Bodyguards

Bodyguards are NPCs that can aid the player in certain Grand Theft Auto games. Throughout the series, they are portrayed as police officers, military, gang members and pedestrians which can sometimes be seen when the player passes missions to kill high-profile characters in the game.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
In GTA Vice City, bodyguards only become available to the player after receiving 100% Completion of the game. The bodyguards can be found in the living room/bar of the Vercetti Estate. The player can get a total of three bodyguards at one time. In-game, the bodyguards are depicted as members of the Vercetti gang.

Bodyguards are seen in the Malibu Club; some of them are armed with Brass Knuckles.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
In GTA San Andreas, the player can recruit Grove Street Families members or some pedestrians (with some cheats) to serve as bodyguards. The higher the player's respect, the more gang members or pedestrians he can recruit. The maximum bodyguard number is seven.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
In GTA Vice City Stories, the player can recruit Vance Crime Family members to serve as bodyguards. These spawn outside the player's empire buildings; those outside illegal businesses (robbery, smuggling, drugs) are more powerful than those outside legal ones (prostitution, protection racket, loan shark).

Grand Theft Auto IV & Episodes From Liberty City
In Grand Theft Auto IV, the player can get bodyguards by sparing Dwayne Forge during the mission The Holland Play. Dwayne will send two bodyguards to protect and help Niko during gunfights. Dwayne's bodyguards are only unlocked if the player's friendship with him is high (above 75%). After a while however, they will leave.

In The Lost and Damned, Johnny calls Terry and Clay to assist Jim and himself during the mission Liberty City Choppers. Later, after the mission This Shit's Cursed, Johnny can call Terry and Clay for assistance at any point after becoming President of The Lost.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Bodyguards return in GTA Chinatown Wars, referred to as "henchmen". It is only possible to be aided henchmen by activating rampages. Even then, the player cannot choose how many will help them and there is a maximum of two. The number of henchmen given to the player depends on the difficulty of the rampage (what weapon is used and points target). The henchmen can get in cars, although this is not recommended as it can lead to the car exploding very quickly. They will attack any gang members that come into view and even sometimes try and attack the player. As soon as the rampage ends either by passing it, failing or dying, the henchmen will leave the player, but still sometimes commit hostile acts against others, including innocent civilians.

Grand Theft Auto Online
Following the GTA Online: Executives and Other Criminals update on PS4, Xbox One and PC, it is possible to become a VIP and start a criminal organization. Players can hire other players as bodyguards to protect themselves. Bodyguards can gain stat boosts and receive 100RP for being in the general vicinity of the VIP, players also get paid by SecuroServ $5,000 once in a while for serving as a bodyguard. On the GTA Online map and mini-map, Bodyguards are shown as orange blips, whilst VIPs are shown as orange blips with a cross inside. CEOs are just VIPs with an Office, they will give Bodyguards 200RP along with the stat boosts, and they will now be called Associates.