Avon vs Stringer | Who Was Right? | The Wire Explained

[@CineRanter]

Please note: I have had to cut segments of this video, including an intro comparing Avon Barksdale and Tony Soprano, due to a copyright hit. You can see the full uncut version here: www.patreon.com/posts/avon-vs-stringer-112365773?Link&

[@fionnmaccurtain8896]

The scene where they are talking on the balcony,when they know that they’ve betrayed each other ,is iconic.

[@jessemounoury6065]

'Us, motherfucker'

[@donnell485]

Neither knew about the other until Avon was in cuffs and seconds before String was murdered by Omar and Brother Mouzone

[@mauricecarroll243]

​@@donnell485but they both could feel the coldness in the air for each other.

[@aarong3000]

Avon knew that this was going to be the last time that he would talk to Stringer and the coldest thing was that he asked Stringer where he was going to be at tomorrow. He gave that info to Mouzone and Omar and that is how they found the location to kill him. So cold blooded! 😱😱😱😱😱

[@jimirsayssponsor5844]

@@mauricecarroll243they were definitely reading tea leaves up there… the writing was certainly on the wall for Avon to see..

[@SpindicateAudio]

Avon was right about the way it is; Stringer was right about the way it should be.

[@InsaneCopePosse]

But the way it should be is an ought claim, which is a fallacy of the present.

[@tomsoyer5639]

Ask the producer, he knows.

[@SamBrickell]

Avon was good at his way, Stringer was a lot smarter in his own mind than he was in reality.

[@macktruck8331]

People don't use drugs because they want to. They use drugs to escape the pain of the reality they live in now, and order for that to stay they way drug dealers (listen carefully) can never get alone ever.drugs are satanic it's nothing but evil. Nothing goods comes from it and if it those produce one good thing it did way more evil before it got there.

[@matholomewbrooksopoulos7085]

​@@InsaneCopePosse Yeah, String wanted it to be one way... but it was the other way.

[@ahugg1961]

Avon understood Stringer's idea. But, he also knew who Stringer really was. He knew that Stringer was stepping into new territory. He knew that you can't just walk in and think you know everything. Just like in the game. You don't start on top. Avon also knew that Marlo didn't want to be a part of anything. He only wanted to be the KING!!!

[@yelhsanosnhoj6602]

He knew Stringer wasn’t as smart as he thought he was…

[@zero1188]

Stringer was right, issue is he applied it to uncivilized people who did not abide to those rules. In the jungle power matters more then money. You use power to get money. In the real world money comes first then you buy the power

[@yelhsanosnhoj6602]

@@zero1188 you’re contradicting yourself

[@marzwat]

​@zero1188 therfore Stringer wasn't right. Stringer had a good idea and the way the drug game should be but the reality is not his idea.

[@smokescythe8880]

A lot of street dudes are scared to death of the world outside of theirs. It brings them back to their early s hool.days when they decided to forego their education because they felt inept

[@jasonwolfe3252]

Wow, I didn't realize D was describing Stringer when he was talking about The Great Gatsby. All of these years later I'm still learning things about this show. It's brilliant.

[@Nsdus5676]

Me either. I just picked that up watching this. There is so much there that as time goes on I have more and more respect for the writers who spun one the best tangled webs of all time. Complex and complimentary characters all vying for what they want and the obstacles in their way. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around how they tied it all up episode to episode and season to season. I tell people to watch this show and they shrug me off and I just have to shake my head. 😊

[@Sunnyboy-rz9bo]

Well, I don’t think he was talking about stringer at that point, but he was just talking about most criminals that make money they have a thing for books you see it and hear it all the time sort of like (50 Cent )the rapper he’s always talking about the books 48 hours of power ,the art of war or Ancient history but they really never take time to read them. It’s almost like most guy in the streets understands the movement of the game of chess but never took time to actually play the game. You see this a lot when in the drug game and I think that’s what DEE was trying to explain. The great Gatsby was clever when it came to throwing parties to look important, but wasn’t smart enough to change his ways to become important.

@@Sunnyboy-rz9bo50 cent is a lot smarter than you give him credit for.

[@alecaquino4306]

To me, it's like this: just because you are a master at chess doesn't mean you can immediately transition over to being a Texas Hold Em player with the same level of success. Each game has a different set of rules, different players, different strategies, and different types of risk. Avon knew the game he was playing and was a scholar on all it's intricacies. He knew what worked and what didn't and he played the game to near perfection. Stringer knew the game as well, but he decided that he didn't want to play the same game anymore and worked to move on to something he thought would be a better fit for him. But he didn't learn the intricacies of this new game and that's what ultimately led to his demise. He wanted it to be one way, but it was the other way...

[@nasirjones-bey6565]

Clay Davis spanked him and bruised his ego. He was taken out the game before he could learn from that.

