Top 5 fan-favourite characters in the GTA Series 

The GTA series wouldn't be the most popular franchise in the world were it not for the diverse assortment of dark and whimsical characters it features.

Without unique, interesting and realistic characters, the game would just be another down-the-hill whirlpool of action. It's memorable and incredibly engrossing because players can resonate with the characters on an emotional level. Though admittedly, Grand Theft Auto characters aren’t very likeable, given how dark and acquisitive they can get at times, the diversity constantly keeps players in absolute awe, which is perhaps why the game never gets boring.

This article talks about five of the most beloved characters in the GTA series.

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TOP 5 Fan favourite characters in the GTA Series

#5 Trevor

While Trevor may be the most violent and sadistic person in the GTA series, his background story is profound enough to explain, if not justify, why he is the way he is. Whether it's an official event or a club party, expect some necks to be broken when Trevor is around. After all, what is Grand Theft Auto without a little chaos here and there?

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#4 Franklin

If Trevor is the embodiment of chaos in the GTA Series, then Franklin is the kind of character every fan can resonate with, at least to some extent (let's face it, Franklin is a bit of a madman too). What makes him so special is that he came from a pretty average background. He was neither a criminal mastermind nor a barbaric murderer before he met Michael De Santa, who, for better or worse, changed the entire dynamic of his life.

Franklin would have had a hard time becoming the most notorious criminal of all time had it not been for Michael, who treated him like the son he never had. While most characters in the GTA series are dark for the sake of being dark, Franklin is the unfortunate result of his circumstances, making for one of the most relatable characters in the GTA Series.

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#3 Michael De Santa

Michael De Santa is perhaps the most beloved character from the entire GTA series, given how realistic and 'empathetic' his approach to things often is. Unlike most villains, Michael doesn't enjoy making others suffer for no reason. He will do whatever he can to avoid killing a person unnecessarily. But it is his irrevocable love for The Forbidden that has him miserable all the time, and that will eventually drag him back to the only world he's ever known – The Underworld.

Michael De Santa is also the one who mentored Franklin and turned him into the criminal kingpin he's known as. Undoubtedly one of the best characters featured in the GTA series.

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#2 Carl Johnson

Image via gta5-mods.com

People often regard Carl Johnson as a 'kind soul' who got sucked into shady stuff simply because he didn't have anywhere else to go. While that might be true to some extent, Carl Johnson isn't exactly an innocent dove. There's a dark side to his character that nobody talks about. Perhaps it's this diversity, this ambiguity, that makes him so special. Just when the player thinks they have CJ all figured out, he walks into the den of the enemy and lets all hell break loose.

CJ is and will always be one of the greatest characters ever brought to life in the GTA series.

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#1 Big Smoke

Sure, Big Smoke is a big jerk. He stabbed his closest homies in the back and didn't even have the courtesy to make things right in the end, but had it not been for his betrayal, GTA San Andreas would have had a hard time outclassing its many contemporaries, given how underwhelming its graphics and tech-related stuff are.

Big Smoke brought to the game the nuance it lacked and made it so effortlessly unforgettable for fans. While some players may hate him for being a black sheep, most cannot get enough of him because "every fairytale needs a good old fashioned villain."