Can I Save Both Trevor and Michael in GTA 5?
Yes, you can choose the secret "Deathwish" ending to keep Trevor, Michael, and Franklin all alive at the end of GTA 5‘s epic story. This guide will explain how saving Trevor and Michael leads to the most satisfying conclusion.
Overview of GTA 5‘s Multiple Endings
Near the climax of this acclaimed open-world crime saga, protagonist Franklin Clinton is forced to make a dramatic life-or-death decision about the fates of his mentor Michael De Santa and deranged best friend Trevor Philips.
Players face three options:
- Kill Trevor: Shoot Trevor dead during a standoff, seeking revenge for his past betrayal of Michael
- Kill Michael: Follow corrupt FIB agent Steve Haines‘ orders to murder Michael
- Choose "Deathwish": Team up with both Michael and Trevor to eliminate all threats in a heroic last stand
Based on my complete playthrough, I strongly recommend selecting Deathwish – saving both characters for the best ending. Keep reading to understand why it results in the most satisfying conclusion from both a story and gameplay perspective.
Why Saving Trevor and Michael is the Best Ending
Choosing to save Trevor and Michael and team up for the climactic "Deathwish" finale brings the most fulfilling closure across all areas:
1. Allows All Three Characters to Survive
Obviously, killing off either Trevor or Michael means that character won‘t survive – you lose them permanently.
Only by picking Deathwish can you ensure fan favorites Trevor, Michael, and Franklin all make it out alive.
I always feel most rewarded as a player when I‘m able to have my protagonist defeat the odds and save themselves + their friends against all expectations.
2. Wraps Up the Story Most Positively
Without spoiling events, I believe Deathwish simply offers the happiest ending to Michael, Franklin, and Trevor‘s complex crime saga.
They finally stand united against adversary Devin Weston, putting aside their differences for good. All lingering threats are eliminated, granting our trio of antiheroes the chance to walk off into the sunset.
Meanwhile, the other endings leave at least one character dead in unpleasant fashion. Deathwish delivers welcome catharsis after 30+ hours navigating the seedy underworld of Los Santos.
3. Allows You to Keep Switching Between All Three Playable Characters
A great perk of Grand Theft Auto V is being able to swap between the perspectives of Michael, Franklin, and Trevor during its open-world free roam.
If you kill either Trevor or Michael, you lose the ability to ever play as them again once the main story concludes.
But if you save both of their lives? You can keep having fun wreaking havoc across Los Santos while switching freely between all three fan favorite protagonists!
4. Doesn‘t Lock You Out From Any Game Content or Features After the Story
By keeping Trevor and Michael alive, you retain full access to their complete arsenal of unlockable assets, properties, side missions, and random events.
However, kill either one and all of their exclusive post-game content becomes permanently inaccessible – really limiting your options for fun during the extensive endgame sandbox experience.
Trust me, as an avid fan who has 100% completed GTA V, I was much happier entering the post-story with all bonuses, activities, and properties still available after picking Deathwish.
What Players Miss Out on Depending on Ending
To help summarize the consequences, refer to this quick comparison table I made showing what exclusive content/features players lose depending on which finale they choose:
| Ending | Characters Who Die | Characters You Lose Playability For | Side Content No Longer Accessible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kill Trevor | Trevor | Trevor | All of Trevor‘s Strangers & Freaks missions, properties, etc |
| Kill Michael | Michael | Michael | All of Michael‘s Strangers & Freaks missions, properties, etc |
| Deathwish | None | None | Everything still available |
As you can see, the Decision to save both clearly has no downsides compared to the severe limitations imposed if either Trevor or Michael eat a bullet.
Emotional Weight of Killing Trevor vs Michael
Roleplaying players may still gravitate towards non-Deathwish endings for storyline reasons – so let‘s analyze the emotional differences between killing Trevor or Michael.
What Players Lose Killing Trevor
Trevor has a legitimate axe to grind with Michael thanks to his past betrayal. Still, putting a deranged Trevor down ultimately feels dishonorable after all they endured together – and doing so forever severs Franklin‘s closest bond.
Killing Michael also alienates Franklin from celeb-chasing buddy Lamar, who goes on lambasting Franklin‘s character change to the end credits.
What Players Lose Killing Michael
Though corrupt FIB bureaucrat Devin Weston tries framing Michael as incompetent, his guidance was crucial in jumpstarting Franklin‘s criminal rise. Losing a supportive father figure leaves Franklin feeling aimless.
And from a player perspective, Michael is voiced by acclaimed actor Ned Luke, making his murder a real loss for fans.
Final Verdict: Save Them Both Every Time!
In the end, experienced Grand Theft Auto experts overwhelmingly recommend selecting Deathwish and joining forces with Trevor & Michael for the most uplifting and open-ended finale to your citywide rampage.
Sure, you‘ll have to put aside simmering feuds, but this ultimate act of trust and teamwork leaves all characters satisfied and sets you up for the most rewarding post-game experience.
Whereas killing either Michael or Trevor saves you from immediate threat, it makes long-term enjoyment far more hollow and constrained. For maximum fulfilling GTA story closure and ongoing free roam, always save both these brothers-in-arms!
So hopefully now you‘ve got all the information to make the savviest decision when Franklin asks one fateful question:
"So, what‘s it gonna be?"
What ending did you choose? Let all us fellow virtual felons know why you picked what you did @GTA_Online!
