Grand Theft Auto: GTA 5's Three Ending Choice Differences Explained

02.03.2024 - 17:22 / screenrant.com / Michael De-Santa

's single-player campaign seems fairly straightforward, but the three ending possibilities are anything but. gives players control over how the story will reach its dramatic conclusion, with a choice of three very different options. Protagonist Franklin Clinton must decide between killing Michael De Santa, killing Trevor Philips, or teaming up with both. While there is a true ending to the game, there is no right or wrong answer for players other than leaving things in a way that they feel confident about the choice they made.

[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Grand Theft Auto 5.]

Before reaching the concluding decision, 's protagonists rob the Union Depository Bank of $200 million in "." Franklin goes home to cool down after the heist, where antagonists Steve Haines and Devin Weston approach him, ordering him to kill one of his comrades. Haines wishes Trevor dead because of his unpredictability, which makes him a liability. Meanwhile, Weston failed to have Michael's family killed as revenge for the accidental death of his lawyer, so he enlists Franklin to finish the deed. Franklin's third hidden option is to ignore the antagonists, enlisting Michael and Trevor's help to take down Haines, Weston, and several other enemies.

If a player chooses to ignore Trevor's redeeming qualities and act on Haines' request in 's ending, Franklin arranges a meeting with Trevor. They begin discussing recent events, and Franklin (perhaps looking to justify his choice to carry out Haines' wishes) says Trevor's wildness will get him and Michael killed. He then proceeds to pull a gun on Trevor, but Trevor manages to escape in his truck. Michael arrives to help during the chase, ramming Trevor's truck into an oil tank.

Trevor is injured in the crash, but still alive, and falls out of the truck and into the spilling oil while berating Franklin and Michael for their betrayal. At that point, either Franklin or Michael shoots at Trevor and ignites the spilled oil around him, causing Trevor to burn alive in a gruesome death. Michael rants about Trevor's shortcomings, and then he and Franklin agree that The Union Depository heist's earnings are then split between the two of them.

Things begin similarly if the choice is made to kill Michael during 's ending, with Franklin arranging a meeting with Michael instead. Michael gets off a call with his wife, celebrating the fact that he finally has money and his family back — but Franklin doesn't take long to kill the mood, explaining his reasoning for what he's about to do to Michael. He says, meaning they won't be able to get away with the heist if they don't appease Haines and Weston. Knowing what's coming, Michael escapes to the Palmer-Taylor Power Station, and