when you realize that the most sympathetic character on marlo's team is chris partlow, who is one of the scariest killers in any media, you realize how evil these guys are

So true about Avon’s generation having the privilege of having grown up in connected and active communities. Avon and his people are shown operating in store fronts, funeral homes, and don’t forget the basketball scene. Marlo is always shown hanging around abandoned buildings and dilapidated areas. That’s where his generation was created: in the wreckage of what Avon’s generation slowly created through their greed.

I been waiting on a Marlo analysis since 2022. A man who valued the weight of his name versus a clean escape from the game. He didn’t even have to be killed off, the loss of his reputation was a big enough bullet for him.

The last scene of Marlo is a Symbol: Marlo managed to reach the level of acceptance, wealth and (possible) influence that Stringer so dreamed of, but that's the difference between the two characters: Stringer's dream was Marlo's nightmare (who lived and "breathed" the "game" of the streets).

Marlo was amazing, every scene he was in, he stole it. Jamie Hector did such a phenomenal job with this character.

This dude was a true definition of a ruthless villain.

Marlo’s ending was brilliant. Buddy pulls up to a corner wearing a suit (like String always wanted), starts a fight and claims the corner for himself. He knows nothing else…

I always felt like the reason Marlo doesn't have a backstory is because he isn't real. He's an idea, an expression of the streets, something that takes, only giving enough to entice the vulnerable into it's web. Then chewing them up and spitting them out when it has what it wants. Marlo is a metaphorical representation of evil in it's purest form.

Love his ending in the show. He’s just another forgotten name. He truly won the game but lost so much

That scene where Marlo walks into a foreign bank with full confidence and says.. "Y'all got my money?" Was organic comedy 😂

Marlo always had that look on his face when he watched someone die, like it was the highest form of pleasure. Life didn't mean a thing to him, and that's what makes me remember his character. Also despite his antisocial tendencies, he's still able to function in social settings, like when he went to the card game with those old heads. A true psychopath.

Stephen King said that Snoop is the most terrifying TV villain, but for me it is Marlo. Dude was dead inside. It is so interesting seeing Jamie Hector play a cop on Bosch, because he is so different in that role. Dude is a talented actor.

You did miss one thing. Marlo didn't just kill Junebug, he killed Junebug and his entire family (save the child who escaped when Michael didn't shoot).

When he corners those two boys in his final scene, there is ambiance noise as he makes a little scoff, almost laughing at the situation, while the camera pans out away from him and he sighs. It is such a cool scene because you could interpret so many different things, but this is my take. Marlo is resigning at his new situation with an ironic laugh. Once the dopamine rush of scaring those boys runs out, he realizes that he simply can't live without "the game." He can't have a normal life where he becomes a successful businessman because that isn't his world, but at the same time, he knows that he is going to spend the rest of his life in jail if he steps out of the line or even get killed without his associates covering his back. This dilemma is turning him apart inside because he knows he can't do anything else than a life of crime but he knows that if he tries to do that he could lose everything. It creates this ambiguous situation where the audience asks themselves: what is Marlo going to do next? Resign himself to an unhappy life or risk his own to keep his lifestyle going? Honestly, this is really smart writing. The character doesn't get punished by death or by jail but by the loss of the meaning of his own life.

Marlo proved how the new game would be ruthlessly playing checkers on a chess board

One of the more cold, calculated and ruthless villains ever. He also felt realistic, that what made his precence so chilling.

If only Marlo knew of Manta Sleep, he'd have become the most noble gentilest soul that Baltimore had ever seen

Marlo is an example of a villain that is feared, but not respected.

The Wire had surprisingly few truly psychopathic characters, but Marlo was most definetely one of them. He facilitated the murder of people who he didn't really have to kill, one of whom was Michael, who proved himself too smart to take the fall. He had no definitive proof that Michael had betrayed him, but he still elected to deal with him, on the off chance that he was right about him, and to negate the risk that he would betray him in the future. This series was booming with killers, but I do believe that Marlo was the coldest of them all.

Marlo (the actor playing him is amazing) actually gave me legit chills watching him. Absolutely ruthless and cold.

Marlo represented a twisted version of the American Dream. Starting his business from nothing and stopping at no costs to achieve his goals.

This actor has crazy range, just saw him in the show We Own This City. Plays a good cop, total flip you wouldn’t have guessed is the same person!

My favorite quote from Marlo, "You want it to be one way, but it's the other way." There's something universal about that quote. We've all been in positions where we want things to be one way -Just, Honest, Fair, Noble, Equal, but the harsh reality is that things are another way and by that point you're another victim of a cruel reality.

