Summary
Every character in theGrand Theft Autofranchise walks a fine line between being a selfish criminal and a truly unforgivable evildoer. Although there’s a lot of fun to be had in the unbridled chaos of the game, Rockstar is sure to involve a certain level ofsatire and observational comedythat quite clearly condemns the kind of behavior many of the protagonists consider normal. It’s this tone and creativity that has gamers everywhereexcited to see what directionRockstar will take in the upcomingGrand Theft Auto 6.
Because there’s so much at play in each game, there’s really no obvious distinction between good and bad people. Every character has their own perspective and intentions, and they will act accordingly - it’s one of the few games to create protagonists that aren’t exactly heroic. Even so, there are some characters that try their best to do the right thing and others thatfully embrace their selfish ways. A truly chaotic evil character is one with little to no regard for others, a fondness for cruelty, and every intention of putting themselves first in almost all scenarios. Even if mostGTAcharacters have one or two redeeming moments, some of them really do embody the chaotic evil alignment.
Trevor fromGrand Theft Auto 5is perhaps the easiest protagonist in the entire franchise to label as chaotic evil. It’s clear, especially next to Michael’s often calculating nature, that Trevor has a frenzied element that makes him one of the most terrifying criminals in Los Santos. Whether he’s wiping out entire gangs or burning down the homes of those who’ve wronged him, “too far” is not in Trevor’s vocabulary.
He even admits that most people kill with reason and logic, but he will kill somebody simply because he feels like it - proving he’s even aware of his irrational nature. Trevor also hints that he’s done a lot oftruly awful things, including potentially being a serial killer as well as murdering his brother. He’s one of the most unpredictable and chaotic characters Rockstar has ever created, and continually proves this throughout the game. That’s not to say that he isn’t occasionally loyal or caring, but most of the time, Trevor does what he wants, whenever he wants, even if it results in the death of many, many people.
Grand Theft Auto 3protagonist Claude is something of a mystery to players and in-game characters alike. Asthe only silent protagonistin the franchise, the only way to really learn anything about Claude is through his actions - which are all in the name of vengeance but don’t exactly adhere to reason. He spends all ofGTA 3in pursuit of Catalina after she betrays him during a heist and leaves him for dead, and players can see some of their relationshipprior to this in the prequelGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas. While Claude doesn’t have the reckless spontaneity of someone like Trevor, he continually proves that the only person he really has any loyalty to is himself.
The chaotic aspect of his evilness comes from his utter lack of allegiance to anyone. He works for both the Yakuza and the Columbian Cartel, and actively begins a gang war between the two (even if it was on behalf of Donald Love), all to get closer to Catalina. Almost all of his ‘allies’ end up dead, and Claude shows no distress or guilt for his part in their deaths. To cap it all off, as the credits roll, it’s implied that Claude kills Maria Latore - who has a particular affection for him - since a gunshot is heard and Maria abruptly stops speaking. Claude’s silence makes it very difficult to know how he feels about the cards he’s been dealt, but his actions prove him to be selfish, remorseless, and sadistic. It’s a different kind of chaotic evil, but nonetheless a lawless one that adheres to no principles.
Mikhail Faustin is one of the main antagonists fromGrand Theft Auto 4, and - alongside Dimitri - is one of the two main people that Niko works for. The head of a broad, well-established crime syndicate, it’s implied that Faustin used to be a more respectable and reasonable criminal despite having survived fighting in the Cold War alongside Dimitri. By the time Niko encounters him, it’s clear that drug use has warped Faustin into a violent and often unpredictable villain.
Mikhail is easily the more chaotic one in his business partnership with Dimitri, even though Dimitri eventually betrays him. Despite being a very successful name in organized crime, Faustin becomes more and more paranoid. After Andrei follows Dimitri’s orders and kidnaps Niko and Roman, Faustin shoots him in the head for bringing them to his home. He begins to order the deaths of multiple people without reason, including Lenny Petrovic - the son of crime boss Kenny Petrovic - based on paranoia and unsubstantiated suspicions. It’s this rash behavior that eventually makes Dimitri turn on his long-time partner and earns Faustin the title of chaotic evil.
While not the most terrifying criminal in theGTAgames, Ricardo Diaz is one of the biggest drug lordsin Vice Cityand is a recurring character in bothGrand Theft Auto: Vice CityandVice City Stories. Like most characters in theGTAgames, Diaz is selfish and traitorous when he wants to be, but it’s mainly his trigger-happy tendencies that make him one of the more chaotic characters in the franchise.
Diaz is notorious for shooting things when he’s frustrated, often losing his temper and destroying objects around him or assaulting his gang members. It’s revealed he’s behind Tommy Vercetti’s drug deal ambush and, therefore, responsible for the death of Victor Vance (protagonist ofVice City Stories). He repeatedly switches sides dependent on what benefits him the most, lacking some of the respect and standards other Vice City crime bosses have. In the end, his unpredictable temperament and inability to keep actual allies result in his death at the hands of Vercetti and Lance Vance.
Donald Love is a business mogul and major character in theGTAfranchise who has appeared in three separate games. Throughout the series, players will encounter all kinds of criminals, murderers, and psychopaths, but Donald Love manages to be the worst of the worst - usually without ever getting his hands dirty. He represents a very specific kind of chaotic evil: one that is utterly lawless, always in pursuit of perverse hedonism, and completely lacking any sense of remorse. It’s easier for Love to slide under the radar because he often has others do his dirty work, which in some ways can make him even more despicable.
There’s no question that Love is evil. He’s responsible for countless crimes, including electoral fraud, mass murder, and initiating gang wars. The chaos comes from his dark lifestyle and complete lack of guilt for his actions, as well as the frantic way he pursues power and luxury. Love never seems to care about the consequences of anything he does, including the countless lives he is responsible for ending, and will betray anyone if it is advantageous to him.
He has a sociopathic, businesslike perspective on everything, looking for opportunities to profit and benefit from any scenario. Additionally, it’s evident that Love is a cannibal who will often obtain the bodies of those he’s had murdered to consume them. Even Trevor doesn’t quite reach those levels of lawlessness, even if Donald is better at appearing to be organized and composed. He’s also canonically one of the few villainous characters from theGTAfranchise to never suffer the repercussions of his actions, with his current whereabouts unknown.
