For other characters with the same name, see Jimmy.
James "Jimmy" De Santa, formerly James Townley, is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series who appears as a main character and tritagonist to Michael De Santa in Grand Theft Auto V.
Biography
Background
Jimmy is the son of Michael and Amanda, and the younger brother of Tracey. He was put into the Witness Protection Program with his sister, father, and mother in 2004 after Michael faked his death during a failed heist in Ludendorff, North Yankton.
Events of GTA V
Broken relationship
Jimmy is first introduced at the end of the Franklin and Lamar mission where he purchases a yellow BeeJay XL SUV from Simeon Yetarian's dealership. Later in the same mission, "Complications," he is heard playing a first-person shooting game when Franklin breaks into Michael De Santa's home to repossess the BeeJay XL that Jimmy bought earlier.
In the mission Father/Son Jimmy calls his father to inform him that the family Marquis yacht has been stolen and he is trapped inside the boat. Jimmy tried to sell the boat for drug money but the "buyers" decided to steal the boat instead. Michael and Franklin race after the yacht which is being transported on a trailer down the freeway. They manage to rescue Jimmy, who was hanging on the boom, but they lose the yacht.
In the mission Daddy's Little Girl Jimmy is playing his games console which annoys his father so much that he marches upstairs, they get into an argument which ends with Michael smashing Jimmy's television with a chair. Michael attempts to bond with Jimmy by going on a cycle together. When they arrive at Vespucci Beach, Jimmy challenges his father to a bike race with the condition that if Michael loses he has to replace the TV he broke. After the bike race, regardless who wins, Jimmy tells his father that Tracey is partying on the Dignity yacht with her friends and some porn producers. Michael dives into the sea and swims towards the yacht.
Later on in the mission, "Fame or Shame," Michael finds a block of cannabis in the fridge which belongs to Jimmy, he later comes into the kitchen to get his weed and he has a dispute with his father which abruptly ends with the unexpected arrival of Trevor. Jimmy tells his father that Tracey is auditioning for the TV talent show Fame or Shame so Michael and Trevor rush off to get Tracey.
Leaving his father
In the mission, Did Somebody Say Yoga?, Jimmy is playing Righteous Slaughter 7 when Michael comes upstairs after his unsuccessful yoga session to bond with his son. Jimmy decides to go meet a drug dealing friend at Burger Shot, and Michael insists on coming along, despite Jimmy's discomfort. Regardless, Jimmy picks up a supply of cannabis as well as a "special drink". During the trip home, Jimmy tricks Michael into taking a sip of the drink, claiming that it is not really special at all. But as Michael soon starts feeling dizzy, Jimmy tells him that he had anticipated that Michael would come along, and had his friend spike the drink with PCP. Jimmy then proceeds to throw the strung-out Michael onto the street, and announces that he is moving out and plans to keep Michael's car before driving off, regardless if you took his SUV back, even taking some of his father's money.
Later after the mission, Did Somebody Say Yoga?, Jimmy texts Michael but neither apologizes for spiking him nor asks Michael how he is, but to say that he spent all the money he took from him. Jimmy asks his father if he can give him another thousand dollars for the next few weeks, there is no option to either respond or give Jimmy money through bank services and Michael simply ignores it.
Jimmy later sneaks back and returns Michael's car, explaining in a text that despite his "improvements" (a set of rims with large dollar signs on them, a "La Cucaracha" tune horn, a small spoiler, and a few low/mid level performance upgrades) it is still an uncool "old man car", and he can't allow himself to be seen in one, also implying in a side comment that the Hispanics in his new neighbourhood were starting to give him angry looks over his choice of car horn.
Reunited family
- Jimmy: "You do bad shit and things, and I don't know if I love you and I'm pretty sure I hate you a little bit, but I'm just so fucking upset that we can't even see each other. You're just a drunk lame dad."
- Michael: " You know what? That might just be the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me."
- ―Jimmy and Michael discuss about their strained relationship.
In the mission, Reuniting the Family, Michael passes out after drinking whisky. He is woken by Jimmy, who has returned alone and makes a clumsy attempt at reconciliation. Michael reacts apathetically, saying that he will likely be dead in a couple of weeks, though does inquire about Amanda. Jimmy informs his father that Amanda remains angry at Michael though is also bored, and is waiting for her husband to turn up and prove that he is still committed to his family. Jimmy then accompanies Michael to pick up Amanda and Tracey, who join Jimmy and Michael in an ill-fated therapy session with Dr. Friedlander. Despite the clear tensions which remain, the divided De Santas agree to reunite and are driven home by Michael.
