Climax

A Climax is the point in a text with the highest amount of tension. In Grand Theft Auto games, the climax is usually the final mission, or a group of missions towards the end of the game. A climax consists of the player battling a large force of a rival gang and/or mafia members, followed by the player killing the game's antagonist. In most cases, the weather of the climax depends on the player's timing, but in a few cases the weather is predetermined by the game. Some examples are End of the Line in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and The Sicilian Gambit in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

There are two possible endings in Grand Theft Auto IV, each with its own climax. in the "Deal" ending, antagonist Dimitri Rascalov is seen killing Jimmy Pegorino, who Niko planned to kill himself anyway, and is killed himself by the player later in the mission. In the "Revenge" ending, Dimitri is killed two missions prior to the ending, and Pegorino becomes the main antagonist after killing Kate McReary in the penultimate mission. Pegorino is killed by the player in the final mission.

There are three possible endings in Grand Theft Auto V, each with its own climax. When Franklin goes to his house after The Big Score, Devin Weston will pay him a visit and give him three choices. Option A is killing Trevor Philips, triggering the mission Something Sensible. Option B is killing Michael De Santa, triggering the mission The Time's Come. And finally, Option C is "Deathwish", meaning that all the law enforcement agencies will come after the protagonists to kill them. If this option is chosen, the mission The Third Way is triggered, featuring the three protagonists working together, killing all the antagonists and solving the problems with the law enforcement agencies in the state.

Climaxes usually span across several parts of the in-game world during some sort of chase, but finally end in a confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist.

Similar to a climax is a mission that involves a climactic battle of some sort, but earlier in the game, before the actual climax. In these missions, the player usually kills a secondary or tertiary antagonist. The protagonist may have had plans to kill the main antagonist but been unsuccessful. Some examples are Pier 69 in GTA San Andreas, where CJ kills tertiary antagonist Ryder and minor antagonist T-Bone Mendez, and the mission High Noon, where he chases and kills major quaternary antagonist Eddie Pulaski. Another example is Light My Pyre in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, where Victor Vance kills one of the two secondary antagonists, Armando Mendez, in his own home.

Grand Theft Auto III

 * Mission: The Exchange
 * For: Catalina
 * Starting Location: Cartel Mansion
 * Ending Location: Cochrane Dam
 * Antagonist (s): Catalina, Colombian Cartel

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

 * Mission: Keep Your Friends Close...
 * For: Tommy Vercetti
 * Starting/Ending Location: Vercetti Estate
 * Antagonist (s): Lance Vance, Sonny Forelli, Forelli Family

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
''*Note - The Whole Climax doesn't take place in Grove Street, it spans across almost all of Eastern Los Santos going through Idlewood, Jefferson, Glen Park, El Corona, East Los Santos, Los Flores and Ganton, but it ultimately ends with Tenpenny's death at Grove Street, where the climax (and main story) started. Also note that this is the only final mission that ends with protagonist not directly killing the main game antagonist.''
 * Mission: End of the Line
 * For: Sweet
 * Starting/Ending Location: Grove Street
 * Antagonist (s): Big Smoke, Frank Tenpenny, Ballas, Vagos, San Fierro Rifa, Russian Mafia

Grand Theft Auto Advance

 * Mission: Freedom Flies
 * For: Mike
 * Starting Location: King Courtney's Warehouse
 * Ending Location: Francis International Airport, Shoreside Vale
 * Antagonist (s): LCPD, Military

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

 * Mission: The Sicilian Gambit
 * For: Salvatore Leone
 * Starting Location: Salvatore's House
 * Ending Location: Portland Rock
 * Antagonist (s): Massimo Torini, Sicilian Mafia

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

 * Mission: Last Stand
 * For: Ricardo Diaz
 * Starting Location: Diaz's Mansion
 * Ending Location: The Mendez Building
 * Antagonist (s): Diego Mendez, Jerry Martinez, Mendez Cartel

Grand Theft Auto IV
Deal
 * Mission: A Revenger's Tragedy
 * For: Little Jacob
 * Starting Location: Alderney
 * Ending Location: Happiness Island
 * Antagonist (s): Dimitri Rascalov, Rascalov Mafiya, Pegorino Family

Revenge
 * Mission: Out of Commission
 * For: Little Jacob
 * Starting Location: Alderney
 * Ending Location: Happiness Island
 * Antagonist (s): Jimmy Pegorino, Pegorino Family

