

Players love Trevor for the simple fact that he takes whatever he wants. "No", is not a word that exists in his dictionary.

In between beating other NPCs to a pulp, delivering iconic dialogues and simply doing whatever he wants, Trevor is one of those protagonists that players are unlikely to forget. To put it into perspective, in some ways, Trevor is the Vass of GTA - the definition of insanity.

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4) Franklin Clinton

The underdog of Grand Theft Auto V, Franklin Clinton, enjoys much love from fans worldwide. Much like Carl Johnson and Tommy Vercetti, Franklin climbs his way to the top towards the end of the game, and leaves his former life behind.

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5) Niko Bellic

Although most fans don't really reminisce about him, Niko Bellic is the protagonist of Grand Theft Auto IV, with an upfront personality.

Niko migrates to America after escaping a mobster, and wanting to leave his former life behind. However, once setting foot in Liberty City, things go sideways. Despite the hardships and losses, he makes it in the end, and takes his revenge in cold blood.

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Disclaimer: This article expresses the views of the writer.