Marlo Stanfield

Marlo Stanfield
First appearance	"Time after Time" (episode 3.01)
Last appearance	"–30–" (episode 5.10)
Created by	David Simon
Portrayed by	Jamie Hector
Information
Aliases	Black
Gender	Male
Occupation	Drug lord

Marlo Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO television drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ambitious, intelligent and extremely ruthless player and is head of the eponymous Stanfield Organization in the Baltimore drug trade. Marlo's organization starts out small-time, operating in the vacuum left by the Barksdale Organization, and rises to the top of the Baltimore drug trade fairly quickly. A repeated theme in Marlo's characterization is his demand for unconditional respect, which trumps all other concerns. He frequently orders the deaths of those who disrespect him or undermine his name on the streets, however unwittingly. He is arguably the most violent and ruthless of the drug kingpins portrayed in The Wire; In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked him #2 of their "40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time".

Marlo's background prior to his drug empire is largely unexplored. He was a previous suspect in an unsolved case for Vernon Holley; Holley believed it was Marlo who killed his only witness as well as the original victims, yet no evidence could be traced back to him. The Barksdale Organization already had all the prime territory on the westside in the form of the public housing towers and Avon Barksdale had little interest in the street corners. Marlo's established rule and reputation is only noticed by the returning Barksdale dealers and soldiers when the towers are demolished by City Hall and Avon wishes to return to their roots, escalating an all-out war over the best territory of the westside.

Marlo is introduced in season three as an up-and-coming drug player who controls many corners in West Baltimore. Marlo and his primary enforcer Chris Partlow wage war with the Barksdale crew over this territory. His ambition is to seek full control of the drug trade in West Baltimore.

Following the loss of their project buildings, the Barksdale Organization approach Marlo by way of Bodie Broadus to discuss the sharing of territory in exchange for a supply of their high quality heroin. Marlo refuses to acknowledge Bodie, who has set up his own crew within Stanfield established territory, and insists that he move his people away. Marlo later has one of his dealers, Fruit, and his crew, give Bodie's crew a beating, demonstrating that he is not going to lie down and let the Barksdale organization move into his territory. Stringer Bell visits Marlo personally to try to convince him to join the New Day Co-Op, a group of Baltimore drug players who buy packages of narcotics together to receive a discount and also try to reduce the violence of their business in order to avoid police attention. Marlo listens to Stringer without comment, and shortly after Stringer leaves, he tells Chris to prepare for war.

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