Devin, Jimmy and Michael at the premiere.
Later, in the Meltdown mission, Jimmy accompanies his father to the premiere of his film production debut, Meltdown. However, when they arrive there, they notice that Amanda and Tracey are nowhere to be found, Devin Weston then shows up and hints that they both are in trouble. Michael and Jimmy return to the house to find that Merryweather have attacked the place and are holding Amanda and Tracey hostage. Michael kills most of the mercenaries, but one of them catches Michael off guard and holds him at gunpoint. Jimmy then appears, wearing a soldier uniform and night-vision glasses, knocks out the Merryweather mercenary, and tea-bags Michael by mistake. After this, Jimmy, Amanda, and Tracey leave the mansion once again for their own safety, while Weston wants to kill Michael.
Jimmy then appears in his own mission Parenting 101, where he is kidnapped by a comedian for trolling and harassing him online. Michael finds Jimmy and frees him from the kidnappers and then takes him back to The Richman Hotel.
Ending
- Michael: "It's good to be a family again. I'm so happy to have you all back."
- Jimmy: "All that fighting was kinda shitty."
- Michael: "It's going to be better now. I promise."
- —Michael and Jimmy hanging out after the end of the storyline.
Finally, after the final mission, depending of with ending the player chose, Jimmy will call some of the protagonists:
- Jimmy will call Michael saying that he just heard about Trevor's death, Michael will say that Trevor was a dangerous man and that his death was the best for them, Jimmy will be shocked to hear this and realises that his father was involved in Trevor's assassination.
- Jimmy will also call Franklin to ask about Trevor's death, Franklin will say that Trevor was a crazy man and that it is best if Jimmy just move on with his life.
Personality
Dan Houser has described Jimmy as a 20-year-old, whiny pot smoker, who is prominently very lazy and addicted to video games. During Michael's character trailer, Jimmy can be seen playing on a games console in his bedroom. When he plays video games he shouts insults at other players through the headset about their mothers, sexuality and how bad they are at the game.
Jimmy shows much cowardice throughout the game as when he tries to stand up to his father, Michael De Santa, he backs down as soon as Michael comes back at him with aggression. He blames his dad for all of his own failings and is quick to shift the blame for any of his own poorly thought actions onto his father's loose morals and shady past. He even drugs Michael, then steals his car and takes some of his money to get his own place. However, Jimmy saves his dad after a Merryweather goon knocks him down and prepares to shoot him by hitting the goon with a bong. Also, if Franklin chooses to kill Michael, Jimmy will mourn his father's death. Towards the end of the game, Jimmy starts to mature; he stops insulting other players and admits to his dad that calling people 'gay' isn't cool anymore because he has gay friends. Jimmy also starts to accept that his situation isn't completely Michael's fault, rather his own as well, and starts to exercise and look for a job. Among his other unrealistic plans for a career, the biggest one is to be a comedian, as he reveals to his father and Trevor.
Amanda is the only person Jimmy shows reapect to, probably because Amanda isnt as hard on him as Michael. Amanda also always stands up for Jimmy when fighting with Michael, who disapproves of him not going to college and not getting a job. Amanda and Jimmy arent much seen together oftenly, so they probably have much conversations when Michael is out.
Tracey and Jimmy totally hate each other, and before the Jewel Store job, they even went as far as screaming at each other. Jimmy even insults her for being bulimic, which she actually is, and Tracey calls Jimmy out for his neck rolls, among other things. However, after the mission Reuniting the Family, Tracey and Jimmy fight less often.
Appearance
Jimmy is a redheaded, overweight young man of medium height, shorter than other characters. He has a tattoo with the word "entitled" on his neck. He wears a red and black Fruntalot jersey, with "07" on the back and a white undershirt, a pair of grayish blue jeans with red, black and white sneakers and a silver necklace to match. Because of the way he acts and dresses, he appears to be mimicking the appearance and personality of a gangster rapper. He has many tattoos, one of which reads "Edifica adversario tuo aureum pons ad receptum trans.", which translates to "Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across."
Mission Appearances
- GTA V
- Franklin and Lamar
- Complications
- Father/Son
- Daddy's Little Girl
- Fame or Shame
- Did Somebody Say Yoga?
