Grand Theft Auto 5 took a fresh approach to its storytelling, but unfortunately, one of the game's villains was not utilized to their full potential. Despite the abundance of antagonists that posed challenges for the three main characters throughout the story, not all of them received equal treatment. While some villains were appropriately impactful, others fell short. One significant villain in Grand Theft Auto 5 particularly suffered from a lackluster presentation during the course of the game.
The inclusion of three protagonists in Grand Theft Auto 5 required the game to carefully balance multiple characters and storylines. Each protagonist originated from different parts of Los Santos and had their own group of supporting characters, side missions, and occasionally, unique adversaries. This resulted in a plethora of content, along with a strong incentive for players to switch between all three characters. Additionally, each character had their own bank account and exclusive collectibles, further enhancing gameplay. Balancing three main characters was an ambitious experiment for Rockstar, but GTA 5 managed to successfully execute it, yielding positive outcomes.
Stretch Was Grand Theft Auto 5's Least Notable Villain
The three protagonist experiment had some flaws. In Grand Theft Auto 5's Story Mode, the division between three characters can cause a disjointed storytelling experience. Certain characters and plot points do not receive the emphasis they deserve. This is evident in the case of Stretch, one of Franklin's enemies. Stretch, a gangster who dislikes Franklin and Lamar, faces mutual animosity from Franklin. Stretch attempts to have them killed, but Franklin foils his plan and seeks revenge with the trio.
The main issue with Stretch is his lack of significance in the story. In the violent world of Grand Theft Auto, criminals are abundant, and the story's antagonists must stand out. However, Stretch has minimal involvement in the game. After his initial mission, he only reappears in Ending C, although Franklin and Lamar mention him and Franklin can contact him after certain missions. Due to his limited screen time, Stretch fails to establish himself as a true threat to the protagonists, despite the shared animosity between him and Franklin.
Looking at the other villains in the game, Stretch falls short in comparison. Devin Weston and Steve Haines are wicked Grand Theft Auto villains who not only commit numerous cruel crimes but also constantly display their undeservedly arrogant personalities. In contrast, Wei Cheng, despite appearing less frequently than Stretch, leaves a stronger impression due to the intense and unsettling missions involving him in eerie locations like a graveyard and a meat processing plant. As the other villains in the game find horrifying ways to distinguish themselves, Stretch ends up feeling like an afterthought in the overall scheme of things.
Despite Stretch's attempts on Franklin and Lamar's lives, he is easily forgotten when it comes to the series' villains. In the canonical ending of Grand Theft Auto 5, even Franklin himself is taken by surprise when Stretch becomes one of the targets for their final big plan. While eliminating Stretch is a positive outcome for them in the long run, he is easily overshadowed by Weston, Haines, and Cheng. Although Stretch had the potential to be a formidable villain, Grand Theft Auto 5 never provides him the opportunity to showcase it.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is available now for PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