Maurice Levy would be a good one to analyze. We covered the villains with the guns but the villains with the briefcases often do more damage, and never get caught.

Fun Fact: Many of the minor characters are played by real-life police officers, politicians and former criminals. In fact, many of the former criminals who act on the show were previously arrested by the real-life cops who act on the show.

Your Mantasleep segway was perfection, just completely smooth. A bad night's sleep can make anyone a villain or vile,

It's both comical and kinda tragic that there are groups of people online who praise Marlo's character. Even saying that by having his freedom and around $10 million in cash that he "beat the game" and was the sole winner of the show. The final scene w/ him shows that he suffered the worst punishment of anybody of the show. Here you have Marlo, w/ Levy in a room with billionaires and decision makers. This is a dream that anybody who grew up in rough conditions and who wants an out in that lifestyle dreams of. Marlo, for the 1st time on the show, feels uncomfortable by being in this setting. He's not a businessman, as he suggested while selling the drug connect. He's a criminal to his core. He was bred to be the way, and it's the only life he knows. So if Marlo indeed won, why does he needlessly go on a Street Corner when he had his out at the Gala earlier? Why did he attack 2 Corner Boys because they didn't know who he was? Because it was never about the money for Marlo. If it was he would have stayed at that party and networked his way to a better life. Those 2 things proved that he was an average Joe in both of these Worlds. His whole mission statement was his power and name to ring out. And with getting nearly shot in the head and stabbed on a street Corner, and seeing a Gun and Knife at his feet, he has a dillema: Either try to go back to a life he was forbidden by law to never go back to, or to live the rest of his remains days as an average nobody, which he's not interested in. This series showed there are no true winners in life. So it made no sense having the only person to make it out be a sociopath Drug Dealer. It's tragic. There are folks online who now praise his character. When the characters' existence was a cautionary tale of an inability to escape a life. And how some folks are forced to repeat a cycle that has severe consequences

I really wanted Marlo to get gunned down by anyone towards the end of the series. But I found satisfaction knowing the one thing he cared about (his name) didn’t mean much on the street while Omar’s name was still being talked about after his death. Dude obtained the thing Stringer wanted and I suppose that’s a prison in and of itself.

Marlo had something that many of the other kingpins lacked: blind loyalty. Through the reputation of his enforcers (chris and snoop), no one dared step to Marlo. That is why he conquered west Baltimore, and eventually all of Baltimore so easily.

Marlo is the kind of dude that you know would have been badass in whatever era he was born in. He just has the aura of a conquerer. A ruthless, brutal, iron-willed conquerer.

Marlo was one of the most persuasive talented smooth villains ever 💥

The Wire was very tough on my mental and emotional well-being. Just goes to show how privileged I am to have avoided the harsh realities of urban hopelessness, crime and destitution. Dukie’s story crushed my soul

This is wild. I started watching The Wire a couple of months ago and didn’t imagine I would get one of these for an older show, at least not my current one being watched!

This show is SO GOOD! Your episode on Stringer Bell got me to finally watch it and I regret waiting so long lol. Would love to see something on The Shield or Sons of Anarchy next

When I watched Marlo in The Wire for the first time, I immediately knew how ruthless he was and that he was going to be a force to be reckoned with. In my opinion he's the epitome of a drug kingpin that shows immense apathy and has no qualms about his ways of handling his adversaries, his reputation, and his business. And you're not wrong about Marlo's lack of empathy, it's grandly paramount and sends a proverbial chill down the spine. Jamie Hector did a superb job in portraying him. And as always, you've made an excellent video. Bravo!

The vile eye wanted it to be one way…. But it’s the other way. I’ve finally gotten the requested video since the beginning, Marlo is my favorite character in The Wire now. He’s the embodiment of fear and power that could exist in reality.

I honestly love these videos because it doesn't just break down the character of choice but breaks down the environment that these characters are a part of. Fantastic breakdown of every character youve done thus far.

Marlo also gambled to show solidarity with his crew and contemporaries, in that world it’s almost seen as a duty for the leader. Tony Soprano gambled in a similar manner.

That ad segway was pretty funny "He wouldn't be so evil if he had a good night sleep." Love it. Analysis Suggestion: The Devil Hulk Persona from both the Marvel Comics and Hulk Ultimate Destruction would be interesting.