- Caida Libre (Post-mission message)
- Derailed (Post-mission message)
- Reuniting the Family
- Lamar Down (Post-mission message)
- Meltdown
- Parenting 101 (Boss; optional)
- Something Sensible (Option A; Post-mission phone call)
- The Time's Come (Option B; Post-mission phone call)
Gallery
Presumably Jimmy and Tracey's grandparents.
Trivia
- His favorite radio station is most likely West Coast Classics, as when he changes the radio station during Daddy's Little Girl, he changes it to this station. He has a Los Santos Rock Radio poster in his bedroom, but doesn't appear to like the station.
- Sometimes, Jimmy can be heard watching pornography in his locked bedroom. If Michael tries to enter, Jimmy will tell him to go away. The same sometimes also occurs to Tracey, where moaning and other suggestive sounds are heard inside her bedroom, though this could be her actually having sex, given her lifestyle.
- After the mission "Reuniting the Family" Jimmy can be seen in the living room of Michael's house creating a resumé for a job, at times he will say, "Should I put my K/D ratio on my resumé?" If the player looks closely or zooms into the laptop screen, Niko Bellic's Lifeinvader profile is visible. He also starts to do exercises. Also, whenever Jimmy is playing video games, he can be seen sitting upright on his bed rather than slouching back. He also no longer shouts profanities and keeps quiet.
- Jimmy used to play baseball, as seen on a photo in the De Santa residence.
- In Jimmy's room, on the table where the TV is, there are Madd Dogg and OG Loc CD covers, referencing the two rappers from GTA San Andreas, their rivalry and Jimmy's own personal interest in hip-hop.
- Jimmy, like his sister, has a huge fondness for Trevor. This is shown during the course of the game as he calls him "Uncle T" and is happy to see him during the Fame or Shame mission. Also, if you choose ending A, he will call both Michael and Franklin, talking sadly about him being dead and saying that Trevor was like his real uncle. While hanging out with Trevor, Jimmy tells him he wishes he was his real father. Also, in ending A he will blame his father for killing Trevor.
- Jimmy is voiced by Danny Tamberelli, who is well known cast member from the Nickelodeon comedy sketch show, All That. During friendship activities with his father, Jimmy also reveals that he wants to be a comedian.
- When switching to Michael, he may be seen playing a video game with Jimmy, though it seems that Michael is losing, as he angrily throws his controller at the TV, yelling "Millennial fuckwads!" on occasion. Michael will then leave the room, but if the player takes a closer look at Jimmy's "controller", one will notice that Jimmy has no controller in his hands, though he will still act as if he was playing the game. This has been fixed in the enhanced edition of the game.
- Jimmy sometimes refers to his father by his name, as he calls Michael by his name in Daddy's Little Girl and refers to him as Mike on Lifeinvader.
- Regardless who wins the bike race in the mission Daddy's Little Girl, it appears that Michael does pay for Jimmy's new TV, as stated in their first conversation in Did Somebody Say Yoga?.
- There is a pretty common glitch of him being cloned. (This is most common when he is cycling back home, or during the mission "Did Somebody Say Yoga?" if the player keeps driving back and forth, preventing Jimmy from entering the car, making another Jimmy spawn.)
- When Franklin hangs out with Jimmy, he says "so, we're a set now, is this what's going on?" and Franklin tries to convince Jimmy they are only two guys hanging out, but Jimmy requests going to Davis and shooting some Ballas before yelling "Families for life!" Then Franklin tells him he better knock him out to save him from himself, because shouting "Families for life!" will cause controversy, especially for him.
- Jimmy is unique in that he is the only character that all three protagonists can hang out with on friendship activities.
- There is a glitch where you may find Jimmy's headset and controller floating in mid-air as if Jimmy is playing the game, even though he isn't there.
- While all three protagonists can hang out with Jimmy for social activities, Franklin is the only protagonist who will take Jimmy drinking; Jimmy will suggest drinking while out with Trevor or Michael as they approach a bar but the idea will be rejected due to Jimmy being underage.
- Jimmy has a skeptical attitude on modern cinematography and can be heard making a lot of negative comments after being taken to watch a movie.
- Jimmy might sometimes say "when you, Trevor, or Franklin are driving, I'm screwed!" when coming home on his bike. This is an obvious reference to how players tend to run over NPCs and cause general mayhem while driving.
- He spends at least $20,000 modifying Michael's Tailgater.
References
- GameInformer December issue.
- Grand Theft Auto V - Second Trailer .