The Wire: Randy Is The New Marlo

[Suicide King]

Always felt that they gave him the westside far too easily. It was given not earned. Should have been at war with splinter groups because of the vacuum caused by the Barksdale family dissolving. He was small time in season 3 and just an over ambitious boy who over stepped his boundaries. Even the Barksdales at their weakest were stronger it's just Stringer became incompetent when dealing with the streets after Season 1 and didn't deal with him properly. Then is season 4 he's running the west it was jarring. Even worse in season 5 when he suddenly knows that the police are watching him from the roofs, yet a more organised crew back in season 1 were oblivious to it

Marlo was about to be buried, though. He was never going to beat Avon.

We had a whole thread about how stupid Stringer was. When Avon said Stringer was never hard enough for this game, that's when I knew Stringer never killed anyone. A player like Avon would never say those words to a killer.

 

[Remy Danton]

brilliant observation OP

 

[Donald J Trump]

Nah. Randy was a hustler and IMO was just shapened up to be a soilder. Sort of link Monk or Cheese(his dad)

But The thing is Randy was never involved in the drug game at any point during the series, so its hard for me to say he becomes a kingpin, seeing as how most kingpins start out dealing drugs at a very young age. Randy was a kind hearted kid who was "hardened". Marlo was a straight up psycopath, you know, the type of person thats BORN crazy. This is the same dude that had a guy and his whole family(including kids) killed over a rumor

wrong..drug dealing comes from being a hustler...Randy fits the profile to a tee, nikka was about getting money...

Randy was smart, to be on a big time scale you have to be smart..

that nikka Pimp C was talking bout "what kind of dope dealer does homework", Randy was smart and did his HW, meanwhile nikkas like Bodie wasn't in school aka wasn't a smart ass pawn



Randy was the future prop joe probably...

 

[Propaganda]

this isn't a new theory. people have been talking about this for years. i don't really buy it, seems like a pretty big stretch. there are other guys that are better candidates to be the next marlo.

 

[Mr. Manhattan]

Randy isn't Marlo. I can use your same logic against you. I doubt Marlo was ever sweet and soft as a child Randy grows up to be a big time hustler no doubt but, cold hearted murderer who kills security guards for fun......nah. That's Kenard all the way. You might be able to get away with saying Randy grows up to be the new Avon. Because Avon was a gangsta too but, he was more about making money and running his corners than killing people just to kill people. That's not Randy's MO. Marlo was different than the other dealers. They were all drug dealers who killed from time to time. Marlo was a murderer who sold drugs. That screams to me Kenard.

You dont think the circumstances Randy had to endure can turn him into a cold blooded killer.. the hoid literally burned his house down and killed his foster mom, you dont think Marlo had a similar backstory if taking in too much from the streets
I mean theres different ways to interpret these characters

Like someone pointed out Kenard was seen about to burn a cat by dousing him in gasoline, pure psychopath behavior,
but Marlo was seen owning a pigeon coop which means he has a soft spot for them birds. But thats my perspective

 

[RAW_SPK]

Randy was an innocent, empathetic kid who got swallowed up by the system. In Season 4, once it got around that he was a snitch, violence and despair started to surround him 24/7. In his last scene of Season 4, he gets beat up by some group home kids, after he throws a brave punch. In Season 5 he turned into a hardened teenager with no remorse for anyone. When Bunk tries to interrogate him about Lex's murder, unlike his cooperating nature in Season 4, this time, he sternly is unwilling to even come to terms with the cop. He gives Bunk a look of hate the entire time.

The same exact look Marlo gave Herc when they first met. That scene when Marlo and his goons looked like they were about to beat down him and Carver. Enter Marlo, a sociopathic drug kingpin in his late 20s. Obsessed with the reputation of his name. Because he knows how destructive a tainted reputation can be in the hood. After all, look what happened to Randy, when word got out that he was a snitch. Maybe he learned from that...and made sure the infrastructure of his name was always solid from now on. But to come up from being a former snitch...being beat up by group home kids daily..you probably would have to do something over the top just to get nikkas to respect you again. Something drastic. Possibly evil, cold hearted and/or ruthless. Which explains Marlo's character.

officer Walker took $200 from Randy. Marlo takes herc's $4000 camera.

Randy was the only one who was semi interested in Dukie's misadventures with the pigeons when everyone else was clowning Dukie (season 4 episode 1). Marlo owns a pigeon coup.

Marlo's character strongly suggests he grew up an orphan or group home. Randy was in a group home.

