Franklin Clinton is a character appearing as one of the three protagonists in Grand Theft Auto V, along with Michael De Santa and Trevor Philips, and as a main character in Grand Theft Auto Online as part of The Contract update, also appearing as one of the two playable characters of the Short Trips mission series and the Double Down Adversary Modes, along with Lamar Davis.
Franklin was born and lived his entire life in Los Santos. He became a gangbanger at a young age and joined the Chamberlain Gangster Families alongside his best friend Lamar Davis, committing various small crimes for a living. They and their fellow CGF homies from Forum Drive would later form the independent Forum Gangsters to stay away from CGF's "retro gangster" nonsense. Franklin's story revolves around his desire to become something more and make something of himself, which he succeeds when he meets Michael, who becomes a mentor and father figure to him and recruits him in all of his robberies and various jobs for other criminals, leading to Franklin's eventual success and wealth. Franklin also befriends the third protagonist, Trevor, who, although not as close to him as Michael, still becomes a mentor to him.
He was also briefly mentioned in Grand Theft Auto Online by Lamar Davis in the missions "Mall or Nothing" and "Community Outreach" and by Hao recalling "Shift Work" during the LS Car Meet introduction. He is later introduced as a successful entrepreneur and multi-millionaire by 2021, who owns the F. Clinton and Partner agency with his new partner, the GTA Online Protagonist.
He is voiced by Shawn Fonteno, who is the cousin of Young Maylay, the voice actor of Carl Johnson, the protagonist of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
History[]
Background[]
Franklin was born in South Los Santos, San Andreas in 1988. He never knew his father and his mother became a cocaine addict when Franklin was very young. As a child, Franklin often heard stories about how his father was violent and physically abusive towards his mother, possibly causing her to turn to cocaine to escape being abused. Franklin's father left while his mother was still pregnant with him. His mother's addiction eventually led to her death when Franklin was a little boy.
Following his mother's death, he moved in with his maternal grandparents. This is where Franklin met Tonya Wiggins and JB Bradshaw. Despite being constantly spoiled by his grandmother, Franklin had decided to take on the role of a street hustler. One of his first jobs was selling cigarettes with Bradshaw. The scheme was successful until Franklin's grandfather caught them in the act. In Tonya's words, his grandfather "gave chase to both him and Bradshaw all around South Los Santos". After the death of his grandparents, Franklin and his aunt Denise moved into a house on Forum Drive left to them by Franklin's grandmother in her will.
Franklin attended Davis High School along with Lamar Davis, Tanisha Jackson and Tonya, but was expelled for assaulting a teacher.[12] Around this time, he began the life of a gangbanger and dope dealer and started committing various petty crimes such as carjackings and small-time bank robberies with Lamar. During their first bank robbery, they stole $2,000 but could not keep the money because a dye pack exploded, making it worthless. Franklin also worked for a local drug dealer named Marcus, whom he later killed.
At some point, Franklin dated Tanisha, but they split up due to her brother's death and her fearing that Franklin's criminal lifestyle will bring her harm. In 2013, Franklin moved beyond the role of street dealer when he and Lamar began working for Armenian businessman Simeon Yetarian, who owns a car dealership acting as a front for loansharking and extortion. Yeterian would sell cars to people who couldn't afford them and when they'd default on the exorbitant interest payments, Franklin and Lamar would repossess the cars.
While growing up, Franklin and Lamar were casual acquaintances with another boy that lived two blocks away, who would come to respect Franklin. He would later sign up with the military, as he considered that his only alternative to gang life. Franklin and Lamar also knew a girl named Perlie, and later in her life, her daughter Imani.
Events of Grand Theft Auto V[]
Franklin and Lamar begin their repossession.
Franklin is first seen on a repossession job with Lamar, soon after a chance encounter with his future crime partner, Michael De Santa, who unknowingly directs them to their assigned repossession. Later, Franklin and Lamar are assigned by Simeon to repossess a Bagger in a Vagos-controlled area of Vespucci. While searching for the bike, the two are confronted by the Vagos and a shootout begins when Lamar pulls a gun on them. The duo is then forced to fight their way out of the neighborhood. They find the bike, but the owner was killed during the shootout. Knowing the repossession is meaningless, Lamar takes the bike for himself, and Simeon blames Franklin for the bike's theft. While recovering a BeeJay XL sold to Jimmy De Santa, his father Michael (who had been hiding in the back seat) holds a pistol to Franklin's head. Under orders from Michael, Franklin drives the car through the window of Simeon's dealership, receiving a payment from Michael himself for doing what he called "a job well done". Because Franklin had driven through the dealership and Lamar didn't return the bike, Simeon fires the pair.
Franklin helping Michael pull down the house.
After losing his job at the dealership, Franklin approached Michael about a drink he offhandedly offered him when he cost Franklin his repo job. Franklin helps Michael rescue Jimmy from his yacht, which was stolen with Jimmy on it during an attempted sale. Later, after Michael catches his wife Amanda post-coitus with her tennis coach, Michael and Franklin chase him to a house in the Vinewood Hills. Believing the house to belong to the tennis coach, Michael and Franklin use a pickup truck to pull the deck down, destroying the house. After returning to the De Santa Residence, drug lord Martin Madrazo appears and reveals that it was his lover's house, not the tennis coach's. He attacks Michael with a baseball bat and demands that Michael pay for the repairs to the house, which will cost $2,500,000.
Franklin and Lamar try to kidnap D.
Franklin is brought along by Lamar to kidnap a Balla gang member named D for no other reason than that Lamar saw "opportunity". He and Lamar meet up and travel in Lamar's van to Vinewood Boulevard and encounter D down an alley, but he makes an escape on a motorbike with the two in hot pursuit. With the help of Lamar's dog Chop, the two succeed in capturing D, however, they are forced to free him when Lamar inadvertently reveals their location to the police while talking on his mobile phone. Things took a turn for the worse when Stretch returns from his prison sentence and goes to a drug deal at Rogers Salvage & Scrap which was actually an ambush. Stretch kills D and the trio escape with Franklin angry at Stretch for coming back.
After some time has passed, Michael contacts Franklin to enlist him for the Vangelico Jewelry Store Heist, which Franklin accepts as he sees this as his first legitimate payday and a major opportunity to prove himself. The heist is successful and Madrazo receives his money, with Michael and Franklin splitting the rest between themselves.
Michael, under orders from FIB agent Dave Norton, infiltrates a morgue and kills several guards. In a panic, Michael calls Franklin and reveals that he is affiliated with the FIB, though Franklin continues to trust Michael due to the latter offering him help while he was in a tough financial position. Franklin also decides to work with Michael, in hopes that there will be better payment from jobs with him.
The trio escape Grove Street.
During his various jobs with Michael, Franklin is introduced to Trevor Philips and Lester Crest, two of Michael's acquaintances from his former bank robbing days. Franklin's work causes him to distance himself from the Families. When Franklin returns to his house, Lamar and Denise heckle him for his "disloyalty". As Franklin explains that he doesn't want to be caught up in the routine of gang life again and wants the opportunity to make a success of himself, Trevor suddenly appears, wanting to "make new friends". Lamar informs Franklin that Stretch has arranged a drug deal with some Ballas, and Trevor decides to join them. The trio (along with Chop) drive to a house in Grove Street where Lamar is offered a sample from a cocaine brick, and is about to buy it before Trevor intervenes. Trevor snatches the brick from the dealer, and discovers the brick is actually drywall. A shootout erupts, and Franklin, Trevor and Lamar are forced to fight their way out of Grove Street when their van is disabled. Moments after the shootout, the LSPD show up to chase them. Franklin and Trevor follow Lamar through a narrow alley into the Los Santos Storm Drain. They steal three Jetskis and head towards the open sea, eventually evading the police. Should Franklin follow Lamar, he tells him that he thinks Stretch set them up in an attempt to kill Lamar.
