What is GTA 5’s canon ending? All 3 endings explained

There are three endings in GTA 5, but Option C: Deathwish is the canon one (and the most obvious one to pick from a gameplay perspective). For those who need a quick reminder, Option C is the one where all three protagonists survive and unite against their enemies. The three endings can be summarized as follows:

1. Option A (Trevor dies)
2. Option B (Michael Dies)
3. Option C (Michael and Trevor survive)

The player is explicitly given a choice to pick which ending they want to choose. In some games, there isn't a canon ending. However, GTA 5 does have a canon ending, thanks to the events of GTA Online.

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GTA 5's canon ending (what you should know)

The Third Way is canon (Image via Rockstar Games)

GTA Online has several references to its single-player predecessor that confirm that Option C (The Third Way) is the canon ending. Some examples include:

• Casino - Strong Arm Tactics (Tao Cheng states that he almost died at the Pacific Bluffs Country Club, which is where Option C took place)
• On Course (Franklin references Michael being alive and hoping that he isn't at work today)
• Hangar cutscene (Ron states that Trevor went "Vinewood" on him)

If Trevor and Michael are still alive, then that means The Third Way is the canon GTA 5 ending, as that's the only one where that's a possibility. Not to mention, the only ending that features Tao Cheng possibly getting in harm's way is The Third Way.

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Option C (the canon ending)

It's worth talking about what happens when the player chooses Option C in GTA 5 (which is done when they call Lester). Essentially, all three GTA 5 protagonists dispose of their enemies in the following ways:

• Trevor kills Steve Haines
• Michael kills Stretch
• Franklin kills Wei Cheng
• Trevor kidnaps Devin Weston, and the three protagonists kill him

Lester then sends all three protagonists their money from the Union Depository Heist. All three protagonists survive, and there is no punishment for picking this ending in GTA 5.

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Option B (non-canon)

This ending has Franklin begrudgingly killing Michael. None of the major enemies from Option C are dealt with, meaning that some major plots never get resolved as a result.

Predictably, this ending means that the player can never play as Michael De Santa in this playthrough ever again, meaning that they lose access to any unique features associated with him.

Other noticeable changes include:

• Trevor refuses to hang out with Franklin
• Neither protagonist can hang out with Jimmy anymore
• Trevor can't hang out with Lamar anymore
• Franklin can only hang out with Lamar at night

Both Franklin and Trevor get their Union Depository Heist shares, with Michael's share being given to his family.

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Option A (non-canon)

The final non-canon GTA 5 ending is Option A, where Franklin and Michael kill Trevor. Like Option B, none of the major enemies in the main storyline are dealt with here. However, there are some minor differences compared to Option B (aside from Trevor dying instead of Michael).

For starters, Michael will continue to hang out with Franklin shortly after this mission is completed. Second, Jimmy will continue to hang out with Franklin. Third and most significantly, Trevor's share from the Union Depository Heist goes to both Franklin and Michael.

Lamar can still only hang out with Franklin at night because Stretch is still alive. Similarly, all of Trevor's exclusive features become unusable.

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