Which GTA protagonist had the happiest ending at the end of the story?

Some GTA protagonists have a happier ending compared to others.

Unsurprisingly, there is a wide variety of endings within the GTA series. Some are simple, where the protagonist gets rid of their problem and moves on, whereas others have the protagonist on top of the world. There are even less fortunate endings, especially if the player considers a protagonist's death the true ending of their story.

For all intents and purposes, the happiest ending will be one where the protagonist is successful, happy with how everything turned out, and there won't be any immediate threats to their happiness. Surprisingly, there are a few protagonists that this statement can apply to.

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The GTA protagonist with the best ending

A happy ending for CJ (Image via GTA Wiki)

Out of all of the protagonists within the GTA series, CJ probably has the best ending. In the end, CJ and his loved ones are safe, successful, and all of the relevant characters are on good terms with one another. That said, it's still important to look at the other endings for comparison's sake.

The neutral endings

Many GTA protagonists complete the game in a neutral setting. GTA 1 and GTA 2's protagonists don't have much character, so their endings are, unsurprisingly, neutral.

Likewise, some other protagonists have their endings left somewhat ambiguous. Huang Lee from GTA Chinatown Wars could be the leader of the Triads, but he never gives a definitive answer to Hsin Jaoming. He isn't arrested like Hsin is, but he's not necessarily in a better place than other protagonists, given the ambiguity of the situation.

Alternatively, a character like GTA 3's Claude makes it tough to gauge how happy they would be. As a silent protagonist, players don't know much about Claude's own aspirations. He would likely be happy to kill Catalina but doesn't really have anything else to do in Liberty City, to the player's knowledge. Plus, if he killed Maria in the ambiguous ending, that likely means he isn't that happy.

The less than stellar endings

Technically not the ending of Lost and Damned, but still a fitting end for Johnny (Image via Rockstar Games)

A protagonist like Niko Bellic would likely give up his life of crime, but he wouldn't have too much to fall back on. Either his love interest perishes, or his cousin does, with the latter being more devastating to him, given the former will break up with him. He isn't in immediate danger, but other GTA protagonists have better endings than him.

Given both Johnny Klebitz and Victor Vance die brutally in another game, one could say that their endings aren't so happy. However, Victor Vance's ending in GTA Vice City Stories is still serviceable, especially since his brother, Pete Vance, will likely get the money he needs.

As for Johnny, The Lost MC is significantly weaker than it was at the beginning of the game. Many of his friends are dead, his ex-girlfriend is still addicted to drugs, and he's still in the Lost MC.

The simple happy endings

There are neutral endings, and there are also happy endings. This category is more in the middle, as the protagonists are likely happy with how the game ended, but they're not necessarily as successful as those in the latter category.

Mike from GTA Advance flees to Colombia with a lot of wealth, but that's a pretty vague ending. He would likely be happy and successful, but it's left to the player's interpretation of how successful he is compared to the protagonists in the next category.

Somebody like Toni Cipriani is content with his station in life. He helps Salvatore Leone with his troubles, and GTA fans can see him again in GTA 3 doing well for himself.

The great endings

Everything is all good for these three (Image via Rockstar Games)

The rest of the protagonists have a pretty good ending. Somebody like Trevor could be in danger given how recklessly he lives life, but all of the GTA 5 protagonists have enough wealth to retire peacefully and have removed their biggest threats by the end of their game.

Michael is likely doing very well, as he doesn't have to commit a crime ever again. His family loves him, he's rich, and he's on good terms with Trevor and Franklin. Considering Option C is the canon ending of GTA 5, everything is going well for Michael. There are also no incidents in GTA Online that would indicate he's in danger, so he has a pretty great ending.

Likewise, Franklin isn't living with his aunt anymore and has some reliable friends he can count on. He's not hustling for Simeon, nor does he have to do reckless heists ever again.

Out of the GTA 4 protagonists, Luis undeniably has the happiest ending. He helps Tony Prince with all of the club's problems, still has a positive relationship with his mother, and can continue to live life as grandiose as he desires.

Tommy Vercetti has an outstanding amount of power and influence in Vice City, which is more than what other protagonists usually get in their respective games. No more Forellis bothering him, which allows him to control many assets unopposed.

Finally, there's CJ. Some fans complain about how good his ending is, as it's almost a "happily ever after" ending. Fair enough, CJ probably does have the best ending out of all of the GTA protagonists. All of his friends are alive and successful, he has several great connections, and there is zero fear that somebody will kill him or his loved ones.

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Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.