Eventually, Franklin and Michael are convinced by Trevor to steal an experimental super weapon from a private security company called Merryweather. The heist is a success, but shortly after, Lester arrives and angrily tells the trio to put the weapon back, as if they take it, they will be hunted by every known agency on the planet. While Trevor wants to keep it anyway, both Franklin and Michael agree that it isn't worth it. Trevor concedes and arranges for it to be taken back.
Devin asking Franklin to steal some rare cars for him.
Franklin gets employed by billionaire Devin Weston, who asks him, Trevor, Michael, and later Lamar to steal some rare cars for him so that he can export them to Asia. He also gets employed by Lester for several Assassin jobs, which allow him to move to a spacious mansion, which belonged to Lester but needed someone to live in it to make it seem legit.
Unaware that Michael and Trevor were hiding in Trevor's Sandy Shores trailer after a job for Madrazo went south, Franklin begins looking for them. Arriving at the condo Trevor was using as a Los Santos base to inquire with his associates, cousins Wade and Floyd, about the matter, Franklin finds that Trevor has been targeted by the remaining O'Neil brothers, who are angry and vengeful at Trevor due to his earlier attack on the O'Neil household, resulting in the deaths of most of the O'Neils and the destruction of their farm. Franklin chases the O'Neils, who crash because of an elk on the road and escape into a forest in Raton Canyon. Eventually, Trevor and Michael arrive by helicopter. Using a rifle, fitted with a thermal scope, Michael shoots Walton and Wynn O'Neil dead, but can't get a clear shot of Elwood, who is hiding behind a rock and firing rockets towards the helicopter. With the help of Chop, Franklin locates and kills Elwood, after which he and Chop are picked up by Trevor and Michael and safely returned to Sandy Shores Airfield. During this time, Franklin will receive a phone call from an unknown person, who is actually revealed to be Michael's wife Amanda. She asks him if her husband is okay, to which he replies to her that he's not, but that he's alive and she should call him. Amanda tells him that she doesn't want to talk to Michael, but is calling just to make sure that he's not dead. She thanks him and also tells him not to tell Michael that she called him.
Franklin helps Trevor and Michael rob the Blaine County Savings Bank, as it contains millions of dollars deposited there by Blaine County's corrupt law enforcement who extort money from all the local weed farms and meth labs. Using stolen military body armour and machine guns, Trevor, Michael, Franklin, and one gunman successfully rob the Paleto bank, taking a small cut each and giving the larger profit to Haines and Norton so they can purchase the required equipment for a robbery at the Humane Labs and Research chemical plant, much to the team's irritation.
Franklin is disappointed when he still hasn't been paid.
Franklin receives a call from Lamar who informs him that he's stolen the final car on Weston's list. Franklin meets Lamar and the two drive to Little Bighorn Avenue where Trevor is waiting with a Packer filled with the other cars the group have obtained for Weston. Franklin drives the car onto the last remaining spot on the Packer, after which he, Lamar, and Trevor then begin the drive to the drop-off point. When the police discover the cars and give chase on the way, Franklin decides to unhitch one of the stolen cars, a JB 700, and use its weapons to destroy the police cars. Trevor keeps the Packer steady while Franklin makes his way along the cargo carrier, eventually reaching the JB 700. Using the 700's caltrops and newly included guns, Franklin manages to take out the police pursuit. They drop off the cars, but Devin angers the trio by refusing to pay them, promising to "invest" their money and pay them at a later date.
Franklin confronts Trevor about Michael's whereabouts.
Annoyed, Franklin calls Michael, but discovers that his phone is down. Confused, he calls Lester, who relays that his phone has been on and off since he left for Ludendorff and suggests asking Trevor about it. When Trevor encounters Franklin at his aunt's house, he inquires where Michael is, to which Trevor explains that the Los Santos Triads kidnapped Michael while they were in Ludendorff. Franklin asks for his help rescuing him, but Trevor refuses, claiming Michael is "dead" to him, having discovered that Michael was responsible for a set up robbery that they took part in, many years prior. With Trevor's refusal to join him, Franklin decides to rescue Michael alone. He eventually tracks Michael's phone signal to a slaughterhouse using an app sent to his phone by Lester. After a shootout, Franklin succeeds in rescuing Michael and the two make their escape from the abattoir, where Franklin learns that Michael had aligned with Norton in order to get out of his criminal life and distance himself from the borderline psychotic Trevor.
Franklin and Michael are called for one more job for Steve Haines: breaking into the FIB building and removing incriminating evidence, as the Research Lab raid had resulted in his arrest, damaging his reputation. Infiltrating the building, the team manages to recover the data and escapes. They meet up with Lester and celebrate their victory with alcohol. After Michael leaves to settle things with the FIB, Franklin relaxes with Lester.
Lamar has to be rescued.
A while later, Franklin is visited at his house by his ex-girlfriend Tanisha who tells him that Stretch set Lamar up again with a large group of the Ballas, who are holding him hostage at the Paleto Forest Sawmill. While Franklin is initially reluctant to help due to Lamar's stubborn insistence on sticking to a lifestyle that has done nothing for them, he is eventually convinced to do so. While on his way towards the sawmill, he asks Lester to contact Michael and Trevor to aid him in rescuing Lamar. The trio arrive and proceed to take out the Ballas. While bringing Lamar home, he and Franklin get into a small dispute, arguing about Franklin's many efforts to save Lamar from problems he got himself into and Lamar's feeling of abandonment on Franklin's part, though they agree that Stretch likely sold out to the Ballas while in prison. Franklin advises Lamar to remain civilized, to abandon his gang-banging lifestyle, and get a proper job. After Lamar is dropped off, Franklin is suddenly confronted by the FIB agents blackmailing Michael, Steve Haines and Dave Norton, who task Franklin to kill Trevor, due to his violent behavior and general liability. Franklin refuses, asking them to recruit Michael to do it instead, but Norton explains that Michael can't because Trevor doesn't trust Michael and won't allow Michael to go near him.
Franklin and the team plan and begin their final heist shortly afterwards. They succeed and come off with millions of dollars in gold.
Ending[]
After the heist, Franklin is visited by Devin Weston who orders him to kill Michael after he inadvertently caused the death of his lawyer, refused to shut down a movie he was producing, and interfered in his attempt to have his family killed. Franklin must choose to kill Trevor, kill Michael, or take on a suicide mission to save them both. Ultimately, Franklin chooses the third option.
The Third Way[]
Franklin contacts Lester and goes to meet him at his house to discuss the situation. Upon arriving, he tells Lester that Steve Haines wants him to kill Trevor and Devin Weston wants him to kill Michael and is struggling with how he's supposed to kill both. Lester comes up with an idea to take out all of their enemies at once by using their greed to their advantage. Weston and Haines are contacted and informed that foundry is where the gold stolen from the crew's final heist is located. Franklin contacts and picks up Lamar, who offers extra support, as he is surprised Franklin would help his friends "for a change". They arrive at the foundry with Lamar as the lookout while Franklin goes inside and finds Michael and Trevor arguing. After convincing them to stop and reach a common ground, the trio take positions around the foundry.
As Weston's hired Merryweather operatives and Haines's FIB team arrive, the trio opens fire, beginning a large scale shootout, which they eventually win. After the fighting ends, they contact Lester who provides them the locations of their enemies. Trevor goes after Steve Haines, Michael goes after Stretch, and Franklin goes after Wei Cheng; each killing a different person's enemy in order to not associate the initial person with their enemy's death. Afterwards, Franklin meets Michael and Trevor, who had kidnapped Devin in his car, at the foothills of Mount Chiliad. Seeing the defeated Devin, Franklin mocks him by saying "My bad homie. I picked C. Ain't that a bitch?" After further taunting Devin on their victory, the trio push his car off the cliff and into the ocean, which promptly explodes, killing Devin. The three agree to end their criminal partnership with each other but promise to still remain friends.