[@claudewashington5247]

I like that

[@zero1188]

Exactly. Stringer wasnt wrong. But he tried to apply the wrong rules to the wrong game. In the jungle power gets you money. In the real world money buys you power. Stringer tried to buy power, thats dont work there

[@fox_e_crow3276]

@@zero1188Stringer was wrong about a lot of things. I agree with the original poster’s thesis that he mixed up his rule manuals for the games he found himself in, but I don’t buy the overly-sentimental idea that he was somehow a tragically noble character. I think the argument could easily be made that Stringer was the least noble of all the characters in the show. We need to stop ourselves from falling into Tony Soprano syndrome when we think about these things. Just because we happen to like or respect a character doesn’t mean we’re required to give them the benefit of the doubt.

[@houseofmatrix6174]

Great analogy comparing chess to Texas Hold em

[@Cbart23]

Stringer’s biggest error was not running everything past Levy.

[@thelimon4338]

Yea that was one of his bigger problems but not his biggest error nor was what caused his death by trying too play Brother Mouzone and Omar against each other and both figuring it out even if it caused his death the reason it even happened was because of his real biggest error Stringers biggest error was convincing himself he could be a legit businessman/politician and gangster that could act like a gangster in the legit business/politician world to make things go his way when something happened or String acting like he could play the game like a legit company causing Stringer to forget he’s supposed to use those business skills he learned as a tool for the game not convince himself the game can be changed into being like a legit business

[@KNByam]

He read to much books. School made he thought he was better than everyone else.

[@diligentsun1154]

Stringer was doomed, anyway. Levy would definitely have given him away, at some point. And The Game IS 'Business'. The two are inseparable. 'Sooner or later, SOMEONE is going to have to fight them...' -Morpheus 'government' is the shadow cast, by Business, and business is War. You Will Need a Team (gang) who will enforce your claim, at some point.

[@theanomaly8796]

That’s what I always thought. Levy was trying to teach him how to walk into that world. String was too focused on running cause he let Clay Davis get into his head.

[@Game_mods_]

I thought Levy was in on it.

[@mikemosh8268]

Stringer was right in theory but his fault was trying to apply diplomacy in a non diplomatic game. Stringers plan would have undoubtedly made life better for all involved, but it takes all involved to be on board for it to work, and like they say, it there’s always gonna be a Marlo

[@AbduRahman02]

Perfect analysis mike

[@dokkisokki741]

Genius mike

[@Andre000Lucas]

damn, that applies for everything when you think about it... theres always going to be a Marlo, its like in that "game theory"

[@nathand4500]

You've heard of the 5 Families and the Mafia Commission?

[@eastsidereviews727]

Avon and Stringer both were right and wrong in a lot of ways, it's what made them so successful. Stringer could fill any holes Avon had and the same with Avon for Stringer and as a duo the Barksdales were on top and unchecked when they were in sync. I side more with Avon being right, because he seemed to have a better understanding of who he was and had some sense of being halfway decent in places, specifically letting Cutty out the game.

[@DSPHistoricalSociety]

Stringer isn't a Barksdale

[@pako5586]

more over he knew exactly what Marlo was. hypothetically if stringer servived and remained in the coop he would have been purged along with prop joe in the end. but if they just let avon kill marlo and kept avon on as the strongest (and tempered by stringer) the entire game would have been won

[@PHOENIXQ2024]

Nah.. stringer was never right. Nothing he tried worked! Even the co-op did what eventually it was going to do! His ideology only works in “perfect” scenarios. It’s like trying to learn Spanish strictly from the books. The shit doesn’t work! You speak it to the people and they know immediately! Which is why real business people took advantage of him and the street guys “who weren’t in his crew” knew immediately he could be manipulated.

[@longlivedkingemmett8829]

But at what point do you get out of a dead end game?

[@Paul-vf2wl]

@@longlivedkingemmett8829That was Simon's whole point. The game is rigged. You can say Avon was right but part of that was Avon accepting that his life was only going to end either in jail or with getting murdered.

[@ЯрославШ-ж9м]

Stringer really digged his own grave when he told Avon about his involvement in the murder of D'Angelo

[@jessemounoury6065]

What a great analysis, thank you! And the fact people make and watch these kinds of video 20 years after it first aired, says everything about the greatness of the Wire.

[@ragingrhino333]

I think the Scene with Avon and Brother Mouzoune in the barber shop answers this. Avon had a lot more integrity than Stringer. And this is why he survived.

[@RhymeorChryme]

​@calwatch1496 integrity has to be measured with different types of people. Some will see that as weakness and start taking advantage.

[@dacoldest3896]

bs that scene proved that he wasnt loyal to his day 1 and futher shows you cant trust nobody when that other persons life is on the line. In other words Avon wasnt a ride or die guy. But when stringer got cornered by bro muzone and omar he accepted death only askin if they wanted money nothing else.

[@natedogg890]

I like the thought that Marlo has a combination of Avon's and Stringer's traits. Avon's commitment to the street and being a gangster, and Stringer's rurhless pragmatism

[@incogneto2834]

Stringer wasn't ruthless,he made stupid decisions and wasn't street smart or ready for the corporate gangsters.Only props i can give him is that he organized the Barksdale outfit to be more efficient and knew how to make it profitable despite changes to their operations.

