Heists and Canon Approaches

[Johnnyboy]

On 2/26/2020 at 11:08 PM, Story Mode said:

Good news: Rockstar has finally announced the canon approach of The Jewel Store Job: Smart -> During the setup mission for the Big Con approach of The Diamond Casino Heist, if the player has chosen to steal a Bugstars van and it's equipments (instead of other optional disguises that the player can choose), Lester will tell the protagonist that he is "familiar" with these stuff and actually "used" one before, then he mentions the Smart variant of the jewelry heist by saying "a jewel store". This definitely confirms that the canon approach for the first heist is Smart.

I'll be in touch after I finished my project on the other Heists, then I will write them here.

Guys so sorry bumping this thread but I noticed something weird that fits perfectly in this subject.

 

When going as Michael to Trevor's house to start the Merryweather heist mission, a cutscene for the Offshore plan immediately plays without me being given the option first to choose from Freight or Offshore. It's as if Trevor already made that choice for you.

 

Anyone else experienced this?

Edited April 22, 2020 by Johnnyboy

[epicgamer]

50 minutes ago, Johnnyboy said:

Guys so sorry bumping this thread but I noticed something weird that fits perfectly in this subject.

 

When going as Michael to Trevor's house to start the Merryweather heist mission, a cutscene for the Offshore plan immediately plays without me being given the option first to choose from Freight or Offshore. It's as if Trevor already made that choice for you.

 

Anyone else experienced this?

Shouldn't you have already chosen your approach in the end of "Scouting the Port" mission? Do you mean your game skipped this mission?

[Johnnyboy]

10 hours ago, yurmad said:

Shouldn't you have already chosen your approach in the end of "Scouting the Port" mission? Do you mean your game skipped this mission?

You're completely right, it was a long time ago I did that Scouting the Port mission until I started the Merryweather Heist so I totally forgot I already made that choice. 

[Story Mode]

End of the Topic

 

Finally, in the latest GTA Online update which is The Diamond Casino Heist, which takes place in 2019, (Story Mode takes place in 2013) we can understand which approach is canon for each Heist in GTA V:

 

1. The Jewel Store Job: Smart

Reason: During the Casino Setup Mission "Bugstars Grear", Lester says: the pest play had worked for me before.

When you do the Casino Heist The Big Con using Bugstars entry, Lester says: we took down a jewel store before with these uniforms.

 

2. The Merryweather Heist: Freighter

Reason: After you complete the heist, regardless of chosen approach, Weazel News radio and Internet article states that the Merryweather container ship sank in the Port of LS.

*Story Mode only*

 

3. *The Paleto Score*

 

4. The Bureau Raid: Fire Crew

Reason: When you choose the Bugstars gear for the Big Con approach for the Casino Heist, it's second setup mission requires you to get a trash truck. If you notice you also wear janitor clothes and Lester says: I've saved these outfits from an old job, you never know (Michael wore janitor clothes during the job).

 

5. The Big Score: Subtle

Reason: When you choose Gruppee Sechs entry for the Big Con approach for the Casino Heist, Lester says: the old Gruppee Sechs con, why do I love saying that?

 

Additional notes: It is somehow confirmed that Packie McReary and Rickie Lukens has been chosen as a crew member during the Story Mode heists, due to Lester's dialouges when you choose them as a heist crew member in the Casino Heist.

 

When you choose Packie, Lester says: the old classical play.

When you choose Rickie, Lester says: his old techno job made him more of an idiot.

Edited July 29, 2020 by Story Mode

[LucidLocomotive]

On 12/25/2019 at 6:05 PM, Story Mode said:

As long as I studied GTA V Story Mode, bleets and Weazel News updates after each mission or heist and GTA Online (2019), I think the Canon approaches for the Heists are these:

 

1) The Jewelry Heist: Smart {Eddie, Packie, Rickie}

- Why Michael climbed ladders and rooftops to take a picture of Vangelico's air vents? He also stated that the vents look promising.

- The heist is named "Pest Control" in the beta.

- There's an artwork named "Pest Control" showing the Smart variant.

- The artworks of the planning board has a Bugstars logo and a Sanchez motorcycle (Sanchezes are for Eddie Toh).

- Originally, before the game had two different options for the heists, only the Smart variant was ment to be completed, like a normal mission.

- The whole planning board of this heist has only pictures of the air vents and a Bugstars pest control van.

- Michael loves stealth himself and doesn't want to go crazy, so he decided to do the heist Vinewood style because he's a movie guy.

- The gold medal objectives says "under 50 seconds" it means that he most likely chose Rickie for the heist because Michael met him some missions ago and he said to him "I'll be in touch when everything comes up" so he introduced him to Lester. Which he's also available as a hacker in GTA Casino Heist DLC (2019).

### EDITED ###

 

2) The Merryweather Heist: Freighter

- Everybody know this, so let me skip this and go to the next heist.

 

3) The Paleto Score: {Packie}

- In his unique dialogue we find out that Derrick's death is canon.

 

4) The Bureau Raid: Fire Crew {Packie, Gustavo}

- Why Michael had to tail a janitor and gets his overalls and IDs?

- Why Franklin had to steal the building's blueprints in order to inform Michael where to plant the bombs?

- Franklin doesn't know where is Lesters house, but in the Covert variant he learns Lesters house, and later returns during "The Third Way". Franklin: Eh, this is Lester's crib, ain't it?