Afterwards, Franklin receives an email from the CEO of Merryweather, thanking him for taking out Devin, as he was able to buy back Devin's shares of the company at a reduced price. He lets Franklin know that no reply is necessary and to not mess with his business ventures again. Franklin receives a call from Tanisha who lets him know that she is about to get married and to stay out of trouble. With all of their enemies gone, the trio and their respective friends are able to hang out with no restrictions.
Something Sensible[]
Franklin meets Trevor near an oil field with the latter completely unaware of the true meaning behind the meeting. Trevor laments the fact that Michael has been backstabbing him and but that he and Franklin are still friends. Franklin, however, pulls a gun on Trevor and explains that he is the crazy one, not him or Michael. Growing angry, Trevor remarks that he has been nothing but truthful to him which Franklin accepts while still holding Trevor at gunpoint. Betrayed, Trevor leaps back into his car and speeds off with Franklin close behind. The chase takes the pair around the city and eventually ends back at the oil fields. During the chase, Franklin calls Michael for help.
Michael soon arrives and rams Trevor's truck with his car, causing him to crash into a gas storage tank. Now covered in gasoline, Trevor pulls himself out of his car and crawls through a growing puddle of gas while accusing the pair of being Judases and angrily cursing them. Franklin can shoot the gasoline, however if he hesitates, Michael will shoot it instead. The gasoline ignites, burning Trevor to death after which the gas tank explodes. Walking away, Michael and Franklin reflect on Trevor's psychotic nature and that it was his constant unpredictable craziness that caused his death. The pair then split up with Franklin remarking that the whole event has been an "illuminating experience", which Michael responds to by telling him to survive and that everything else is "bullshit".
Afterwards, Franklin calls Haines, asking him to take care of Devin Weston, as he did not do what he asked. Haines lets Franklin know that he will but tells him to not contact him again. Franklin and Michael are still able to hang out (Unless they encounter each other in the street before Michael contacts him), though their friendship is visibly weakened, the pair often reminding themselves that they made the right choice. Jimmy calls Franklin and asks what happened to Trevor, to which Franklin responds that Steve Haines's men killed him. After this call, Jimmy and Franklin are unable to hang out. Lamar calls Franklin and tells him that he was right about his suspicions on Stretch and that he has to lay low for awhile. As such, the pair can only hang out at night. Franklin receives a call from Tanisha who lets him know that she is about to get married and to stay out of trouble. Lester contacts Franklin to let him know that he split Trevor's cut from their final heist between Franklin and Michael.
After killing Trevor, Michael will begin to feel indifferent towards Franklin despite having a hand in the murder, eventually breaking ties with him.
The Time's Come[]
Michael with meets Franklin in the desert to reflect on their partnership. However, he catches on to Franklin's intention to kill him and escapes in his car with Franklin in pursuit, eventually ending up at the Palmer-Taylor Power Station. They continue the chase on foot to one of the chimney walkways and after a minor scuffle, Franklin pushes Michael off the edge, quickly grabbing him while he hangs precariously from the rail. Here, Franklin can choose to save him or drop him, but either way, Michael falls to his death. Devastated and remorseful, Franklin walks away from the station and contacts Lamar, asking if they could still hang out.
Afterwards, Franklin calls Devin, asking him to take care of Steve Haines, as he did not do what he asked. Weston lets Franklin know that Haines has already been taken care of, but Franklin has run out of uses for Weston, who tells him to not contact him again. Franklin receives an email from Trevor, asking if he was the one who killed Michael. Franklin denies this, but Trevor does not believe him and warns him to stay away. If the pair meet in the street, Trevor will be angry at Franklin and tell him that Michael was too good for him. Franklin receives two calls from Jimmy. In the first call, Jimmy asks Franklin if he knows where Michael is, to which Franklin claims that he does not. In the second call, Jimmy has learned of Michael's death and asks Franklin what he knows about it. When Franklin stammers in his responses to Jimmy's questions, he deduces that Franklin had something to do with it and angrily hangs up. After this, Jimmy and Franklin are unable to hang out. Franklin receives an email from Amanda De Santa, claiming that she knows he was responsible for Michael's death and to stay away from her family. Franklin responds, claming that he was not involved. Lamar calls Franklin and tells him that he was right about his suspicions on Stretch, and that has to lay low for awhile. As such, the pair can only hang out at night. Franklin receives a call from Tanisha who lets him know that she is about to get married and to stay out of trouble. Lester contacts Franklin to let him know that him and Trevor won't see any of Michael's cut from the heist, as he chose to give it to Michael's family, instead.
After killing Michael, Trevor asks Franklin via text if he had a hand in Michael's murder. Franklin replies by saying he did not kill Michael, but Trevor responds by saying he does not believe him. If Franklin approaches Trevor, Trevor will berate Franklin, saying that Michael was too good for him, and despite his animosity towards Michael, Trevor implies he would have forgiven him. Trevor ends the conversation by warning Franklin to never see him again.
Events of Grand Theft Auto Online[]
The Contract[]
Franklin Clinton in 2021, along with Lamar Davis (left), Imani (right), and Chop the Dog.
Having walked away from the Union Depository heist with somewhere between $9 million and $42 million, Franklin went on to become a legitimate businessman through investments and other plays. Despite Tanisha bidding Franklin an amicable goodbye the day before her wedding with Jayden at the end of GTA V, her relationship with Jayden somehow ended and she reunited with Franklin. Tanisha married Franklin, moved into his home at 3671 Whispymound Drive, and started a family with him. As of December 2021, the house is now adorned with children's toys and a slide in the backyard, and an ornamental front wall sign reading "The Clintons". By this time, their children have already started going to school.
In 2021, Franklin and his new partner, the GTA Online Protagonist, co-found F. Clinton and Partner, a new "celebrity solutions agency" catering to the Vinewood elite in need of solutions to high-society problems. Franklin also welcomes aboard Imani, the tech-savvy daughter of one of his old friends from Chamberlain Hills, and relents to Lamar imposing himself on their new partnership. Franklin still has Chop, now an elderly rottweiler. Through Imani, Franklin is made aware of the GTA Online Protagonist's criminal history and commends them for their accomplishments. Franklin also mentions to the player their mutual contacts Trevor and Lester and fondly remembers their adventures together.
Upon starting his partnership with the GTA Online Protagonist, Franklin admits he missed getting his hands dirty and compares his new agency's scope of work to the personal drama-laden situations he helped Michael with early in their friendship. It is revealed during On Course that Franklin still keeps in touch with Michael; their agency security guard also alludes to turning Trevor Philips away when he hoped to visit Franklin, who was not in the office at the time.
DJ Pooh has been reaching out to Franklin about an exciting potential client: his close friend, Dr. Dre, whose phone containing unreleased music was stolen one year ago before he was supposed to take a flight to Cayo Perico to host a beach party. Franklin meets Dr. Dre at the Los Santos Golf Club, where DJ Pooh, Jimmy Iovine, and Dre himself were playing golf. After Dre failing to hit hole-in-ones and with two other golfers complaining about not being able to play as Dre and his friends were using the holes for too long, the two other golfers threatened to use their connections to evict Dre and his friends out of the golf course. Enraged, Dre snapped his golf club over his knee and both the GTA Online Protagonist and Franklin went after the two golfers in golf carts and ram them into submission.
Franklin and Imani tracking down Johnny Guns.
Soon after, it was reported that on top of the phone that was stolen from Dre, three unreleased tracks in the phone was being demoed out by three different people. One has ties to the Los Santos Vagos, one had ties to the Los Santos Triads and one affluent billionaire who dabbles in cryptocurrencies thus Dre asked Franklin and the GTA Online Protagonist to take it back for him. After taking all three down and taking back the music scores, Imani managed to triangulate that the last person who has Dre's phone was none other than Johnny Guns, executive and producer for WesLos Records who had beef with Dre since the '90s. Dre instantly tells Franklin and the GTA Online Protagonist that he has to take the phone back at all costs with whatever means necessary and he wants to end the beef once and for all by killing Johnny himself.
