"After you walk into a village and you see fifty children, all neatly sitting in a row against the church wall, each with their throats cut and their hands chopped off, you realize that the creature that could do this doesn't have a soul." These are words that permeate the plot of Grand Theft Auto IV. Niko Bellic is indeed one of the most emotionally vulnerable and tragic fictional characters of all time. These horrible actions are what define Niko years before, and his loss throughout the war is what we are left with during the actions of the game. Niko is as morally flexible as he is unpredictable and sympathetic. Niko Bellic is a character that works perfectly for the game he is in because we are in control of his actions, whether his expressions of guilt and remorse are mere hypocrisy. His tale of revenge and loss of peace are destinies we are in control of, and that's what makes him a standout character.