Claude


 * This article is about the protagonist of GTA III. For the GTA 2 protagonist, see Claude Speed. For other characters, see Claude Maginot or Claude Wome.

Claude is the playable protagonist of Grand Theft Auto III. Claude also appears in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

GTA III
Claude's role as the protagonist of GTA III begins with him being en-route to prison in Liberty City after a bank heist; when the prison convoy is ambushed by the Colombian Cartel. He escapes with the help of 8-Ball, and works his way into the favour of the Leone Family.

He eventually helps destroy a large tanker of SPANK, a fictional drug that Catalina and her new accomplice Miguel are pushing around the city with the help of the Colombian Cartel. His help to the Leones at the beginning is rewarded with a death trap, from which he is saved by Don Salvatore Leone's lover, Maria. She introduces him to Asuka Kasen, who is with the local Yakuza.

To prove that Claude has completely severed ties with the Leones in favor of the Yakuza, Asuka allows him to kill Salvatore. Following the assassination, Claude works his way up the Yakuza ladder, gaining the favor of the Yakuza waka-gashira Kenji Kasen. He also meets a crooked cop named Ray, and media millionaire Donald Love. He is eventually asked to kill Kenji by Donald, and to frame the Colombian Cartel for the job, by driving a Cartel gang car.

With Kenji dead, Asuka takes over the Yakuza, and becomes obsessed with revenge against the Cartel. She sends Claude on a number of missions to slow down the spread of SPANK in Liberty City. Eventually, Asuka is killed, and Maria is kidnapped, with a note from Catalina left behind. Claude confronts her, kills her after a lengthy battle, and saves Maria.

GTA San Andreas
Claude also makes an appearance in GTA San Andreas, which is set in 1992 (before the events of GTA III), as a non-playable character. He races against protagonist Carl Johnson, whilst "fully pleasuring" Catalina, and loses. After the race, Catalina informs Carl Johnson that the two of them need to keep their car to go to Liberty City, and instead of a pink slip, give him the deed to a run-down car garage in San Fierro.

After leaving for Liberty City, Catalina phones Carl Johnson at certain plot points, much to his surprise. One phone call seemingly indicates Catalina was intending to speak to Claude, mentioning Claude's first name and how well endowed he is; another has Catalina in mid-orgasm, screaming the same first name, but all of Catalina's calls were made to try to make CJ jealous.

After leaving San Andreas, Claude and Catalina took part in a long string of crimes in several states without being caught for apparently 9 years. This ends in October 2001, when Catalina betrays Claude by shooting him shortly after a bank heist in Liberty City and leaves him for dead. This is the start of GTA III, when Claude is en-route to prison.

Silence
In contrast to the verbose protagonists of the later GTA games, Claude never speaks in GTA III, although he can be heard grunting in pain when hurt. During the course of the game, Maria makes a telephone call to Lazlow's show on Chatterbox FM, saying that she's met a new man but "he don't talk too much." Claude continued to be a silent character throughout GTA San Andreas; Carl Johnson himself also references (and curses) Claude's silence in his rage after seeing the run-down garage he won from Claude in a drag race.

Trivia

 * It is rumored that he is Claude Speed from Grand Theft Auto 2, as there are many similarities, but this has not been confirmed.
 * Claude's name is on several walls in Liberty City.
 * Claude is nameless in GTA III, his name was only revealed in GTA San Andreas when Catalina calls Carl Johnson screaming his name mid orgasm.
 * Before Claude was chosen to be protagonist Rockstar Games had chosen Novy but changed it for unknown reasons.
 * It is possible to unlock an outfit for Niko Bellic, protagonist of Grand Theft Auto IV, distinctly based on the clothes Claude wore in GTA III.
 * It was originaly possible to name Claude, just like in previous GTA games, but this was later taken out.
 * An Easter Egg in Grand Theft Auto IV suggests that Claude is dead as of 2008. However, this is not considered canon for the GTA III Era.
 * Maria comments that Claude, "Don't talk too much" meaning that he's talked around her, just never where we've seen or heard it.

GTA San Andreas Mission Appearances

 * Wu Zi Mu
 * Farewell, My Love...

Murders commited by Claude

 * Mike Forelli - Killed with a car bomb at Marco's Bistro on orders from Joey Leone because he refused to pay his debt to Joey.
 * Lee Chong - Killed on orders from Joey Leone for selling SPANK through his noodle stands.
 * Curly Bob - Killed on orders from Salvatore Leone for selling Leone Family secrets to the Colombian Cartel.
 * Salvatore Leone - Killed on orders from Asuka Kasen to prove his loyalty to the Yakuza.
 * Tanner - Killed on orders from Asuka Kasen for being an undercover policeman.
 * Leon McAffrey - Killed on orders from Ray Machowski for agreeing to turn states evidence against Machowski.
 * Kenji Kasen - Killed on orders from Donald Love to start a war between the Colombian Cartel and the Yakuza.
 * Catalina - Killed for betraying him during a bank heist.

Possible Murders

 * Carl - Can be killed during the mission Her Lover for killing Marty Chonks.
 * Chico - Can be killed during the mission Chaperone for dealing SPANK.
 * Donald Love - Was supposed to be killed on Darkel's orders, but this mission was removed.
 * Maria Latore - Possibly killed during the credits, though she can still be heard calling Chatterbox FM.