After helping Dre at Record A Studios dealing with the private militia that Johnny Guns have sent to kill them, Imani pinpointed the final location on where Johnny would be and Franklin once again tells the GTA Online Protagonist to go and bring Johnny Guns back so Dre can question him himself.
Short Trips[]
Main article: Short Trips
After dealing with Johnny Guns, DJ Pooh invites the GTA Online Protagonist (and an associate), Franklin Clinton and Lamar Davis for a tour inside Dr. Dre's recording studios. Lamar attempts to make his own rap with a beat DJ Pooh provides him, while the GTA Online Protagonist and his associate takes a smoke in the room next door. Before Franklin is about to smoke, Lamar refers to Tanisha getting annoyed if he gets high, implying that they are married. When Franklin and Lamar checks out on their partners however, they become so high that they have "an out-of-body experience".
Lamar then pulls Franklin out to deal with some business and ask DJ Pooh to look after his partners for them. Franklin and Lamar traveled to Lamar's warehouse to check on his storage of weed. When they reached the warehouse, Lamar realized that the warehouse was getting raided by the Vagos and both fight to get the truck back. Chop also helped fight some of the Vagos by biting one of them and leading the two to enter the warehouse. Just as they cleared the warehouse of Vagos and were about to leave the compound, they saw Lamar's delivery truck being driven off but it was following the stop signs and traffic lights, allowing them to run up and hide in the back. However, both of them started bickering soon after, alerting the driver, who called in a hit and this engaged the entire Vagos hitsquad to shoot at both Franklin and Lamar along the road till they reached an alleyway opposite the Oriental Theater.
As Franklin and Lamar managed to shoot down the rest of the Vagos and took back the keys to the truck, they returned to the truck with Lamar even thinking of smoking his stock before leaving the premise, only for the truck to be destroyed due to the gunfire it has sustained along the way, right in front of them. Lamar, furious with the outcome, walks away with the mission ending.
Soon after, Lamar asks for Franklin's assistance in storming the Vagos' weed business in Blaine County and destroying it as payback for them having destroyed his stash in the Mule Truck. They reach the Vagos' first weed warehouse on Marina Drive near the Alamo Sea and fight off the Vagos. After defeating them, they pick up Jerry Cans containing flammable Fertilizer that they pour over the weed and set on fire to burn it all down and exit the first warehouse. More Vagos arrive in weaponized Technicals, and the two escape and fight them off using the mounted minigun on the Technical while being chased by Vagos in Mananas and Buzzard Attack Choppers.
They eventually reach the Vagos' next warehouse on Chianski Passage near Grapeseed where they use fertilizer again to set the weed on fire. They then take one of the Vagos' Youga Classic filled with equipment for growing weed that Lamar can use back to Fraklin's house, again while fighting off Vagos along the way, now in Ballers and Faction Customs. Here, a cutscene plays out very similar to the "yee-yee ass haircut" scene from Franklin and Lamar in Grand Theft Auto V. Here, Franklin does not let Lamar get inside his house because "his kids are inside".
After a while, Lamar starts by showing Franklin his new LD Organics van which is "made of weed". He says that the entire van is made of "LD Organics Patented Marijuana Bioplastic". Franklin considers this a bad move and asks Lamar how he's planning to put it in a blunt if it's a part of the van itself, to which Lamar just asks him to follow along.
He tells Franklin that he was able to make a connection with actor Jimmy Boston from the Epsilon Program to promote LD Organics as having a celebrity would definitely make the brand into a big thing. However, Franklin, having been in the big scene and interacted with people with big personalities, warns Lamar of the oddities of such famous people and tells him to be careful of "them Kifflom freaks" as they are known to be shady but Lamar downplays it, but tells Franklin to be ready with a sniper in a nearby crane just in case. As they approach the meeting site, Lamar mentions that he posted a selfie of himself at his "top-secret location" on Snapmatic, which later proves to have included info that had given it all away to the Vagos. When they reach the meeting point with Jimmy at the Redwood Lights Track, Lamar and Jimmy talk business with Marnie Allen as Jimmy's sidekick.
Jimmy wanted to transform Lamar's van made of weed into a truck with Jimmy Boston's face on it, to serve as an advertisement for Boston Bakes, i.e. Jimmy's own brand of weed, however Lamar is annoyed at seeing this as he obviously wanted to spread his own brand name. Franklin calls Lamar aside and warns him not to go through with the deal as the Vinewood elite always try to take away all the recognition. As they were talking, Franklin suddenly sees a lot of Vagos coming towards them in Primo Customs and warns him about it. Lamar immediately tells Jimmy and Marnie to get away while Franklin and Lamar clear the area of impending Vagos who had come to the deal with extremely strong firepower. Once the area is cleared, Franklin and Lamar start driving the van back into the city.
Lamar accepts that the deal was a bad one and that he shouldn't have expected success overnight. Along the way they encounter the rest of the Vagos hitsquad, while the van starts burning in the sun's heat, causing both of them to get high while driving. Initially, they assume that the smell is coming from someone else smoking nearby and that the entire city has the smell, but they eventually realise that it is their own van burning. They manage to get fight off the Vagos while initially trying to get back to Lamar's compound. Lamar, seeing an opportunity, decides to drive the van towards Tequi-la-la where there is a crowd and lets the van continue burning, planning to use it as a publicity stunt to show the world how great his product was. However, as Lamar was driving while high, he couldn't stop the van in time and ended up crashing it against the wall of the club. As people started coming out to see what had happened, they started feeling the effects of the burning weed and everyone starts enjoying it. A lot of people started taking pictures and cheering for LD Organics. Lamar then celebrated with Franklin as both promoted LD Organics. Franklin then mentions that he needs to get home to Tanisha, and after a short banter with Lamar offering Franklin an "internship" at LD Organics, Franklin walks off down the street in style.
The Chop Shop[]
In late 2023, Franklin was invited by DJ Pooh for West Coast Classics' 10th anniversary party at a nightclub party hosted by Dâm-Funk. As part of the radio station's promotion, DJ Pooh gave away media sticks containing a pre-recorded audio of Dâm-Funk's Even the Score live mix for those who missed the party.
At the 20-minute mark of the mix, Franklin tries to give a shoutout to DJ Pooh on the microphone. However, Lamar takes the microphone off his hands, annoyed that Franklin is "always winning" and tries to give a shoutout himself, although interrupted by Franklin. This results in Dâm-Funk calling the nightclub security to separate the duo fighting over the microphone.
Characters Murdered by Franklin Clinton[]
Characters murdered by Franklin Clinton in the main storyline of both Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
- Esteban Jimenez - Murdered in order to steal his bike.
- Several jurors - Assassinated on orders from Lester Crest.
- Brett Lowrey - Assassinated on orders from Lester Crest.
- Jackson Skinner - Assassinated on orders from Lester Crest.
- Isaac Penny - Assassinated on orders from Lester Crest.
- Enzo Bonelli - Assassinated on orders from Lester Crest.
- Wei Cheng - Murdered under the orders of Michael De Santa and for trying to have Michael and Trevor killed.
- Devin Weston - Murdered for trying to have Michael and his family killed and for scamming Franklin, Lamar, and Trevor.
Optional Murders[]
Characters optionally murdered by Franklin Clinton, depending on the player's choice.
- Alonzo - Can be killed during his Private Taxi Fare.
- Keyla - Can be killed after her Private Taxi Fare.
- Little Laita's Cousin - Can be killed during Chop.
- Chad Mulligan - Can be killed during Eye in the Sky.