[@maylabrown4584]

@@incogneto2834 Stringer was ruthless in that he hired two kids to kill their friend in the same house he slept in and had the nephew of his best friend strangled to death behind his back.

[@karllinwood]

Yet, Marlo is just the next guy up, even when he had the chance he couldn't leave the game. Will Michael make his way around to picking him off?

[@TTJJCC]

I don't agree that Marlo was a blend of Avon and Stringer. Marlo often would go overboard when dealing with some situations. Chris was more like the voice of reason that Marlo needed.

[@maylabrown4584]

@@TTJJCC You're right that he wasn't the both of them combined, but he was in part half and half of them. Avon was militant like Marlo, but family oriented unlike Marlo. Stringer was ambitious like Marlo, but hands off unlike Marlo. Prop Joe is what a mixture of what Avon and Stringer would be, militant and family oriented along with being hands off and ambitious. The only thing that Prop Joe didn't have is the same thing that Avon, Stringer and even Marlo didn't have: Time.

[@adamweisshaup]

This intro is killer editing bro. Nice. In terms of their chosen fields, Avon was far more streetwise than Stringer was business smart.

[@mgee1723]

Facts

[@alexandermccabe556]

the imagery of Stringer being shot in his building before it was finished was no accident

[@Thebearwithnoname]

"Pay me what you owe and talk that global economy mess somewhere else" when Marlo said that it was like a call back to his meeting with Stringer, and shows how Marlo really feels about legit business talk: apathy. That statement(or some version of it) was probably running through his mind while Stringer was talking. All Marlo cared about was the game and the crown.

[@fishertheadore6095]

He took His advice on some things tho.

[@incogneto2834]

Avon saw Marlo for what he was..a young lion that wanted total power.Prop Joe,Stringer ,the co op didnt see that.Only Avon and Slim Charles saw Avon for what he realy was.

[@tejashdasgupta1840]

both were right to a certain extent. Stringer had the business mindset required to expand their enterprise and bring in the money, but avon had a much better understanding of the psyche on the street. he knew that the people on the street were never going to go for stringers more organised product over territory theory because somebody or the other was going to get greedy and go to war with the other dealers. Ultimately, it was somebody like the greek who represented the most brutal and effective form of crime. a mindset that put money over violence like stringer did, but was also not hesitant to resort to violence to deal with competitors and rivals.

[@sinane.y]

Nice analysis. It's the 253 millionth time it's been shared on the internet, but still.

[@capachinoxm]

I know a bunch of Stringer's who are legitimately successful businessman and never have to sell drugs again. All the Avon's I know are dead or in jail.

[@docelephant]

I understand why you agonized over this one for a while before making it but you came through. Really well done.

[@MackeyDeez]

Stringer had the right idea to look for an exit strategy to get out of the game with the money he gained from the game. Stinger realized that drug dealers don't become old men enjoying retirement and talking about the good ole days. He knew the longer one stay in the game the chances of death or prison increases. Avon on the other hand is someone who love the game and he love being a king pin. Living the luxurious lifestyle the game has provided for him. Going legit is an alien concept to him but, having legitimate businesses to launder money through is something he understands.

[@gioluvs1893]

Stringer didn't want to leave the game though. He wanted to stay in and fund the packages only. He wanted to let someone else run things while he and Avon take their cut. That's not leaving the game. He still would've been very much complicit. Either stay or go. You can't do both. Word to BMF.

[@Paul-vf2wl]

@@gioluvs1893 I think it's clear that once Stringer had developed enough legit money streams he would have moved on from drugs. I think that was the difference between Stringer and Prop Joe. Joe had been in power for as long as Avon but he didn't really care about the money he liked the action and spent his days in a shop repairing toasters and clocks even though he likely had tens of millions of dollars stashed away.

[@mbryson2899]

My better half thought Stringer wanted too much too fast when we first watched. She's the coldest pragmatist I've ever met, and she was right. She thought if Stringer had sold the plan to Avon in small chunks, one piece at a time, the two of them could have rivaled Don Corleone.

[@mbryson2899]

Great video, CineRanter, you nailed it all down solid! And from this point on I'm _always_ going to hear FTP in your voice with your cadence.

[@nickgonzales4674]

Your lady is really on to something. There's one problem though, in order to leave on top, you gotta do so fast. Season 1, Barksdale crew lost too many soldiers in no time flat, and now they have the attention of the police. That season forced Stringer to move quickly before dying, getting arrested or fading out. Unfortunately, like the movie Fresh said, it's different once you put the clock on them.

[@Brandon-a-writer]

I've been re-watching this with my brother to see how many good video ideas could come from this, and there are so many in each sentence. I'm glad you took time to put those opposing philosophies in the opening to allow the text to speak. you're crushing it man, it's hard to say that the wire is anything but a near flawless work of serial television.

[@MrKrisrey]

Avon was right. He's alive.

[@dmdebruijn]

stringer is too

[@ladalewatson-ch4im]

​@@dmdebruijnstringer is dead

[@gwell2118]

@@ladalewatson-ch4im Yes but his legacy lived on. Avons is long dead. The Co-Op ultimately replaced it.

