Is CJ still alive in GTA 5?
As an iconic Grand Theft Auto antihero, Carl "CJ" Johnson‘s fate remains one of the biggest unsolved mysteries for diehard fans of Rockstar‘s blockbuster crime series. Officially, there has never been definitive confirmation from Rockstar on whether the legendary protagonist of 2004‘s GTA San Andreas is dead or alive by the events of GTA 5 in 2013. But by closely analyzing timelines, character histories, and clues from both games, we can piece together the intriguing – if ultimately tragic – path of CJ‘s life after his final showdown with corrupt cop Frank Tenpenny.
The Last We Saw of CJ
When we last journeyed with CJ through the streets of Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas, he had overcome seemingly impossible odds to take over territories and businesses from enemy gang factions who had initially betrayed him such as Big Smoke and Ryder. By 1992 when San Andreas ends, CJ had gone from a young gangbanger fleeing the burdens of the hood to become the respected boss of the Grove Street Families and accomplished entrepreneur with assets like the Four Dragons Casino. However, despite all his hustling, CJ failed to escape the spectre of his corrupt cop nemesis, Frank Tenpenny, who was ultimately put on trial for racketeering and multiple felonies.
CJ finally took Tenpenny down for good in a climactic chase, causing the crooked cop‘s firetruck to plunge off a bridge, killing him. Satisfied he had achieved vengeance for his family and community, CJ with the help of his brother Sweet began rebuilding and reuniting the Grove Street Families for the future. After the credits rolled on his heroic homecoming, that was the last we saw or heard of Carl Johnson.
The Timeline – How Old Would CJ be in 2013?
To start analyzing what might have happened to CJ after the events of San Andreas, we first need to establish some timeline context. San Andreas took place in 1992, starting with CJ‘s return to Los Santos. We know CJ was born in 1968 from the games‘ canon, making him 24 years old when he took over San Andreas.
Fast forward two decades to 2013, the year Grand Theft Auto 5 takes place in Los Santos. This would make CJ around 45 years old if he were still alive and kicking in the GTA 5 storyline. While 45 is nearing middle age, we‘ve seen from characters like Michael De Santa that protagonists can still be highly capable criminals and gunmen even in their later years. So the age gap alone does not rule out CJ still being alive when Trevor, Franklin, and Michael‘s adventures occurred. However, the two decades between games would realistically allow time for CJ‘s life to undergo dramatic changes, for better or worse.
The Fall of Families – What Happened on Grove Street?
Perhaps the most ominous sign pointing to CJ‘s possible downfall is the status of Grove Street and the greater Families gang in Los Santos by 2013. When Franklin is first introduced in GTA 5, Grove Street has become overrun with enemy Ballas, who graffiti over Families tags and control the cul-de-sac. The Families have been reduced to a few scattered sets mostly in Chamberlain Hills. This echoes the earlier deterioration of Grove beginning with the death of CJ‘s mother in a Ballas drive-by.
Could the Families‘ and Grove‘s downfall between 1992 and 2013 indicate CJ has been killed or otherwise removed from power? It‘s possible, as CJ was essentially the driving force keeping Grove Street strong in San Andreas after Sweet‘s imprisonment. With their leader gone, the Families likely lost territory and influence on the streets. However, Los Santos would change a lot in two decades, so a decline of the Grove Street Families does not automatically mean CJ was killed before 2013. Other factors like gentrification could displace traditional gangs. Still, the sorry state of his childhood ‘hood casts doubt on CJ still holding sway in Los Santos.
Known Faces – Lazlow‘s Cameo versus CJ‘s Absence
A telling sign about CJ‘s relevance to the GTA 5 storyline is the complete lack of references to the San Andreas hero. Some characters from previous GTA games make minor cameos or are referenced in GTA 5 like Lazlow, who runs a radio station. If CJ were still a figure in criminal circles over two decades later, you would reasonably expect at least one character to mention him, even in passing. The fact no one brings up CJ feels realistically like he is long gone.
