Source plot synopsis — includes the ending
Small-time criminal Claude is betrayed and shot by his girlfriend Catalina (voiced by Cynthia Farrell) during a bank heist in Liberty City. Claude survives, but is arrested and convicted; en route to prison, his transport is attacked by members of the Colombian Cartel, who abduct another prisoner. Claude escapes with a fellow convict, explosives expert 8-Ball (Guru), who introduces him to the Leone Mafia family. Claude begins working for the Mafia, running various errands and eventually helping them win a gang war against the local Triads, which earns him the respect of Don Salvatore Leone (Frank Vincent). After learning the Cartel are creating and selling a new street drug called SPANK to fund their expansion into Liberty City, Salvatore orders Claude to destroy their floating drug lab, which he accomplishes with 8-Ball's help.
Salvatore later instructs Claude to dispose of a car, but his trophy wife Maria (Debi Mazar), who has taken a liking to Claude, reveals it to be a set-up. Maria claims she told Salvatore that she was having an affair with Claude to make him jealous, leading Salvatore to rig the car with explosives. Claude escapes to Staunton Island with Maria and her friend Asuka Kasen (Lianna Pai), the co-leader of the yakuza. After killing Salvatore to cut ties with the Mafia, Claude begins working for the yakuza. During this time, he also provides assistance to corrupt police inspector Ray Machowski (Robert Loggia), whom he eventually helps flee the city, and influential businessman Donald Love (Kyle MacLachlan), who hires him to rescue the convict abducted by the Cartel earlier. Love later sends Claude to kill Asuka's brother Kenji (Les J.N. Mau) under the guise of a Cartel attack to start a gang war between the Yakuza and the Cartel, which will lower real estate prices.
While retrieving a package from the Cartel on Love's behalf, Claude encounters Catalina, now the leader of the Cartel, at a construction site; she escapes after betraying and shooting her partner, Miguel (Al Espinosa). Asuka, blaming the Cartel for Kenji's death, seizes the construction site and captures the wounded Miguel, torturing him for information on Cartel operations. After Claude sabotages the Cartel's SPANK distribution network, Catalina kills Asuka and Miguel in retaliation and kidnaps Maria, demanding $500,000 for her release. During this time, Claude continues to work for Love, until he, the convict, and the package all mysteriously disappear. After raising the ransom money, Claude meets with Catalina to rescue Maria, but Catalina double-crosses him and flees with the money, leaving Claude trapped within the Cartel's stronghold. He escapes, frees Maria, and shoots down Catalina's getaway helicopter, killing her. As Claude and Maria leave the scene, Maria begins to complain about the kidnapping before her rant is abruptly silenced by a gunshot.
Salvatore later instructs Claude to dispose of a car, but his trophy wife Maria (Debi Mazar), who has taken a liking to Claude, reveals it to be a set-up. Maria claims she told Salvatore that she was having an affair with Claude to make him jealous, leading Salvatore to rig the car with explosives. Claude escapes to Staunton Island with Maria and her friend Asuka Kasen (Lianna Pai), the co-leader of the yakuza. After killing Salvatore to cut ties with the Mafia, Claude begins working for the yakuza. During this time, he also provides assistance to corrupt police inspector Ray Machowski (Robert Loggia), whom he eventually helps flee the city, and influential businessman Donald Love (Kyle MacLachlan), who hires him to rescue the convict abducted by the Cartel earlier. Love later sends Claude to kill Asuka's brother Kenji (Les J.N. Mau) under the guise of a Cartel attack to start a gang war between the Yakuza and the Cartel, which will lower real estate prices.
While retrieving a package from the Cartel on Love's behalf, Claude encounters Catalina, now the leader of the Cartel, at a construction site; she escapes after betraying and shooting her partner, Miguel (Al Espinosa). Asuka, blaming the Cartel for Kenji's death, seizes the construction site and captures the wounded Miguel, torturing him for information on Cartel operations. After Claude sabotages the Cartel's SPANK distribution network, Catalina kills Asuka and Miguel in retaliation and kidnaps Maria, demanding $500,000 for her release. During this time, Claude continues to work for Love, until he, the convict, and the package all mysteriously disappear. After raising the ransom money, Claude meets with Catalina to rescue Maria, but Catalina double-crosses him and flees with the money, leaving Claude trapped within the Cartel's stronghold. He escapes, frees Maria, and shoots down Catalina's getaway helicopter, killing her. As Claude and Maria leave the scene, Maria begins to complain about the kidnapping before her rant is abruptly silenced by a gunshot.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history ↗ · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Grand Theft Auto III. Section headings and formatting adjusted. · Content license