[@GenX7119]

​@@gwell2118That makes no sense at all!!😂 You are trying to compare living, breathing to a legacy of a dead person?!! Is that how you are trying to win the argument?!! That is ridiculous!!🤦🏾‍♂️😭😭

[@gwell2118]

@@GenX7119 what you are all trying to argue that Avon just got lucky a couple more times than stringer as somehow his plans were more right if was somehow more tactful? Anything going slightly different and it could have easily been Avon dead and not stringer. In no capacity did Avon make better decisions or have better arguments. Oh I guess by all your peoples arguments I can say the sky is green but as long as my opponent gets hit by a bus faster that’s makes me right. Geez low iq around here 😂😂😂

[@dcaseng]

D was a real man to the end, in spite of what the streets thought of him. He refused to buckle, even with his own mother and uncle exerting pressure on him.

[@sinane.y]

A very interesting detail in their last, Shakespearean scene together (one of the best in the show) is when they reminisce about their childhood, and Avon mentions how String stole a set of badminton even though they didn't have a yard. In that particular case, Avon was being business minded, pointing out the pointlessness of String's theft just for the sake of it. In a way, just like "the fight for the territory be bringing the bodies, and the bodies be bringing the police", String's act brought the heat. On the other hand, String was showing that street mentality. He was playing the game at an age when kids really play games. He was being just a kid gangster, I suppose. Marlo does the same when he steals those candies. But Marlo is on another level, and represents a new level of fierceness in the game. He's being a gangster, and he doesn't run from heat (although, if we're being honest, he doesn't risk much from that security guard). Makes you wonder, at which point String developed a business oriented consciousness? What made him mature into a right arm who started to see the games beyond the games? Somehow related : one of String's biggest, almost stupidest mistakes was his decision to keep Orlando's money in the botched deal where Kima got shot. Not only did the whole ordeal bring a lot more pressure on the Barksdales, the money was a huge liability, and Avon, even in a fit of rage, immediately pointed out the utter absurdity of String's reasoning. String wanted to play both games, be a gangster (organize the hit) and a businessman (maximize profit). The result was a clusterf-ck that they had managed to avoid up until that point. Immediately after the event, as he tells D'Angelo to go with WeeBay, String is popping pills. We're free to speculate what kind of pills they might be (uppers for focus? downers to alleviate anxiety and stress? or just headache pills?), but we can assume String is doing some serious thinking, self questioning, even soul searching maybe. Kima's shooting might be THE event that made String go "f-ck this gangsta bullsh-t, there MUST be a way to get that money without all the heat" The sacred and the propane.

[@xJustBeingRealx]

He didn’t keep the money in Kima hit. They burned it.

[@maniac50ae14]

I disagree, D was content withbhis actions and consequences. We can argue that String didnt know that, but we as the audience do get to see the scenes with D accepting who he is and what he had done. If he wanted to get time shaved off, he would have worked with Avon to inform on that C.O. and any other scheme Avon cooked up

[@_D_E_N_N_I_S_]

The problem is, what if he woke up one day after really workkng on himself and decided he wanted out? He was 1 or 2 years in to his sentence and only just begun discovering himself. Mcnulty said it himself, he originally went down there to see if he changed his mind yet. At any moment he could have brought everyone down.

[@maniac50ae14]

@@_D_E_N_N_I_S_ I get that, but the point of him speaking on Gatsby was him accepting that even if he were to get out of jail, he'd still have to run from who he was, if he rats, he'll have to run from that. The only way forward for him is to accept his consequences and change honestly. At least, that's how I read it. Obviously in real life, most people snitch, but to me it seemed like they purposefully wanted the audience to know he was okay with the time. Again, Avon could have sprung him the same way he got out, Avon even expected it to an extent because in S1 he tells Levy that eventually he'll come around. D would have always had a lone to his mom and Avon for help. Just because Mcnutty went there to talk to him, doesny mean he would have talked.

[@kierankennedy5847]

D did not fully accept anything that’s why he ended up lying and not taking that murder of the girl Avon had him kill early on. He told the cops it was Stringer (snitching) showing he was still scared and unwilling to face the consequences of his actions

[@maniac50ae14]

@@kierankennedy5847 he didnt kill that girl, he told Bodie and Wallace that to seem tough but he confessed to the detrctives that it was really Weebey

[@Paul-vf2wl]

@@maniac50ae14 Yes this was the point where he accepted who he was and decided to leave his former life behind. The irony was that he was murdered shortly after coming to this revelation.

[@jayrayner7]

Ghost and Stringer would've been a crazy combo!

