GTA V Story Part 18 · The Big Score · A Frontal Assault with Tunnels and Helicopters
Chapters in this story
The Union Depository heist is the final grand operation to rob the largest vault in Los Santos. Michael, Franklin, and Trevor begin meticulous preparations for a frontal assault, and following this massive robbery, Franklin finds himself at a critical crossroads that will determine the fate of all three men.
Spoiler Notice: This is a detailed 20-part series covering the narrative from the introduction of GTA V single-player to its three possible endings. This is a commentary rewritten based on in-game events and is not an official novel or script. Missions and choice events that occur simultaneously may vary in chronological order. The heist approach and endings A, B, and C are mutually exclusive alternatives and do not occur sequentially in a single playthrough. Illustrations are AI-generated scene reconstructions referencing characters and locations from the game.
1. Driller and Sidetracked · Preparing for the Obvious Approach
Having chosen the 'Obvious Approach' to breach the Union Depository vault head-on, the crew begins preparations for the operation. This method proceeds along a path entirely independent of the stealthy gold extraction plan, requiring specialized equipment to physically destroy the vault's thick concrete walls. Michael De Santa receives a call from Lester Crest and heads to a construction site in East Los Santos. A large drill needed for the operation is stored there, and the site is patrolled by guards and workers day and night.
Michael quietly infiltrates the site, knocks out the guard at the entrance, and systematically neutralizes the workers in the area. Once he secures a line of sight, he climbs into the heavy truck carrying the large drill and starts the engine. After driving the truck out of the construction site, Michael contacts Lester to confirm the equipment is secured. Lester instructs him to bring the equipment to a parking lot near the Union Depository that he has already bribed. When Michael arrives at the designated lot, a bribed guard greets him, and Michael leaves the scene after parking the truck safely.
The next objective is to secure a large freight train to safely transport the stolen gold out of the city. Michael travels to Blaine County and calls Trevor Philips, requesting his help in the train heist operation. Michael arrives at a remote train station near Davis Quartz and quietly disposes of two railway employees. He then manipulates the railroad switch, forcing the approaching freight train to deviate from its original route and enter the station's siding.
As the train slows down and stops at the designated position, Michael approaches the engineer to prepare for detaching the train. Simultaneously, Trevor takes off in a special heavy-lift helicopter that Lester had prepared at the Sandy Shores Airfield. Trevor pilots the chopper to the station, lowers a massive hook, and snags the locomotive. He carries the heavy locomotive back to Sandy Shores Airfield and places it precisely onto a waiting truck.
After transporting the locomotive, Trevor turns back to the train station to lift the flatbed cars that will carry the gold. He transports the flatcars to the airfield in the same manner, securing them onto trucks to complete the transport preparations. Finally, the crew prepares getaway vehicles to shake off the intense police pursuit. They acquire high-performance, durable four-door vehicles and hide them in the underground parking garage of the Arcadius Business Center. With all physical preparations complete, the three meet at the Vanilla Unicorn to conduct a final check of the biggest heist in Los Santos history.
2. The Big Score · Breaching the Vault Wall
On the day of the operation, the crew moves to their respective positions to begin the frontal assault on the Union Depository. Michael heads to the bank's main entrance to act as a decoy, drawing the attention of the guards. While he creates a disturbance on the surface to keep the police and security forces occupied, Franklin Clinton and the hired gunman team enter the underground using the heavy drill prepared earlier. They pass through the underground tunnel under construction to reach the point adjacent to the Union Depository's vault wall.
Franklin operates the drill, pushing the massive rotating blades toward the thick concrete wall of the vault. With a deafening roar, the wall begins to shatter, and finally, a massive hole is punched through, allowing entry into the vault. As soon as the wall collapses, the bank's alarm system triggers, and police forces from all over Los Santos begin to swarm the Union Depository. Franklin and the gunmen quickly enter the vault and divide the mountain of gold bars into two specially designed steel containers.
As the gold loading finishes underground, Trevor and his hired co-pilot arrive above the Union Depository, each piloting a special helicopter. Trevor lowers the helicopter's magnetic device onto the first container pushed out through the breached vault wall, attaches it precisely, and lifts it into the air. The co-pilot joins in, lifting the second container. As they attempt to leave the city with the gold, armed helicopters from the private security firm Merryweather appear and begin a fierce pursuit.
While an aerial dogfight ensues, Franklin and Michael, who remained on the ground, reunite and clash head-on with a massive police force. NOOSE teams and the LSPD surround them with helicopters and armored vehicles, but the two use heavy weaponry to break through the defensive line. They cross the bullet-riddled streets toward the Arcadius Business Center's underground parking garage. The difficulty and survival of this intense firefight depend heavily on the shooting skills and defensive tactics of the hired team members.
Upon reaching the underground garage, the crew boards the pre-hidden getaway vehicles and escapes the scene. They push the performance of the reinforced vehicles to the limit to shake off the persistent police cars, using the complex road network of downtown Los Santos to break the pursuit. With the ground team safely out of police sight, the success of the operation now rests entirely on Trevor's helicopter team, who are still in flight with the gold.
3. From Helicopter to Train · The Final Transport
Trevor and the co-pilot fly toward Blaine County with the heavy gold containers, under heavy attack from Merryweather's armed helicopters. Lester provides real-time briefings on the enemy helicopters' approach directions and positions via radio to assist Trevor's evasive maneuvers. Despite the helicopter's significantly reduced maneuverability due to the weight of the cargo, Trevor continues a hair-raising flight while dodging enemy fire. This process requires piloting skills to maintain proper altitude and stay out of the enemy's firing angles.
