Does gta online include the main story characters from gta v?

Grand Theft Auto Online is the multiplayer component of Grand Theft Auto V and takes place in the same fictional state of San Andreas, specifically the city of Los Santos and surrounding areas. However, the game does not include the three main protagonists from GTA V's single-player campaign: Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. Instead, players create and control their own customizable silent protagonist who exists as a separate character in the online world. This design choice allows for independent storytelling in the online mode, where players can engage in various missions, heists, and activities without interfering with or being connected to the events of the main story. The online mode operates as a parallel timeline within the same universe, focusing on the player's own criminal career rather than continuing the narrative arcs of the original trilogy's protagonists.