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Most GTA protagonists have a background story; in each of their respective games, players will get a glimpse of it.
There is always a before and after in every story. Players can only speculate on what happens to the GTA protagonists when the game is finished. However, there is a good amount of background information on their past lives.
GTA protagonists are often put into positions they don't want to be in. For example, Carl Johnson wouldn't have returned to Los Santos if it wasn't for the death of his mother. Regardless, they make the most of what they have. GTA protagonists all have a reason for doing what they do.
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Here is what each GTA protagonist did before the beginning of their games
The vast majority of GTA protagonists have criminal backgrounds. For one reason or another, they are sucked into an intriguing world of death and deception. Keep in mind that later GTA titles have more detailed stories than previous ones. There is more known about Niko Bellic than there is about Claude.
Note that this list doesn't include GTA protagonists from the earliest games. The reason is simple - not much information is given on their past lives. They also served as GTA player avatars, rather than characters with defined personality traits (beyond sociopathic tendencies).
Claude
According to Rockstar Games, Claude is a lonely drifter who goes from place to place. There are hints that he hails from the west coast. GTA San Andreas reveals he owned a garage in San Fierro, indicating he worked there. Claude also met his romantic partner Catalina.
From 1992 to 2001, they made a name for themselves as criminals. Liberty Tree states they robbed various banks in Texas and New Mexico. Eventually, the couple moved to Liberty City by GTA 3. Unfortunately for Claude, his lover had greater ambitions than he realized.
Tommy Vercetti
By early 1971, Tommy was slowly increasing his power within the Forelli mafia. However, a paranoid Sonny Forelli set up a death trap for him in Harwood. Not only did Tommy survive, he also killed all eleven men sent after him. He was nicknamed the Harwood Butcher for this incident.
Tommy served 15 years before his release in 1986. He never ratted out the family during his prison sentence. Sonny decided to throw the dog a bone and use his connections to release him. He then sent Tommy down south to take care of business in GTA Vice City.
Carl Johnson
Sometime in 1987, Brian Johnson was killed by unknown means. Sweet blamed CJ for the incident, which lowered him in both ranking and reputation. With the recent decline of Grove Street Families, CJ left for Liberty City. He will stay there for the next five years.
CJ did work for Joey Leone, mainly in small-time crimes like car theft. When his mother was killed in a drive-by, CJ made his return to Los Santos. On a related note, Big Smoke seems to think CJ thinned himself out in Liberty City, suggesting he once had a larger frame.
Mike
Unlike most GTA protagonists, not much is known about Mike's background. What is known is that he was once a homeless kid. Together with his partner Vinnie, he performed several crimes in Liberty City.
Niko Bellic
Out of all the GTA protagonists, Niko Bellic has the most detailed background. He grew up as a child soldier in the Yugoslavian Wars, a bloody territorial conflict. Niko once told Kate McReary a dark truth - Roman's mother was raped and killed in the war, instead of dying in a house fire like Niko had suggested.
When most of his squad was killed in action, he suspected one of the two remaining survivors was responsible. The past is what defines him presently in GTA 4. Niko made it his life goal to hunt them down.
At some point, he began to work for Ray Bulgarin. Niko outright states he smuggled and sold people. However, unlike most GTA protagonists, he is regretful of his actions. After an operation was sunk in the Adriatic Sea, Bulgarin blamed Niko for the incident, who then fled to Liberty City on a merchant ship.
Johnny Klebitz
When Johnny was a young boy, Lost MC leader Billy Grey brought him into the club. Criminal records suggest Johnny was very active in his teens.
After serving a six-year prison sentence in Liberty City, he continued to work for the Lost MC. He even has a patch that states he went to Los Santos back in 2004.
Prior to the events of Lost and Damned, Johnny used to date Ashley Butler. However, he broke up with her due to her adultery and drug addiction.
At the time, he was waiting for Billy Grey to get paroled. Johnny was already well respected by most of the club. Some of them even saw him as the true leader.
Luis Lopez
Luis was once a troubled, angry teenager. He once ran the streets with his childhood friends Armando and Henrique. Later on, he expressed his desire to leave this life behind him. He never truly did.
When a teacher sexually assaulted his sister, Luis shot and injured the man. He then served a sentence in juvenile hall. Luis would continue to run into legal troubles in the early 2000's. By this time, his brother and sister had moved away, leaving him as the main source of income for his mother.
After building up a muscular physique and serving more prison sentences, Luis became a nightclub bouncer. In 2005, he began to work as the personal bodyguard for "Gay" Tony Prince. The nightclub manager gave Luis some advanced courses in driving and flying.
Huang Lee
Huang Lee grew up in a life of luxury (unlike most GTA protagonists), since his father was a powerful triad boss. However, when he dies in 2009 under mysterious circumstances, Huang leaves Hong Kong to see what's going on.
Born and raised in China, Huang does have a criminal record in Liberty City. He did briefly mention that he had visited the location more than once. Prior to his father's death, he worked as a freelancer.
Franklin Clinton
A Los Santos native his entire life, Franklin was part of The Families growing up. Along with his childhood friend Lamar, he was a small-time criminal who performed several petty crimes. His mother died while he was young and he never met his father. Franklin lived with his grandparents before they passed away.
After a brief stint in prison, Franklin wanted to leave his criminal life behind him. He once dated Tanisha Jackson, but she broke up with him due to his gangbanging ways. Like most GTA protagonists, Franklin has yet to accept the cold hard truth - he is only meant to be a criminal.
In 2013, Franklin worked for Simeon Yetarian as a repo man. However, he had a strained relationship with Simeon, due to his tendency to dock pay. .
It also doesn't help that Lamar tends to screw up their assignments. Franklin was going nowhere at the time, which frustrated him. GTA 5 changed everything for him.
Michael De Santa
Like most GTA protagonists, Michael De Santa had a troubled childhood. He was a promising quarterback in high school before an injury put him on the shelf. After graduation, he turned to a life of crime. His short prison stints allowed him to learn the tricks of the trade.
In the 90's and early 2000's, he was robbing banks in the Midwest. He began working directly with Trevor Philips and Brad Snider.
In the meantime, he met his future wife Amanda at a strip club. Fearing for the safety of his family (due to Trevor and Brad), Michael made a deal with FIB agent Dave Norton.
During a bank robbery in 2004, Dave would kill Trevor and Brad while leaving Michael alive. The FIB agent would then relocate Michael and his family to Los Santos, all while receiving a monthly payment.
By the events of GTA 5, Michael was living a miserable life in his mansion, with a family who hated him.
Trevor Philips
Trevor had a deeply troubled upbringing - not a single family member showed any love to him. It's even implied Trevor killed his brother Ryan, whom he was very resentful to. Trevor eventually dropped out of high school and failed his qualifications to join the Air Force.
Sometime in 1993, Trevor met his partner-in-crime Michael. Along with Brad, they performed several robberies. However, Trevor began to think Michael was soft for prioritizing his family over his friends. The latter tried to get Trevor killed in a staged robbery, but he managed to survive.
Trevor spent years thinking Michael was dead. He eventually found himself in Sandy Shores, where he started up a business in arms smuggling and crystal meth distribution.
In the meantime, he always struck a partnership with the Lost MC, who made their way into Blaine County in GTA 5.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
