Claude (Grand Theft Auto)

GTA III Rockstar North Art.

Claude Speed is a character in the Grand Theft Auto video game series. He appears in Grand Theft Auto 2 (GTA2) as the player-controlled protagonist (with his full name surfacing in the game's live-action movie ^[1]), and there is speculation that he also plays the same role in Grand Theft Auto III (GTA III), suggested through dialogue when he shows up in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (GTA:SA), as well as evidence hidden in the Grand Theft Auto III's data files that the player was once allowed to enter their own character name, and the "DEFNAM" (default name) value for him was "Claude" [2].

Claude's last name is never disclosed in GTA III and GTA:SA; this means it still remains unclear whether the GTA III and GTA:SA renditions of Claude is in fact the same individual as the GTA2 rendition of Claude. To date, DMA Design (now Rockstar North) has yet to clarify the connection between the two characters.

In-game naming

Apart San Andreas, Claude is never named in the GTA III storyline, only referred to as "Fido" by Maria and "Kid" by other characters. In GTA2 Russian Mobster call him "Pal", Claude Speed's in-game name is simply given as a myriad of nicknames from nine bosses of seven gangs ^[3]:

"Gecko" by all three heads (Trey Welsh, Red Veldez and Uno Carb) of Zaibatsu Pharmaceuticals
"Jumbo" by Elmo, head of the Loonies
"Kosai" by Johnny Zoo, head of the Yakuza
"Rooster" by Billy Bob Bean, head of the Rednecks
"THC-303" by Dr LaBrat, head of the Scientists
"Comrade" by Jerkov, head of the Russian Mafia
"Grasshopper" by Sunbeam, head of the Hare Krishna

GTA2 movie rendition

File:GTA2 ClaudeSpeedLiveAction.jpg

The live-action rendition of Claude Speed, played by Scott Maslen, from the opening cinematic of Grand Theft Auto 2

Little history is known about the character from GTA2; however, DMA Design had previously released a promotional movie for the game, which was also compiled into the opening cinematic of the game, depicting a live-action rendition of Claude Speed committing several criminal acts, similar in all Grand Theft Auto games. In the movie, Claude is seen performing jobs for several crime bosses, before being shot dead by an assassin sent by a the Zaibatsu Corporation, whose van and merchandise were previously stolen by Claude.

Interestingly, the movie's version of Claude shares a few physical appearances with the Claude in PS2/Xbox-era Grand Theft Auto games, including his black jacket (made of cloth in GTA2 and leather in GTA III, GTA:SA), t-shirt (white color in 2 and black in III, SA), long pants (black color in 2 and dark khaki in III, SA) and slicked hair. The movie version, however, was also depicted speaking and displaying an array of emotions, a characteristic not seen in both the GTA III and GTA:SA versions.

GTA III-era rendition

San Andreas

File:GTASA Claude.jpg

Claude, as seen during his brief appearance in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Claude's first chronological appearance in the Grand Theft Auto III-era Grand Theft Auto storyline was as a thug in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, where he races against, and loses to, Carl "CJ" Johnson, all the while "pleasuring" Catalina, in 1992. 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. After completing the final mission "End of the Line", Carl receives a phone call when Catalina, in mid-orgasm, screams Claude's first name.

Liberty City

File:GTAIII Claude.jpg

Claude, as seen during his meeting with Kenji Kasen in Grand Theft Auto III

After leaving San Andreas, Claude and Catalina took part in a long string of crimes in several states. This ends in late-2001, when Catalina betrays Claude by shooting him shortly after a bank heist in Liberty City and leaves him for dead. After his arrest by the police, Claude is en route to prison when his prison transport is ambushed by Colombian Cartel commandos (who kidnap an oriental prisoner). He escapes with the help of 8-Ball, and works his way into the favor of the local Mafia.

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 Mafia is rewarded with a death trap, from which he is saved by the Don's mistress, Maria. She introduces him to Asuka, who is with the local Yakuza, and is caught in a gang war with the Mafia. He works his way up the Yakuza ladder, gaining the favor of crime lord Kenji, and meeting a crooked cop named Ray, and Media Millionaire Donald Love. He is eventually asked to kill Kenji by Donald Love, and to frame the Colombian Cartel for the job. The reason behind this is explained to be a method of dropping property values of a rival company, a tactic Love learned from Avery Carrington in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. 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, if only to (suggestively) kill her after having to deal with her whining.

Claude's silence

Claude is often noted for being a silent protagonist in GTA III, never seen or heard uttering a single word throughout his appearances. This often made him the butt of jokes in the GTA fan community for not saying anything, similar to the heroes of older videogames. Rockstar, in true fan service form, continued the silence in GTA:SA. Carl Johnson himself also mentioned, and cursed, Claude's muteness after seeing the run-down garage he won from Claude.

Notes

^ In GTA2's live action movie (Part 2 (20.6 MB), QuickTime movie version^‡), Claude Speed's name appeared once on a computer screen as Zaibatsu Pharmaceuticals examined his rap sheet, attempting to identify him and order an assassination on him.
^ Claude Speed was given nicknames by multiple bosses as he received phone calls from them to perform missions. Upon receiving a phone call, the bosses tend to refer Claude's nickname first, before introducing themselves and, lastly, provide an overview and instructions on the mission.

^‡ Requires QuickTime Player [4]