"Blood Brothers" Mission Analysis

[ArchaicRaid]

Though GTA IV isn't really a choice-driven game, it nonetheless has scenarios in which the player must make a difficult decision. I've played this game's story many times and never really spent to much time on this aspect until I played the story again recently. Regardless if you care or not, you can't deny that GTA IV is a nitty gritty game in every way possible. This is further shown in player-made choices. What makes them interesting to me is that many times both options are consequential. They try to remind the player of the underworld you are taking part in, making it VERY difficult to actually look for the "right" decision.

"Blood Brothers" is one mission that, for me, had the most difficult decision to make. You are asked by Francis McReary to kill his brother Derrick so he doesn't expose his corruption. I decided I wanted to go in depth and explain my choice, mostly because I believe that there is a lot to gain from investing time into these parts of the game if you actually try. I'm picking this one because unlike other story choices, you have to look closely in this one if you want to make the mission a little bit easier. So here's my analysis on why I chose the option I did in the mission "Blood Brothers".

TLDR: I killed Francis. This decision was mainly influenced by the fact that Derrick showed remorse for his past actions while Francis went out of his way to cover up his own, including arranging his own brother's murder.

Let me start by saying that every member of the McReary family in the GTA universe is a scumbag (with Kate being the exception). All are/have been involved in organized crime including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and terrorism. Niko knows this, but what he doesn't know is just how dysfunctional and messed up the family is outside their criminal activity. He soon painfully comes to realize this, but never more so than in the mission "Blood Brothers" where he must choose between killing either Francis or Derrick McReary. Here's a quick background of these two characters:

Derrick McReary is one member of the family. Previously he was a criminal in the city, where he became addicted to drugs before leaving for Ireland. There he joined the IRA, where he fought the UK government until he was arrested again in the US along with his two buddies, Bucky Sligo and Aiden O'Malley. He snitched on them and eventually returned to the US where he continued his criminal activity. He participates in the bank robbery and later becomes a person Niko does jobs for. Some of these jobs involve ridding of his former colleagues. Niko initially feels sympathy for him as the one McReary who is honest and compassionate, but this later turns out to be false.

Francis McReary, on the other hand, is a whole different type of bad person. Unlike his criminal brothers, he is a polar opposite to them because he is a police officer. Of course, since he is a McReary, he is a very corrupt police officer. He initially wanted to become a priest, but couldn't due to being caught stealing from the church. We don't know much about his corruption before the events of the game, we only know it's bad enough that he's willing to have people killed in order to keep it secret. He wants to be commissioner of the police force, but can't if this is exposed. So his jobs all involve killing people who have some sort of dirt on him. This includes an unknown blackmailer, a lawyer, two small-time drug dealers, and finally his brother.

The two have many similarities. Both are from the same family, they have criminal history, they both embellish the truth, and they both have a past they are trying to get rid of. Derrick's shameful past is ratting out his partners and crime, and Francis's past being his corruption in the police force. Finally, they both see themselves as good individuals that believe in what is right despite all of this. Now let's look at what makes them different.

Personality-wise, they are very much apart. Derrick can be compassionate and kind at times, such as when he tries to calm the civilians during the robbery. He comes off as someone who really cares about his family. Francis is a total jerk, routinely threatening to arrest Niko if he doesn't help him. He does this when he first meets him and also during the final mission. He talks trash about his family behind their back, mostly criticizing his brothers for being criminals.

Another huge difference is how they see their past misdeeds. Derrick seems to paint a totally different picture of his buddies when he asks Niko to kill them, stating that Bucky is threatening to kill his family. His biggest sin is leaving out crucial details, such as the fact he ratted them out. Francis does the opposite, admitting that he's done bad things but seemingly watering them down as minor mistakes. Now on the surface it seems like they both are just bad people who don't want to take responsibility but there is one huge factor that tells them apart: Derrick's drug addiction. Though he never says out loud that he's sorry for his actions, his demeanor does. He falls into depression, becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol, all while trying to save himself. All of these are factors that display guilt. Derrick has remorse, he just never directly says so.

But Francis has zero remorse, apart form being inconvenienced by people who know his secrets. He doesn't take any responsibility for his actions, and instead arranges the murders of his critics to keep them quiet. Whenever Niko shows reluctance, Francis will paint the target in the worst way possible to make it easier for him. Then when Niko demands a raise, Francis reluctantly obliges. This shows he is willing to pay extra to get rid of them. If Niko refuses to take part, Francis threatens to arrest him. He does all of this while painting himself as a cop with a good heart who is just trying to clean up the streets, one percent at a time. The only other leverage Francis really has on Niko is his authority as a cop, but Niko likely doesn't really care about this considering that he is under protection from the Federal government. Why would he care what some city cop can do?

The ultimate display of Francis's character comes when he asks Niko to kill his brother Derrick, who is threatening to expose him for corruption. Niko is immediately repulsed by this, and just like before he paints Derrick (his OWN BROTHER) in the worst way possible. Niko never cared for the drama as long as he was getting paid, but here was a situation he could not turn his back on. Here is where Francis shows that he has not learned anything from his mistakes, that he is somehow above the law only because he claims to have good intentions. Here is where he shows his biggest character trait: entitlement. Francis believes that he is owed this, and ensures that he gets what he wants. He justifies his actions knowing the are wrong but believing the are right.

Derrick is a liar and a rat, but he was never proud of what he did. He may have painted a totally different picture, but he is also overwhelmed with guilt. Further, neither Derrick nor Francis's jobs had any effect on Niko. Niko doesn't care about Derrick's personal quarrels in Ireland. He's only working for him at the request of Packie. He doesn't care abut Francis either. Both of them are dishonest criminals, that makes up a majority of Niko's employers.

But "Blood Brothers" was personal. Niko has a relationship with the McRearys, even if it's criminal and up to that point did his best to try and stay out of the drama. Here Francis is literally forcing him into it all for personal gain. Because he is too much of a coward to do it himself he has someone else do it thinking money is all they will listen to, not realizing that even though Niko is a scumbag in many ways himself he still has a moral code. Niko knew that Derrick was a bad person, but not someone who deserved to die let alone at the request of his own brother. This was a situation where Niko really didn't want to kill either of them. He would be putting the McRearys in a lot of pain by killing one of their own and could never tell them. Neither choice is any less painful.

So ultimately it comes down to which person you dislike more, and for the reasons I have stated and listed above that person was Francis.

If you have anything to add feel free to do so. I'm always interested in hearing other opinions.

[Manic Jorge]

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