The difference between him and Stringer was Avon was always listening, while String liked to hear himself talk. Happens a whole bunch of times if u look
I love Avon's laugh as he sits down. It's got this lighthearted, playful quality to it, but at the same time it doesn't make him seem any less serious or intimidating.
Marlo respected Avon so much that he looked left and right knowing that if anyone could pull off a hit in the visitor section of a jail, it would be Avon.
A good example of that is how many people Marlo went to war with when claiming blocks, but Avon called them “off-brand corners,” implying that he wouldn’t bother any of those dudes getting money provided it doesn’t cut into his own business. That’s something to be weary of, but respect nonetheless
from what I remember, the Barksdales were generational mobsters. I think his sister mentioned they had a mom or aunt that had her own racket back in the day.
Joel Johnson Most of the Westside belonged to the Barksdale organization, for years. Prop Joe and everyone else in the co-op were Eastside dealers. But after Avon went to prison the first time, Stringer tried to negotiate with Marlo, but Marlo wasn’t having it. Marlo sensed weakness in the Barksdale organization, so he wanted that territory.
Joel Johnson I’ll just say that reading between the lines is something that I’m pretty good at. There are some things that David Simon wanted people to realize without hitting them over the head with it! One of those things is that “the king stay the king”. No matter how you slice it! Avon had the ups on Marlo in this scene. And I really have no opinion on Omar, except to say.... you’re right! Omar was a pain. Seriously.
Joel Johnson I really don’t watch gangsta movies as a rule, although I love The Godfather 2. I saw New Jack City! But The Wire is truly in a league all its own! And don’t get me wrong. I like Omar! But I hate that he robbed the Barksdale crew in the first place. And he shot that young hopper in the leg! Boy probably lost that leg. Oh well...
Avon completely in control here. You can tell Marlo admires Avon but is smart enough not to jump in and say something he doesn't need to. It's almost like Avon is mentoring him but at the same time giving him orders just like he did Wee Bey and the others. Marlo shows respect by not fighting the 100k pay out. He still sees Avon as the man and plays second to him even while he's locked up
Both of y’all got it wrong. This was a Checkmate scene. Avon getting in between Marlo and “The Connect” made Marlo realize no matter what he did he could not take the crown from Avon. After this scene, Marlo gave up his quest to be the king and tried to get it the legit way with investing in real estate.
That's just wrong. You know Mario gave it up because the deal he cut with levi and the state was that everything he had been investigated could be reopened later on if they even suspected that Marlo was doing anything dirty.
Yeah. Marlo was smart and strong and had good muscle, but he was still a pup, he didn't have the authority or command that Avon had. That level of authority in the streets is something you can't just take with brute force quickly like Marlo did everything else, that shit is earned through years of being on top of the game.
@@evangelionl0vr857 well said bro. Earning your stripes is still a thing in the street. And the OGs respect those that Paid their dues, the young guys just have to deal with it.
The theme of The Wire is subtlety. Avon lets Marlo know, that without out him, Marlo doesn't get Sergei. And Avon rubs that in Marlo's face just a little. Then he makes a fair offer to vouch for Marlo. No outrageous demands, no further gloating. 'I have the power. Now lets make a deal.' Clean and straight forward.
@@nonyobussiness3440 not exactly. Marlo paid for an introduction. At the end of the day Avon would rather somebody from the westside have the connect and he saw a way to profit. He would still have his power when he got out because of his reputation. Hence why he was able to make the introduction.
Avon and Marlo without calling each other names are playing the dozens on a whole different level. What’s brilliant are their small but powerful facial expressions and dialogue. Classic scene!!!
If you look at Marlo, his ambitions, his motives, how he operates, you can see just how narrow minded he is, he suffers from tunnel vision and he lacks the foresight to actually last in this game. He lacks true leadership qualities like Avon who possesses charisma, intuition, and empathy that allows him to understand other people around him and maneuver and get people to rally behind him despite him being a criminal and he has a code of honor and integrity, something Marlo seriously lacks, he’s literally like a machine. He lacks the diplomacy and business sense of Prop Joe. Prop Joe was a great businessman and knew how to forge long lasting partnerships and even bring together enemies and convince them including Stringer to work together. Look at the Greek and Vondas, they were adamant about only working with Joe when Marlo kept coming to see them. He was a snake and always scheming and conniving but he had traits that served him well and insulated him from a lot of street level stuff which kept him alive and out of prison. He lacks the intellect, sophistication and foresight of Stringer Bell who was able to see past the street level and understood that he and Avon would eventually succumb to the streets whether it be prison or death but mainly through imprisonment as law enforcement would eventually close in on them and the whole operation and they’d lose everything they worked to get. He realized a whole world existed outside and above the streets and the drug game that they could take part in while still having a hand in the game but without the risk and keep all of the spoils from their crimes and invest it legitimately and live the rest of their lives rich and free. I know he made a lot of mistakes in trying to accomplish this but his vision was very innovative and something most intelligent gangsters strive to do, to become legitimate and clean their dirty money. Marlo not staying at that party with the developers and Levy who was schooling him on how he could get into the legitimate business world shows he could not see past the ghetto and the streets that almost claimed his freedom and he still goes back. It’s ambiguous but one can infer that Marlo would either be imprisoned or killed for not letting go of the streets. No one can say that Marlo wasn’t a real G but he lacked many qualities that would have ensured he actually wore the crown and sustained it and be the King he so wanted to be. At the end of the show Omar, his arch nemesis, was killed yet lived on with a reputation that would forever be talked about on the Baltimore streets, and Marlo’s predecessor Avon, is still alive with his king status, reputation and power intact and when he gets out of prison in five years he’ll be back to running the streets and the game with slim Charles who will be and is his new stringer bell. I never understood why people keep saying Marlo won just because he sold the connect and avoided prison because if you actually dissect his character and motives, the game was in his heart and the streets is where he wanted to be and he was forced out of them both with no name recognition and no reputation as those two corner boys were idolizing Omar and telling embellished stories of his death which further solidified his rep as a street legend while not even knowing or recognizing Marlo despite his firm grip on the game for the time he had it. Marlo lost as he got nothing that he actually wanted and sought out to do meanwhile his enemies reputation’s are still ringing and their names will forever be in the streets and remembered. So Marlo, while symbolizing the new generation of gangsters coming up also shows the key differences between the old and the new, how the older generations operated based on codes and reputation while in the game and how that ensured they lasted as long as they did while this new generation lacks the honor and integrity the older generations had and how this new game is more ruthless and cutthroat and how these new gangsters won’t actually last as long. The wire captured this amazingly and shows just how much the system has failed us and each generation keeps the cycle going but it’s gets perpetually worse until the system eventually collapses and a new one must be built.
