Carl Johnson



Carl 'CJ' Johnson is the playable main character (protagonist) in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Background
Carl Johnson is one of the leading members of the Grove Street Families (GSF), along with his brother, Sean "Sweet" Johnson. Sweet suggested that CJ was born in the Johnson House, a two floor home at a Grove Street cul-de-sac in Ganton, Los Santos. After the death of his younger brother, Brian, Carl escaped the pressures of gang life and moved to Liberty City in 1987, where he had the opportunity of working with Don Salvatore Leone's son, Joey Leone in the car theft business, and is once seen mugging a passer-by on the streets. GTA San Andreas begins with CJ's return to Los Santos upon the death of his mother.

GTA San Andreas
In 1992, CJ receives a phone call from Sweet on the death of his mother and returns to Los Santos, only to be confronted by members of C.R.A.S.H. (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums), consisting of officers Frank Tenpenny, Eddie Pulaski and Jimmy Hernandez. Throughout the storyline, CJ is forced to work for C.R.A.S.H., after learning that he has been framed by the organization for the murder of an Internal Affairs police officer called Pendelbury, whom C.R.A.S.H. members had also silenced to prevent him exposing the team's activities.

Early in the game, CJ aided Sweet and the rest of the senior members in reviving the GSF, by ridding parts of the neighborhood of crack dealers, acquiring firearms and regaining gang territory. This would end for a period of time, after CJ learned two of his senior members and friends, Ryder and Big Smoke, had betrayed the gang, while Sweet was ambushed by rival Ballas gang members and arrested by the police. CJ was arrested in the process, and released by C.R.A.S.H. into a rural area to perform another job for the team. CJ's and Sweet's arrests also paved the way for the downfall of the GSF - as well as Cesar's Varrios Los Aztecas - and total domination of Los Santos by the Ballas and Los Santos Vagos, respectively.

After a brief stay in the Badlands, CJ and his remaining associates headed north for San Fierro, establishing a vehicle chop shop and dealership while strengthening links with the local Triads and killing Ryder. Gaining access to Las Venturas, CJ rescues rapper Madd Dogg from a suicide attempt (when he felt apparent responsibility for what he did to him), kills Eddie Pulaski, and meets up and works for undercover government agent Mike Toreno, who would eventually arrange for the release of Sweet from prison. After that, he had planned a new life to start from.

However, with Sweet returning to the neighborhood, CJ once again, though reluctantly, aids Sweet in rebuilding the GSF's dominance in the city, and witnesses a citywide riot sparked after Frank Tenpenny was acquitted of corruption charges in court. To wrap up all loose ends in his life, CJ would finally confront and kill Big Smoke, before pursuing Tenpenny, who would die in a car crash in front of the Johnson House. In front of the dead and broken man, CJ prepared to shoot Tenpenny's corpse with his Desert Eagle, but Sweet stops him. CJ wished to be sure that Tenpenny was dead, but Sweet decided it was safer not to leave evidence. He then leaves Tenpenny with these words: "See you around... officer."

After the riot breaks up, Madd Dogg visits the Johnson house with an announcement that he's received a golden record for his new album. Everyone inside then decides to keep a low profile with everything that they've accomplished. CJ himself then gets up and leaves the house. Kendl then asks where he's going. He says in turn: "Fittin' to hit the block, see what's happening." The game's main storyline then ends.

Voice
CJ was voiced by Chris Bellard, aka Young Maylay, even though he bears a striking resemblance to Dr. Dre. Rumors circulated the internet for a while that Dave Chappelle was supposed to voice CJ, but these were most likely just wishful thinking on the part of Chappelle's fans. Rap star 50 Cent says that he was asked by Rockstar Games to voice CJ, but turned the role down, stating that he would only voice himself in a video game (which eventually happened in 50 Cent: Bulletproof).

Family Tree
Carl Johnson of Los Santos is the son of Beverly Johnson (deceased). He himself is the second-oldest Johnson sibling. The oldest is his brother, Sean (aka Sweet). The youngest is his other brother, Brian (deceased), and the second-youngest is Kendl. Nothing is known about their father. CJ does not have any living direct relatives other than Sean and Kendl - a testament to the rough life in Los Santos.

Personality
CJ is markedly different from the previous playable characters in the Grand Theft Auto series. While Claude and Tommy Vercetti are both depicted as completely heartless and feeling no regret for all of the people that they kill, CJ is depicted as having a considerably less violent personality, occasionally giving his victims a chance to redeem themselves. An example is his failed attempt at convincing Eddie Pulaski to see that he was no more than Tenpenny's pawn. Furthermore, CJ displays genuine remorse for having to kill fellow Grove Street bangers Ryder and Big Smoke, who he considered close friends. However, CJ still has no problem with killing members of other gangs, and willfully slaughters any that get in his way of reclaiming Grove Street Families turf.

Trivia

 * An Easter Egg in Grand Theft Auto IV suggests that Carl died after 1992. However, this is considered canon for the GTA III Era.