[@GHOST91141]

Facts

[@dhulfiqaral-saadi2802]

Ghost is based after stringer too arrogant too soon to be ambitious

[@andrewcook1246]

For everything String did he only had 2 errors. Not being straight up when Avon didnt want the Joe package, which lead to setting up Mouzone and not running stuff by Levy. The co-op not coming together to squash Marlo was also foolhardy

[@Irish_Nick]

I think you are right where they were both right and wrong. They were at their best when working together. Providing the right checks and balances to each other's strengths/weaknesses. A good compliment to the other. In the end though, I always felt like Stringer tried to run before he learned to walk. He may have had vision and saw beyond what was in front of him, but that was his downfall. He couldn't see where he stood, and who stood around him. He wasn't as smart as he thought he was, as you pointed out, and when you are surrounded by sharks, no matter your vision or intelligence, you just become chum.

[@eddienash2095]

Stringer was right about wanting to get out of the game.

[@asavelakuse6865]

Getting out is worth it but some people are in too deep to get out sad but damn.

[@youngtrainingdaywestphilly203]

Did they not see the movie paid in full!? You got 14 bricks, right there? 😂😅😂

[@shawnbbunbbbybbb3942]

One of the things that I respected most about Avon was when cutty came to him asking for money to start a boxing gym for the kids I forget how much he asked for but Avon gave him double what he was asking for and didn’t tell him to pay it back, didn’t charge interest, no strings attached nothing just straight up gave it to him and even when cutty said he wanted to put Avon’s name up in recognition for what he did Avon said no he didn’t want anything from it not even thanks. I think that’s because he knew who he was and even though he did have a good heart and genuinely seemed to wanna do some good and help the community there he didn’t want anyone including himself to get confused and maybe think he was a good guy and not to protect his reputation or anything I think it was more from a noble sense of not wanting anyone to look up to him cause he knows he don’t deserve it

[@ProphetP11]

Avon was a Top Tier Gangster

[@SteadyRoosevelt]

Just a gangster, I suppose ...

[@daryllndemmayah4874]

But I disagree, with stringers assessment to certain degree. I think stringer would have been successful his problem was his character was dirtied up by his environment. Stringer all he had to do was be quiet be humble and work within the confines of the game. When Avon comes out he can turn it over to him and move on to the business world. Stringer wasn’t fully committed to either side nor did he have the character to ask for help and understand he doesn’t know it all and it takes time. He dint want to start from scratch he loves the money he made for the game but didn’t like the other parts of it. His greed got the best of him. If he was entirely focused on success he would have com out on the other end.

[@Paul-vf2wl]

The confines of the game were that you either end up dead or in jail. There was no way for Stringer to get where he wanted to get to without Avon bringing heat on him and putting him in jail and there was no way for Stringer to do what he wanted to do without seeming weak to the street.

[@automaticmattywhack1470]

This was another excellent video. I love watching your ideas on this show and others. Keep 'em coming!

[@paratatruc]

One of your best and most balanced analysis.

[@dexxxxed4297]

Sir more long content like this plz. Luv you breakdowns

[@Sean-sn9ld]

Supberb opening edit, the D'Angelo speech was *cheef's kiss* brudda

[@targetegrat]

@:37 the layout and design of that condo still looks good for 2023. Stringer had class lol

[@browski14]

Great video and analysis you have

[@maniac50ae14]

Avon is likely still making money selling in prison as Rayful Edmond did, especially after Slim secured the connect. He wasnt capable of having the yard stop their ball game off of rep alone, its because hes still moving drugs in the prison, which even in S5 Sergei respects him.

[@dakritic]

Great analysis.

[@awAtercoLorstaIn.]

Love the intro! Great video, as always.

[@joeygubi2670]

the wire is definitely the most rewatchable show i’ve ever seen

[@jluchette]

Every upload is a banger. 🔥

[@motionpotionsauce]

I think the argument boils down to this: Is it better to always stay content in your (relatively) low level, or is it better to try for better things and fail?

[@androlibre9661]

HOLY SHIT......I never got the foreshadowing of D'Angelo's synopsis of The Great Gatsby and Stringer Bell

[@teddyking6563]

The part that makes me lean toward stringer and frustrated me the most about Avon was that he didn't fully recognize the struggles the organization was going through while he was locked up. Stringer was doing what he could do to keep them afloat with basically no good product while Avon was too concerned with holding on to the towers that wound up getting tore down before he got out anyway. It wasn't stringers fault their connect cut them off once Avon got caught up. Stringer made his fair share of bad decisions as well but that is where everything started to fall apart.

[@bacob2432]

The opening of this video is absolute fire, spot on!

[@dmartig1]

Under Stringer they became "The Bank". Untouchable according to McNulty. If they just tolerated Marlo and didn't worry so much about the corners, the Barksdale crew would be living free and easy.

[@ThePrettyFreem]

That is true … Marlo was content at the moment having his key corners .. Avon started the war and Marlo was ready for it

[@Paul-vf2wl]

@@ThePrettyFreem Problem was that Marlo wasn't content to just have his corners he wanted all of the corners. Also don't forget that Marlo is minutes away from being dead when the police intervene and bust Avon so being ready for war wasn't what saved him.

[@skogstjuven]

Avon never betrays Stringer. Stringer got what he deserved. Money can buy protection but not respect in the end.

