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[ 0 => '{{Short description|Protagonist of the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas}}', 1 => '{{DISPLAYTITLE:Carl Johnson (''Grand Theft Auto'')}}', 2 => '{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}', 3 => '{{rewrite|date=January 2024}} ', 4 => '{{Infobox character', 5 => '| name = Carl Johnson', 6 => '| image = CarlJohnsonGTA.png', 7 => '| caption = Carl Johnson's official artwork', 8 => '| series = [[Grand Theft Auto]]', 9 => '| first = ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'' (2004)', 10 => '| last = ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas#The Introduction short film|The Introduction]]'' (2004)', 11 => '| creator = [[Rockstar North]]', 12 => '| voice = [[Young Maylay]]', 13 => '| motion_actor = Young Maylay', 14 => '| nickname = CJ', 15 => '| occupation = {{hlist|[[Gangster]]|underboss|[[businessman]]}}', 16 => '| affiliation = Grove Street Families', 17 => '| family = {{ubl|"Sweet" Johnson (brother)|Kendl Johnson (sister)|Brian Johnson (brother)|Beverly Johnson (mother)}}', 18 => '| nationality = [[Americans|American]]', 19 => '| origin = Los Santos, San Andreas', 20 => '}}', 21 => '', 22 => ''''Carl''' "'''CJ'''" '''Johnson''' is a fictional character and the [[Player character|playable]] protagonist of the 2004 video game ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'', the fifth main installment in [[Rockstar Games]]' [[Grand Theft Auto|''Grand Theft Auto'' series]]. He is voiced by [[Young Maylay]], who also served as the likeness for the character.', 23 => '', 24 => 'In the game's storyline, Carl is depicted as the [[underboss]] of the Grove Street Families, a fictional street gang based in his home city of Los Santos, San Andreas (a fictional parody of [[Los Angeles]], [[California]]). The gang is led by his older brother, "Sweet" Johnson, with whom Carl became estranged after the death of their younger brother, Brian, in a gang-related attack prior to the events of the game. Feeling his life in Los Santos is unpromising, Carl eventually decides to move to [[Liberty City (Grand Theft Auto)|Liberty City]] in 1987, only to return home five years later after his mother, Beverly, is similarly killed. While seeking to make amends with friends and family for abandoning them, Carl returns to his previous gangster lifestyle as he embarks on an eventful journey across the entire state of San Andreas, which sees him making new allies and clashing with several powerful criminal organisations and corrupt authorities. Although initially portrayed as somewhat naïve, clumsy, and selfish, Carl develops over the course of ''San Andreas''<nowiki/>' storyline, both on a professional level, becoming a successful criminal and businessman, and on an emotional level, as he learns to appreciate his roots and those around him.', 25 => '', 26 => 'Carl received critical acclaim, with praise going to his complexity, lack of stereotype and his sense of conscience, and is regarded as one of the greatest video game characters of all time.', 27 => '', 28 => '==Concept and design==', 29 => '===Portrayal===', 30 => 'Carl's physical appearance is modeled after Los Angeles-based rapper and actor [[Young Maylay]], who also provided the character's voice and motion-capture work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riotsound.com/hip-hop/rap/interviews/Young-Maylay/index.php|title=Young Maylay RiotSound interview|access-date=October 10, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917164736/http://www.riotsound.com/hip-hop/rap/interviews/Young-Maylay/index.php|archive-date=September 17, 2008}}</ref> When asked about the character model for Carl, Young Maylay stated that the development team took "very professional" photographs of him to model Carl.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 6, 2005|title=Young MayLay Speaks (07/06/05)|url=http://planetgrandtheftauto.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=18|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416192103/http://planetgrandtheftauto.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=18|archive-date=April 16, 2014|access-date=April 16, 2014|work=Planet Grand Theft Auto|publisher=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref>', 31 => '', 32 => 'Maylay stated that he was influenced by his own life when portraying Carl. "I put Maylay on CJ. I make him as much me as I can, without too much changing of the script."<ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 2004 |title=Grand Theft Auto San Andreas |magazine=[[PlayStation: The Official Magazine]] |location=United States |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=86 |url=https://archive.org/details/official-u.-s.