"Life is complicated. I've killed people, smuggled people, sold people. Perhaps, here... things will be different."
-Niko Bellic-
Niko Bellic is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series who appears as the main protagonist of Grand Theft Auto IV and a supporting character in The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.
Niko grew up in Yugoslavia, present day Serbia, where he fought in the Yugoslav Wars. He later worked for organized crime syndicates as a hired-gun in Liberty City. Ever since Niko was 20, his main goal in life was to find and kill one of two men: Florian Cravic or Darko Brevic, for one of them betrayed and nearly killed him during the Wars. Niko is the cousin of Roman Bellic, son of Milica Bellic, and the cousin-in-law of Mallorie Bardas.
Biography
Early life and family
Niko was born in Eastern Europe, most likely the Balkans. It was implied that his father was an abusive alcoholic. His mother, Milica Bellic, was unhappy that her son grew up in such a harsh place. In a conversation with Patrick McReary, Niko reveals that he had a brother who died during the Bosnian War. According to the dialogue in the mission Taking in the Trash, Niko dreamt of becoming an astronaut when he was a child. In a conversation with Dwayne Forge, Niko mentions the place he grew up did not have electricity until he was twelve. In a conversation with Kate McReary,
Niko says that he found out his aunt (Roman's mother) was raped and
murdered, some time after Roman's departure to the United States;
knowing Roman would be even more devastated if he knew the true
circumstances of his mother's death, Niko covered up what happened,
telling him that she died in a house fire.
Niko is currently the only protagonist to directly originate from Europe, although Tommy Vercetti and Toni Cipriani have European roots.
Bosnian Wars
During the war, Niko both witnessed and committed numerous atrocities, which led to his cynical perspective on life, and a certain degree of regret, depression, and emotional detachment. Eventually, Niko's unit of fifteen men (most of them friends from his hometown) were ambushed by enemy forces, but Darko Brevic, Florian Cravic, and Niko himself survived. Niko concluded that either Florian or Darko had sold the group out, and he vowed to uncover and kill the culprit, not only to gain revenge, but also to hopefully 'close the book' on the incident, and move on with his life.
Post-war life
Niko had trouble finding steady work after the war. Niko's cousin, Roman, had already moved to America
to start a new life in Liberty City; Niko spent the next decade working
in the European criminal underworld, leading to a period of
incarceration. He began working for a human trafficking ring led by Ray Bulgarin;
when a boat involved in the operation sank in the Adriatic during a
smuggling run into Italy, Niko swam to safety, but everything and
everyone else was lost. Bulgarin believed that Niko had intentionally
scuttled the ship and stole his money; the gangster's reach was too
great within Europe, so Niko joined the merchant navy to escape
Bulgarin's influence.
Life in Liberty City
Niko spent seven months with the cargo ship Platypus, which eventually headed for Liberty City.
During the game, Niko says he moved to Liberty City because he
wanted a new life by living the American Dream, but when he does arrive
in Liberty City, he has nothing except Roman. Niko parted ways with Hossan
and the Platypus crew there, partly to reunite with his cousin, and
partly to track down Florian Cravic, who had moved to Liberty City after
the war. Roman had been boasting of great success in Liberty City, but
in truth, his assets amounted to a small, gritty taxi depot and rundown
apartment, and he was saddled with heavy debts due to his gambling
habit. Niko would assist Roman in his taxi business, and protect his
cousin from the loan sharks who were harassing him. Roman's connections
eventually led to Niko taking work with the Russian Mafia, setting in
motion the events of the game.
After killing Vlad, Niko is nearly killed by Dimitri Rascalov & Mikhail Faustin; but spared. After killing Mikhail, Dimitri reveals his connections with Ray Bulgarin and turns against him, even trying to kill him. Niko and Roman were then run out of Hove Beach in Roman's Sorrow, in which his Broker Safehouse
is destroyed. It is at this point that Niko becomes a hitman and an
associate of many. He develops affiliations and becomes a worker of the McReary Family, Playboy X, Dwayne Forge, the Pegorino Family and some others over the course of the game. Maximizing his hatred of Dimitri, Rascalov gets Roman kidnapped.