Compare this with Lazlow‘s appearance that reinforces his character‘s presence in the GTA universe continuity. CJ may well be alive strictly in terms of age and timeline, but his conspicuous absence where others like Lazlow show up points strongly to him no longer being alive or relevant by 2013. With no trace of CJ left, Los Santos has moved on without the conquering gangster who once ruled its streets in 1992.
The Voice Speaks – Actor Rules Out CJ‘s Return
In November 2020, Chris Bellard a.k.a. Young Maylay, the voice actor behind CJ, directly addressed the character‘s present status in an Instagram video. When asked if CJ would appear in the forthcoming Grand Theft Auto VI, Maylay bluntly shut down the idea saying:
"I will not be in GTA 6 at all…ain‘t gon‘ be in there bro, I ain‘t gonna be in no GTA or nothing like that, ever again."
While Maylay does not explicitly confirm or deny CJ‘s death, his tone and wording heavily implies he knows the character will never return to the GTA universe. This rules out ideas that CJ might cameo in GTA 6 or future games as an older, mentor-type figure. Of course, Rockstar could theoretically recast CJ with a new voice actor. But Young Maylay‘s oblique assessment that he is done with GTA combined with CJ‘s absence from GTA 5 reads like the franchise has moved on from CJ‘s story arc.
Theories on CJ‘s Fate – What Could Have Happened?
So if we accept the likely scenario that Carl Johnson is dead or otherwise gone before 2013, how might the hero of San Andreas have met his end? Here are some of the most common theories discussed among fans online:
Killed in retaliation by Ballas: Perhaps the most obvious cause of death is CJ finally being taken out by Ballas gang members still seeking vengeance for his systematic takeover of their territories in Los Santos. A decade later, they manage to gun down CJ once Grove Street‘s power declined.
Left Los Santos again: Some fans speculate CJ escaped Los Santos for good after San Andreas, moving far away to start over or retire from crime. However, it‘s hard to imagine him abandoning Grove Street after all he did to rebuild it.
Imprisoned: Corrupt forces like the surviving CRASH division of the LSPD or CJ‘s old enemies could have framed him on false charges to remove him from power. However, CJ seemed ready for this possibility at the end of San Andreas.
In hiding: If CJ caught wind of a Ballas assassination plot, he may have gone into deep hiding to protect himself and his family‘s future, leaving Grove Street and Los Santos to slowly crumble without him.
Killed in an accident: Between car crashes, plane wrecks, and gun mishaps, tragic "accidents" are always a risk in CJ‘s dangerous criminal lifestyle. Though an anticlimactic end for such a legendary figure.
Died of natural causes: Not every GTA protagonist goes down in a blaze of violence – CJ could have simply passed away from old age or sickness given he would be middle-aged by 2013. Again, a lackluster end for a storied antihero.
CJ‘s Legacy – The Definitive GTA Gangster Protagonist
No matter how Carl Johnson finally met his apparent end, his legacy across San Andreas is set in stone as one of gaming‘s most iconic antiheroes and GTA protagonists. Starting from humble origins on the streets of Ganton, we witnessed CJ evolve from naive gangbanger to calculating leader willing to betray his own morals for vengeance and power.
CJ captured the GTA formula of willing to do whatever – from petty crime to coldblooded murder – to climb to the top of the criminal ladder. He took the best elements of predecessors like Vice City‘s Tommy Vercetti and amplified them into the quintessential GTA protagonist. From his one liners to his swagger to his portfolio of safehouses and businesses, CJ combined street smarts with ruthless ambition to build a criminal empire spanning San Andreas.
Whether Rockstar ever closes the book on CJ‘s fate once and for all, the mark he left on the GTA franchise endures. CJ showed us the possibilities of GTA‘s open worlds through his epic rags-to-riches story. And he paved the way for the morally ambiguous criminal antiheroes of games like GTA 5 to shape their own legacies in Los Santos and beyond. For that, Carl Johnson remains immortalized as a defining GTA icon no matter where the remainder of his life took him after 1992.
