5 reasons why Big Smoke's betrayal of CJ from GTA San Andreas is heart-breaking

GTA San Andreas is one of the best games by Rockstar in the Grand Theft Auto series. Not only does it encapsulate the condition of a normal man trying to make something out of his life, but also how corrupt cops can ruin everything. But, the biggest heartbreak of the game comes from CJ's best friend, Big Smoke. He is a beloved character who plays a major role in the story.

Even though Rockstar Games has managed to write other epic characters, both CJ and Big Smoke, as well as their friendship, remain truly iconic for the fans of the series.

In this article, we will discuss the five reasons why Big Smoke's betrayal is one of the worst things that happened in GTA San Andreas.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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Five reasons why Big Smoke's backstabbing hurt the most in GTA San Andreas

1) Big Smoke was a dear friend

The main theme of GTA San Andreas is friendship, brotherhood, and the struggles of life. CJ was blessed to have some great friends and allies around him who not only helped him grow but also supported him in his hard times.

While Cesar Vialpando and others surely helped CJ out a lot, Big Smoke was always there beside him. Players regularly interacted with him, and he praised CJ for his achievements but also teased him on his failures. This makes him so much more relatable and close that the betrayal hurts even more.

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2) Big Smoke was always supportive

While Sweet came off as a rude and arrogant character, Big Smoke was always supportive of CJ in GTA San Andreas. This was one of the biggest reasons why no one suspected him of being a backstabber.

Although Big Smoke gave off cunning vibes, his character was always in tune with CJ and also helped him out with ridiculous and dangerous missions that were often quite risky. This earned him respect from both CJ and the players, making the betrayal much more heart-breaking.

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3) His philosophical talks

Big Smoke has several iconic lines in the game, but the one that is quoted a lot:

"Respect has to be earned, Sweet - just like money."

Throughout the GTA San Andreas campaign, he maintained this composure and image, which led the players to believe that Big Smoke was someone they could trust.

He was always telling Sweet to be softer toward CJ because he was family, especially after their mother's death. He showed much empathy towards everyone in Grove Street and then backstabbed them when the perfect opportunity approached him.

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4) He was hilarious

One of the biggest reasons why a big part of the fandom likes him is because of his humor. Be it while ordering food or while escaping rival gangs, Big Smoke always had something funny to say, which automatically lightened the mood, making him one of the best-supporting characters in the GTA series.

His other famous dialog, "You picked the wrong house, fool," is a great meme material that has been circulating the internet ever since the game dropped. So, it is natural that nobody expected this jolly gang member to join hands with the cops and the Ballas.

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5) Players complete tons of missions with him

Big Smoke had a lot of screen time, and mostly, it's beside CJ. This means that he ended up accompanying the players on a lot of missions, making him a ride-or-die buddy who was cunning and dangerous.

CJ also got to help Big Smoke during the train chase mission, which is considered one of the most challenging missions in the GTA series. This mission solidified him as a great character who will always be beside CJ no matter what because he helped in such situations. But as it turns out, Big Smoke not only switched parties but also helped the Ballas kill CJ's mother.

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Even after what Big Smoke did, CJ still tried to reason with him in the end. Unfortunately, things did not work out and resulted in his death, making things quite heart-breaking. Fans are hoping to see similar characters in the GTA 6 leaks as well.