Marlo reminded everyone in the game that there are no “ rules “ . There is no “ code “ . This is streets . Where anything goes . He was the personification of that . Wasn’t much of talker either . A little of marlos background was that he was being investigated for killing a state witness . The police department couldn’t find anything to stick on him so they gave him an alias , Black .

Marlo was the perfect Villan at the perfect time. He and 50 cent had the same persona during that period, which helped propel each others image

This channel is easily turning into one of my faves. Great work!! "HE TALKED BACK". Truly chilling.

You should break down Adebisi and Schillinger from Oz. They're both insane!

One of the coldest villains from one of the greatest shows ever produced. The way he had that security guard iced was downright evil. So glad he was chosen for this episode as your analysis is of the highest quality, Vile!

Marlo is a pure sociopath. Even if he wasnt born in the hood he would have problems

Stringer basically opened the way for Marlo to rise. Had he been defensive of territory, Marlo would have clashed with the Barksdales far earlier, too early for his own good. While he has extreme violence, Avon, having many hitters from all across the country, would have been able to order for Marlo to be eliminated when he had less resources and real estate. Stringer starting the co-op, ceding territory and feeding independents meant Marlo, an independent, could soak up power and real estate quickly and undetected till he got so big that he couldn't be ignored anymore. The co-op had a lack of sense of territory and a reluctance to defend it, making it too easy for Marlo's violent tactics to work spectacularly well. The era of Stringer and Prop Joe involved weakness disguised as business and Marlo was the best placed to punish that weakness and exploit it to his full benefit.

I dont comment often, just wanted to say this channel has consistently been one of the best channels in my life. Always hitting the mark with consistency and entertainment. Thank you Vile Eye!

The Wire had a big impact on show culture and their characters were very well thought out and well done and VE is showcasing the reason why this show is worth a watch.

The show takes pains to show us that Marlo is not “pure evil.” Some are more subtle than others. I’ll cite the obvious one: he employs a disabled kid from the neighborhood to keep his pigeons, and he is very encouraging to this kid, praising the quality of his work. He also shows affection to the pigeons themselves. Showing a character demonstrating kindness to animals is one if the most clichéd ways of telling the audience that a character, at the very least, has *some* kindness in their heart. And like I said, that’s not the only example. I am kind of torn, here. I don’t know if it makes sense to use words like ‘good’ and ‘evil’ to describe characters in a show like this. Have a good weekend, everyone…

I think the best part of Marlo’s character is he has no backstory whatsoever, by the time we’re introduced he’s already taken up most of the territory on the westside of Baltimore, and has a conglomerate of efficient, and ruthless killers under his control. We have no idea why or how he became the way he is, he just is… We can only assume his feats are well respected considering soldiers like Chris, and Snoop follow his lead, yet we see none of them over the course of the show.

i literally screamed out YES as soon as i saw this post. When you did the Stringer analysis, I was patiently waiting for the Marlo one. Thank you Vile Eye!

I sometimes see marlo as more of an embodiment of the evil of the streets this reckless emotionless heartless ambition and great disregard for anyone. He is pure street evil

WOW!!! That was DEEP: You went into Race, The Police, Government, etc. As A Black Man, your Social Commentary actually stirred something within me… I have to subscribe, after that.👏🏽🙏🏽💯

Killing Junebug for calling him a dicksuck wasn’t enough for Marlo…HIS WHOLE FAMILY HAD TO DIE. One of the most terrifying villains in history

I love that scene in the 5th season where Marlo gets arrested and everyone is sitting in that one cell trying to figure it out. It starts will all the noise of the jail in the background but the entire jail goes dead quiet when after 3 seasons Marlo finally shows some emotion and gets really upset. Then all you hear is his voice. Probably the best written show of all time.

It's so funny seeing Marlo in a room of Baltimore's elite, something Stringer would've given anything or anyone to be there, and he literally walked away to go back to the streets. He doesn't know how to be anything else and doesn't want to know.

Despite what is thought of him, I loved this character's ending. I enjoyed his story, even the way he is casually introduced in the third season. We can see he gets "lucky" on a few occasions which is all part of the fun. He is ruthless and without a conscience, I would love to see what becomes of him after his final scene (whatever that would be - personally I would be happy if I retired with millions lol). I also found the scene where he is among civilized people (before he visits his offshore account) with summer gear on quite amusing. He looked most uncomfortable when he was around civilized people which is also telling. A very interesting (and terrifying) character. I'm sure his kind can be found in those impoverished inner city slums. Have a good day reader.

An incredible video for such a character. Love your work man! You really are a master of the craft! ❤❤❤❤❤❤for a true fan!