The Lost and Damned
*Note - Similar to End of the Line in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the climax spans across Alderney but ends back at the Clubhouse, which is also the starting point.
 * Mission: Get Lost
 * For: Thomas Stubbs
 * Starting/Ending Location: The Lost MC clubhouse
 * Antagonist (s): Billy Grey, ASDC, NOOSE

The Ballad of Gay Tony
''*Note - The mission takes place on an abandoned carnival in Firefly Island to the airport. Then, to Ray's private jet and skydive to Meadows Park.''
 * Mission: Departure Time
 * For: Anthony "Gay Tony" Prince
 * Starting Location: Tony's Pad
 * Ending Location: Meadows Park
 * Antagonist (s): Ray Bulgarin, Timur, Bulgarin Crime Syndicate

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
*Note: That the main part of this mission takes place at the Charge Island desalination plant.
 * Mission: Salt in the Wound
 * For: Wade Heston
 * Starting Location: Steinway Park
 * Ending Location: Hsin Jaoming's Penthouse on the border of Chinatown and Lower Easton.
 * Antagonist (s): Wu Lee, Lee Family, LCPD

Grand Theft Auto V
''*Note: Similar to End of the Line and Get Lost, the mission spans across Los Santos, but ends back at the oil field, which is also the starting point.
 * Option A
 * Mission: Something Sensible
 * For: Steve Haines
 * Starting/Ending location: Murrieta Oil Field, Los Santos
 * Antagonist (s): Trevor Philips
 * Protagonist: Franklin Clinton

*Note: This ending is confirmed non-canon.

Option B *Note: This ending is confirmed non-canon.
 * Mission: The Time's Come
 * For: Devin Weston
 * Starting location: Grand Senora Desert
 * Ending location: Palmer-Taylor Power Station
 * Antagonist (s): Michael De Santa
 * Protagonist: Franklin Clinton

Option C
 * Mission: The Third Way
 * For: Lester Crest
 * Starting location: Lester's House
 * Ending location: Chiliad Mountain State Wilderness
 * Antagonist (s): Steve Haines, Stretch, Wei Cheng, Devin Weston, FIB, Merryweather Security, Ballas, Triads, LSPD
 * Protagonists: Franklin Clinton, Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips

Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Mission: Trash Talk
 * For: Martin Madrazo
 * Starting location: Vinewood Hills.
 * Ending location: El Burro Heights
 * Antagonist (s): The Professionals.

The Doomsday Heist

 * Mission: The Doomsday Scenario
 * For: Lester Crest, IAA
 * Starting location: Mount Chiliad Launch Facility
 * Ending location: Galileo Observatory
 * Antagonist (s): Avon Hertz, Cliffford, Cliffford Mercenaries

The Diamond Casino & Resort

 * Mission: Casino - Cashing Out
 * For: Agatha Baker
 * Starting location: La Fuente Blanca
 * Ending location: The Diamond Casino & Resort
 * Antagonist (s): Avery Duggan, Duggan Family, The Professionals

The Diamond Casino Heist

 * Mission: Casino Heist
 * For: Lester Crest
 * Starting location: Arcade Building, The Diamond Casino & Resort
 * Ending location:  Buyer's location (Random)
 * Antagonist (s): Duggan Family, NOOSE, LSPD

Los Santos Summer Special

 * Mission: A Superyacht Life - D-Day
 * For: Brendan Darcy
 * Starting location: Galaxy Super Yacht
 * Ending location:  Kkangpae Boss' Private Yacht, Pacific Ocean
 * Antagonist (s): The Boss of the Kkangpae

The Cayo Perico Heist
*Note: The antagonist (Juan Strickler) cannot be killed by the player.
 * Mission: The Cayo Perico Heist
 * For: Pavel and/or Miguel Madrazo (First playthrough only)
 * Starting location: Cayo Perico
 * Ending location:  Caribbean Sea, Miguel Madrazo's Mansion
 * Antagonist (s): Juan Strickler and his guards

The Contract
*Note: The antagonist (Johnny Guns) cannot be killed by the player.
 * Mission: Don't Fuck With Dre
 * For: Franklin Clinton
 * Starting location: Agency
 * Ending location:  Pacific Bluffs Country Club
 * Antagonist (s): Johnny Guns and his hired gunmen


 * Mission: Short Trip - OG Kush
 * For: Lamar Davis
 * Starting location: Record A Studios
 * Ending location:  Tequi-la-la
 * Antagonist (s): Los Santos Vagos