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On March 16, 2023, GTA Online's Los Santos Drug Wars DLC will add The Last Dose update for previous and next-gen consoles and PC. It will feature one of the most iconic and controversial character returns in all video games.
Dr. Isiah Friedlander is returning to GTA. Only this time, he isn't returning as a therapist for Grand Theft Auto 5's famous protagonist, Michael de Santa, but as an evil capitalist whose entire purpose and goal is to dominate the world of the drug business.
Since his return was hinted at through leaked cutscenes and later confirmed in The Last Dose trailer, fans and players have been theorizing about the return of Michael de Santa to GTA Online.
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Understanding Michael and Dr. Friedlander's relationship in GTA 5
Humble beginnings
Dr. Isiah Friedlander is an important side character in the GTA 5 storyline. He is a renowned therapist in Los Santos and Michael's personal shrink in the game. The character was first introduced to players in the game's second mission called "Franklin and Lamar."
He can be seen in a therapy session with Michael. It is understood that Isiah doesn't care about his patients and whether they progress psychologically but only about filling his pockets.
Michael attends weekly therapy sessions with Friedlander in the game. They appear to have a deep-rooted relationship as a doctor and patient, which is important to understanding whether Michael could appear in a future GTA Online DLC.
Kill him or let him go
In the mission "Abandonment Issues," Michael undergoes his last therapy session with Friedlander. As the end of the therapy session approaches, Dr. Friedlander lets Michael know that he will be leaving Los Santos to star in his own TV show, after which Michael has two choices:
- To kill Dr. Isiah Friedlander and put an end to the horror show
- To let him go and let bygones be bygones
As evidenced by his return in The Last Dose, it is clear that killing him is non-canonical to the story, and Michael lets him go.
If no one expected Dr. Isiah Friedlander to be resurrected from the dead, let alone make an appearance, then it is a huge possibility that Michael could also return. That said, it seems like Michael de Santa could make a future appearance, perhaps with a different purpose and role in the story.
Another hint that Michael de Santa could return to GTA Online came after a reaction tweet from Ned Luke, who plays Michael in Grand Theft Auto 5, to the trailer release of The Last Dose:
It should be noted that the sentiment he displayed through the tweet is exciting, and it seems like Ned Luke has an idea about his future role at Rockstar Games. However, since this isn't confirmed, it should be taken with a grain of salt.
As soon as The Last Dose update is released, players should get a conclusive idea about Dr. Friedlander's fate in the storyline and whether they can expect him to face off against Michael or some other important Grand Theft Auto character.
