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This topic has been archived - replies are not allowed.
I gotta go with Chris. Stringer could never get on the same page as Avon, while Chris and Marlo are of the same mind. Also, Chris is even more versatile than Stringer: he's a shooter, he's a driver, he's a bodyguard, he's a teacher...he does it all. Kind of like Stringer and Wee-Bey combined.
What do you guys think?
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(48 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 14, 2008 11:27 AM
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I don't think Marlo needs a #2 with biz sense. Rather he doesn't think he does. In his arrogance Marlo feels he has all the brain needed within himself. Avon needed the balance and acumen that Stringer provided.
--
Blu
"Crown ain't worth much if the nigga wearin' it always gettin' his
sh!t took."
"The whole world shines sh!t and calls it gold."
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(46 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 14, 2008 11:10 AM
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It depends on what type of number 2 you want. Stringer behaved more like a partner, almost an equal. So much so that he eliminated D'Angelo. Chris behaves more like a subordinate. He has Marlo's respect and trust, but I don't think he would make the same kind of moves that Stringer made. I don't get the sense, yet, that Chris wants Marlo's position. I always felt Stringer did.
I think I'd prefer Chris to Stringer as a #2.
--
Blu
"Crown ain't worth much if the nigga wearin' it always gettin' his
sh!t took."
"The whole world shines sh!t and calls it gold."
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(45 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 14, 2008 11:04 AM
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I like Stringer better. He saw something more than the streets. If they were making $25 million a year, as one of the detectives estimated in season 1, then Avon and String could have gone legit after season 2, and left the drug dealing to someone else in the crew. Why do it if when you get rich, you can't (or won't) quit? Why risk going to jail when you don't have to?
Stringer was the right #2 with the wrong #1. He should have been Prop Joe's #2. Avon needed Chris to be his #1.
Look at the Greeks. The Greek was just some old man shuffling around the diner. The younger Sobotka didn't even know the old guy was the Greek until his uncle met with him. A true #1 stays away from the danger, and allows his #2 to run the show, many times as that #2 sees fit. Maybe we should analyze the #1s instead of the #2s.
As the head goes, so goes the body. That says alot about what happened to the Barksdale organization under Avon.
BUT, Avon is back!!! Hopefully he has learned something.
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(44 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 8, 2008 9:21 PM
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In season 1. Stringer was a great #2. After Avon got locked up he started trippin. He stopped being a good #2 when he forgot he was a drug dealer and not a buisness man. Period.
My favorite line of Avon. "Just a gangsta I suppose". In this scene Stringer was so out of pocket that the new soldiers didn't even know who he was. But this is such a powerful scene. Wood Harris is a great actor.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WkVohPC_YpU
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(43 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 8, 2008 7:55 PM
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Na Devonne wasnt his first kill, because remember when the detects was talking about Marlow they was talking about his M O was two shots to the chest and one in the mouth. then he was like he the "real deal!"
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(42 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 7, 2008 4:29 PM
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> > Not very qualified to judge but could an
> argument be
> > made that Stringer was better because everything
> he
> > did was to ensure that the Barksdale operation
> stayed
> > under the radar while Chris' scheme of hiding
> dead
> > bodies in the vacants was destined to draw
> shocked
> > attention not just from the scared residents of
> > Baltimore but probably the nation/Feds?
>
> That argument could be made. It's valid when there's
> an operation to hide. The goal is to be quiet to the
> police, but loud enough in the streets to keep the
> wolves at bay. If you lose either of those qualities,
> it's a wrap. They were able to keep things quiet for
> some time, but Avon's name still rang out and he was
> fine with it. Avon was clear that he wanted the
> retail. He wanted his corners, but more importantly
> he wanted his name to ring out. When those towers
> came down, his retail footprint dissappeared. Marlo
> was the name then. In Avon's eyes, he had no corners,
> and his name didn't ring out, so there was no
> operation to hide. Stringer's away games meant zero
> to Avon, and all of Stringer's efforts were going
> toward that as opposed to reestablishing the retail.
> That's why Avon asked "What you built for us man?"
> Stringer built a whole different operation, but
> neglected what his boss considered to be the real
> operation. That'll get you in trouble every time.
>
> Stringer's motivation was maximizing profit. Avon,
> his boss, was in it for the glory and the resulting
> intimidation. As long as Avon had the glory, he could
> live with Stringer doing his thing. Once Marlo took
> that glory, Stringer's efforts became problematic.
> They were pulling in opposite directions. That's not
> what a #2 is supposed to do.
Great post
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(41 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 6, 2008 9:59 AM
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> Not very qualified to judge but could an argument be
> made that Stringer was better because everything he
> did was to ensure that the Barksdale operation stayed
> under the radar while Chris' scheme of hiding dead
> bodies in the vacants was destined to draw shocked
> attention not just from the scared residents of
> Baltimore but probably the nation/Feds?
That argument could be made. It's valid when there's an operation to hide. The goal is to be quiet to the police, but loud enough in the streets to keep the wolves at bay. If you lose either of those qualities, it's a wrap. They were able to keep things quiet for some time, but Avon's name still rang out and he was fine with it. Avon was clear that he wanted the retail. He wanted his corners, but more importantly he wanted his name to ring out. When those towers came down, his retail footprint dissappeared. Marlo was the name then. In Avon's eyes, he had no corners, and his name didn't ring out, so there was no operation to hide. Stringer's away games meant zero to Avon, and all of Stringer's efforts were going toward that as opposed to reestablishing the retail. That's why Avon asked "What you built for us man?" Stringer built a whole different operation, but neglected what his boss considered to be the real operation. That'll get you in trouble every time.