-playstation-magazine-issue-86-november-2004/page/n39/mode/2up }}</ref>', 33 => '', 34 => '===Customisation===', 35 => 'Unlike the principal characters of previous ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' games, Carl's appearance is highly customisable,<ref name="IGN2">{{cite web|date=April 28, 2008|title=Grand Theft Auto: Favorite Badasses|url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2008/04/28/grand-theft-auto-favorite-badasses?page=5|access-date=April 16, 2013|website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> as the player can purchase a wide variety of different haircuts, [[tattoo]]s, and clothing for him. Certain clothes, tattoos, and hairstyles improve or worsen Carl's standing with his fellow gang members as well as his [[sex appeal]] to his selective girlfriends, and the opinions of wandering pedestrians.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}', 36 => '', 37 => 'The game implements a tracking system for various skills and abilities, each of which gradually improves as it is used or practiced and slowly diminishes if it is neglected. As Carl rides bikes, drives cars and motorcycles, and flies aircraft, his skill improves in each. The same is true for the weapons that he uses. The player can choose to exercise as well, which improves skills such as [[Endurance|stamina]], (which allows Carl to sprint for longer durations) and muscle (which visibly increases Carl's muscle tone, size and affects his hand-to-hand combat damage, physical [[endurance]] and respect status). {{citation needed|date=October 2023}} If he becomes too muscular, he will have less mobility. Visiting fast food restaurants and regularly consuming their meals will increase Carl's size over time, and if Carl eats too much without cardio exercise, he will become overweight which results in a heavy loss of mobility. Carl can lose this weight by regularly running, or by using certain exercise machines.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/best-things-gta-san-andreas-does-rockstar-franchise/|publisher=Game Rant|title=Grand Theft Auto: 8 Things San Andreas Does Better Than Any Game In Rockstar's Franchise|date=June 28, 2022 |access-date=2022-07-15}}</ref> Using the gym is completely optional, and Carl's body statistics will increase or decrease naturally over time, depending on their activities in the game's world; such as climbing, jogging, swimming and jumping. {{citation needed|date=October 2023}}', 38 => '', 39 => '==Fictional character biography==', 40 => '===Background===', 41 => 'Carl was born to Beverly Johnson and an unnamed father, in his family home, located on Grove Street in the Ganton district of Los Santos. Growing up, he got along well with his mother and siblings Sean (nicknamed "Sweet"), Kendl, and Brian, though not with his father, whom he barely remembers; as he states at one point, "[He] never really had a father."<ref name=":0" /> At a young age, Carl, Sweet, and Brian befriended Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris and Lance "Ryder" Wilson, who lived on the same street, and all five got involved in small-time criminal activities. After Sweet joined the Grove Street Families, one of the oldest and most powerful [[street gang]]s in Los Santos, he eventually became its leader and inducted Carl, Brian, Big Smoke, and Ryder into the gang.', 42 => '', 43 => 'By 1987, with the [[Illegal drug trade|drug trade]] business expanding, most gangs in Los Santos began selling drugs in an effort to increase their power. However, Sweet's principles against drug-use prevented him from doing the same, causing the Families to slowly lose most of their influence and territories to their rivals. Around the same time, Brian was killed under unknown circumstances, most likely an attack by a rival gang, which Carl is implied to have witnessed, but did nothing to try and save his brother. This soured his relationships with his friends and family, especially with Sweet, who blamed him for the tragedy. After deciding that his life in Los Santos was unpromising, Carl cut his ties with everyone and moved to [[Liberty City (Grand Theft Auto)|Liberty City]], where he resided for five years and found work in [[Carjacking|stealing cars]] for [[Joey Leone]].<ref name=":0">{{cite video game|title=[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]|developer=[[Rockstar North]]|publisher=[[Rockstar Games]]|date=October 26, 2004|platform=[[PlayStation 2]], [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Xbox]], [[Xbox 360]], [[OS X]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Windows Phone]] and [[Fire OS]]|level="The Introduction"}}</ref>', 44 => '', 45 => '===Return to Los Santos===', 46 => 'The game's main storyline begins with Carl flying back to Los Santos following the death of his mother in a [[drive-by shooting]] in 1992.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McLaughlin|first1=Rus|last2=Thomas|first2=Lucas M.