'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
GTA 3 leaves several mysteries unresolved, and one of the most prominent ones is regarding the fate of Maria at the end.
Claude had to claw and scratch his way to get to Catalina. He was desperate to get revenge after she betrayed him. Along the way, he gets help from Maria Latore. When Salvatore Leone sets up a death trap, Maria warns Claude ahead of time. She also introduces him to the Yakuza.
Maria is undoubtedly useful to Claude. However, he has a tendency to turn on his closest allies. By the end of GTA 3, Claude saves Maria from a hostage situation. However, when the final cut-scene fades to black, a gunshot is heard. Nobody knows what truly happened, and it could go either way.
What happened to Maria after the GTA 3 climax?
It remains unknown if Maria survived the events of GTA 3. Players can look for clues in the context of the final mission. Ultimately, they will have to make a choice for themselves.
How the final cut-scene plays out in The Exchange
Maria is kidnapped by Catalina before the final mission. Claude was then given a ransom letter. He is supposed to meet up at the Cochrane Dam, along with $500,000 at hand. It's unknown if Claude was serious about saving Maria or if he just wanted to get revenge on Catalina.
After GTA 3 players complete The Exchange, they will have finished the story. Maria celebrates with Claude as she brings up their status as a "power couple". The screen begins to fade as she begins to ramble. Before she could continue, a gunshot is heard, and then only silence follows.
There are two possibilities. One is that Maria decided to keep her mouth shut. The other possibility doesn't end well for her.
Rockstar Games leaves it ambiguous
Rockstar made an official response back in 2009 when a GTA 3 player asked about what happened to Maria. They replied with the following statement:
"Certainly gun shots were fired but nobody is sure as to exactly what happened."
Two years later, Rockstar celebrated the 10th anniversary of GTA 3. They gave one more answer in regards to the Maria question:
"We're not sure about this. Some think he did, and some think he didn’t."
In short, Rockstar continues to be coy. It's unlikely they will ever give an official answer. What happened to Maria is open to interpretation.
Claude is not one to care either way
At the end of the day, Claude is an immoral criminal. He doesn't care as long as he gets paid. This is best seen in the mission Waka-Gashira Wipeout. Despite working closely with the Yakuza, Claude easily turns on co-leader Kenji when Donald Love gives him the order to do so.
Claude is willing to betray anyone. Then again, he ends up being betrayed by most of his bosses anyways. The point is that Claude lacks moral conviction. He is a remorseless killer. Someone like Maria just gets in his way.
That's not to say he took matters into his own hands. However, he is perfectly capable of doing so at the same time.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
For The Biggest GTA 6 Map Leaks, Click Here.
