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

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

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

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

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.

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!!!

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.

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...

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

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

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

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.

"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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Ghost and Stringer would've been a crazy combo!

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.

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

Avon was right. He's alive.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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?

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

Love the intro! Great video, as always.

Sir more long content like this plz. Luv you breakdowns

Great video and analysis you have

Every upload is a banger. 🔥

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

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

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.

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.

One of your best and most balanced analysis.

Great analysis.

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

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

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.

Amazing intro! Really sets the tone.

Great analysis

Great video! My two favorite characters

Best video I've seen from you so far.

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

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.

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

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."

"A HUBLE MF WITH A BIG ASS HEAD "🤣

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.

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.

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

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.

Stringer wasn't trying to send Barksdale back to jail for "a while". He was caught with grenades and an arsenal of automatic weapons. Barksdale was going away forever.

“That shiiiid happens” 🤣🤣🤣

More brilliance from this channel!

Well done sir

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.

Tony didn't think he would necessarily get killed or go to prison. His plan was to totally insulate himself behind Christopher, then changed his plan to Bobby.

Avon was a warrior, but there is no future in that, you either die young or you get old with nothing to offer. Stringer was a conqueror, but the game was too complex to do alone.

I would love to see them do something together again.

The king stays King

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.

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.

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

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

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?

Still have yet to watch this show. I watch a ton of these videos and it seems strongly out together

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

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

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.

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.

Stringer was dead wrong. he simply wasn’t built to be the king of either the street or in politics. When Avon went away and he was in charge prop joe played him. When he tried to get into legitimate businessman without running it by levy clay Davis drained him. It’s like when Marlo said he wasn’t meant to play the son before he had joe killed, stringer was meant to play the son. I must say I commend stringer for trying to change the game as it is a evil and unforgiving game to play, but everyone knows it’ll never change.

I cant help remembering slim warning Joe about Marlo

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.

Stringer wanted to become Michael Corleone legitimizing the organization

Avon knew what he was, Stringer didn't. That answers the question to me.

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.

Even Avon said String was right. And nobody killed Tony Soprano. He's still boss of Jersey from prison because Carlo flipped on him

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.

Avon said himself " String was right all this time"

Stringer was right till he told He should have bought all the row houses instead that would have eased him into that game Avon only knew the streets was content with jail or an early death

What an intro! ❤

Dropping a sopranos spoiler out of nowhere is crazy, I know the show is old but I was on the last season about to finish 🤦‍♂️

Stringer did actually change the game in the end, the co-op is the future in Baltimore and that started with him. In another irony almost every mistake Avon and Stringer made the other told them it was a mistake. And finally in the end, when Stringer died and Avon went back to prison both of them found out that the other gave them up.

In theory, Stringer was right. You become a gangster long enough to make enough money until you have enough to “go legit”. You don’t stay a gangster your whole life. That hardly ever ends well. Either ends in death or prison. So yeah, you can either be Joseph Kennedy Sr. or Jay Z (Stringer’s vision) or be Bugsy Siegel or Pablo Escobar (Avon’s vision).

At first I thought Stringer had the right idea, and that Avon was stubborn and couldn't see the bigger picture. But then I realised, Avon was the leader for a reason, he knew the streets and the game so well, and he knew that if Stringer was going forward with this, he wouldn't go far enough...