3. Franklin Clinton
Franklin is a small time gangster, working for a crooked guy who wants him to boost cars for a living. Franklin is the first playable character in GTA V (discounting the prologue) and is our first introduction to the sprawling world of Los Santos. It's tough work, but Franklin has done what he could with the cards he was dealt. In a sense, Franklin starts off as the most typical of the three protagonists. He is like Niko or CJ, a guy who is just trying to get by in the big city. He has plenty of skills, but most of them include shooting gang members or driving really fast. It isn't until Franklin jacks Michael's son's car that he is promoted into the criminal world of high risk, high reward. It's very odd to say, but Franklin is almost like the trio's moral compass. He keeps his cool, and isn't afraid to tell Trevor and Michael to shut up once they start bickering.