Claude (Grand Theft Auto)
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Claude refers to a set of fictional characters in the Grand Theft Auto video game series. Claude Speed, the first "Claude" introduced, appeared in Grand Theft Auto 2 as the player-controlled protagonist. The second, and later, rendition of the character, known simply as Claude, played the same role in Grand Theft Auto III, and appeared briefly in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as a non-playable character.
Due to similarities between both renditions' first names, manner of attire, and physical appearances, speculation may occur regarding whether Claude Speed and Claude are the same character. There is no official indication as to whether this is true, however.
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[edit] Grand Theft Auto 2 rendition
| Series | Grand Theft Auto |
|---|---|
| First game | Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999) |
| Motion capture actor(s) | Scott Maslen (as the live-action rendition of Claude Speed) |
Little is known about the main character of GTA2. The plot of the game basically involves him being freed from prison and awakened from cryonic sleep with a bad case of amnesia. The storyline then shifts to his goal of becoming the "King of the City" by any means necessary.[1]
DMA Design, the primary producer of the GTA series, had released a promotional movie for the game (which was also compiled into the opening cinematic of the game) depicting a live-action rendition of Claude committing several criminal acts, similar in all Grand Theft Auto games. In the movie, Claude is seen performing jobs for several crime bosses, but has been seen to show no apparent loyalty to any gang as he is seen driving a rival gang of gunners to a hangout of another gang, where a firefight would occur. By the end of the movie, Claude is shot in the back three times by an assassin from the Zaibatsu Corporation (whose van and merchandise were previously stolen by Claude), as he attempted to break into a sports car. Claude collapses, implying he is killed.
The movie's version of Claude shares a few physical appearances with the Claude in Grand Theft Auto III canon, including slicked hair and his attire—black jacket, collar-less white undershirt (which is on the GTA III Claude Kubrick figurine instead of his usual black T-shirt in that game), and long pants. The movie version, however, was also depicted speaking and displaying an array of emotions, a characteristic not seen in either the GTA III or the GTA:SA versions.
Scott Maslen played the movie rendition of Claude Speed.[2]
[edit] Grand Theft Auto III rendition
_(full_body_shot).jpg) The Grand Theft Auto III rendition of Claude. |
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| Series | Grand Theft Auto |
|---|---|
| First game | Grand Theft Auto III (2001) |
An alternative rendition of the character, known simply as "Claude", has appeared in the Grand Theft Auto III canon. While his name is never disclosed in Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas hinted his name to be "Claude", as uttered by Catalina during several phone conversations throughout the course of the game. It was also revealed in Grand Theft Auto III's data files that the player was once allowed to enter their own character name, and the "DEFNAM" (default name) value for it was "Claude".
[edit] Role in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Claude's first chronological appearance in the series was a cameo as a thug in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (set in 1992). While CJ waits for Cesar to begin a race in the country side, Claude is also seen waiting for the race to begin as he is one of the contestants. In another cutscene it is revealed Catalina is now dating Claude instead of CJ (for various reasons). She has the two race to show who's the better man, and despite the fact Carl won, she still decides to keep Claude as her boyfriend.
After leaving for Liberty City along with Claude, Catalina phones Carl at certain plot points. One phone call seemingly indicates Catalina was intending to speak to Claude, mentioning Claude's first name; another has Catalina in mid-orgasm, screaming the same first name.
[edit] Role in Grand Theft Auto III
Claude's second chronological appearance takes place around nine years later, in October 2001. Catalina betrays Claude by shooting him shortly after a successful bank robbery in Liberty City, and leaves him for dead. After his arrest by the police, Claude is en route to prison when his prison transport is ambushed by members of the Colombian Cartel (who kidnap an unrelated prisoner). Claude escapes with the help of 8-Ball, and takes advantage of the ensuing chaos by working his way into the favor of the Leone family of the Liberty City Mafia to help fight against the Triads and Forelli Family.
He eventually helps destroy a large freighter of SPANK, a drug that Catalina and her new accomplice Miguel are pushing around the city with the help of the Colombian Cartel. His help to the Leone family at the beginning of the game is eventually rewarded with a death trap (due to Maria starting rumors of an affair with Claude), from which he is saved by Don Salvatore Leone's adulterous wife, Maria. She introduces him to Asuka Kasen, who is the co-leader of the Yakuza. To prove that Claude has completely severed ties with the Leone family in favor of the Yakuza, Asuka allows him to kill Salvatore.