[@kylebenbow431]

It's interesting that every institution in the wire ends up being a battle between power figures who want change and power figures who strive the maintain he system in place. Police. School. Drug game. Politics. Every agent of change is met with resistance from leaders of the system. All agents of change were either expelled from their profession or killed. The agents most loyal to the system ultimately benefited the most. Stringer was never incorrect in his assessment or how he wanted to run the business, but ultimately, his model (sharing territory, splitting profits) was against how the system worked and he paid the ultimate price for it. The Wire reinforced that change is impossible when people in power believe in the system that in place

[@sleeper1855]

Great analysis! It's interesting the different way we look at the various people who try to change things. Bunny is beloved for trying to change things, but Stringer gets a lot of criticism for not "staying true to the game"

[@The_Love_Counselor]

Excellent analysis and now I will rewatch the entire series from this perspective.

[@kwabenaKing-wq2vp]

On everything 😅😅, I appreciate your analysis of a subject that pleagues my community so very often at a breathtaking and life-threatening expense, and in truth I giggled and laugh because I agree 👍 💯; my reason and acknowledgment of your theory accepts it because coming from that part or experiencing it first hand really makes me think you thought it out. Even having a British accent and of way of social up bringing let's me Kno. you gave it thought. Nicely done.. Stay Up.

[@4evasmooth]

Great analysis

[@alteredpenguin2073]

Avon is right about the street. Stringer is right about the business. The problem is they both wanted separate crowns. Avon wants the Street Crown Stinger the CEO.

[@mikelavine9452]

Loved the “he couldn’t fuckin’ sell it” Junior Soprano reference

[@StainsStainsStains]

In the clip where Avon says "they saw your ass coming from miles away", the song "Locked up" by akon is playing in the background. A genius choice when you read the lyrics and how they apply to stringer.

[@freebirdallen]

Dumbest thought process is that Avon was right to stay in a violent industry with an almost guaranteed harsh ending. Stringer wanted out from the hands on drug dealing. Remember Detective Lester Freamon said there was no way a local officer was going to touch him with his future plans.

[@Jodeci501]

Stringer was right but how he went about handling it was what made him hated and viewed at as more a snake than Avon even though both betrayed eachother. Where they both went wrong is by separating from eachother. When something works good for so long why change it?

[@matthewstudinski2389]

I don’t think you can say one was right and the other was wrong. They wanted very different things. Stringer wanted money, Avon wanted respect on the street. During their rise to power, those goals aligned. But once they got to the top, their goals began to clash.

[@brendanoconnell1254]

Great video and one of the best arcs in television history. You nailed it- they're both right and they're both wrong. I know many people will side with Stringer who, in some ways, is the more complex character (and Idris is the more famous actor) whereas Avon is just a gangster, I suppose. That said, I'll say it- I'm Team Avon because, yeah, he was right about everything haha (and Remember the Titans is my favorite movie, so I love Wood Harris). Stringer was a man without a country and a scheming usurper. Avon was the king who understood the game better than anyone. It's a tragic, Shakespearean storyline. Again, their whole arc but particularly the third/final act in Season 3 is incredible. Thanks for the video.

[@dextercumberbatch4334]

Stringer always thought he was the smartest person in the room. He wasn't humble enough to realize that he had alot to learn.

[@MrBigo27]

I think Stringer fit in both worlds, he just needed a mentor. In season 1, he was a cold gangster under Avon’s leadership. While he made a mistake about the Orlando money, Avon also made a mistake about talking in the office with D.

[@FridayBadLuckBaby]

"A HUBLE MF WITH A BIG ASS HEAD "🤣

[@pepito_5815]

The opening scene of the video is gold. Pure gold. Wow.

[@smellsuperb1]

A few things to ponder: Number one, stringer was correct in the short term concerning the game, but Avon was correct in the long term. Also, as Avon succinctly pointed out, stringer had no loyalties, so you couldn't take him at his word because you never knew what the motivation was besides money. Not to mention that stringer was disloyal many times before Avon gave him up, starting with him having D'Angelo taken care of in prison. And finally: The phrase "The Game is The Game" doesn't just cover the streets, but the political arena as well. Avon was great in the street and understood he was not well versed in politics so he didn't engage. Stringer thought his street smarts would carry over to politics, and ultimately revealed just how inadequate he was in both arenas. IMHO.

[@Kndiani]

Levy was the biggest crook of all. That's the ultimate lesson in the Wire. 😅 He's the one that introduced Stringer Bell to the contractors and even Senator Clay Davis

[@dextercumberbatch4334]

Stringer's betrayal is the only reason why Avon didn't beat Marlo.

[@dogecoinbrothermouzone2500]

AVON STARTED THE KING 👑 & ENDED THE KING 👑‼️‼️‼️‼️💯💯💯🤞🏿

[@g.bryant7152]

I usually align with Cineranter, but I have to disagree with him on his criticism of Avon's code of honor ("Why you're wrong about Avon Barksdale"). He brings up how Avon ordered Brandon to be brutalized and left on display, and how he killed all of those inmates with hot shots just for the POSSIBILITY of an early release. Despicable as those acts may have been, they were still all in the game. Everyone involved (Brandon- a stick up boy who robbed drug dealers, random inmates in prison who supported the illegal drug trade) were players in the game. And in the game, EVERYONE involved knows the stakes but makes the informed decision to take part regardless (looking at you Mr. Wendel O. Blockard). Avon did despicable things but he did despicable things to people who signed up for those risks.