Stringer's motivation was maximizing profit. Avon, his boss, was in it for the glory and the resulting intimidation. As long as Avon had the glory, he could live with Stringer doing his thing. Once Marlo took that glory, Stringer's efforts became problematic. They were pulling in opposite directions. That's not what a #2 is supposed to do.
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(40 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 6, 2008 12:50 AM
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Not very qualified to judge but could an argument be made that Stringer was better because everything he did was to ensure that the Barksdale operation stayed under the radar while Chris' scheme of hiding dead bodies in the vacants was destined to draw shocked attention not just from the scared residents of Baltimore but probably the nation/Feds?
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(39 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 5, 2008 12:36 PM
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> That was Devonne he killed. I made a similar
> observation earlier about this being the only time we
> see Marlo show any remorse or hesitation. Hard to see
> Marlo actually liking her, but I guess it's a
> possibility. He sent Chris to scope things out and
> see if it was safe, but he did want to meet up with
> her again. I don't think she was his first kill, or
> else his aim would not have been so true. When Kima
> went to Homicide to ask about Marlo, the Detective
> Holley called Marlo "the spawn of the devil." He
> recounted the story of a guy Marlo killed named Pooh
> Bear who was witnessing. Said he put two in his chest
> and one in his mouth, just like Devonne. I'm thinking
> Marlo has several bodies on his jacket.
Oh yes, I had forgotten that conversation, thanks mrntgr. (Now that you explained your screen name it's easier to remember.) Yes, the spawn of the devil's sheet was long and never fully put out there for us. Kima said something like "I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this." I'm sure she expected to find a body on there, so that one always left me puzzled.
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(38 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 5, 2008 11:35 AM
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> Question - does anyone else think that the girl (her
> name escapes me at the moment) was Marlo's first?
> The way he shook afterward, the way Chris calmed him
> m "It had to be done". Looking back, it seems to me
> that maybe she was. It's the only time I can
> remember seeing Marlo lose his cool in any way.
> Could be because it was a woman, but the man has
> s never displayed any emotion other than that one
> scene.
That was Devonne he killed. I made a similar observation earlier about this being the only time we see Marlo show any remorse or hesitation. Hard to see Marlo actually liking her, but I guess it's a possibility. He sent Chris to scope things out and see if it was safe, but he did want to meet up with her again. I don't think she was his first kill, or else his aim would not have been so true. When Kima went to Homicide to ask about Marlo, the Detective Holley called Marlo "the spawn of the devil." He recounted the story of a guy Marlo killed named Pooh Bear who was witnessing. Said he put two in his chest and one in his mouth, just like Devonne. I'm thinking Marlo has several bodies on his jacket.
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(37 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 5, 2008 11:12 AM
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I think we can probably all agree that the dynamics of the two relationships are completely different. Stringer and Avon grew up together, we know that, but we don't know anything about Chris and Marlo's past together.
There is a wisdom to Chris, he is a teacher. He doesn't really seem to have personal goals, as did Stringer.
I rewatched ep 50 last night and Chris didn't object too strongly to taking Bodie out, but he did say NO to Michael being the one to do it.
Question - does anyone else think that the girl (her name escapes me at the moment) was Marlo's first? The way he shook afterward, the way Chris calmed him "It had to be done". Looking back, it seems to me that maybe she was. It's the only time I can remember seeing Marlo lose his cool in any way. Could be because it was a woman, but the man has never displayed any emotion other than that one scene.
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(36 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 4, 2008 11:26 PM
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I agree with Lukeblaze, y'all given Chris to much credit, I mean, he is a hitter, but is he even Marlos 2nd in command? I thought he was just head of security. But, Stringer wasn't the best no. 2, he had to many self wants to be a no.2, perfect example of a good no. 2, Manolo, Tony Montanas no.2, don't ask questions, don't have a mind, just do as No. 1 says. Well, yeah, kind of like Chris.
--
One luv, Adoy510. Join me @ www.myspace.com/blklonn
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(35 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 4, 2008 6:00 PM
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I'm gonna go with Chris as being a better No. 2 because he has the same vision, supports Marlo and advises, accordingly.
Stringer, although I loved this fine criminal, was on some other stuff after a while and he was shady, shady, shady!!
--
Peace,
sg
You gon' let me hold that card!
You all on me for? I do my work.
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(34 of 108)
Re: Better No. 2: Chris or Stringer?
Jan 4, 2008 5:46 PM
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> Its funny because I always felt that One of Avon's
> small mistakes was when he was beefing with Marlo he
> was out warring. The King is supposed to be protected
> not fighting. Marlo is lethal like Avon but Chris Job
> is to protect. He does what he is suppose to do. Go
> out and get ish done and he is good at it.
Avon made a mistake by being out there, but it was his poor choice to have Stringer handle those affairs that made it necessary. That choice was his major mistake, and his being out there fighting Marlo was a direct result. When Avon set the meeting with Slim to discuss their war readiness, Stringer was too busy doing his real estate thing. Sham delivered the news to Avon and he shrugged it off. Stringer's absence from that meeting is precisely why Avon felt the need to go out there, and why Slim rose through the organization so quickly.
Avon's other major mistake was underestimating his opponent. Marlo was already strong, but he was further emboldened by Stringer's lame attempts to negotiate for corners. Poot was absolutely right in the meeting: "Does the Chair know we gon' look like some punk ass bitches?" It was a sign of weakness within the organization, as everybody knows that's not Avon's way of doing business. Violence is the only language spoken when it's time to get corners. The way Marlo took Bodie's corner is the way: either take our package or say hi to Chris and Snoop. Once Stringer deviated, Marlo knew he could win. Just like those downtown cats saw Stringer coming from a mile away, so did Marlo.
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