The Curious Case Of Trevor Phillips

Last week–with a conventionally enigmatic release–the fifth in the nomadic Grand Theft Auto series was released to subdued indignation and innocuous reception. This niche, independent title features many inventive features crafted with articulate sophistry, augmented ethnic equality and sophisticated dialogue befitting of the Dickensian era of fiction. OK, so I maybe embellishing some of these fictitious assertions beyond a reasonable level of comprehension, by it was intended to let this hyperbolic franchise recede to a more inanimate state and analysis the key differentials. GTA V is a multifaceted experience, an amalgamation of conflicting genres merged into one synthetic concept that depicts a bellowing sense of grandeur. It incorporates vehicular simulation, third person shooting, cinematic narratives and set pieces and recreational activities, all inside a richly textured environment, thriving with deviating activity from the simulated inhabitants that bask in auspicious, atmospheric conditions that spontaneously deviate into far more adverse environments. But with any embodiment of expressive creativity–irrespective of the medium–specific formalities are rigidly retained, in this instance the perpetual controversy of its content, personified in this instance by one defining individual I believe will attract the customary level of contempt; his name is Trevor Phillips.

“Here’s Trevor! Coming to a tabloid paper soon.”

Trevor is a seemingly educated sociopath, motivated by conflicting prerogatives; a man driven by some nihilistic, carnal desire for liberation from a faux political influence, and conversely, a self composed militia seeking to extract every sovereignty from corporate avidity to diminish the destitution of his vacuous existence. Trevor is a conceited excuse for a human being; living a life of self-imposed narcissistic deprivation, with a neurotic temperament so volatile that even a seemingly genuine act of compassion will notably result in repeated stomps to your cranium and swift expiration of your naive life. He exhibits an aggressive rhetoric towards majorities as well as minorities, demonstrating a broad, agnostic definition of discrimination as though he is the edifice for humanitarian stability. He’s a sadistic masochist with schizophrenic archetype who is totally at ease with his cerebral abnormalities, personified with isolated contempt for…..pretty much every living entity, with mental and physical discharges his only complying outlet, though worryingly in full control of his erratic faculties. It’s as if his searching for some form of deprived restitution for his life; as though the world has progressed without his prior consent. This lonesome transient has all the redemptive characteristics of pancreatic infection and the catalogue of violent indiscretions make Trevor as empathetic as a banker asphyxiating a cage full of gerbils. Though he is determined and often diabolically fastidious in the way he executes, well executes, its his enigmatic sanity that makes Trevor truly dangerous.

“And this is Trevor at his most passive!”

He confronted the notorious bikers “The Lost and Damned”, and not only won the resulting confrontation, but made them look like the biker mice from Mars! This is why I love Trevor so much. Though he shares the perennial notoriety with 2 proficiently realised characters with separate incidences that diversify the characters incentives, Michael and Franklin were simply subtle portrayals of Tommy Vercetti and CJ respectively just under divergent pseudonyms; whereas Trevor felt like an emancipation from the derivative familiarity of the previously referenced. Of course the addition of such contrived, formulaic characters adds necessary humanity to the narrative construct without impeding the natural satirical flow, but including such an amplified personality so flippantly callous in his directives, with an irritable regression of stability and complicit in various acts of debauchery is an intensely problematic creation, as his amputated sense of morality would have diminished the emotive flow of the story if not for the functioning authenticity of its more refined casts. His explicitly astute too, often demonstrating strategic competency and broad linguistic articulation to his reprehensible deeds, with an almost refined elocution concealed behind a haze of derogatory expletives.

“Trevor in a rare moment of compassionate sympathy. And Johnny before his head suddenly concave’s.”

On occasions, Trevor submits an audible sense of intelligence; until of course he begins to urinate at a highway junction or reveal his offending “member” to delineate that its nothing special. He even exhibits a profoundly latent sensitivity in a moment of repressed docility with the passively oppressed Patricia, whom Trevor kidnapped (as you do). Of course this is all subtle connotation in the broad context;  his a bitter, vindictive degenerate with a protracted appraisal for humanity, a convoluted perception of reality and apathetic paucity for even his most intimate of affiliated associates. Yes his incredibly aggressive, he clearly hates clowns (there were rainbow wigs, confetti and floppy shoes every!) but the violent content makes Trevor appear almost a caricature of psychological dementia. Of course liberal conservatives would be outraged by the glamorized, satirical presentation of a mentally deficient militant, with an overt apathy for anthropomorphic sanctity, completely ignorant to the factitious context. But its his controversial motives that help elevate GTA V beyond the restrictive civility of eminent hedonistic bureaucracy, by flushing their mutilated carcass down the proverbial and in the illuminated case of Trevor, literal toilet.

Have you played GTA V and what is your impression of the characters? Cheers.