I just finished The Wire for the first time this morning so timing of this video is perfect. That last scene at the corner was so good.

Was just watching a bunch of marlo videos too, perfect timing. Dude was the human embodiment of the cold hard streets.

Thanks for keeping this show alive

Omg I am so glad that you decided to do a segment of Marlo I am a fan forever now thank you great content

Love The Wire. Each character, good or bad, was so complicated and the story just pulled you in. Your videos with these particular characters are amazing. I think you would find the villains in the show Justified fascinating. Particularly Boyd Crowder and the Bennett clan. I look forward to your next video.

Baltimore is rough. I remember in an interview, the famous boxer Gervonta “Tank” Davis said the people he grew up with in his boxing gym are dead. He was the only one to make it. Sad man

I love this series! Your previous video on it was pure fire! Love your work man!😊😊😊😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉🎉

Man, I've been waiting a while for this one. Thanks :)

The way Marlo's described now reminds me of young 50 Cent (and Stringer reminds me of old Queens kingpin Supreme). Only difference is 50 had no problem leaving the streets behind. That said, you should rewiew "Get Rich or Die Tryin" and/or "Raising Kanan".

Jamie Hector absolutely killed this role. Fanstastic actor.

Jamie Hector described the essence of Marlo in that he didn't care about money but power and prestige, that's why you see him smile in his last scene.

Yo you’ve been killing it the last couple months, keep up the good work buddy!

That was the best analysis of Marlo that I’ve seen. Thank you very much.

There is one scene with marlo and a youngster who is intellectually challenged who Marlo pays to look after his pigeons. It is the only scene where he could be said there is a glimmer of empathy support and even pride in the boy who he provided the opportunity and can see how good of a job he is doing.

After watching They Cloned Tyrone, this character study fits nicely into the idea that our society breeds clones of the worst of us to maintain the status quo.

9:08 This confirm the word in the streets that Marlo is a Necromancer, and Christ & Snoop are his Zombies Masters.

I promise you i searched your channel for this last week and boom here it is thanks man looking forward to this one

“Yall wanted it one way,,, But its the otha way.” Mannn, Keep up the great work Evil Eye!

Thank you I have requested for so many videos ❤

when i first found your page back in December i was looking for this video, im glad you made one

Amazing analysis as always, and this is particularly well edited!

My theory is that Marlo was once like Kenard. Then he crossed the wrong person, and he was given that scar. Then he became the Marlo that we know today.

Thanks so much for doing this.. Marlo is one of my favourite TV villains ever. Please cover Omar Little and do a video on whether Omar is evil or not.

This man stay dripping heat another great villain truly surprised with your selection can’t wait for future entries

Couldn't wait to see this one. An excellent job fleshing out, Marlo. 👏

a video on Franklin Saint from Snowfall would probably be one of the best videos ever made on this channel.

Marlo was the man… my name is my name… classic

Just got done re watching the episodes I have of ‘The Wire’ So happy and very surprised, I am. That you uploaded this now 😮

Thank for this! Been waiting over a year for his profile on the channel!

That was really interesting,I would really enjoy a video on Humbert Humbert from Lolita as he is a very complex multifaceted and interesting villains

Could we please get an analysis of Franklin Saint from “Snowfall”

Great video, especially ending thoughts. I like the idea that main character of the series is the city itself, so this episode could be named Analyzing Evil: Baltimore From The Wire.

The Vile Eye has official gotten in to my top 10 favorite KZfaq channels!🔥🔥🔥

"The Point is they Wore it, Now it's my Turn"-Marlo

A episode covering Ivar the Boneless from Vikings would be interesting. Especially considering the growth his character goes through.

Loved the slow build up around Marlo. At first he's a third party, just some new young face on the corner acting tough. Then you slowly watch him take over the whole game from the shadows, despite actually staying in a completely visible, outdoor area most of the time. He's what the new generation of gangsters needs to be in this new age to be successful. People talk all series about the young kids coming in having no code and being unhinged, and Marlo is the embodiment of that. Even before he ever appeared onscreen, before his name was ever muttered, we were already waiting on a guy like him to show up.

Thankyou! I’ve been waiting on this one for a long time

The final image of him in the finale is that of a man who lost his street cred getting beaten by thieves who had no idea what his name was. 😂

Always been one of my favorite characters from what I consider the best show to ever air on HBO

Ive had this suggestion for about 15 videos. Thank you sir for this contribution.

I've been waiting for this one. Thank you

Finally, my time to shine. 😎