Niko eventually becomes in forced contact with the United Liberty Paper, who blackmails him into doing some "country-protecting" work. Also, Ray Boccino managed to help Niko find Bernie Crane;
when he confronts him, Bernie, begging for forgiveness, claims he is
not only a homosexual but that he is not the one who betrayed Niko
(despite escaping). Niko forgives him and actually begins helping Bernie
with his life.
The U.L.P. successfully manages to get Bellic Darko Brevic in That Special Someone.
Taking into consideration how it will make Niko feel and how Dark is
actually living a bad life, Niko is unable to decide whether to kill
him. Before choosing, Darko reveals that he betrayed Niko for only
1000$, enraging him. The player then decides if he will kill Darko or
let him live.
Niko will finallly end the game in Deal or Revenge and kill Dimitri Rascalov, at the cost of either Roman Bellic or Kate McReary's life.
At the end of the game, a Weazel News report states that Niko is wanted for questioning by the police (although not as a suspect) for the events of his cousin's wedding.
Niko's immigrant status is uncertain, and arouses the suspicion
of the LCPD and FIB. Although Niko often protests while fleeing police
that he "has his papers.", Roman says that Niko does not have a visa.
This is further evidenced in a Liberty Tree article about the death of the Platypus's captain, Zorba Philippidis, which states that none of the crew possess visas.
If Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend is played after Pest Control, Niko tells Packie that he intends to go after Ray Bulgarin, although Ray would be killed by Luis Lopez.
Personality
Niko's bitterness at the murder of his friends during the war has consumed him, and he is unable to let it go, taking on several highly dangerous jobs merely to enable his quest for vengeance. Several of his friends, most notably Roman, urge him to find a new reason to live, and there are many morality choices for Niko to emphasize his trait.
Niko's business-like manner usually leads him to behave more maturely and cautiously than his acquaintances, although with acquaintances like Brucie Kibbutz, Bernie Crane and Roman, this is no surprise. He has an apparent distaste for illicit drugs, much like Carl Johnson. He frequently turns down Little Jacob's offers for marijuana and warns Packie's about his cocaine habit; he also finds it distasteful to traffic in cocaine and particularly heroin, although this may be due to the heavy jail sentences they attract as much as any moral qualms. He is skeptical of American mainstream culture, which he sees as shallow and hypocritical and has trouble relating to Roman's fascination with the country. However, he reasons that being in America is far better than back in Serbia due to the country's instability and misery.
Niko also exhibits dislike for American conservative politicians, whom he considers to be hypocrites. An example is Bryce Dawkins, whom Niko says is a "bullshitter" for giving homophobic speeches and preaching about family values to gain political power when he himself is bisexual. However, a conversation between Niko and Kiki Jenkins reveals he considers himself neither liberal nor conservative, and that the war gave him a highly cynical view of politicians in general.
Niko has a certain degree of pity for other people, even random strangers, and feels obliged to help others who cannot help themselves. Most missions involve Niko doing jobs for money, particularly one occasion; after meeting a troubled young girl, Marnie Allen; he even gives her some of his own money multiple times to help her out.
Niko almost always refuses alcohol when it is offered to him (he asks for water in the mission Ivan The Not So Terrible) except for the mission The Holland Play where Playboy X pours him a glass but immediately before taking a sip, Niko changes his mind and puts the glass on a table. There is a scene where Niko does drink a glass of vodka (on the rocks) in the mission One Last Thing, while talking to Jimmy Pegorino, but this is understandable considering what he had just been through. Niko does seem to enjoy a drink, but knows the time and place for it. He refuses alcohol outright in instances where he needs to keep a sharp mind, such as during missions.