- Chip Peterson - Can be killed to steal his blueprints of the FIB Headquarters building.
- Elwood O'Neil - Killed by either Franklin or Michael for seeking retribution against Trevor Philips.
- MC Clip - Can be killed by either Franklin or Trevor during Hood Safari. It is unknown if this is canon or not as he afterwards posts on Bleeter regardless of the player's actions, however, if killed, the news will state that he died.
- Unnamed Vagos driver - Murdered by either Franklin or Lamar for stealing the LD Organics business truck.
Strangers and Freaks optional murders[]
Characters optionally murdered by Franklin Clinton during the Strangers and Freaks missions, depending on the player's choice.
- Beverly Felton - Can be killed during the Strangers and Freaks mission Paparazzo - Reality Check.
- Peter Dreyfuss - Can be killed during the Strangers and Freaks mission A Starlet in Vinewood.
- Bigfoot - Can be killed during or after The Last One.
Non-canon murders[]
Characters optionally murdered by Franklin Clinton in Grand Theft Auto V, although not intended to be killed. These characters are still alive regardless of the player's choice, and some of them physically appears in the post-2013 events of Grand Theft Auto Online.
- Patrick McReary - Can be killed during his random event. Confirmed non-canon, as he is still alive in 2019.
- The Lost Girl - Can be killed during her random event. Confirmed non-canon, as she is still alive in 2018.
- Lacey Jonas - Can be killed during her random event. Confirmed non-canon, as she is still alive in 2018.
- Simeon Yetarian - Can be killed after completing his random event. He is not intended to be killed, as he's not directly targetable with weapons until the random event is completed by leaving the car dealership.
- Michael De Santa - Murdered on orders from Devin Weston. Confirmed non-canon, as he is mentioned to be still alive in 2021.
- Trevor Philips - Murdered on orders from Steve Haines and Dave Norton. Confirmed non-canon, as he is mentioned to be still alive in 2021.
- Tao Cheng - Can be "killed" during The Third Way, but canonically survives the shootout.
Character[]
Personality[]
Franklin is much calmer than both Michael, who has a very short temper, and Trevor, who is a violent sociopath. This calm personality is often displayed during missions where he keeps it cool while fulfilling the task at hand, and when he is forced to act as the peacekeeper between Michael and Trevor when they get into an argument. Though Lamar drives him crazy at times, Franklin still cares for his best friend as he saves him from the Ballas with the help of Trevor and Michael during the events of Lamar Down. He is also the same toward the two, as he is seen helping them out with most of their problems, like when Amanda cheats on Michael and he and the latter chase Amanda's tennis coach during Marriage Counseling, and when he helps Trevor and Michael hunt down the remaining O'Neil brothers during Predator. This, however, also leads to others around him to consider him "disloyal", most notably his Aunt Denise, to such an extent that Denise threatens to call the police on him if he sets foot in their yard. Despite what Denise says, Franklin does demonstrate loyalty for people that are close to him and for people who change his life, like Lamar, who is Franklin's best friend, and Michael, who helped him become a "three-bit" gangster and high-profile criminal.
Unlike Michael or Trevor however, his relationships with those close to him are even more fragile and in the end fail to heal the rift with his associates, unlike Michael and, to a lesser extent, Trevor. His messy breakup with Tanisha is left unresolved and ends on less than satisfactory terms when she chooses to marry another man over saving their relationship. His aunt turns his room into a safe shelter for women after he moves out and Stretch remains on antagonistic terms with Franklin. Franklin also potentially jeopardizes his relationship with his partners in crime Michael, Lamar and Trevor should the player choose to kill either Trevor or Michael as the survivor loses their trust in Franklin, and Lamar is forced to hide from Stretch.
Many characters in the game (Denise, Lamar, Tonya, Stretch, Tanisha, and even Michael and Trevor in ending A and B) accuse Franklin of being disloyal, arrogant, and abandoning his "homies". For the most part, however, these accusations seem unfounded - ironically, most of these discussions happen while Franklin is actually helping out his friends. Franklin's hostility towards Stretch becomes justified late in the game when it becomes clear Stretch has betrayed him and Lamar. However, if the player chooses ending A or ending B, the above accusations are confirmed.
Franklin's ambition is also his greatest weakness. In all of his work, aside from Lester's assassination jobs, several major heists he was roped into, and Michael's repayment for doing him a favor, Franklin never earns a single cent out of his dealings due to his shortsightedness and poor choice of people to work with. All of Lamar's jobs ended up with both of them nearly being killed by the Ballas and his work for Weston ends with him being taken advantage of in both instances where he does his bidding.
Despite not knowing them very well, Franklin also gets along with Michael's family, as shown when Jimmy befriends him and when Amanda responds kindly whenever Franklin greets her while she is home. He doesn't get along with Stretch very well, due to Stretch trying to pull Franklin back into the life that put him in jail in the first place, Stretch's reckless and unintelligent personality, and later on, his disloyalty; he sells out people who are associated with Franklin.
In contrast to Michael and especially Trevor, Franklin is an incredibly tidy person, always trying to keep his image, his vehicles, and his house clean. This is evident in some switch cutscenes, where he can be seen cleaning his Buffalo S and his Bagger. While his personal bedroom at the Clinton Residence was somewhat messy, after moving into his mansion he makes an effort to do house chores like taking out the garbage or ironing his clothes. He likes also to keep his body in shape, as he's seen doing exercise, like pull ups on the free-use bars at Vespucci Beach, or push-ups in his room or the backyard, and after moving, next to his pool. He is also mindful of what he eats; when having Phat Chips, he will remark on what level of exercise he will have to perform to work off the calories, or how he needs to buy some healthy food (so that he doesn't end up reaching for junk food instead).
Franklin seems to suffer from depression/self-hatred due to the perceived lack of success and his breakup with Tanisha, when he is high on marijuana he often comments on how empty and alone he feels. He shows some regret with his decision to become a criminal but feels he is in too deep to walk away. In a similar vein to Trevor during shootouts, Franklin might shout at his enemies to shoot him. His lack of initiative hints at insecurity, which further demonstrates a possible mood disorder. Lamar calls Franklin a "moody motherfucker" when giving him the Bagger they stole from Simeon after repossessing it. His Switch Scenes implies he is lonely, as many show him roaming around the city alone, and further in the story, he rarely leaves his house due to lack of friends and family who are on good terms with him. The situation improves or worsen at the end of the game depending on the choices he makes involving Michael and Trevor. If he chooses to save them, he finds new-found support with them as dysfunctional but great friends, however if chooses to kill either of them, the other person breaks off contact with Franklin and Lamar goes into hiding. Franklin is also quite tolerant of other people's sexualities as he says to Beverly that he doesn't care if Clay Jackson is gay.
Franklin does not appear to be able to handle pressure very well. If the player chooses to kill either Michael or Trevor, Franklin tries to justify his actions by claiming it "wasn't really his decision," or that he "didn't have a choice". He lacks initiative and assertiveness when confronted by people who were more influential than he was. Rather than attempting to bargain with Haines or Weston to at least pay him for betraying his closest friends, he only realizes after committing the deed that he was ultimately used and discarded by both of them when asking for more opportunities to work for them. If the player chooses the Deathwish ending, Franklin will initially complain to Lester that he "can't kill both of 'em" before eventually coming up with a plan to spare them both.
