Grand Theft Auto 5 is not only the biggest game in the series, but it also has the best ending to any GTA game by far. While most Grand Theft Auto games have bittersweet endings, GTA 5 goes in the opposite direction and has a happy ending for everyone involved. This feeling helped to set GTA 5 apart from the rest of the series in a good way.
[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for GTA 5.]
Grand Theft Auto 5 actually has three endings to choose from. However, the first two end the game on a sad note. Ending A sees the death of Trevor, and Ending 2 involves the death of Michael. In both of these endings, one character is permanently gone and unplayable in the postgame, while the other two cut ties with each other. Grand Theft Auto 5's canonical Ending C, on the other hand, features all three protagonists throwing caution to the wind to take on their enemies, and the ensuing mission is very satisfying.
At the outset of Ending C, the protagonists plus Lester get together and plot how they are going to deal with all of their enemies. Every major villain that has yet to be dealt with is included in the plan. Even Stretch, who had little involvement in the overall plot aside from trying to get Lamar and Franklin killed, is included. These characters have all been despicable since their first appearances, and the player will naturally want to bring them down every everything they have done over the course of the game. Even GTA 5's Trevor had a good side, but the game's main antagonists will inspire nothing but revulsion from the player, making their downfall ever sweeter.
GTA 5's Ending Is The Brightest In The Grand Theft Auto Series
This mission also features some of the best use of all three characters. The player is thrown into each of their tasks one after another as the trio kill off each other's enemies in order to avoid rousing suspicion. Once one is finished, the player can switch straight to the next character in line with no downtime. This makes the final mission feel like the story's biggest climax, as the protagonists finally turn the tables on their tormentors. The big finish comes when the protagonists push the car containing the final villain, Devin Weston, off a cliff, getting rid of their final threat and leaving them with no loose ends to take care of. After all of the exhilarating missions and heists in GTA 5 that the trio has survived, it feels good to watch them definitively win.
This triumphant, happy ending is the main thing that makes GTA 5's ending so successful. After San Andreas and especially GTA 4 end with the protagonists not completely fulfilled, GTA 5's grand finale is a welcome change of pace. Not only is it good to see the playable characters unquestionably come out on top, but it makes the player feel like their hard work has been properly rewarded. Although the GTA 5 protagonists are far from traditional heroes, this ending follows a traditional story patch. The bad guys lose, and unlike Grand Theft Auto 4's ending, everything ends happily ever after.
Grand Theft Auto 5 went above and beyond to make the ending the most satisfying part of the game. It tests the player's skills in each segment, features several dramatic moments, and finishes the story in a nice, clean fashion. If the next GTA game follows Grand Theft Auto 5's example when crafting its ending, then the series could see another incredible climax very soon.