- Franklin parachutes for the first time on "Risk Assessment", and regardless of doing the Roof variant or not, he tells Dom that he never done parachuting in his life and he's afraid of doing it. So the Roof approach breaks the story afterwards! Look at this way: the sentence Franklin said after he jumped:

The Bureau Raid Roof: we on!

Risk Assessment: oh, sh**********t!

- After the Covert variant, the Weazel News says that the building was "compromised", and someone bleets that the building was "compromised" in both approaches. Strengthening the idea that the canon approach is Covert.

- If both gunmen survives, Michael says a unique dialouge which makes the most sence in the storyline.

 

5) The Big Score: Subtle {Paige, Taliana, Eddie, Chef, Packie}

- Subtle variant makes the most sense in the storyline.

- After doing the Obvious variant, there's no sign of destruction where you drill the wall. What happened? Instantly repaired?

- After both approaches, someone bleets: is there anything left in Los Santos that can't be "broken into"? Maybe it means that the hacker broke into the bank's security system, or the robbers broke into the bank disguising as workers.

- At the end of The Wrap Up, Lester tells Michael that they are going to "make history". This word is said twice in Subtle but never in Obvious.

- Trevor wanted his buddy Chef to be in the heist because he trusts him and works for TPI (gunman 2).

- Paige appeared in GTA Online (2019) stating that has done a job with Lester.

- Tervor saves Taliana, because they both live in Sandy Shores, not Michael nor Franklin. Makes sense.

 

Final Words: Every heist that is connected to it's intel gathering mission and is stealthy based, makes the most sense towards the storyline. There's NO reason why Michael wants to go crazy and kill people during the heists while he can go smart and calm without killing anyone during the heists (except Merryweather enemies).

Michael loves movies and loves to do the heists in Classic Vinewood style.

 

### THIS POST IS EDITED ###

So it’s 2 years later but if you’re still here, I just wanted to add a few things. I also obsess over this kind of stuff and study everything in the game. I would say for the most part I agree with all of the choices here as well as your reasoning, however there are a few points I disagree with. 
 

1) in the bureau raid, I also choose Packie, but instead of Gustavo I choose the cheaper gunman, because it seems more dramatic and cinematic, and even realistic, for one of the crew members to die in the heist. You mentioned that if they all survive there is dialogue that makes more sense to the story, what dialogue is this?

 

2) For the big score, I choose Rickie since his skill increases after jewelry job, but his cut remains the same. Also, he is the hacker character that is tied to the story, so he makes the most sense to be the main hacker throughout. 
 

3) This is more of a suggestion not necessarily a disagreement, but wouldn’t it make sense for Michael to find Taliana during the time where he is exiled from LS, living with Trevor? Now I’m not sure how the dialogue differs, or which one makes most sense. I guess we do have Michael bringing Rickie, Franklin bringing packie, and leaving Trevor for Taliana, but then again Trevor also brings in Chef, and there is an extended period where Michael is canonically out in Sandy Shores. So I don’t know. 

[RedDeadRus]

I know it's too late, but I'll tell you my opinion anyway.

While the game files seem to indicate that the Freighter is the first variant and most likely canon, to me Offshore is more implied canon. The heist itself just looks like a less ambitious and simple adventure, besides, the return of the goods looks more appropriate. Also, for me, this, although very conditional, is an explanation of where Michael's piloting skills come from, which he demonstrates in the mission "Mr. Richards" and (also optional) "The Bureau Raid". For some reason, it even seems to me that Offshore was invented in order to make the heist more appropriate, but that's not the point. By the way, they write about Offshore in Bleeter.

 

It also seems to me that Roof is canon, since in GTA Online player infiltrates the FIB in a similar way, and although without specifics, Franklin refers to this heist.

 

But without thinking, so far the only reliably confirmed canon is the smart way in The Jewel Store Job.

Edited May 20 by RedDeadRus

[fmiryan56]

all of them canon for the gameplay.

but for story...

 

jewel store : smart option, since lester ask for image, (vents, AC, etc).

 

Merryweather heist : Freighter option, since trevor ask floyd about best route to escape port and got picture ship.

 

bureau raid : Covert, since lester tell Michael to pay harvey for his clothes.

 

the big score : subtle, because this like parody from movie "italian job", also lester searching ambush point. this mission like have better in action too at gameplay.

 

but i don't really recommend it to use when play (Merryweather, Bureau Raid, And BIg Score). Because,

 

1. Freighter option have a bug.

2. Roof option have better pay (and the setup is easy).

3. Obvious more good in result (you can use all cheap and less crew, you don't need pay for car modification since trevor have helicopters, and the pay is BIG the difference is 10mil).

[Wackyshrek]

Heres what I consider the canon approach 
Jewel Store - Disguises; as stated above, the Online heist confirms this as canon. 
Merryweather - Container Ship; stated above, again. 
Blitz Play & Paleto - N/A 
Bureau - Roof Entry; what I believe Lester means by the equipment saved from an old job is that he planned to use it but never did. Michael expresses a distaste for the firebomb approach, and in the roof entry one he explains the situation with the pay. 

Big Score - Disguises; I feel Michael would want to take the silent approach to draw minimal heat and kill minimal people, despite what Matto's pacifist series says.

[universetwisters]

Just to add my two cents, who’s to say Lester didn’t use the pest control angle for another robbery? The jewel store job can’t be the only thing he planned lol