Yooo great wire comment of all time especially the last paragraph about the age gap and reputation. And that ain't no hip saying you reputation do follow you cause in the whole sure nobody knew who marlo was. "You know who I am."
Nope nobody even knew who he was. That’s why when people say Marlo won in the end he really didn’t, he lost probably more than anybody because he’s alive with no rep, no credibility and he can’t go back to the streets he so wants to be part of. But you can imply that he will and either die or get locked up.
Robert Thomas I had to break it down!! The comments that say Marlo won tells me that these guys are either young and relate more to a Marlo character and how this generation moves or they just don’t understand his character and what he actually wanted. Prolly both really.
One guy Marlo respected and even seem to admire. The fact that he said 'figured that', and showing little resistance about the money kind of said it all. Prop Joe tried to be a father figure to Marlo, but Avon maybe was his true 'Dad' or at least like and older brother. Avon read Marlo right from the start. Prop Joe and String completely misread Avon. Marlo respected that Avon knew who he was dealing with. Around Avon, Marlo surprisingly felt the most like a '👑..
Reading your comment my first instinct was: "Man ******* Marlo! Don't give him no credit!" Then it made me realize...the mark of a true, irredeemable, evil villain is that you hate them. And to even instinctually want to refuse to give the actor of said villain any credit...that means the actor played his part very well. He played someone no one was supposed to like so well, that you don't even want to like the person who played him! Gave me a newfound respect for Marlo's actor for sure - hadn't thought of that before.
And James Dean. ALL mixed into one. And he was even BETTER on We Own This City, if you could even IMAGINE anyone putting in work greater than what he delivered on The Wire.
I love how Avon tells him the price... Marlo repeats it... and Avon knows hes gonna do it, cause he knows his character and the hustle, so he just moves the conversion on, like business talk is over so now that thats settled how are you good sir?
Avon knew what now...?? Marlo couldn't move forward without help from Avon here... Plus, he knew Marlo would eventually kill Prop Joe, which he always wanted himself... If anything, Avon killed two birds with one stone... He took out the head eastside KingPin controlling drug flow he despised, & He'd bring the connect to the West Side, where his reputation alone will keep him plugged... Now in that sense, he knew Marlo's mannerisms...
It also puts the ball back in Avon’s court. When he touch the streets again he’s the king once more. And he has Marlo muscle now as well. They get a chance to see how a real king moves 🆚 a tyrant
@@isomchapelle2956 Marlo wouldn't have paid that lol and what would stop him from cutting Avon out once he met with Sergei and finally got in good with the Greeks?
i like reading comments. he is saying, you aint nobody etc this gets to marlo a lot. no wonder he yelling in jail and fighting those two boys. obssessed with his name that nobody cares about. am like barksdale and omar. no you are not
Something to think about: Avon could look at this as indirect payback to Prop Joe for what happened between Stringer and Avon. If you go back to the barbershop scene where Brother tells Avon about Stringer sending Omar to shoot him, Avon whispers “Proposition Joe’s package.” He know all that Stringer was doing (that eventually led to the (maybe temporary) downfall of his organization) was because of Prop Joe’s package. Despite the war between Marlo and himself, he wanted payback on Joe. He used Marlo to do that knowing that Marlo was the ruthless type and would kill Joe.
What I love about this scene is it shows just how powerful Avon is and that he is still the king. To start marlo has to sit in the 2nd booth, then when Avon walks in he loses the cocky face he has and looks around because he knows it’s possible that he could be killed right then and there. Then when Avon sits down he lets out a playful childlike laugh because he knows he’s in full control. The whole scene while they’re talking its almost like avon is talking to somebody under him like Wee-Bey or Bird even though marlo won the battle they had. Avon lays out Marlo’s whole plan infront of him showing that he knows exactly why marlo is here and that he could even ruin it if he wanted to. Then he demands marlo pay his sister 100k before he’ll let marlo speak to sergi. Marlo has no choice but to agree because he knows that if he doesn’t he can’t get to Sergi and therefore he can’t get to the Greeks. The whole scene kinda exemplifies the quote “the king stays the king” because in the end even though marlo won the battle in the street he still had to go through Avon to get what he wanted. And even though Avon was locked up he still retained most of his respect and power
Avon knew what Marlo was and that's a pretender. Not a business man and not a King. When Marlo was put in a room full of business men he ran away back to a corner that didn't know his name.
Just wrote this comment then noticed you were already on it: I like how Marlo looks both ways real quick once Avon enters. He's like "am I gonna get got real quick?" Then smiles when he remembers where he is haha. Although I wouldn't doubt Barksdale's reach.
Took me a while to realize Avon isn't even being facetious here, by season 5 you may perceive the season 1 characters more positively in contrast with Marlo, but Avon still hated Prop Joe and "all them eastside bitches" more than he would ever hate Marlo, he'd probably watch the scene of Joe dying laughing and eating popcorn
I agree. Marlo hides it well but he understands that he is in the position of lesser strength. It's like when Brother Mouzone visits Avon; Avon is stone cold and never betrays emotion but you can just tell, what the dynamic is, based on the fact that they both know it.
I don't think Marlos in lesser strength. Avon is trying to move forward and appeal to Marlos business side. He doesn't threaten him once. Calls him a "business man" like stringer.
Marlo is fascinated by Avon, it's safe to say that Avon was probably his idol during his come-up days. Until his idol eventually became his rival. But you can tell the respect is there. Two soldiers understanding each other. Marlo thought he was at the finish line until he understood Avon, even though incarcerated, still had a big influence on his future.