Relationships With Other Characters[]
- Michael De Santa - After meeting Michael and completing a job with him, both men grew a father-son relationship for one another. This was mostly because Franklin never really had a family of his own and saw Michael as a person with more professional skill and as a real criminal that could mentor him in the life of crime. It seems that Michael has a better relationship with Franklin than with his own son. After Franklin meets Michael at the oil derricks in East LS, he decides to help him since he has helped him make more money than he ever did drug dealing and gang banging. Michael is fairly protective of Franklin. During the drive in The Paleto Score, when Trevor keeps asking Franklin about his first score, Michael tells Trevor to leave Franklin alone. Later in the same mission, Michael continuously checks in on Franklin, calls him "son," and helps him onto the train before boarding it himself. In the mission The Time's Come, he chases Michael and, even if the player wants to save him, Michael falls to his death. Franklin claims the reason he had to kill him was because Michael was trying to take advantage of him, but he eventually regrets killing him. He leaves a message on Lamar's voice-mail, stating about one running and their legs giving and not being able to run anymore, which is what Michael said to Franklin in Fresh Meat. Despite that, Franklin perhaps has the most personal issues with Michael, being a main source of grief for him as he was responsible for a majority of Franklin's problems throughout the storyline, from his untimely termination at his repo job, being forced to repay a debt to the Mexican mob over petty slights and later forced to work for the FIB and by killing him, leaves him with a great deal of enemies.
- Trevor Philips - Trevor and Franklin's first meeting was nowhere near perfect, as he was cautious of the new recruit and even insulted him and Michael for their father-son like relationship. He was eventually able to put his trust into Michael's judgement of Franklin and the two were finally able to get along and unlike Michael does not do anything to get him in trouble. In the optional ending that involves killing Trevor, he protests that he has been nothing but straight and true with him. Franklin seems to regret killing him, but also perceives Trevor as a threat to him and Michael. In the ending where Franklin kills Michael, he would cut off ties with him and claim that he's dead to him. However, in the Deathwish ending, while hanging out with Franklin, Trevor states that he's proud of him.
- Lamar Davis - As stated above, Franklin's relationship with Lamar is a bit unsettled, as Lamar is seen as a funny yet dangerous maniac, and is also known to be one of the main people holding Franklin back to the criminal life. Despite this, Franklin still considers him his best friend and on multiple occasions throughout the storyline, he risks his life to save him and help him out. By the end of the storyline, they seem to get along more calmly than before, especially within the Deathwish ending, where Lamar is pleasantly surprised to hear Franklin's need to help Michael and Trevor survive as he always assumed that Franklin was only looking out for himself, but does not hesitate to offer him help.
- As of 2021, with The Contract update, it is revealed that Franklin and Lamar are still friends. Lamar, now as a cannabis entrepreneur, still does many of the things that he used to in 2013, but Franklin and Lamar now trust each other a lot more. Lamar also makes fun of Franklin's domesticated lifestyle several times following his marriage.
- Denise Clinton - Franklin and his aunt Denise have a less than amicable relationship. They don't get along and Franklin is frequently annoyed with his aunt's feminist meetings and her desire for Franklin to move out. He generally considers her an airhead and often says that she has gotten even more out-of-touch with reality in recent times. Ultimately, he leaves the house as his former room was turned into a safe shelter for women and Franklin and his aunt mutually cutting ties. Despite his hostile relationship and eventual estrangement to Denise, Franklin still recognizes her as a relative and is implied to still somehow respect, as images of her are present in his Vinewood Hills mansion and his agency.
- Lester Crest - Franklin developed a healthy relationship with Michael and Trevor's associate, Lester. While Lester was initially wary of Franklin, being the newbie in Michael's jewelry store heist crew, Franklin proved his worth, so much that Lester personally offers Franklin assassination missions to manipulate the stock market, one mission of which allows Lester to buy a luxurious house in Vinewood Hills for Franklin. Lester's friendship proves to be crucial for Franklin in his times of need such as when he rescued Lamar, and later, Michael and Trevor.
- In 2021, it is revealed that Franklin keeps at least a measure of contact with Lester, referring to him as "an old friend". Lester was also perfectly comfortable with divulging to Franklin that he and the GTA Online Protagonist robbed The Diamond Casino & Resort, which, despite a background check, Franklin was unaware of.
- Michael's family - Unlike Trevor, Franklin is generally civil with the De Santa family. Amanda and Franklin seem to have a friendly relationship and will exchange kind words if they talk to each other. Michael's son Jimmy looks up to Franklin since he admires the gangster lifestyle, even mimicking their jargons when he speaks. Franklin discourages Jimmy to do so as it would get him into trouble. Franklin does not seem to know Tracey that well, but can make small talk with her when he visits Michael's house.
- Simeon Yetarian - Simeon is an Armenian luxury car salesman, who uses the business as a front for his repo activity. He employs Franklin as his repo-man. Simeon's relationship with Franklin is shown to be in poor condition, as he does not seem to fulfill many of Franklin's requests. Eventually, Franklin cut his ties with Simeon after being forced to drive through his dealership's front window. Years later, however, it's shown that Franklin did at least have some pride in Simeon choosing him as 'Employee of the Month' despite his dismissal of it at the time, having kept the plaque from Premium Deluxe Motorsport.
- Stretch - Franklin and Stretch have/had an antagonistic relationship, frequently trading insults and threats. Franklin also felt hostility towards Stretch for sending him and Lamar on numerous set-ups. He also dislikes the Families OG for, in his mind, trying to keep him and Lamar around as simple gangsters. He did, however, say to Lamar that Stretch could join their own gang, though that was likely a lie. Like most of Franklin's former associates, Franklin disassociates himself from Stretch and only deals with him when he realizes Stretch is a potential threat to Lamar's safety and chooses to have Michael kill him. In the Deathwish ending, when Michael kills Stretch, Franklin states Stretch was not his friend, just a guy who played him and Lamar while thanking Michael for getting rid of him.
- Tanisha Jackson - Tanisha is Franklin's ex-girlfriend who broke up with him over his criminal lifestyle. To Tanisha, Franklin changed very little, despite his improved wealth compared to Lamar, as he earned his money through violence and illegal means. Despite the end of the relationship, she still cares for him and Lamar and asked for him to save his friend from death. Franklin also wishes her the best when she announces her marriage to Jayden, a doctor whom she met.
- As revealed in Grand Theft Auto Online in The Contract update, Franklin and Tanisha got back together sometime between 2013 and 2021, and eventually married with children, as evidenced by several references made to it by Lamar as well as Franklin himself in the Short Trip missions. Tanisha visited the Agency once while looking for Franklin, and is stated to attend parties and socialize with others of her and Franklin's social status. A red Pfister Astron can be found outside Franklin's Vinewood home with the license plate "TAN1SHA".
- Devin Weston - Antagonistic with Franklin, he is seen as an extremely useful pawn throughout their dealings. However, in every scenario where both parties are involved Weston always comes out on top. From the car thefts which left Franklin and Lamar penniless, to leaving Franklin uncompensated and leaving him hung out to dry as well, Franklin is often forced to work for him and can be ironically compared to Simeon. Franklin also holds a special dislike for Weston's borderline racist behavior towards him, such as imitating stereotypical street slang. In The Time's Come, Franklin carries out the latter's choice to kill Michael and Weston doesn't pay him, instead insulting him while telling him to stay away. In The Third Way, when all the protagonists capture Weston, Franklin taunts him with his choice before helping Michael and Trevor kill him by pushing the car he was locked in off a cliff.
- GTA Online Protagonist - The GTA Online Protagonist first comes to Franklin's attention when their mutual friend, Lamar Davis, lists them as a potential business partner for his 'celebrity solutions agency', F. Clinton and Partner. Upon doing a background check and becoming impressed at their willingness to 'get their hands dirty' for the sake of their work, Franklin immediately brings them on as an investor and co-CEO. Franklin also learns later on from Lester Crest that he worked with the Protagonist as well.