During this aerial transport, the flying skill of the hired co-pilot acts as a decisive variable. If an inexperienced or less capable pilot is hired, they will fail to withstand Merryweather's persistent pursuit and pressure, causing the helicopter to shake violently during flight. If the co-pilot's helicopter loses control or takes critical damage from enemy fire, the hanging gold container may crash to the ground, resulting in a disaster where half of the total profit is lost forever. Conversely, a skilled pilot protects the cargo until the end.
Having barely shaken off the Merryweather pursuit, Trevor and his team reach the designated railroad tracks in Blaine County. There, the freight train that Michael had hijacked and left waiting is running along the tracks. Trevor precisely pilots the helicopter to match the speed of the moving train and slowly lowers his altitude over the flatbed cars. He releases the magnetic device at the exact right moment to safely place the gold container onto the flatcar. The co-pilot also completes the transport mission by lowering the remaining container onto the train.
With all the gold loaded onto the train, Trevor moves to a nearby airfield and lands the helicopter safely. Michael and Franklin, having shaken off the police pursuit on the ground, also reunite to confirm the success of the operation. The train carries the massive amount of gold and leisurely leaves the jurisdiction of Los Santos, marking the perfect conclusion to the bold robbery the crew staged against government agencies and a massive security firm. It is the perfect result of Lester's meticulous planning and the three men's execution.
The final amount earned from the Union Depository heist varies significantly depending on the choice of operation method, the shares of the hired team members, and any losses during the transport process. The frontal assault method carried completely different developments and risks compared to the stealthy approach, but the three men completed their respective roles and secured immense wealth. There is no need to arbitrarily achieve the exact maximum profit; the results are simply given based on individual choices. However, before the joy of this massive success can even fade, Franklin faces a new crisis amidst the conflicting demands of external forces.
4. Franklin's Phone · Three Choices
Immediately after the Union Depository heist, Franklin suffers from unexpected visitors and pressure at his home in Vinewood Hills. Devin Weston arrives and leaves an ultimatum to eliminate Michael, while corrupt FIB agents Steve Haines and Dave Norton have already forced Franklin to kill Trevor. Franklin must decide on one of three mutually exclusive options between his mentor Michael and his associate Trevor, and amidst the conflicting demands of the powerful figures tightening their grip on him.
The first choice is to kill Trevor as demanded by Steve Haines. Franklin lures Trevor to a remote location and points a gun at him, but Trevor, enraged by the betrayal, flees in his truck. When Franklin pursues him to the oil fields, Michael appears in his car and rams Trevor's truck, causing it to crash into a gas tank. While Trevor, covered in oil, crawls in agony, Franklin shoots the oil to ignite it, and Trevor burns to death in the explosion. Afterward, Michael and Franklin bitterly go their separate ways.
The second choice is to kill Michael following Devin Weston's instructions. Franklin lures Michael to a power plant, leading to a chase. A struggle ensues at the top of a chimney, and Franklin pushes Michael over the railing. Although Franklin tries to grab his hand at the last moment, Michael headbutts Franklin and falls to his death. As a result of this choice, Franklin is completely abandoned by both Trevor and Michael's family, leaving him isolated.
The third choice is to reject the unjust demands of both sides and seek a path where all three survive. Franklin visits Lester for advice, and Lester devises a plan to lure FIB and Merryweather forces to one location by leaking false information that the gold is being melted at a foundry in Cypress Flats. Franklin calls Lamar Davis as an assistant and heads to the factory, where he calms Michael and Trevor, who were pointing guns at each other, to build a united front.
When enemies storm the factory, the three join forces to fend off the fierce offensive. During the battle, when Trevor stops responding to radio calls and becomes isolated, Michael personally breaks through enemy lines to rescue him, washing away the bad blood between them. After clearing all enemies inside and outside the factory, they resolve to take out the heads of the hostile factions that have been tormenting them one by one. Michael finds and eliminates Stretch, who is in league with the Ballas; Trevor takes out Steve Haines; and Franklin finds and executes Triad boss Wei Cheng.
Finally, Trevor infiltrates Devin Weston's mansion, which is guarded by Merryweather mercenaries. After neutralizing all security forces, he kidnaps Devin and locks him in the trunk of his car. When Trevor drives to a cliff near Mount Chiliad, Michael and Franklin join him. The three heap final mockery upon Devin, who is trapped in the trunk, before pushing the car off the cliff into the sea below. As the vehicle explodes, all threats vanish, and the three finally gain true freedom and scatter on their own paths.
Missions covered in this part
Driller · Sidetracked · Getaway Vehicle · The Big Score · Something Sensible · The Time's Come · The Third Way
Data and Verification Scope
This was written based on the missions and character relationships of the GTA V single-player main story. Rockstar Games is the official game introduction, and Grand Theft Wiki is the unofficial fan resource used to verify mission details. I do not make choices or unreleased scenes into confirmed events, nor do I mix in stories from GTA Online or GTA VI. This is not a professional translation of original dialogue or reference materials.
Rockstar Games · Official GTA V Game Introduction
Grand Theft Wiki · Sidetracked
Grand Theft Wiki · Getaway Vehicle
Grand Theft Wiki · The Big Score
Grand Theft Wiki · Something Sensible
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