Avon always showing he's two steps ahead of Marlo. "let me help you find your tongue" lets also remember who did Chris start working for in prison Avon and Bey. Who took over at end Slim who's will always be loyal to Avon. If it was not for Stringer snitching, Marlo's whole crew would of got wiped out. At the end of the day Avon is still the king from Prison.
Chris wasn’t working for Bey, they were just hanging, they’re Westside and Avon said here “bygones be bygones”. Everything else you typed is on point though.
@@devzeppilin You can kind of see Marlo and Chris having their differences when they were locked up. Plus, Marlo's out of the game, so it wouldn't be far off for Chris to join them.
I like how Avon saw through Marlo. Avon said: my man Sergei thought we should talk first, and then Marlo was afraid his plan will be revealed by Avon, so he said talk about what then Avon said: whatever business you try to do you gotta go through me first, Marlo: Yeay like he doesn't believe Avon has that power, and then Avon just god damn said what Marlo was up to which Marlo tried to cut the connection from Pro Joe and the co-op, so he can be the king, you can see Avon was right when Marlo was quiet all the time and just awkwardly smiled at Avon because he saw through his plan,
@Tom Ross TV make no mistake, mad love for KB, that so many called him a carbon copy of MJ was the highest compliment imo, so many before him were called the baby Jordan, second coming of MJ, what makes the Kobe comparisons so unique is that Kobe was the only one with the talent and skills to live up to the comparisons. Still don't see how he was more intelligent than MJ though... would like an explanation of that one
The moment when Avon, from prison, conquered the East side by using Marlo and doing networking in jail, so that he had it all done by the time he was free (not much longer). The king doesnt move so much, but the king stay the king
Marlo had to accept the same thing that Vito genovese did with Frank costello, Avon and frank could get with words things that Vito and marlo could only get with a gun .... "the game is the game.... always"
Avon's "WS vs ES" shit is what landed him in prison. Stringer was right to get with Prop Joe and move outta the street shit, and even Avon admitted that in the end. If he had listened to String the Commission would've dealt with Marlo together and they would've become damn near untouchable, but Avon couldn't let go of that "corner" mentality.
My theory is that Avon didn't hold hate for Marlo, that's just street level shit + a war he could've won. He hates prop joe (east side) for slowly manipulating his right hand stringer and collapsing the empire. It comes out as a surface level gangster mentality but its deeper.
No he simply didn’t want to work for prop-Joe. For all the posturing Joe did about the “CO-OP” it was really just a way for Joe to control everyone on the East side. Joe drew his power from information and he literally convinced the majority of the players in the city to come to him with all of their disputes while simultaneously giving him a cut of all their profit. You saw the real nature of the CO-OP when Omar stole the package and Joe demanded everyone eat the loss and then made a profit from buying it back from Omar by lying about how much Omar was selling it back to them for. Avon saw through that shit and knew it wasn’t going to work out for him in the long run. He just needed time to get his house in order and Stringer was playing away games as always.
And Carcetti was a so-called high level politician, but lacked honor, along with the court clerk who was selling Prop Joe the court dockets ahead of time, so the drug kingpins would know what indictments were coming down the pike.
wOOD Harris is a TRUE thespian. He should have won an award for the Wire AND The Jimi Hendrix story. That was proof, along with Denzel not winning for Malcolm X, that awards show ain't s***, as Ziggy would say.
,Marlo looks both ways to make sure he's safe and look at the goofy look on his face. Intimidated by Avon's presense. The man is locked up and still has power. Marlo might have taken over the streets but the King is still the King 👑
Yes u right but d wasn’t no punk he would check u he had it in him and it wasn’t that he wasn’t built for the game he was tired of the game he knew there’s nothing in that life being built for the game look what it did for wee bey life in prison Avon prison Chris prison joe dead snoop dead D was smart to leave that shit but it cost him his life because he knew to much and shitty ass stringer got him killed for it and fucked his baby mom
Avon was more than willing to get the ball rolling in Prop Joes death. That was more important than the $100k And Marlo was happy to oblige Avon both ways. Great scene!!
Crazy thing I realized on my second watch through is that Avon saw more of a businessman in Marlo than his own childhood friend Stringer.. "Like businessman?"
My favorite part of this is when Marlo mutters "100 large, huh?..." like he expects to start negotiating or something, and Avon just ignores it entirely and changes the subject.
He was not visiting Avon on purpose that's why Avon said "surprise" lol. Avon put Marlo in his place, "this guy who he don't even know" aka "my name is my name" lol. And that's $100k charge just to get told by the Russian "I dont need you" lol. The Wire always presented The Game as a form of Chess.. and this scene shows who is actually the winner and the king, aka "the king stays king"..M was the king of his crew and he made some noise for himself, but he doesn't get to be as heavy as Avon "in the westside". In fact, in this scene Avon shows his plan to make Marlo his pawn by predicting the moves he was gonna do like taking EastsideJoe out of the picture.. But Marlo 's ego and own agenda blinded him to the other bird that was being hit by Avon's stone which was himself because he knew Marlo was going to be taken down after that. Of course Slim has the connect and will answer to Avon both inside and out of jail. Marlo was definitely a G, but Avon was a triple OG. He just had the power brains charisma and respect that Marlo doesn't live to see.
I made a lot of connecrions but I didn't realize he said my name is my name due to this interaction. Makes the show a little better somehow even thought its already my second favorite of all time.
Its funny.....I never really thought about it Slim got the connect but he really will always be loyal and answer to Avon so really Avon wins at the end of the day.
"Up in this bitch, I'm what you might consider...an authority figure." I could listen to Wood Harris say that line forever.
"Let me help you find your tongue." Classic Avon.
Real shit
M R your pic looks like pubes
Sweet Gherkins lol
The difference between him and Stringer was Avon was always listening, while String liked to hear himself talk. Happens a whole bunch of times if u look
Love it. 😂
Avon reminding Marlo who’s boss.
The king stays the king 👑
Authority Figure.
ALWAYS!
NO DOUBT
God I'm always in awe of how that chess scene from season one keeps popping up for the rest of the series.