Appearance[]
In Grand Theft Auto V, Franklin has been described as "fit" and "fashion conscious". He is 6' 1"[13] (1.85 m) in height. He is mostly seen wearing a blue button-up shirt over a white long-sleeved t-shirt, dark blue jeans with white stripes and a pair of wheat-colored boots. In the "Michael, Trevor and Franklin" artwork, he is seen wearing a light yellow plaid button-up shirt and stonewashed blue jeans. He also sported the same outfit in "The Trunk" artwork. He is seen in the "Franklin and Chop" artwork wearing a tank-top, khaki shorts along with a bracelet on his right wrist and a black watch on his left wrist. In "Three's Company", he is seen wearing his L.S. sweater, black jeans and Desert Boots. Initially, Franklin shows aproval to clothing from Ponsonby's and Suburban, while being neutral towards the cheaper, gang related options at Binco and The discount shop. Following the mission The Hotel Assassination, Franklin's taste in clothing changes, from then on he shows total disdain to Binco and The Discount shop and is only neutral to Suburban. During friendship activities with Michael, Franklin may state that he used to be fatter, but managed to lose weight. Michael claims that he can "kind of see it". Lamar also chides him for not wanting to walk around the block to the van, claiming "...you need to walk with your fat ass," in the mission Chop. Omega also claims that Franklin has "slightly excessive adipose tissue".
In Grand Theft Auto Online, Franklin appears to have aged by 2021, and now has noticable gray hairs, and now sports a heavy stubble beard. He has two outfits he wears in The Contract update; one is a light gray suit with a black t-shirt underneath, a platinum "LS" chain and black sneakers, while his other outfit is only worn during the Short Trips and consists of a unbuttoned plaid shirt with a gray t-shirt and an alloy chain, black jeans, a Güffy cap and grey sneakers. Both outfits contain clothes which can also be purchased by the GTA Online Protagonist.
Skills and Attributes[]
Franklin is the youngest of the three protagonists and is capable of tackling challenging tasks that Michael and Trevor cannot, and has a level of physical prowess that both Michael and Trevor lack. As being a repossession agent, he is a skilled driver behind the wheel of any car. As shown during the GI demo, he was described as being able to make short work of the agents that were interrogating the target and is often seen as a competent gunman throughout the game.
Franklin's Special Ability allows him to slow down time while driving, improving his driving handling.
His special ability can only be used while driving any four-wheeled vehicle or motorcycle. When activated, it allows him to easily take corners at full speed and escape possible accidents with ease. By enhancing this skill, its maximum storage capacity is increased, which also increases the duration the ability can be activated. Franklin's Special Ability begins at one-third of maximum capacity (10 seconds), and it lasts for 30 seconds when at maximum capacity. The special ability also applies to drive-by shootings, as well as when driving the Rhino tank, making Franklin able to land even more precise shots while operating the main cannon.
Mission Appearances[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- For the list of Franklin Clinton's mission appearances, see Franklin Clinton/Appearances.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
The Contract[]
The Contract: Dr. Dre[]
- On Course (Boss)
- Setup: Data Recovery (Boss)
- Investigation: The Nightclub (Boss)
- Investigation: The Marina (Boss)
- Nightlife Leak (Boss)
- Investigation: The Country Club (Boss)
- Investigation: Guest List (Boss)
- High Society Leak (Boss)
- Investigation: Davis (Boss)
- Investigation: The Ballas (Boss)
- South Central Leak (Boss)
- Cutscene after completing all Data Leak finales.
- Studio Time (Voice/Boss)
- Don't Fuck With Dre (Boss)
Short Trips[]
- Short Trip - Seed Capital (Playable character)
- Short Trip - Fire It Up (Playable character)
- Short Trip - OG Kush (Playable character)
Security Contracts[]
- Security Contract: Asset Protection (Boss)
- Security Contract: Rescue Operation (Boss)
- Security Contract: Liquidize Assets (Boss)
- Security Contract: Recover Valuables (Boss)
- Security Contract: Vehicle Recovery (Boss)
Payphone Hits[]
- Payphone Hit: The Hitmen (Voice/Boss)
- Payphone Hit: The Popstar (Voice/Boss)
- Payphone Hit: The Tech Entrepreneur (Voice/Boss)
- Payphone Hit: The Trolls (Voice/Boss)
- Payphone Hit: The Judge (Voice/Boss)
- Payphone Hit: The Dealers (Voice/Boss)
- Payphone Hit: The CEO (Voice/Boss)
- Payphone Hit: The Cofounder (Voice/Boss)
Adversary Modes[]
- Double Down (Playable character; "Hold Outs" Team)
Reception[]
Just like Michael and Trevor, Franklin has received a very positive response from critics and fans of the series.
Dan Houser's Description of Franklin[]
"Franklin was the idea of this street hustler in the modern world where the glory days – if there ever were glory days of gang banging – had long since passed. When some of the illusions of this life have been shattered, what do you do now having been in that world? That seemed like an interesting character; a guy in his mid-to-late 20s who wants to move forward but doesn't really know how and is being held back by some of his more idiotic and dangerous friends."
"The idea with Franklin was someone stepping outside their comfort zone and their normal way of doing things, because that way, even though they're still in their mid-20s or whatever, that hasn't worked. That world that they thought they'd be in and be able to make a success of has, thanks to the modern world or the changes in the economy or whatever it is, just failed. It doesn't really exist. They're now looking for something new. A new opportunity. They've gotten their qualifications and gotten all their experience and all they're good at is driving and robbing. How do actually go forward and who do you get to a kind of mentor you? That was a good contrast. The gang-banger in the post-gang-banging world."
Character Trailer[]
Quotes[]
- "Bitchass bullshit." - Franklin's trade mark quote. Said many times through the game, and commonly heard when he crashes the car he is driving.
- "I boost cars! And pop motherfuckers! Maturity is not really my fucking thing." - Franklin to Molly Schultz.
- "If the Bureau ain't gonna take you to court, them motherfuckers just hustlers anyway. And ain't finna let no motherfucking cat think he is so motherfucking crazy run me up a tree. Fuck that." - Franklin on the Bureau and Trevor.
- "So you giving me a lecture about not being a good enough gangbanger?" - Franklin to his aunt.
- "He's just another N---- from the hood... him, Stretch and all the motherfucking clowns. All they wanna do is drag a motherfucker down and live in the past." - Franklin to Tanisha about all his old friends in the hood.
- "Shit, I can't feel anything, I can't feel my fucking toes right now. Man, my toes are dead. Or my soul." - Franklin while smoking weed.
- "Come on, man. I mean, we just took the biggest score in the history of scores, and you bitches just wanna moan? "My momma never loved me. My friends never loved me. I'm mad because I'm rich. I'm sad because I'm successful." Man, this shit is pathetic. Both of you." - Franklin despises Michael's and Trevor's behavior, after the Union Depository heist.
- "Man, y'all gotta keep your fuckin' heads right and end this shit. If not, man, I'll put bullets in both you motherfuckers." - Franklin to Michael and Trevor before confronting Merryweather and the FIB in The Third Way.
- "My bad, homie. I picked C. Ain't that a bitch?" - Franklin taunting Devin in The Third Way.
- "Nothing's real in this town, N----. Particularly where you and Stretch concerned." - Franklin to Lamar during Hood Safari.
- "Now that's why you my motherfuckin' Partner." - Franklin to Imani about the GTA Online Protagonist after he finds out the player owns a Penthouse and a Super Yacht.
Phone Services[]
The player can call him to access one of the following options:
Request Security Contract[]
This option triggers a random Security Contracts mission, which can be activated by becoming a VIP/CEO of an organization or an MC president.
Request Payphone Hit[]
This option will activate a Payphone Hit at the nearest payphone. It will be marked on the map with 
.
Company SUV[]
This option will spawn the Agency SUV nearby. It will be marked with 
on the map.
SUV Service[]
This option requests the Agency SUV marked on the map with 
that works similarly to calling a Taxi. By default, the SUV will bring the player to the Agency, but one can choose a different location by setting a waypoint on the GPS. The player also has the option to hurry the limo driver or leave the vehicle at any point during the drive.
