Who Wanted Michael Dead in GTA 5?
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The question of who wanted Michael De Santa (formerly Michael Townley) dead in Grand Theft Auto V is complex and hinges on a series of betrayals, shifting alliances, and the intertwined motivations of several key characters. Ultimately, the primary figure who directly orders Michael’s death is the corrupt billionaire, Devin Weston. However, the circumstances leading to this are rooted in past actions and the manipulations of others, painting a nuanced picture of the threats facing Michael. While Devin Weston was the one giving the order, Michael faced other threats during the story too.
Devin Weston: The Primary Instigator
The most direct answer to who wanted Michael dead is Devin Weston. A self-serving business tycoon, Weston becomes increasingly frustrated with Michael’s actions, seeing him as a liability. This frustration stems from a few key incidents:
- Molly Schultz’s Death: Molly, Weston’s personal assistant, is accidentally killed while trying to retrieve a film that incriminates him. Weston holds Michael responsible for her death, further fueling his animosity.
- Michael’s Inability to Eliminate His Family: Weston had initially hired Michael to terrorize his family for insurance fraud, but Michael ultimately refused to go through with it. Weston viewed this as Michael’s failure to follow through.
- Michael as a Liability: With Michael’s increasing involvement in criminal activity and his connection to other volatile characters like Trevor Philips, Weston sees him as a loose end that needs to be eliminated. Weston believes that Michael is more trouble than he’s worth.
Consequently, Weston tasks Franklin Clinton with killing Michael. He presents Franklin with an ultimatum, giving him three choices: kill Trevor, kill Michael, or attempt a “Deathwish” scenario where they try to take down everyone threatening them. This pivotal decision underscores the significant threat Weston poses to Michael’s life.
The Undercurrent of Betrayal: Past Actions and Shifting Alliances
Beyond Weston, Michael’s past actions and the web of betrayal he’s woven create an environment where his life is constantly in danger.
- Michael’s Betrayal of Trevor: Ten years prior to the main events of GTA V, Michael, then Michael Townley, made a deal with corrupt FIB agent Dave Norton. This deal involved Michael betraying his partner, Trevor Philips, during a bank heist in North Yankton. Michael faked his death, leaving Trevor to believe he had been betrayed by both his partner and fate. This betrayal creates deep-seated animosity between them, and while Trevor does not openly plot Michael’s death, his actions and unpredictable behavior puts Michael at constant risk. Trevor’s animosity and instability makes him a constant, lurking threat.
- Dave Norton’s Manipulation: While not directly wanting Michael dead, Dave Norton’s corrupt nature and manipulations put Michael in a precarious situation. Norton was motivated to manipulate Michael into a deal in order to further his own career by appearing as the one who took down Michael, “The Most Wanted Man in America”. The deal is what ultimately put Michael into the witness protection program, setting up the events of the entire game.
- The FIB’s Interest: While Dave Norton was working for the FIB to a degree, the FIB as a whole had a general interest in taking down Trevor. They were not actively trying to kill Michael though, and saw him as an informant of sorts, while being very careful to protect Michael so that their deals would not be compromised.
While these individuals did not necessarily want Michael dead, their actions created a dangerous environment where Michael is living on borrowed time. Their motives are often self-serving and driven by personal gain, making them constant threats to Michael’s precarious existence.
The Player’s Choice: The Ultimate Fate of Michael
In the final act of the game, the player is tasked with deciding Michael’s fate through Franklin’s choices. Ultimately, it is the player, through Franklin, who decides whether Michael lives or dies at the hands of Devin Weston. The game offers three choices:
- Option A (Kill Trevor): Choosing this option would result in Trevor’s death, but allow for Michael to survive. This would create a very unstable situation, especially since Michael and Trevor had made amends.
- Option B (Kill Michael): Selecting this option leads to Michael’s death. The player would ultimately have to kill Michael, as per Devin Weston’s orders, and then would be able to receive an extra bit of money from the final heist.
- Option C (Deathwish): The “Deathwish” ending, the canon and recommended option, leads to Franklin, Michael, and Trevor uniting to take down their enemies together. This option allows for the survival of all three characters.
Thus, the question of who wanted Michael dead in GTA V is ultimately answered with Devin Weston being the primary antagonist, driven by his own greed and the desire to eliminate a liability, while Michael’s past actions and broken loyalties played a major role in putting him into the position to be killed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why did Devin Weston want Michael dead?
Devin Weston wanted Michael dead because he considered him a liability. This was due to Molly’s death, Michael’s failure to control his family, and his volatile involvement in criminal activities.
2. Did Dave Norton try to kill Michael?
While Dave Norton faked Michael’s death during the North Yankton heist to advance his career, he did not ultimately want Michael dead. He simply used Michael to get ahead.
3. Why did Michael betray Trevor?
Michael betrayed Trevor as part of a deal with Dave Norton. Michael agreed to fake his death and hand Trevor over to the FIB in exchange for witness protection and a new life.
4. How did Michael survive the sniper shot?
The sniper shot that appeared to kill Michael was part of the plan with Dave Norton. The wound was faked, and Michael was later put into witness protection.
5. Did Trevor know Michael betrayed him?
While Trevor was unaware of the specifics, he deeply felt betrayed by Michael’s faked death. This was a point of contention and a cause of animosity between them throughout the story.
6. Why does Michael hate Trevor?
Michael doesn’t necessarily hate Trevor, but he is constantly paranoid that Trevor will seek revenge for the North Yankton incident. He knows what he did to Trevor was wrong, and believes he could suffer the same fate from Trevor at any time.
7. Why was Brad buried in Michael’s grave?
Brad was buried in Michael’s grave to maintain the illusion that Michael was dead. This helped protect Michael under the witness protection program.
8. What is the “Deathwish” ending in GTA 5?
The “Deathwish” ending is the third and canon option where Franklin, Michael, and Trevor unite to fight against their common enemies and ensure that they all survive.
9. If you kill Michael, can you still play as him?
No. If you choose to kill Michael in the final mission, you will not be able to play as him in the game, unless you start a new game.
10. Does Franklin get more money if he kills Michael?
No. If Franklin kills Michael, Michael’s share of the final heist is given to his family, and Franklin does not gain any more money. If Franklin kills Trevor, his share is split between Franklin and Michael.
11. What happens if you kill Trevor?
If you choose to kill Trevor in the final mission, the player will get a larger share of the final heist reward, as his share is split between Franklin and Michael. This decision will also mean that Trevor will no longer be playable in the game.
12. Is Michael a snitch in GTA 5?
Michael didn’t snitch in the traditional sense of turning in his friends to the cops. He made a deal with Dave Norton to fake his death, betray Trevor, and go into witness protection to save his own life.
13. Why can’t you hang out with Michael after killing Trevor?
If you kill Trevor, Michael won’t interact with you anymore and will be inaccessible because your choice in killing Trevor would prove that you chose money over loyalty.
14. Why does Michael like Franklin so much?
Michael sees Franklin as an apprentice and someone who is willing to learn from him, unlike his own son. Michael sees potential in Franklin and is more than willing to teach him.
15. Was Franklin betrayed by Michael?
Franklin was not directly betrayed by Michael. While their relationship does suffer because of Michael’s past actions and connections with people that want to kill both Franklin and Michael, the betrayal was never on a direct person-to-person basis.