Get a grip
No coincidence Marlo gets told number two as he walks in. The little details man, that's what makes this show the greatest.
Too good.
Yes 😊
FACTS
I love Avon's laugh as he sits down. It's got this lighthearted, playful quality to it, but at the same time it doesn't make him seem any less serious or intimidating.
SURPRISE
That little “hehe” is scary
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Marlo’s laugh is scary lol sounds like a demon
It's like a teen holligan or bully laugh. Perfect.
Marlo respected Avon so much that he looked left and right knowing that if anyone could pull off a hit in the visitor section of a jail, it would be Avon.
#facts
Seen this clip a million times and I just made that same observation on this particular viewing.
i always thought the exact same
It's called being careful, got nothing to do with respecting avon bruh
@@ubt3606 got everything to do with Avon, bruh. He wasn’t “being careful” until Avon came around that corner.
Marlo used pure fear, almost terrorism. Avon ruled through fear also, but more important than that: he had respect everywhere he went. A true king...
that's how young people who arent willing to wait their turn have to operate, right? They have to be in your face, lest they get walked over
@@KeepinKozy true. When you're impatient, respect & integrity is almost a liability.
@@SatansGreatestSoldier what do you mean?
A good example of that is how many people Marlo went to war with when claiming blocks, but Avon called them “off-brand corners,” implying that he wouldn’t bother any of those dudes getting money provided it doesn’t cut into his own business. That’s something to be weary of, but respect nonetheless
from what I remember, the Barksdales were generational mobsters. I think his sister mentioned they had a mom or aunt that had her own racket back in the day.
One thing Avon was true to was his hatred for the East Side.
Dem ball games cost him too much :D
Joel Johnson Most of the Westside belonged to the Barksdale organization, for years. Prop Joe and everyone else in the co-op were Eastside dealers. But after Avon went to prison the first time, Stringer tried to negotiate with Marlo, but Marlo wasn’t having it. Marlo sensed weakness in the Barksdale organization, so he wanted that territory.
Joel Johnson I’ll just say that reading between the lines is something that I’m pretty good at. There are some things that David Simon wanted people to realize without hitting them over the head with it! One of those things is that “the king stay the king”. No matter how you slice it! Avon had the ups on Marlo in this scene. And I really have no opinion on Omar, except to say.... you’re right! Omar was a pain. Seriously.
Joel Johnson I agree! I’m glad they didn’t have another season!! Hell.... they probably would’ve killed Slim Charles!! 😭
Joel Johnson I really don’t watch gangsta movies as a rule, although I love The Godfather 2. I saw New Jack City! But The Wire is truly in a league all its own! And don’t get me wrong. I like Omar! But I hate that he robbed the Barksdale crew in the first place. And he shot that young hopper in the leg! Boy probably lost that leg. Oh well...
Sees Avon walk-in and immediately looks to his left and right. Lmao.
Thought he was about to get took out!
Only picked up on that like 10th time I watched it!
I never noticed that✊🏾
What's scarier is WeeBey & Bird were locked up in the same place. I'd be looking left to right, too. 😂
@@eternalyfeful over thinking it nobody getting hit on the visiting side of that window
"so whats up with you otherwise" LOL
nice segway
Freamon challenges Boss ruclips.net/video/EctyqAIQBxc/видео.html
Snape, Avon --- "Always"
Cold game 😂 but nonetheless very fuckin shrewd
Klorg Lork, like they’re cool and sh*t. Like he really cares.😂
Avon is just so damn charismatic, this guy should have been shrouded in awards.
Showered in awards you mean? Shrouded means covering a dead body in cloth :)
Avon completely in control here. You can tell Marlo admires Avon but is smart enough not to jump in and say something he doesn't need to. It's almost like Avon is mentoring him but at the same time giving him orders just like he did Wee Bey and the others. Marlo shows respect by not fighting the 100k pay out. He still sees Avon as the man and plays second to him even while he's locked up
Nah, Marlo played it smart knowing the real prize was to come.
Both of y’all got it wrong. This was a Checkmate scene. Avon getting in between Marlo and “The Connect” made Marlo realize no matter what he did he could not take the crown from Avon. After this scene, Marlo gave up his quest to be the king and tried to get it the legit way with investing in real estate.
That's just wrong. You know Mario gave it up because the deal he cut with levi and the state was that everything he had been investigated could be reopened later on if they even suspected that Marlo was doing anything dirty.
Mario Oh.. indeed!! ALL of your comment....💥!! Avon just too smart!! They didn’t give him his own intro music for nothing in Season 1!!! 🤓
In this respect the king stay the king. But you know as well as I do, nothing is forever. All drug lords fall eventually.
Avon showed Marlo true power in this scene. Even from prison, Avon still had reach that Marlo didn't have.
Yeah. Marlo was smart and strong and had good muscle, but he was still a pup, he didn't have the authority or command that Avon had. That level of authority in the streets is something you can't just take with brute force quickly like Marlo did everything else, that shit is earned through years of being on top of the game.
@@evangelionl0vr857 well said bro. Earning your stripes is still a thing in the street. And the OGs respect those that Paid their dues, the young guys just have to deal with it.
And when Avon gets out he'll get the connect back from Slim. King stay tha king.
The theme of The Wire is subtlety.
Avon lets Marlo know, that without out him, Marlo doesn't get Sergei. And Avon rubs that in Marlo's face just a little.
Then he makes a fair offer to vouch for Marlo. No outrageous demands, no further gloating.
'I have the power. Now lets make a deal.'
Clean and straight forward.
spatorade then Avon hands power over to Marlo.
@@nonyobussiness3440 not exactly. Marlo paid for an introduction. At the end of the day Avon would rather somebody from the westside have the connect and he saw a way to profit. He would still have his power when he got out because of his reputation. Hence why he was able to make the introduction.
@@JohnDoe-gc1kt he definitely knew Marlo didn't care anything about Eastside vs Westside.
@@Dre_Key I said Avon would have rather somebody from the westside have control. You need to rewatch the show.
@@JohnDoe-gc1kt I know what you said, I said Marlo didn't care about which side, he just wanted control. You need to rewatch the show lol.