Randy always low key had heart. Unlike Namond who was a complete bytch. When Namond was about to go to baby booking for ONE night, he begged Carver to let him just sleep in the police station instead. Randy was about to get sent to a violent group home for 4 years, but did not once beg carver to help him out of the situation. He took it like a man, pat carver on the back, and told him "you tried".

That little bit of heart Randy showed, not only made Carver feel terrible, but was a early sneak peek of Randy taking his destiny like a man, instead of trying to coward his way out like Namond did.

Which eventually was what toughened Randy up. Maybe a little too much.

If you felt sorry for Randy, but hated Marlo....take a moment

Very good observation

 

[KingMalik]

You dont think the circumstances Randy had to endure can turn him into a cold blooded killer.. the hoid literally burned his house down and killed his foster mom, you dont think Marlo had a similar backstory if taking in too much from the streets
I mean theres different ways to interpret these characters

Like someone pointed out Kenard was seen about to burn a cat by dousing him in gasoline, pure psychopath behavior,
but Marlo was seen owning a pigeon coop which means he has a soft spot for them birds. But thats my perspective

I have a hard time seeing Randy grow up to become THAT cold but, I do find the bolded interesting

Either way Randy grows up to be a major player....if you wanted to use real-life players, I see Kenard as a Wayne Perry type and Randy as a Rayful Edmonds type

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

Nvm Kenard setting animals on fire was already covered

Kenard is dead inside and vicious at like age 13. I can see why people say he's Marlo

Kenard was definitely a sociopath, but I find it hard to see him as a boss like Marlo. I see him more as a trigger happy top goon to a more savvy boss like Bird or Weebay.

 

[Pesci]

Kenard was definitely a sociopath, but I find it hard to see him as a boss like Marlo. I see him more as a trigger happy top goon to a more savvy boss like Bird or Weebay.

Bird I could see. He was a pretty vile individual. After watching the series a few times, pretty much all of the characters start to have some endearing qualities. Bird remains a piece of shyt.

 

[Mowgli]

Hmmm...something to think about perhaps. Though I thought the kid that killed Omar would probably be the one that becomes Marlo. I say this cuz he got his first kill at such a young age and it was someone that was very notably feared and heavy in the streets, so I'm sure his rep got huge off of that. Remember, when they were going over Marlo's former raps, the cops were astonished with what he'd already done, despite none of them actually revealing anything of what he did. That's probably cuz he did some heavy shyt when he was really young too.

Also, you said Marlo was in his late 20's. I don't think so. I think he was very much into his early 20's.



Cheese was his father?! When did that get revealed?

Marlo was a sadistic killer. He wasnt like a guy who just killed as part of business. He took pleasure in it. Randy wasnt gonna be no marlo.

 

[scarlxrd]

I've watched the Wire at least 12-14 times all the way through and I've never thought about Cheese being Randy's pops until now

 

[MJ Truth]

Not buying it. Randy was sweet. I can't imagine a teenage Marlo being soft; I'd bet money on him having been evil pretty much his whole life. I could see Randy as an adult being just like his daddy.

 

[Francis White]

Nah. Randy was a hustler and IMO was just shapened up to be a soilder. Sort of link Monk or Cheese(his dad)

But The thing is Randy was never involved in the drug game at any point during the series, so its hard for me to say he becomes a kingpin, seeing as how most kingpins start out dealing drugs at a very young age. Randy was a kind hearted kid who was "hardened". Marlo was a straight up psycopath, you know, the type of person thats BORN crazy. This is the same dude that had a guy and his whole family(including kids) killed over a rumor

Joonbug ran his mouth, he was a deadman that just didn't it. I supported that decision. Marlo was a true hero , he didn't present fronts for fatherless coli dudes who worship Avon.

 

[Squirrel from Meteor Man]

Randy would've never been able to change his reputation as a snitch no matter what he did. Doubt he would become Marlo.

 

[Francis White]

nikka He more prop joe then marlo the created even said hes related to joe and cheese his pops but season 5 didnt explore that cause its a short season.

Prop joe flashback he was a hustler randy was too.

And spider was the new bodie.

Kenard gone get out at 18 if he aint catching jail cases nikka rep gone be brazy. He legit got loose screws nikka was poppin off on older kids crack heads setting piegions on fire not scared of Omar Little etc. He more marlo then anybody.

He not getting out at 18, he getting transferred to an adult facility. Just because he turns 18 doesn't mean he gets out on a capital murder charge. As you stated he is a lunatic, he will be evaluated and not be let loose.