Kushïm Yusef ibn Al-Abdi (Arabic: كشم يوسف بن العبير) is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series who appears as the protagonist of Grand Theft Auto: Arabian Delights.
Kushim is a gun-for-hire in Percington, D.C. looking to fund his foreign parents' refuge to America, who is sent to intercept a lucrative drug delivery between local gangs, the Venerrettii Crime Family and the Abdabian Mafia. When he kills his employer for betraying him, he is forced to flee Percington, D.C., where he begins working for various crime kingpins he wronged in Percington, D.C.'s criminal underworld, alongside his sister Yasmin. He eventually begins working for the corrupt US government, where he slowly becomes a wanted terrorist in his own right. His life changes when, in a seemingly accidental airstrike, his parents are killed. As he rises up the ranks and becomes one of Percington, D.C.'s most feared kingpins, he uncovers the truth about his parents' death and kills those responsible, before deciding to retire from the criminal life and leave Percington, D.C. with Yasmin to run a falafel shop.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Kushïm Yusef ibn Al-Abdi was born in Fakar, the largest city in Ironistan, on July 1th, 1980, to Yusef and Habiba Al-Abdi. He is the middle of three children; Ali Al-Abdi, born in 1976, and Yasmin Al-Abdi, born in 1985. When Kushim was only 9 years old, his older brother Ali was kidnapped, tortured, and beheaded by a militant group operating in Ironistan, then led by convicted terrorist Abdul Zakawi, for allegedly stealing some food from one of the group's fronts. Ali's death shaked Kushim to his core, and refused to speak for days following the incident and did not attend his funeral. Kushim later imputed Ali's death as the reason he became a gun-for-hire.
In Kushim's teenage years, he and Yasmin would often sneak out into Fakar's city center, steal cars from wealthy investors, and race them. Kushim grew protective of his little sister, as he often resorted to harsh violence against men who made moves on her.
At the age of 15, Kushim began working in his father's dispatch, and later as a clerk in a local import-export firm, employed by a corrupt yet kind-hearted man who would teach Kushim how to steal items from local stores efficiently. Kushim proved to be capable, even at a young age, and at his earliest opportunity, saved up money to see how he would fare in the United States. Though he strongly desired to bring his entire family to America with him to live a better life, free of terror and war, he did not have enough money, and his parents insisted on staying behind and letting him bringing Yasmin instead. Kushim never forgot his parents and, when he left for the United States on the boat, vowed to repay his parents for everything they've done for him, any way he can.
Introduction to Crime in Percington[]
When Kushim landed in the Obriland, he found it difficult to find work, as he could not speak English, he was only 15, and he faced heavy prejudice and discrimination. Although he had a hard time assimilating to American culture, he was fascinated by West Coast hip-hop, later calling it "the greatest thing this country has ever churned out". Kushim would eventually find a job at a local taxi depot.
One night, at the age of 16, Kushim was strong-armed by two soldiers of the Abdabian mafiya—Kaz and Sultan—into helping them escape a bank robbery after their getaway bailed. Kushim was compensated in a large sum of cash, which he would use to buy an apartment in Obriland, and was given Kaz and Sultan's employer's contact, Emir Edebolo, for more work. Kushim would promptly quit the taxi depot to go work for Edebolo, who he found respectable, and worked for up until the events of Arabian Delights. In the summer of 2004, Kushim would go back to Ironistan to visit his family and former friends, and eventually work out a deal between him and his parents to come live with him and Yasmin in Percington permanently.
Events of Arabian Delights[]
Kushim returns from his one-month trip, and is immediately summoned by Edebolo.
Life After Arabian Delights[]
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Overview[]
Appearance[]
Kushim, a Middle Eastern immigrant, is portrayed with a stocky, swarthy, handsome appearance. At 5'8", Kushim is considerably shorter than most characters in the game. He has considerable hair across his arms, legs, and chest, a stereotypical depiction among people of his ethnicity. He has fair, coffee skin and has notable scars on his face, including a deep, but faded gash across his left cheek. He is shaven on his head, and is portrayed with a bare face, although he conceals his head with a purple-canary snap-back in his default outfit. He also sports gold studs on both ears. Across his neck and his eyebrow, he has the word "satyr" in Arabic tattooed.
Kushim's default outfit is heavily inspired by casual, athletic West Coast streetwear, as Kushim's love for urban American culture plays a large role in his fashion sense. He wears a purple-canary Percington Scalpers jersey, with purple-canary athletic sweatshorts to match. Over his athletic jersey, he wears a large, white hooded puffer jacket with purple, canary, and black accents. Ultimately, Kushim's style is largely the player's choice.
Personality and traits[]
to be added
Characters murdered by Kushim Al-Abdi[]
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Crimes committed by Kushim Al-Abdi[]
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Mission Appearances[]
GTA Arabian Delights
- As the protagonist, he appears in all missions.
Trivia[]
- Kushim's name, Kushïm, is the first known example of a named person in recorded human history. The name was found on an Uruk Period artifact, used to record transactions of barley.
- Although the game does not feature any vocal dialogue, Kushim is generally depicted as having an general East Coast American accent, a contrast to other characters of Middle Eastern descent in the game.
- Due to the age at which he moved to the United States, Kushim did not complete formal education. Despite this, however, he is shown to be considerably intelligent.
- Kushim's default outfit is heavily inspired by that of Lucky Glaubber, a character in The King of Fighters series developed by SNK.
- Kushim is left-handed, as seen when he holds weapons.
- His original name was Kushim Al-Abir.
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