He said "Let me help you find your tongue" 😂😂😂😂
Disrespectful but also being the true king in this relationship.
Avon was the man. Great character
Forever the King 👑 even when he don't got muscle, he got muscle.
all caracters in this series deserves prize for acting-what a show!Greetings from Srbija.
@@yungrick3715 His name is his muscle
Avon and Marlo without calling each other names are playing the dozens on a whole different level. What’s brilliant are their small but powerful facial expressions and dialogue. Classic scene!!!
If you look at Marlo, his ambitions, his motives, how he operates, you can see just how narrow minded he is, he suffers from tunnel vision and he lacks the foresight to actually last in this game. He lacks true leadership qualities like Avon who possesses charisma, intuition, and empathy that allows him to understand other people around him and maneuver and get people to rally behind him despite him being a criminal and he has a code of honor and integrity, something Marlo seriously lacks, he’s literally like a machine.
He lacks the diplomacy and business sense of Prop Joe. Prop Joe was a great businessman and knew how to forge long lasting partnerships and even bring together enemies and convince them including Stringer to work together. Look at the Greek and Vondas, they were adamant about only working with Joe when Marlo kept coming to see them. He was a snake and always scheming and conniving but he had traits that served him well and insulated him from a lot of street level stuff which kept him alive and out of prison. He lacks the intellect, sophistication and foresight of Stringer Bell who was able to see past the street level and understood that he and Avon would eventually succumb to the streets whether it be prison or death but mainly through imprisonment as law enforcement would eventually close in on them and the whole operation and they’d lose everything they worked to get. He realized a whole world existed outside and above the streets and the drug game that they could take part in while still having a hand in the game but without the risk and keep all of the spoils from their crimes and invest it legitimately and live the rest of their lives rich and free. I know he made a lot of mistakes in trying to accomplish this but his vision was very innovative and something most intelligent gangsters strive to do, to become legitimate and clean their dirty money.
Marlo not staying at that party with the developers and Levy who was schooling him on how he could get into the legitimate business world shows he could not see past the ghetto and the streets that almost claimed his freedom and he still goes back. It’s ambiguous but one can infer that Marlo would either be imprisoned or killed for not letting go of the streets.
No one can say that Marlo wasn’t a real G but he lacked many qualities that would have ensured he actually wore the crown and sustained it and be the King he so wanted to be. At the end of the show Omar, his arch nemesis, was killed yet lived on with a reputation that would forever be talked about on the Baltimore streets, and Marlo’s predecessor Avon, is still alive with his king status, reputation and power intact and when he gets out of prison in five years he’ll be back to running the streets and the game with slim Charles who will be and is his new stringer bell.
I never understood why people keep saying Marlo won just because he sold the connect and avoided prison because if you actually dissect his character and motives, the game was in his heart and the streets is where he wanted to be and he was forced out of them both with no name recognition and no reputation as those two corner boys were idolizing Omar and telling embellished stories of his death which further solidified his rep as a street legend while not even knowing or recognizing Marlo despite his firm grip on the game for the time he had it.
Marlo lost as he got nothing that he actually wanted and sought out to do meanwhile his enemies reputation’s are still ringing and their names will forever be in the streets and remembered.
So Marlo, while symbolizing the new generation of gangsters coming up also shows the key differences between the old and the new, how the older generations operated based on codes and reputation while in the game and how that ensured they lasted as long as they did while this new generation lacks the honor and integrity the older generations had and how this new game is more ruthless and cutthroat and how these new gangsters won’t actually last as long. The wire captured this amazingly and shows just how much the system has failed us and each generation keeps the cycle going but it’s gets perpetually worse until the system eventually collapses and a new one must be built.
Yooo great wire comment of all time especially the last paragraph about the age gap and reputation. And that ain't no hip saying you reputation do follow you cause in the whole sure nobody knew who marlo was. "You know who I am."
Nope nobody even knew who he was. That’s why when people say Marlo won in the end he really didn’t, he lost probably more than anybody because he’s alive with no rep, no credibility and he can’t go back to the streets he so wants to be part of. But you can imply that he will and either die or get locked up.
Dam you broke that down!!!
Lol you would think the wire was real and that they just happen to have a camera rolling the way you broke this down
Robert Thomas I had to break it down!! The comments that say Marlo won tells me that these guys are either young and relate more to a Marlo character and how this generation moves or they just don’t understand his character and what he actually wanted. Prolly both really.
One guy Marlo respected and even seem to admire. The fact that he said 'figured that', and showing little resistance about the money kind of said it all. Prop Joe tried to be a father figure to Marlo, but Avon maybe was his true 'Dad' or at least like and older brother. Avon read Marlo right from the start. Prop Joe and String completely misread Avon. Marlo respected that Avon knew who he was dealing with. Around Avon, Marlo surprisingly felt the most like a '👑..
perfeclt said. they slept on how smart avon really is
jacob sterling They did!
In real life. Marlo worked closely with Avon.
At the end of the day Marlo took Stringers advice
Plus they both libras so its some respect there personally
I love how Marlo checks his back when he sees Avon. He’s not afraid but he knows he don’t have his people and even guards could be in with Avon.
Jamie Hector gave the most nuanced, precision performance of any show I've ever seen. He's like a young Brando. So undervalued.
Yeah that guy is a wonderful talent
Reading your comment my first instinct was: "Man ******* Marlo! Don't give him no credit!"
Then it made me realize...the mark of a true, irredeemable, evil villain is that you hate them.
And to even instinctually want to refuse to give the actor of said villain any credit...that means the actor played his part very well. He played someone no one was supposed to like so well, that you don't even want to like the person who played him!
Gave me a newfound respect for Marlo's actor for sure - hadn't thought of that before.
And James Dean. ALL mixed into one. And he was even BETTER on We Own This City, if you could even IMAGINE anyone putting in work greater than what he delivered on The Wire.
I love how Avon tells him the price... Marlo repeats it... and Avon knows hes gonna do it, cause he knows his character and the hustle, so he just moves the conversion on, like business talk is over so now that thats settled how are you good sir?
the Game is the Game
@@jahpowerful1 always. But man I'm glad I'm just a regular dude now.