|date=May 6, 2013|title=IGN Presents The History of Grand Theft Auto|url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/05/06/ign-presents-the-history-of-grand-theft-auto-2?page=4|access-date=June 8, 2013|website=IGN}}</ref> Upon his arrival, Carl is confronted by LSPD Officers Frank Tenpenny, Edward "Eddie" Pulaski, and Jimmy Hernandez, three highly corrupt members of the city's community policing unit, [[Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums|C.R.A.S.H.]] Tenpenny and his associates warn Carl early on that they intend to frame him for the murder of police officer Ralph Pendlebury, whom C.R.A.S.H. had killed to prevent him from exposing their illegal activities. They also force Carl to do work for them in exchange for his and his family's safety.', 47 => '', 48 => 'After reuniting with Sweet, Kendl, Big Smoke, and Ryder, Carl learns that the Families have lost almost all of their territories to their main rivals, the Ballas, during his absence, and agrees to stay in Los Santos and help solve the gang's problems. While doing so, he befriends Kendl's boyfriend and Varrios Los Aztecas leader Cesar Vialpando, despite Sweet's initial objections, and helps his friend Jeffrey "OG Loc" Cross jumpstart his career as a [[Rapping|rapper]] despite his lack of talent.', 49 => '', 50 => 'The Families' resurgence is short-lived, as Carl discovers that Big Smoke and Ryder have betrayed the gang by forming alliances with C.R.A.S.H. and the Ballas, and planned the attack that killed his mother, which was actually meant for Sweet, in an effort to eliminate the Families. While Carl uncovers this, Sweet is ambushed by a group of Ballas and wounded. Carl arrives to rescue him, but both brothers end up arrested by the police. While Sweet goes to prison awaiting trial, Carl is kidnapped by C.R.A.S.H., who take him to the countryside near Los Santos so that he can continue working for them. Tenpenny threatens to have Sweet killed if Carl attempts to return to Los Santos or intervene in C.R.A.S.H.'s dealings with Big Smoke, Ryder, and the Ballas, who have effectively taken over the city and flooded it with drugs.', 51 => '', 52 => '===Exile, new alliances and business ventures===', 53 => 'During his time in the countryside, Carl befriends a [[hippie]] [[Cannabis (drug)|weed]] grower known as "The Truth", and performs several robberies alongside Cesar's aggressively psychotic cousin Catalina, with whom he enters a short-lived relationship. He also engages in a few illegal street races hosted by blind [[Triad (organized crime)|Triad]] leader Wu Zi Mu/"Woozie", in which he wins a defunct garage from Catalina's [[Claude (Grand Theft Auto)|new boyfriend]]. Carl and his associates later travel to San Fierro, where they transform the garage into a vehicle [[chop shop]] with the help of several new allies, and purchase a car dealership and an RC shop. Carl later works for the local Triads, strengthening his ties with Woozie in the process, and infiltrates and destroys San Andreas' largest [[drug cartel]], the Loco Syndicate, who supplied the Ballas with [[crack cocaine]]. In the process, he also exacts revenge on Ryder for his betrayal, killing him during a meeting with the syndicate's leaders.', 54 => '', 55 => 'After eliminating the Loco Syndicate, Carl is contacted by its former leader, Mike Toreno, who reveals himself to be an undercover government agent, and enlists his help with several operations in exchange for Sweet's early release from prison. While working for Toreno, Carl purchases an abandoned airstrip in the desert, acquires a pilot's license, and steals a $60 million [[Jet pack|jetpack]] from a [[US military|military]] base. He later travels to Las Venturas to help Woozie open a casino by robbing the rival [[American Mafia|Mafia]]-run casino, Caligula's Palace, after earning the mob's trust by working for [[Crime boss|Don]] Salvatore Leone, the father of Carl's former employer, Joey. In the process, he befriends former Caligula's manager Ken Rosenberg, and helps him and his associates escape from Salvatore's clutches. During his stay in Las Venturas, Carl also rescues famous former rapper Madd Dogg, whose career he inadvertently ruined while helping OG Loc, from a suicide attempt, and continues to work for C.R.A.S.H., until they betray and try to kill him. Carl is saved by Officer Hernandez, who secretly betrayed his partners by reporting them to the [[Internal affairs (law enforcement)|internal affairs]], and kills Pulaski after the latter murders Hernandez. Carl is later called by Sweet, who has been sentenced to life in prison, effectively removing Tenpenny's bargaining chip.', 56 => '', 57 => 'As Carl and his associates make plans to return to Los Santos, Madd Dogg asks Carl to become his manager and help him rebuild his career. Carl regains ownership of Madd Dogg's mansion in