Following the successful assassination, Claude works his way up the Yakuza ladder, gaining the favor of the waka gashira of the Yakuza, Kenji Kasen. He also assists a corrupt cop named Ray Machowski and the Media millionaire Donald Love. He is eventually asked to kill Kenji by Love, and to frame the Colombian Cartel for the job, by driving a Cartel Car. With Kenji dead, Asuka takes over the Yakuza, and becomes obsessed with revenge against the Cartel. She sends Claude on a number of missions to slow down the spread of SPANK in Liberty City.
Eventually, Asuka is killed, and Maria is kidnapped, with a note from Catalina left behind. Claude confronts her, and she commands one of her goons to execute him. Claude quickly turns the tables, however, then proceeds to chase Catalina to a Dam, where he kills her after a lengthy battle. He then saves Maria. However, when the screen portraying Claude and Maria walking away fades to black Maria is still heard talking, until a gunshot is heard.
[edit] Physical Appearance
Aside from the brief start Grand Theft Auto III, when he wears a prisoners jumpsuit (having just escaped en route to prison) Claude is seen wearing a black leather jacket with a black t-shirt underneath, green cargo pants, and blue trainers with white soles. He also has brown hair with his fringe sticking out. An easter egg in Grand Theft Auto IV suggest that Claude died - graffiti on a wall in game says "RIP Claude", bidding him farewell along with previous characters. On the GTA IV mission "The Holland Play", if you choose to kill Playboy X, you will unlock an outfit for Niko Bellic, idential to the clothes that Claude wore in GTA III.
[edit] Silence
In contrast to the verbose protagonists of the later GTA games, Claude in GTA III is never seen or heard uttering a single word throughout his appearances (However, he can be heard uttering mild, quiet sounds of pain when injured or killed). During the course of the game, Maria makes a telephone call to Lazlow's show on Chatterbox FM, saying that she's met a new man but "he don't talk too much." Another explanation is that Claude sustained injuries from the shot he took from Catalina during the bank robbery (prior to the events of Grand Theft Auto III), which torn his vocal chords apart and left him mute. Claude continued to be a silent character throughout San Andreas; Carl Johnson himself also references, and cursed Claude's silence in a rage after seeing the run-down garage he won from him, describing him as a "mute asshole" and a "fucking snake without a tongue."[3]
[edit] Alternate names
In GTA III, Claude is only referred to as "Fido" by Maria and "Kid" by other characters. In GTA2, Claude Speed's in-game name is simply given as a myriad of nicknames from nine bosses of seven gangs:[4]
- "Gecko" by all three heads (Trey Welsh, Red Valdez and Uno Carb) of the Zaibatsu Corporation.
- "Jumbo" by Elmo, head of the Loonies.
- "Kosai" by Johnny Zoo, head of the Yakuza.
- "Rooster" by Billy Bob Bean, head of the Rednecks.
- "THC-303" by Dr. LaBrat, head of the SRS Scientists.
- "Comrade" by Jerkov, head of the Russian Mafia.
- "Grasshopper" by Sunbeam, head of the Hare Krishna.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ "Grand Theft Auto 2 Information". GOURANGA!. http://www.gouranga.com/info-gta2-frames.htm. Retrieved July 21, 2006.
- ^ In both GTA2's live action movie (Part 8 (QuickTime, 6.72 MB. URL accessed on June 15, 2006)) and manual, Scott Maslen is credited for playing Claude Speed.
- ^ Carl "CJ" Johnson: (Upon entering Claude's run down San Fierro garage) "Mother-fucker! That mute asshole! That fucking snake without a tongue! Gave me this shit-hole instead of a pink slip! I must be the biggest fucking idiot in the whole fucking world!" (Opening cut scene of "Wear Flowers In Your Hair", Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.)
- ^ In GTA2, Claude Speed was given nicknames by multiple bosses as he received phone calls from them to perform missions. Upon receiving a phone call, the bosses tend to refer Claude's nickname first, before introducing themselves and, lastly, provide an overview and instructions on the mission.
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