Avon knew what now...?? Marlo couldn't move forward without help from Avon here... Plus, he knew Marlo would eventually kill Prop Joe, which he always wanted himself... If anything, Avon killed two birds with one stone... He took out the head eastside KingPin controlling drug flow he despised, & He'd bring the connect to the West Side, where his reputation alone will keep him plugged... Now in that sense, he knew Marlo's mannerisms...
@@henrybiggs8001 thats what the original commenter was implying. Yall pretty much had the same thought process minus a few added details...
It also puts the ball back in Avon’s court. When he touch the streets again he’s the king once more. And he has Marlo muscle now as well. They get a chance to see how a real king moves 🆚 a tyrant
Marlo 100 large Avon like you got me confused with a man that repeats himself.
Rich 91 100K was a good asking price.
Marlo about to get the connect, but Avon made sure that he got his cut out of it, pure hustler.
100k for the connect isn't large. 100k/mo for the connect would be more in line.
@@isomchapelle2956 Marlo wouldn't have paid that lol and what would stop him from cutting Avon out once he met with Sergei and finally got in good with the Greeks?
@@GoGetYourShinebox Marlp sold the connect for $10M.
That's also the 100k he's getting back from the basketball game in season 1 that he lost to Joe
“Who he don’t even know” .... his name don’t ring out
You know that hurt Marlo the most. "My name is my name!"
Big ole cut to the ego.
bpthe great great(t) comment right there
i like reading comments. he is saying, you aint nobody etc this gets to marlo a lot. no wonder he yelling in jail and fighting those two boys. obssessed with his name that nobody cares about. am like barksdale and omar. no you are not
@Natural Born Hustler✓ its a subtle dig, you are yet to cut it. youngie
MARLO REALLY RESPECTED AVON OUTTA ALL HE EVEN SHOWED UP AT HIS TRIAL!!!
@@robertchflynn thank you
That was not out of respect, if anything it was more a disrespectful sendoff, like laughing in ones face when they’re helpless.
Something to think about: Avon could look at this as indirect payback to Prop Joe for what happened between Stringer and Avon. If you go back to the barbershop scene where Brother tells Avon about Stringer sending Omar to shoot him, Avon whispers “Proposition Joe’s package.” He know all that Stringer was doing (that eventually led to the (maybe temporary) downfall of his organization) was because of Prop Joe’s package. Despite the war between Marlo and himself, he wanted payback on Joe. He used Marlo to do that knowing that Marlo was the ruthless type and would kill Joe.
I was thinking the same thing
i think the grudge goes even further back and is even referenced in the E v W basketball game of season 1
Yup and he asked for the 100k cause thats how much he lost in the basketball game 🏀
"The game is the game"
"My name is my name"
My name isn’t my name - Vondus lol
@@mannydahitman313 He is called "Vondas" and you stole that joke ;-)
🤡☝🏼?
And business is business
@@chanelbarnes1219 When does Marlo say that?
"Let me help you find your tongue." 🤣🤣🤣 Best line ever
What I love about this scene is it shows just how powerful Avon is and that he is still the king. To start marlo has to sit in the 2nd booth, then when Avon walks in he loses the cocky face he has and looks around because he knows it’s possible that he could be killed right then and there. Then when Avon sits down he lets out a playful childlike laugh because he knows he’s in full control. The whole scene while they’re talking its almost like avon is talking to somebody under him like Wee-Bey or Bird even though marlo won the battle they had. Avon lays out Marlo’s whole plan infront of him showing that he knows exactly why marlo is here and that he could even ruin it if he wanted to. Then he demands marlo pay his sister 100k before he’ll let marlo speak to sergi. Marlo has no choice but to agree because he knows that if he doesn’t he can’t get to Sergi and therefore he can’t get to the Greeks. The whole scene kinda exemplifies the quote “the king stays the king” because in the end even though marlo won the battle in the street he still had to go through Avon to get what he wanted. And even though Avon was locked up he still retained most of his respect and power
Not powerful enough to walk out of there.
The guard says it, “Number 2”, to Marlo as he walks in.
"Surprise, haha" he said that smart as hell😭😂
I missed Avon, was hoping I’d see him more again after this episode
His one appearance in S5 carried more weight than anything.
@@JayCity10 Is there an Avon scene in season 4? If you remember, can you write? i'm in S4 E4. but no avon.. pls
@@user-uc8wz9yg6tnaw he wasn’t in season 4
@@mgmanboy3959 thx bro I finished the wire 10 months ago, since that day I can't stop watching the wire edits from time to time wow .. the goat
@@user-uc8wz9yg6t one of the best shoes ever i can’t lie , I just finished it earlier this week
Avon knew what Marlo was and that's a pretender. Not a business man and not a King. When Marlo was put in a room full of business men he ran away back to a corner that didn't know his name.
I come to this video every 6 months to remind my self Avon was the real king
Yep. It's a state requirement in MD...
Avon was the best character on this show imo
And cutty
Avon was a good character but this show had many.
It's Omar, Strang, Mouzone and Bodie for ME. But I DEFINITELY love me some Avon Barksdale! #ANaturalBornGangsta
Avon,Slim Charles and Omar are the only ones that knew what Marlo was about
So did Bodie.
Many Knew, But Only A Few Could Capitalize In Any Dominant Form.
Marlo was a insecure punk no real code
So did Mike before he joined him
Never forget that Marlo needed permission from Avon for that connect. Only because Avon and only Avon did he get it. That’s a good little marlo
Marlo checking behind him as soon as he sees Avon walking in at 0:37 lol
Blažo Bojović Lol good observation. Marlo though he was about to get shanked
Marlo Stanfield surprise lol he was lookn to see who was coming to visit him👀👀
Marlo Stanfield go get your fuckin shine box!!
Just wrote this comment then noticed you were already on it:
I like how Marlo looks both ways real quick once Avon enters. He's like "am I gonna get got real quick?" Then smiles when he remembers where he is haha. Although I wouldn't doubt Barksdale's reach.
Correction he looked side to side because people where leaving as Avon came in
This show NEVER disappoints.