Los Santos, which the latter had sold to the Vagos gang for drugs, and restarts his career with the help of Rosenberg and his friends.', 58 => '', 59 => '===Tying up loose ends===', 60 => 'Shortly after his return to Los Santos, Carl is contacted by Toreno for one final job. Upon completion, the latter honors their agreement and has Sweet released from prison. Although delighted to have his brother back, Sweet is not impressed with Carl's business ventures and chastises him for forgetting about their gang, before talking him into helping to rebuild the Families' strength once again.', 61 => '', 62 => 'During this time, Tenpenny is tried for several charges, but is acquitted in his trial, causing all gang-occupied districts of Los Santos to riot. In the midst of the chaos, Carl reclaims the Families' lost turf from their rivals, and tracks down Big Smoke to his crack palace penthouse, where he kills him for his betrayal. Tenpenny then arrives to claim his share of Smoke's money and kill Carl, but the latter survives and pursues Tenpenny, who is driving a fire truck, with Sweet's help. The brothers' pursuit eventually causes Tenpenny to crash the fire truck outside Carl's family home, whereupon he dies from his injuries. With Tenpenny dead, the riots come to an abrupt end and all loose ends in Carl's life are resolved.', 63 => '', 64 => 'At the conclusion of the game, Carl and his allies are seen discussing what their future holds in the former's home, when Madd Dogg visits them to announce that he has won a [[Music recording sales certification|gold record]] for his new album. As everyone celebrates, Carl leaves the house to check things out around the neighborhood.', 65 => '', 66 => '==Reception==', 67 => 'The character of Carl Johnson received critical acclaim after the release of ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', and has been included in many lists of the best characters in video games. Jesse Schedeen of [[IGN]] included CJ in his list of ''Grand Theft Auto'' Favorite Badasses, stating, "Of all the protagonists in all the ''GTA'' games, few are as compelling or flat out badass as Carl "CJ" Johnson," and also went on to praise the character customisation and available assets.<ref name="badasses">{{cite web |url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2008/04/28/grand-theft-auto-favorite-badasses?page=5 |title=Grand Theft Auto: Favorite Badasses |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |website=[[IGN]] |date=April 28, 2008 |access-date=June 8, 2013 }}</ref> [[CraveOnline]]'s Paul Tamburro placed Carl eighth in his Top 10 Most Memorable ''GTA'' Characters, stating that "it was refreshing to take control of a character who was considerate about when and when not to commit wanton mass-slaughtering."<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 10 Most Memorable GTA Characters |url=http://www.craveonline.com/gaming/articles/198965-top-10-most-memorable-gta-characters |publisher=PlayStation Beyond |last=Tamburro |first=Paul |date=November 2, 2012 |access-date=June 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220072528/http://www.craveonline.com/gaming/articles/198965-top-10-most-memorable-gta-characters |archive-date=December 20, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Matthew Cooper of ''[[Sabotage Times]]'' placed the character in his list of the top 10 characters in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, stating that Carl Johnson "was the first to appear with a conscience, the first that didn't seem to enjoy killing copious numbers of people."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=GTA V - Top 10 Greatest Characters In Grand Theft Auto History |url=http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/gta-v-the-10-greatest-characters-in-grand-theft-auto-history/ |magazine=[[Sabotage Times]] |last=Cooper |first=Matthew |date=June 13, 2012 |access-date=July 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820072359/http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/gta-v-the-10-greatest-characters-in-grand-theft-auto-history/ |archive-date=August 20, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>', 68 => '', 69 => '''[[GameDaily]]'' listed Carl among their list of the best [[Black people|black]] characters in video games, refusing the idea that he reinforces negative stereotypes since he is "more [[American ghettos|ghetto]]-born [[James Bond]] than straight-up gangsta".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/black-history-month/?page=11|title=Gaming's Greatest Black Characters|author=Swiderski, Adam|publisher=[[GameDaily]]|access-date=July 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323011408/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/black-history-month/?page=11|archive-date=March 23, 2009 }}</ref> Similarly, Larry Hester of ''[[Complex (magazine)|Complex Gaming]]'' placed Carl second on his list of the 10 Best Black Characters in Video Games, naming him the "gangbanger with a good heart."