[@901NextDoor]

“That shiiiid happens” 🤣🤣🤣

[@seensay2132]

One of THE best analytical summaries of BNB around. And lowkey metaphorical for adult friendships. Barksdale ‘n Bell worked because of loyalty and how their strengths and weaknesses were complemented by the other’s. Which is often hard to do in friendships where guys surround themselves by the exact same kind of men. Which speaks to BNB’s downfall. They were Ill equipped to stand absent what the other brought to the table and got exposed in the other’s absence. One winds up dead, the other imprisoned longterm. But the question becomes: even had both been alive and free, would the friendship have lasted?!?!? I say no because like most friendships, when one has aspirations for major growth and change, the one who’s comfortable with life as is inevitably will get left behind. No matter how loyal or tied you think you are to the person. But time waits for no man.

[@MrBigo27]

What’s interesting is that Marlo became what Stringer always wanted. Marlo had the opportunity to become the businessman Stringer strived to be. Stringer didn’t survive because he did a lot of dirt and was shady and got his Karma. String likely would have been the same way had he grew up in the surbs do to his shady character.

[@gregoryporch8395]

Avon all the way. Idris Elba is a great actor, but Stringer was diabolical and killed over the 2 big instances where he lied on the face. Of course Avon is a cunning & violent guy but he's an honest personality: "Just a gangsta, that's all". Definitely rooted for him between Stringer & Marlo.

[@brettbaratheon9776]

I saw this video this morning before I left for work. Put it on the watch later. Glad I can enjoy it in its fullness, in its totality. Love this channel! He couldn’t sell it……..he couldn’t fooking sell it. Love this channel.

[@EBee_Z]

Well done sir

[@Nsdus5676]

“He couldn’t fuckin sell it”. Great Junior Soprano reference

[@theyakkoman]

Great analysis. Just finished rewatching season 3, and one thing I think I can add to this conversation is one of the times Bell actually lectures Avon. Stringer: The thing about turf, it ain't like it was. I mean, you ain't gotta pay no price of buyin' no corners. Avon: Since when do we buy corners? We take corners. Stringer: Man, you gonna buy one way or another. Whether it's with the bodies we lost or are gonna lose, time in the joint that's behind us or ahead of us. I mean, you gonna get shit in this game, but it ain't shit for free. Like many already has stated, Stringer is a good business man and a pragmatist. But he does think of everything in terms of cost. Not just money, but mainly that. And that is his, and many bussinesstypes, weakness. What Avon understood is the value of the Brand, or The Name. On the streets, and on Wall Street too, actually, you can't be perceived as "weak". Your brandname is important. Weak products, bad management, all of these lead to a bad brand. Another one of Stringers faults his, like already stated, that he is smart but not as smart as he thinks he is. He got rainmade by Clay Davis, but I always wondered, would he still have been rainmade if he actually took is time to learn the new game and, like Davis said, first walked, crawled and then run? Maybe, but he wouldn't have been rainmade as bad as he was now. When he arrogantly came in to Davis and said "I'm ready to run", Davis knew he was in over his head and that "here's a sucker and can get a lot of money out of."

[@erics362]

There's nothing I hate more than people comparing Stringer with Bunny. Their motives and desired outcomes couldn't have been further apart from each other.

[@e5141981]

I was not a fan of stinger because he was a scumbag, but he was right, the game should have been a stepping stone. its an interesting contrast how both characters had attributes that would have been useful in the world both of them were trying to avoid. Avon had better instincts that would have translated perfectly in the legitimate business world and Stringer had that by any means necessary attitude that works better in the streets than in business.

[@mistad333]

He shouldn’t have tried to bullshit Avon. If he had told him straight up and told him he needed a better product. He bullshit, and that bought in Brother. Then he had to cross Brother with Omar. And there it is.

[@heathhenderson8235]

The game is the game. Always. It’s the life, it isn’t a stepping stone. You either play or get played. They line all this up for us through the five seasons. String issue was having 1 foot in and 1 foot out, a man without a country like Avon said. The dream of going from drug dealer to legit business man has never worked for anyone.

[@nhnj7543]

@@heathhenderson8235100

[@heathhenderson8235]

@@calwatch1496 there are two games string was tryna play, that’s why Avon told about playing “away games”. He had a foot in both and when shit didn’t go his way he tried to use the rules from the other game to get his way. Negotiating in the drug game or using violence in his politics. Avon broke him down at the end of season 3.

[@ironheroe6798]

Both were right & if they was willing to bend or compromise no telling how far the would have gone. Kinda reminds me of Sonny & Michael Coleone.