Supply Stash[]
The player can request a supply stash for $5,000. After requesting, it will be stashed near the player and will be marked with 
. The option has a cooldown of 10 minutes. Collecting the supply stash will replenish the player's health and armor. Plus, they will get two Grenades, two Sticky Bombs, two rockets for the Rocket Launcher, and two magazines for each type of firearm.
Gallery[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
![Portrait of Franklin with a female who appears to be close to him.[14]](/wiki/File:Franklin%26Woman-GTAV-Portrait.png "Franklin&Woman-GTAV-Portrait.png (399 KB)")
Official Screenshots[]
Artworks[]
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Official Screenshots[]
![Franklin's agency debit card. [15]](/wiki/File:FClintonandPartner-GTAOe-FranklinsCard.jpg "FClintonandPartner-GTAOe-FranklinsCard.jpg (28 KB)")
Artworks[]
Trivia[]
General[]
- Franklin Clinton and the GTA London Protagonists are currently the only protagonists in the series who appear as playable characters during the storylines of two different Grand Theft Auto titles.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- Despite his date of birth never being mentioned in-game, Franklin's license plates read "FC1988" ("FC" being his initials, and 1988 being his possible birth year).
- According to second stage of Children of the Mountain side quest, his e-mail address is [email protected].
- In the gameplay trailer, beta appearances, and official artwork, Franklin had a stripe cut out of his hair on the upper-right corner of his forehead. Although it is not part of Franklin's default appearance, the same haircut can be bought at a barber shop. Oddly enough, Franklin's icon in the Character Wheel still reflects his earlier design with the stripe cut out.
- Franklin's default in-game ringtone is a slowed-down version of "Bump To The Music" by Fatamarse, which was featured on Lips 106, a radio station from Grand Theft Auto III.
- In "Eye in the Sky", it is revealed that Franklin was once arrested for Public Exposure. According to him, it was due to him sagging in public and the LSPD committing "racial profiling". This disgusts Trevor.
- Franklin's favourite radio stations are Radio Los Santos, West Coast Classics, and The Lab.
- According to Tonya Wiggins, Franklin "fooled around" with her behind a Burger Shot when he was 13. Franklin, however, denies it and claims that nothing serious happened.
- It is likely that Franklin is a Christian, or at the very least has studied the Bible at some point in his life. He immediately recognized the verse that Michael sarcastically used, after pulling down the house in "Marriage Counseling," as coming from the book of Matthew. He is also described as believing in a "white man's God." Another possible reference to Franklin's religious standing is his ability to purchase a torso tattoo quoting a biblical manuscript from 2 Corinthians 12:9 which reads: "...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Pre-release artwork of Franklin shows him with a praying hands tattoo in his neck, further supporting this theory.
- Additionally, the tattoo resembles an item found in "The Silk Stocking Murder", a Homicide case in L.A. Noire, another video game edited by Rockstar Games.
- Of the three protagonists, Franklin appears to have the most compassion for animals, possibly because he is the only main character to have a pet. When he runs over a wild animal, he usually responds with compassionate quotes, such as: "Sorry, little dude!" or "Watch out, little dude!" whereas Michael usually responds with sarcasm and Trevor with dark humor.
- Franklin's special ability may be a reference to the Zone special ability from Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition and Midnight Club: Los Angeles (other Rockstar Games titles), which allows the player to slow down time for better handling while driving.
- Franklin's signature color is green, most likely due to his connection with the Chamberlain Gangster Families. This is seen when using his special ability by screen fading green, while Michael's ability fades blue and Trevor's fades orange.
- The selection of the protagonist's signature colors may be a reflection of the character's personalities and/or their individual story arcs. Green is the color of intellect and wealth, reflecting Franklin's focus on gaining money and his desire to move up in the world of organized crime.
- Even after Franklin left Forum Drive to live at Vinewood Hills and after he stopped hanging out with his gang, he is still true to his membership with The Families. This is shown when he gets respect from other members, the player can give him tattoos that involve the gang in any way, and none of the clothing that Franklin wears is purple (not even the Los Santos Panic clothing he can purchase at Suburban have purple on them).
- If the player throws Molotovs at Franklin's house as Michael or Trevor, he might text the player saying: "U trying to burn my house down?".
- Franklin is the only protagonist who cannot play tennis.
- Franklin has an unfinished military bomb suit found in the game's files, suggesting that originally, in The Paleto Score, he would have robbed the bank lobby along with Michael and Trevor rather than the gunman in the final version.
- Both Franklin and Michael are known to smoke cigarettes. At Franklin's mansion, Redwood Cigarettes packs can be found scattered on tables, along with multiple ashtrays.
- If the player enters the in-game website PsychicShoutout and speaks with Mrs. Marcy as Franklin, she will say that she sees Lamar in her visions, having sex on Franklin's bed. This is a possible hint that Lamar had an affair with Denise Clinton, due to his multiple positive comments about her appearance. Another reference on that matter is that during the mission, "Hood Safari", Lamar is seen leaving Franklin's house with her.
- Franklin is the only protagonist to be able to use lockpicks. Usage of lockpicks is extremely useful when trying to steal parked cars (smashing windows get detected by the police), and to avoid attracting attention of pedestrians and bystanders when stealing a parked car. The only problem with lockpicks is that the player is not able to choose whether or not Franklin uses them. However, approaching a vehicle without attacking beforehand tends to invoke their use. Franklin tends not to use lockpicks if he is in a hurry or when he's provoked (i.e. if the police sees him, he shoots or attacks, or gets shot at).
- Franklin never lockpicks SUVs, vans, and other vehicles with a higher door handle, resulting in him always smashing the locked car door windows when entering.
- Oddly, Franklin never lockpicks the Furore GT, even without being provoked.
- Franklin sleeps for the most normal amount of time out of all the 3 protagonists. When saving the game as Franklin, the game skips ahead 8 hours. Michael sleeps for 6 while Trevor sleeps for 12. Franklin also sleeps in the fetal position, which is the most common sleeping position in the world.
- Franklin shares many similarities with Carl Johnson, the protagonist of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
- They are both young African-American men born and currently residing in Los Santos.
- They are both very calm, and are interested in making money and rising to the top of the criminal underworld, often to the dismay of those close to them.
- By another coincidence, Franklin and Carl's voice actors are cousins.
- Both of them are also affiliated with The Families.
- They both never knew their father.
- Franklin is the only protagonist of GTA V who survives in all three endings. As a result of this, many of his missions (including all of his Strangers and Freaks missions) are required for 100% Completion.
- Originally Franklin was able to play tennis judging by sound effects found in the game files.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- Franklin's role in The Contract update makes him the first protagonist in the series to have also played the role of a deuteragonist.
- Franklin's new profession as a celebrity fixer has been compared to the fictional character Ray Donovan; from the crime drama TV series of the same name on Showtime.
- If the GTA Online Protagonist stands in front of Franklin in his Agency office long enough, Franklin could be heard commending them for their accomplishments such as robbing the Diamond Casino and successfully running a Nightclub, which he admitted going to prior to meeting them. He could also mention mutual accomplices such as Trevor and Lester, fondly reminiscing their adventures together. This is apparently because Imani had caught Franklin up to speed with the player's criminal history.
- While having not met Pavel before, Franklin mentioned he was approached by him, informing that the player had also hit "an island in the Caribbean".
- Franklin has learned about golf and considers it a "borin'-ass game", but acknowledges that important deals get made while on the golf course. He, therefore, owns a set of golf clubs but keeps them in his office at the Agency rather than at home.
- He thinks of the internet as "a huge and terrible place that I still don't understand", nor can he decipher Imani's texts which are apparently full of internet slang. Despite this, however, he is capable of navigating message boards and is aware of what NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are.
References[]
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- GameInformer December issue.
- [1] - Info from Polygon.
- [2] - Info from a translated interview with Dan Houser.
- [3] - Info from another translated interview with Dan Houser.