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/06/the-10-best-black-characters-in-video-games/carl-cj-johnson |title=2. Carl "CJ" Johnson — The 10 Best Black Characters In Video Games |magazine=[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]] |last=Hester |first=Larry |date=June 26, 2012 |access-date=June 4, 2013 }}</ref> In 2012, [[GamesRadar]] placed Carl 77th on their list of the 100 Best Heroes in Video Games, saying that "few [''Grand Theft Auto''] heroes have been as charismatic as him, and few likely will in the future."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/top-100-video-game-heroes/ |title=100 best heroes in video games |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |publisher=[[GamesRadar]] |date=November 9, 2012 |access-date=June 4, 2013 }}</ref> [[UGO Networks]] have placed Carl as the second character who most deserves his own [[live-action film]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/games/paging-uwe-boll-video-game-characters-who-need-their-own-movies|title=Video Game Characters Who Need Their Own Movies|date=July 19, 2011|last=Meli|first=Marissa|publisher=[[IGN Entertainment]]|work=[[UGO Entertainment]]|access-date=July 27, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627025839/http://www.ugo.com/games/paging-uwe-boll-video-game-characters-who-need-their-own-movies|archive-date=June 27, 2013}}</ref>', 70 => '', 71 => 'In 2008, ''[[The Age]]'' ranked Carl as the 33rd greatest [[Xbox]] character of all time, noting him as "the most humble" of ''Grand Theft Auto'' anti-heroes, and as "one of the first strong African-American lead characters in any major videogame."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/the-top-50-xbox-characters-of-all-time-20090616-cdkl.html | title=The Top 50 Xbox Characters of All Time |date=September 30, 2008 |work=[[The Age]] | access-date=July 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115121608/http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/the-top-50-xbox-characters-of-all-time-20090616-cdkl.html |archive-date=November 15, 2013 }}</ref> Although Carl ultimately did not make the cut, ''[[Game Informer]]'' staff considered his inclusion in their "30 characters that defined a decade" collection, with Matt Helgeson saying, "He could have easily been another gangster stereotype, but by the end of San Andreas we see CJ as a flawed, but ultimately good man who did the best he could in the worst of circumstances."<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/11/19/the-snubbed-list.aspx?PostPageIndex=1 | title=The Snubbed List | author=Bertz, Matt | date=November 19, 2010 | magazine=[[Game Informer]] | access-date=December 18, 2014}}</ref> In 2011, readers of ''[[Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition]]'' voted Carl "CJ" Johnson as the 22nd top video game character of all time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/02/16/guinness-names-top-50-video-game-characters-of-all-time.aspx |title=Guinness Names Top 50 Video Game Characters Of All Time |newspaper=[[Game Informer]] |first=Jeff |last=Marchiafava |date=February 16, 2011 |access-date=February 2, 2018}}</ref>', 72 => '', 73 => '==References==', 74 => '{{reflist}}', 75 => '', 76 => '{{Portal bar|United States|Speculative fiction|Video games}}', 77 => '{{Grand Theft Auto}}', 78 => '', 79 => '{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Carl}}', 80 => '[[Category:Black characters in video games]]', 81 => '[[Category:Fictional African-American people]]', 82 => '[[Category:Fictional assassins in video games]]', 83 => '[[Category:Fictional characters from California]]', 84 => '[[Category:Fictional criminals in video games]]', 85 => '[[Category:Fictional American people in video games]]', 86 => '[[Category:Fictional aviators]]', 87 => '[[Category:Fictional businesspeople in video games]]', 88 => '[[Category:Fictional gamblers]]', 89 => '[[Category:Fictional gangsters]]', 90 => '[[Category:Fictional gang members]]', 91 => '[[Category:Fictional gunfighters in video games]]', 92 => '[[Category:Fictional martial artists in video games]]', 93 => '[[Category:Fictional mass murderers]]', 94 => '[[Category:Fictional thieves]]', 95 => '[[Category:Fictional underbosses]]', 96 => '[[Category:Grand Theft Auto characters]]', 97 => '[[Category:Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]', 98 => '[[Category:Male characters in video games]]', 99 => '[[Category:Orphan characters in video games]]', 100 => '[[Category:Video game characters based on real people]]', 101 => '[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2004]]', 102 => '[[Category:Video game mascots]]', 103 => '[[Category:Video game protagonists]]' ]