[@michaeltolbert2536]

Stringer was right. He attempted to organize crime (like the Italian Mob) but failed because people couldn't see his vision. Even Avon admitted it in the end.

[@Game_mods_]

He would have been working for Marlo. After Marlo killed Joe.

[@Saylessbro]

Avon didn’t trust stringer after what he done to his nephew, that’s the only reason he gave him up to brother mouzone

[@outlawjunkiepanda2058]

Amazing intro! Really sets the tone.

[@tamarbo71]

I would love to see them do something together again.

[@Supremmo]

Stringer wanted to go legit and move away from the streets. I was rooting for him to succeed in his goal. He just went about it the wrong way and was unfortunately around people who didn't share the same sentiments as him. IRL, there were gangsters who were able to successfully mask their illicit dealings through legit fronts. There was a gang in New York called SMM who was able to get a payroll company to transfer their illegal profits to paychecks. I was thinking The Barksdale Organization could've done the same thing.

[@zero1188]

Stringer was right, issue is he applied it to uncivilized people who did not abide to those rules. In the jungle power matters more then money. You use power to get money. In the real world money comes first then you buy the power

[@jayestrada3852]

The Wire is the hood version of Game of Thrones!!!

[@bigchase1439]

Stringer was mostly right he went about it wrong…. Avon was right but his plan wasn’t sustainable eventually it would fold with devastating consequences…. Stringer had the right idea but he shouldn’t have tried to transition the whole organization he should have just offered Avon a chance to get on board and left everything to him when he declined 2nd he bit too big you deal with risks when you have the clean money there were way better things to do with the money that could’ve replaced the drug income in the long run

[@kwabenaKing-wq2vp]

Adding to my thought, their differences or better their similarities is only the Game, Avon Barkesdale was a legacy, Stringer Bell was a upstart. Inherently Personally Barkesdale has the upper hand. Thinking Socially and Mathematically. Avon was groomed to succeed, Stringer wanted to change what is, theoretically reinventing the wheel. My thoughts are Stringer misrepresented himself and Barkesdale had to our Inherently allow the rules to apply 😮.

[@Regular-Sized]

A perfect pairing that failed once they stopped listening to and trying to understand each other.

[@oldheadtv3152]

The king stays King

[@dnice4145]

I never thought Stringers "dumb" move was dealing with Davis, it was the way he handled Muzon. He was so sloppy in setting that up, even met with Omar directly which didn’t make sense. Id argue Stringer wasn't even really trying to be a legit business man, he just wanted to buy up property which he had and develop it. People who make their money through narcotics do it all the time. Stringer already had shown experience in establishing/running a legitimate business and buying/owning real property untainted by drug money. Stringer mistake was thinking he could use cash to buy short cuts but the logic in the writing fell down here. Coming from the drug trade, you'd think Stringer would naturally be alot more cautious and willing to go through normal channels to develop properties so as not to attract attention. Show kind of made him conveniently ignorant when it suited the narrative the writers wanted.

[@gwell2118]

Perfect summation. Too many people have come to try to argue Stringers faults while overpraising Marlo and Avon but like mentioned in a lot of ways Stringer won in the end. His vision for the Co-Op and more efficient means of handling the drug trade while turbulent at first ultimately went on to become the new dominant power in Baltimore while "kings" like Avon and Marlo ultimately went to the wayside. Stringers problem was he tried to grasp too much too soon, had he been more self-aware and learned from his circumstances more he probably would have been ok in the end, he just made too many mistakes for that to happen. Like this is a point that doesn't get brought up enough, so many try to argue Marlo was the face of the new drug trade, but really when you think about it he and Avon are really more like relics from the Wild-West era of the drug-trade were it was all about names and who was the "King" when if you actually pay attention to the show in the final episodes the drug-trade was consolidating to the Co-Ops mode of operation (Stringers legacy), Marlo didn't even notice because he was too obsesssed with being "The King" (a by product of Avons legacy). He was in a lot of ways the last remnant of the Avon era of kingpins. So to clarify Stringer ultimately had too many personal flaws to fully realize his dream, but his intentions and vision ultimately survived the man and seemed to supplant Avons era. Avon won the game, but Stringer won in the end.

[@Menace0203]

No matter how you slice it...Avon was better than Stringer in every front........

[@tomraffell1923]

More brilliance from this channel!

[@JoseLuis-dc9jb]

Love this channel love all the pov good job keep them coming

[@davidlevy6418]

They were both right and wrong. Avon knew Marlo couldn't be reasoned with. Prop Joe and Stringer didn't. Stringer and Prop Joe knew, "The Game" is a dead end. Avon couldn't see past it. Ultimately Stringer was right but the plays he made to remove himself and Avon were flawed, stupid and wrong.

[@Yawdan]

Not even a question. If we are going to say a gangster is right... Then it's certainly Avon. He understood the rules of the streets and was honest with himself. Stringer had no values and tried to make things what he wanted them to be rather than accept them for how they were are act accordingly.

[@sendawulakajubi2991]

Avon was! He was way more intelligent and more of a realist.