Took me a while to realize Avon isn't even being facetious here, by season 5 you may perceive the season 1 characters more positively in contrast with Marlo, but Avon still hated Prop Joe and "all them eastside bitches" more than he would ever hate Marlo, he'd probably watch the scene of Joe dying laughing and eating popcorn
pLUS, he blamed Joe and all his chicanery for Strang's death, and the downfall of the Barksdale Organization.
Even the table Marlo was instructed to sit at 'Number 2' can be seen as a signal that he will never be number 1. Avon be King, Always!
I peeped that too. David Simon and Ed Burns are geniuses. #ALLThePiecesMATTER
There's mutual respect between them. When Marlo said the game is the game, Avon appreciated that. He would always preach that to Stringer.
"Yeah cuz up in this bitch I'm what you might consider a....... authority figure" One of the most classic and gangsta speeches in a show or movie.
only time I've seen Marlo vulnerable..
Gawd Chè Marlo wasn't vulnerable he was more shocked than anything
Marlo was literally shook.
I agree. Marlo hides it well but he understands that he is in the position of lesser strength. It's like when Brother Mouzone visits Avon; Avon is stone cold and never betrays emotion but you can just tell, what the dynamic is, based on the fact that they both know it.
I don't think Marlos in lesser strength. Avon is trying to move forward and appeal to Marlos business side. He doesn't threaten him once. Calls him a "business man" like stringer.
he's doing that sarcastically.
Marlo the self proclaimed King met the real King Avon.
Avon: So wassup man, wassup with you otherwise you know?
Marlo: The game is the game
Avon: Always
Damn that line was deep
Notice he says that right after Marlo said "A hundred large huh ?"
Avon switch up game is real lmao
the game is out there, but you cannot lose if you don't play...
This is the only time we ever see Marlo look uncomfortable
Right, because it was a man, talking to a little boy.
Marlo is fascinated by Avon, it's safe to say that Avon was probably his idol during his come-up days. Until his idol eventually became his rival. But you can tell the respect is there. Two soldiers understanding each other.
Marlo thought he was at the finish line until he understood Avon, even though incarcerated, still had a big influence on his future.
Avon always showing he's two steps ahead of Marlo. "let me help you find your tongue" lets also remember who did Chris start working for in prison Avon and Bey. Who took over at end Slim who's will always be loyal to Avon. If it was not for Stringer snitching, Marlo's whole crew would of got wiped out. At the end of the day Avon is still the king from Prison.
Chris wasn’t working for Bey, they were just hanging, they’re Westside and Avon said here “bygones be bygones”. Everything else you typed is on point though.
@@devzeppilin True, but he would almost definitely have wound up working with Bey, for Avon.
Yup soon as Avon's out of prison he's basically king of Baltimore.
@@devzeppilin You can kind of see Marlo and Chris having their differences when they were locked up. Plus, Marlo's out of the game, so it wouldn't be far off for Chris to join them.
Marlo had the same admiration and fear..that Avon had when Brother Muozone came to the barber shop.
@Tom Ross TV agreed!!!! Stringer was on nutty time and so was prop Joe
But Avon looked Brother mouzone up and down, trying to play it off like he did not really feel that way, when it was OBVIOUS that he DID. #GREATActing
Avon cud have ordered marlo's hit in gessop That's How long his arms was. But he used him to get the upper hand on east side
Check mate
David rosa Exactly! He had more power from prison! He probably met a couple of Day Of The Jackal type dudes in there! LOL
Jessup
I like how Avon saw through Marlo. Avon said: my man Sergei thought we should talk first, and then Marlo was afraid his plan will be revealed by Avon, so he said talk about what
then Avon said: whatever business you try to do you gotta go through me first,
Marlo: Yeay like he doesn't believe Avon has that power, and then Avon just god damn said what Marlo was up to which Marlo tried to cut the connection from Pro Joe and the co-op, so he can be the king, you can see Avon was right when Marlo was quiet all the time and just awkwardly smiled at Avon because he saw through his plan,
Avon always reminded me of Michael Jordan and Marlo like Kobe Bryant.
Stiltmans Stilt R.I.P
Exactly
@Tom Ross TV explain...?
@Tom Ross TV make no mistake, mad love for KB, that so many called him a carbon copy of MJ was the highest compliment imo, so many before him were called the baby Jordan, second coming of MJ, what makes the Kobe comparisons so unique is that Kobe was the only one with the talent and skills to live up to the comparisons. Still don't see how he was more intelligent than MJ though... would like an explanation of that one
"Number two". Yes you are, Marlo...
“The game is the game”
Always.
One of my favorite scenes no matter how Marlo thought he won, he still had to check in with the boss 💪💯
The moment when Avon, from prison, conquered the East side by using Marlo and doing networking in jail, so that he had it all done by the time he was free (not much longer).
The king doesnt move so much, but the king stay the king
Marlo: "A hundred large, huh?"
Avon: act like he didn't even hear the question.
Marlo had to accept the same thing that Vito genovese did with Frank costello, Avon and frank could get with words things that Vito and marlo could only get with a gun .... "the game is the game.... always"
I see Avon more like a Charlie Luciano, Stringer as Frank Costello but your absolutely right Marlo was Vito Genovese! Stone cold!
Nice assessment 👍!
@@digenesakritas1107 nah Stringer wasn’t Frank at all... Frank was way smarter both in street and business!!!! Stringer is more like Meyer Lanksy lol
Can't say it enough to, Wood Harris killed this character role to the Max! People totally underrated his skills in these Wire Series. FACTS 💯💯💯💯
“So wassup man ? What’s up with you otherwise? You know” 😂😂
The best was the season 3 finale, when Avon was being sentenced and they "meet".
Avon: “Your gonna play your hand the way I want you to”
Marlo: “Figured that”
Wow i just learned that Marlo wanted to be like Avon because his name was buzzing.
Ramziddin Muwwakkil my name is my name
His brief appearance in this season was awesome. scary as fuck, even through glass
Yo I can’t stop laughing at Marlo face when seen Avon come out 😂😂😂 that face said it all 💯💯
Avon executives being “an authority figure” with a friendly smile, making you forget how deadly he is.
