The Wire: Stringer Was Smarter Than Avon

By: Mark T. Wilson

Stringer Bell was the smart one all along. The question of who was right on The Wire between Stringer Bell and Avon Barksdale will never get old, even more so since it went off the air more than 15 years ago. Was Stinger right with his desire to go legit or was Avon right and keeping it street?

It wasn’t until Stringer’s death that reality hit and Avon realized that Stringer was right all along. This may be hard for die-hard fans to come to terms with but let’s break a few things down that prove that Stringer had it right all along.

Coming up, you had to be ruthless in that game. Avon was the perfect leader for that portion of the business. However, as they grew and new threats arrived, Stringer saw an out and a way to keep things organized. With Marlo on their heels, Stringer tried to make peace. He knew that more bodies would bring cops. No matter who is leading, cops are bad for business.

Then, Stringer came up with the Co-Op. It was a way to bring all the dealers under one roof. Everyone was down, but Marlo wanted no part of it. It was just a matter of time before the Co-Op found a way to take Marlo out of the equation. But Avon, well, he wanted different.

Then comes the bigger issue. Stringer wanted to take everything they did and turn it legit. Running the streets as a youngster was cool but they had real money now. But Avon wanted to remain with the crown in the streets of Baltimore. I guess he didn’t realize that he would still be that dude in a high-rise overlooking his city. That’s what Kings do. They rise, sit on a Throne, and rule from atop.

Then you have the double-double cross that each did to the other. Stringer gave up Avon and put him back in prison. Avon gave up Stringer and had him killed. Each had their reason but that was also what set them apart. Avon was forced to do so to keep the connect in NYC happy.

But Stringer had a plan as to why he gave up Avon to the cops. It was business, not personal. With Avon in jail, Stringer could move forward with his plan and when Avan came home, things would be different. At least that’s what it looked like. Avan wasn’t going to be away for long. Just a few years and he would be back out and still atop the game.

Who Was The Smartest On The Wire

Stringer was going to have everything set up. Money, drugs, Real Estate, and whatever else they needed to move like true bosses. But Avon could not see the bigger picture. Yes, they both snaked each other, but in the end, it was Stringer who had the better plan. If you want proof, Avon himself said it.

It was at that moment, that we realized that Stringer saw the bigger picture on The Wire. It took his death for Avon to realize that going to war in these streets was not the way to go. Soldiers were dropping, loyalties were being put to the test and the walls were closing in on him. If he had listened to what Stringer was saying, all of this could have been avoided. Yes, Marlo was still going to be a problem but with the power they had behind them, it was only a matter of time before Marlo was dealt with.

Maybe Stringer wasn’t built for the game the same way that Avon was. That’s what made them a great team. u needed one leading with force and the other leading with brains. Avon was smart in his way but not like Stringer was. During the run of The Wire and even after, Stringer has been called all kinds of names for the way he did Avon. But in the end, he was all about the family. stinger wanted them all to grow old with money. Like he told Avon in the infamous rooftop scene “We don’t have to dream no more.”