Catalina

Character
Catalina
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Appearances GTA III
GTA San Andreas
Full Name Catalina
Status

Deceased

Date of Death October 2001 (during The Exchange)
Nationality American
Home Shack in Fern Ridge, Red County, San Andreas
Mansion in Pike Creek, Shoreside Vale, Liberty City
Family Cesar Vialpando (cousin)
Main Affiliations Cesar Vialpando
Carl Johnson
Claude
Miguel
Colombian Cartel
Curly Bob
Uptown Yardies
Purple Nines
Vehicles Buffalo
Occupation Bank robber
Gang leader
Drug manufacturer and dealer
Voiced by Cynthia Farrell
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Catalina is a recurring character in the 3D Universe who appears as the main antagonist in Grand Theft Auto III and as a supporting character in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. She is a criminal in Red County in GTA San Andreas and the leader of the Colombian Cartel in GTA III. She is also the cousin of Varrios Los Aztecas leader Cesar Vialpando. She is voiced by Cynthia Farrell.

Character history

Life until 1992

Catalina, of mixed Dominican and Colombian descent, began her criminal activities at some point before 1992, when she met gangster Carl "CJ" Johnson upon the recommendation of her cousin, gangster Cesar Vialpando, at The Welcome Pump in Dillimore, with Catalina fending off two men with a knife. The two become romantically involved, with Catalina putting Carl through an extreme form of BDSM before committing a robbery. The two begin to rob various 'soft targets' identified by Catalina, including a gas station in Dillimore, a bank in Palomino Creek, a betting shop in Montgomery and a small liquor store in Blueberry.

Their relationship, however, becomes strained over Carl's desire for money to help try and free his brother Sean "Sweet" Johnson, who was incarcerated by the Los Santos Police Department. After the two separate, she begins a relationship with Claude and 'helps' him in two races involving Carl and Sino-American gangster-businessman Wu Zi Mu, Carl's would-be-later affiliate. Carl, who wins both races, wins a garage in Doherty, San Fierro from Claude, who leaves with Catalina on a nine year journey to Liberty City. Catalina, however, continues to phone Carl and tease him about her relationship with Claude, but Carl remains unimpressed by this and bluntly responds at the end of the game that she needs psychiatric help.

1992 to 2001

Catalina and Claude, after leaving San Andreas, begin a nine year journey to Liberty City, going through many American states committing bank robberies, including Texas and New Mexico. The two, at some point, return to San Andreas and purchase airline tickets to Francis International Airport, which were discovered in Catalina's apartment in "Los Santos or San Fierro". The two, however, continue on their journey to Liberty City, reaching their destination in October 2001.

Final year

Catalina betraying Claude during the introductory cutscenes of Grand Theft Auto III.

After arriving in Liberty City, Catalina begins discussions with and becomes the leader of the Colombian Cartel and, with some of their members (including Miguel) rob a bank in the city. After robbing the bank she shoots Claude, leaving him for dead, and explaining that he is 'small time'. She continues her criminal activities with the Cartel, increasing the production of SPANK and attacking the Yakuza on Staunton Island and the Leone Family on Portland. During this period, Claude managed to escape from an LCPD convoy with, ironically, help from the Colombian Cartel (who were seeking to capture the Old Oriental Gentleman) and began working for Leone made man Luigi Goterelli. After proving himself, Claude begins to work for the Family Don, Salvatore Leone, who has him follow Luigi's Sex Club 7 barman Curly Bob to Portland Harbor, where he is seen to sell Leone secrets to Catalina and Miguel. Salvatore then has Claude and 8-Ball destroy a freighter used by the Cartel to produce SPANK.

Claude later flees to Staunton Island and begins to work for Yakuza co-leader Asuka Kasen who begins to attack the Cartel following the death of her brother Kenji at the hands of a 'Cartel assassin', which was really Claude working on orders from Donald Love. Love later sends Claude to collect a package from a construction site in Fort Staunton, where he once again meets Catalina and Miguel, with Catalina shooting Miguel in the back and escaping with the package. Asuka, desperate to exact revenge for her brother's death, begins to torture Miguel for information, with Claude then using the information to attack Cartel interests, including destroying stands selling SPANK run by the Uptown Yardies.

Catalina, however, strikes back and kills both Asuka and Miguel, and kidnaps Maria Latore, using her as a hostage and demanding a $500,000 ransom be brought to the Cartel headquarters in Cedar Grove. Claude decides to take the ransom money to Catalina and manages to escape an ambush, set up by Catalina, who escapes in a helicopter and keeps Latore hostage. Claude follows Catalina to Cochrane Dam, where he destroys the helicopter with a rocket launcher, killing Catalina and severely weakening the Cartel.

Personality

Catalina is portrayed as a misandric, reckless and extremely aggressive psychopath who turns on even close partners if they cease to be useful to her (as seen with Carl, Claude and Miguel). Much more of Catalina's psyche is brought to light during her conversations with Carl Johnson, frequently shooting bystanders during heists and referencing cannibalism. She also suffers from a persecution complex, possibly due to cruel treatment by her stepfather as a child, telling Johnson that "They had to die because YOU were slow and stupid, like a big fat brat that eats chocolates while his father gives nothing to his step daughter but stale bread!" She is supposedly based on Caterina Sforza, an Italian noblewoman who lived during the Renaissance.

Murders committed

  • Unnamed Accomplice (killed during bank robbery so she and Miguel could escape with the money)
  • Miguel (killed for telling Cartel secrets to Asuka)
  • Asuka Kasen (killed to kidnap Maria and for disrupting Cartel activities)

Mission appearances

GTA III
GTA San Andreas

Trivia

  • Catalina is the only female antagonist in the Grand Theft Auto series.
  • If you do not count Maria's uncertain death, Catalina's death is the final death in the GTA III-era timeline.
  • Catalina's top is noticeably different from the original GTA III PS2 release than the later GTA III releases. In the PC version she has a lock of hair on her forehead and a ponytail. In the Xbox version she is also wearing a pink tube top.
  • Her surname is never revealed; although being Cesar Vialpando's cousin, there is nothing to suggest her last name is Vialpando.
  • She is the only main antagonist in the 3D Universe to appear in more than one game.
  • Catalina is the antagonist who has committed the most murders in the Grand Theft Auto series.

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