Avon's "WS vs ES" shit is what landed him in prison. Stringer was right to get with Prop Joe and move outta the street shit, and even Avon admitted that in the end. If he had listened to String the Commission would've dealt with Marlo together and they would've become damn near untouchable, but Avon couldn't let go of that "corner" mentality.
My theory is that Avon didn't hold hate for Marlo, that's just street level shit + a war he could've won. He hates prop joe (east side) for slowly manipulating his right hand stringer and collapsing the empire. It comes out as a surface level gangster mentality but its deeper.
No he simply didn’t want to work for prop-Joe. For all the posturing Joe did about the “CO-OP” it was really just a way for Joe to control everyone on the East side. Joe drew his power from information and he literally convinced the majority of the players in the city to come to him with all of their disputes while simultaneously giving him a cut of all their profit. You saw the real nature of the CO-OP when Omar stole the package and Joe demanded everyone eat the loss and then made a profit from buying it back from Omar by lying about how much Omar was selling it back to them for. Avon saw through that shit and knew it wasn’t going to work out for him in the long run. He just needed time to get his house in order and Stringer was playing away games as always.
That moment when you clowning around in class, then see your father walking in to talk to your teacher.... lol
😅😅😅😅
LOL
Happens as often as Bigfoot sightings….
This is one of my favorite scenes of the entire series! Avon may be a criminal, but he had honor!
And Carcetti was a so-called high level politician, but lacked honor, along with the court clerk who was selling Prop Joe the court dockets ahead of time, so the drug kingpins would know what indictments were coming down the pike.
Marlo meeting Avon shows that the game is really just the game and nothing more
The realest shit, when Avon says “always”. You can tell before he says it, his facial expressions says it all
wOOD Harris is a TRUE thespian. He should have won an award for the Wire AND The Jimi Hendrix story. That was proof, along with Denzel not winning for Malcolm X, that awards show ain't s***, as Ziggy would say.
This is why I always loved Wood Harris. I’m about to watch this series again
Avon blamed Joe for bringing down Stringer and turning Avon's own crew against him, so he sold Joe out through Marlo.
I like how marlo in the end still had to bow down to avon xD
,Marlo looks both ways to make sure he's safe and look at the goofy look on his face. Intimidated by Avon's presense. The man is locked up and still has power. Marlo might have taken over the streets but the King is still the King 👑
"you a natural businessman" - doesn't know how a bank works
I'm thinking Marlo's many things, businessman - no.
MY BANK ACCOUNT IS MY BANK ACCOUNT!
Marlo looking around for cameras wondering if he was on a episode of Punk'D never gets old.
He wanted to make sure Avon had not contracted the other visitors or the correctional officers to murder him.
It's shit like this that makes me think Marlo wasn't ready. Why didn't he prepare for this? His team should've know that this was a possibility.
This is the funniest fucking scene from this show.
Avon was really kingpin
I think Marlo is what Avon wanted dangleo to become in the drug business even though dangelo wasn't built for the game
Antonio Baugh Yes!
Yes u right but d wasn’t no punk he would check u he had it in him and it wasn’t that he wasn’t built for the game he was tired of the game he knew there’s nothing in that life being built for the game look what it did for wee bey life in prison Avon prison Chris prison joe dead snoop dead D was smart to leave that shit but it cost him his life because he knew to much and shitty ass stringer got him killed for it and fucked his baby mom
Avon was more than willing to get the ball rolling in Prop Joes death. That was more important than the $100k And Marlo was happy to oblige Avon both ways. Great scene!!
Avon: Honorable Marlo: Ruthless
Timothy Brown it was honorable to kill That working man..Wallace. That security Lady. .yea honorable man.
both ruthless
Avon was as ruthless but they made him seem like a nice guy and made marlo look evil
"Let me help you find your tongue" LOL one my favorite lines from Avon
1:20 Marlo realizes he still had to go thru Avon even when they had war on the streets and squashed it for some money that's real shit
The best television show ever produced in my opinion. So ahead of its time.
The best scene in the entire show
What an excellent show it was.
Wood Harris really did his thing here wow
Let me help you find your tongue lol classic line
Checkmate. This was one of Marlos biggest defeat. The second was living in the name of Omar as he became a street legend and marlo didn’t.
Crazy thing I realized on my second watch through is that Avon saw more of a businessman in Marlo than his own childhood friend Stringer..
"Like businessman?"
lmaoo I never noticed that shit but Marlo looks around as if to say "oh shit am I getting set up"
My favorite part of this is when Marlo mutters "100 large, huh?..." like he expects to start negotiating or something, and Avon just ignores it entirely and changes the subject.
I'm from the east side and I don't think Avon realised that what he said here is really hurtful :(
That "always" at the end is very significant. Very nice touch to the entire conversation
He was not visiting Avon on purpose that's why Avon said "surprise" lol. Avon put Marlo in his place, "this guy who he don't even know" aka "my name is my name" lol. And that's $100k charge just to get told by the Russian "I dont need you" lol. The Wire always presented The Game as a form of Chess.. and this scene shows who is actually the winner and the king, aka "the king stays king"..M was the king of his crew and he made some noise for himself, but he doesn't get to be as heavy as Avon "in the westside". In fact, in this scene Avon shows his plan to make Marlo his pawn by predicting the moves he was gonna do like taking EastsideJoe out of the picture.. But Marlo 's ego and own agenda blinded him to the other bird that was being hit by Avon's stone which was himself because he knew Marlo was going to be taken down after that. Of course Slim has the connect and will answer to Avon both inside and out of jail. Marlo was definitely a G, but Avon was a triple OG. He just had the power brains charisma and respect that Marlo doesn't live to see.
I made a lot of connecrions but I didn't realize he said my name is my name due to this interaction. Makes the show a little better somehow even thought its already my second favorite of all time.
WINTER Time well said
Its funny.....I never really thought about it Slim got the connect but he really will always be loyal and answer to Avon so really Avon wins at the end of the day.
What do you mean Marlo doesn't live to see?
Jacque Renee He got thrown out the Bmore drug game.
The guard telling/calling Marlo “number 2”