Death was always something that hung over the events of the acclaimed HBO series The Wire. In this stirring chronicle of the war on drugs in the streets of Baltimore, the series looked at the complex characters on both sides of the fight and the many dangers they encounter.
With high-pressure situations and uneasy loyalties, it wasn't unusual for someone to get killed on the street. Sometimes it is an innocent life that is taken or someone who was sympathetic. But other times, it is someone who got what was coming to them. While many characters on the show operate in a gray area, there are some who didn't deserve to die and some who did.
Didn't Deserve: D'Angelo Barksdale
The nephew of Avon Barksdale, one of Baltimore's biggest gangsters, D'Angelo was part of Avon's operations, overseeing the operations in "The Pit," but it's clear he does not have share his uncle's ruthlessness.
D'Angelo shows guilt when he finds out a man who testified against him was murdered. He is even more disturbed when a young boy who works for him goes missing. While in prison, D'Angelo turns his back on Avon and the life of crime. Stringer Bell decides he is a liability and he is murdered behind bars.
Did Deserve: Bodie Broadus
Bodie is one of Avon's most loyal soldiers. After Avon goes to jail, Bodie steps up to a more prominent position in the organization and continues to climb the ladder. But when Marlo Stanfield moves into the neighborhood and begins pushing the Barksdale crew out, Bodie finds himself on his own.
After being seen talking to Detective McNulty, Bodie is assumed to be a snitch, and Marlo orders him to be killed. While Bodie's death does seem sad at first, it's easy to forget that he killed his friend Wallace in cold blood for a similar misunderstanding and that's not easy to forgive.
Didn't Deserve: Butchie
Omar Little is one of the most dangerous people on the streets. His life of robbing drug dealers means he has a lot of enemies, but Butchie is a loyal friend to Omar, and he pays a price for it.
Butchie is a blind old man who doesn't get involved in the crime game on the streets of the city. But he never hesitates to help Omar when he can. News of his friendship with Omar spreads and Marlo has Butchie tortured and killed in order to provoke Omar to show himself.
Did Deserve: Stinkum Artis
Stinkum is another high-ranking member of Avon's crew and one of his trigger men, who carries out the killings of their enemies. After Omar robs from Avon, Stinkum is one of the men who captures and tortures Omar's boyfriend to death.
While out with Wee-Bey on a job to kill another of Avon's foes, Stinkum is surprised by Omar and shot dead. Given what he did to Omar's boyfriend, the quick death Omar gives Stinkum seems rather generous.
Didn't Deserve: Sherrod
Bubbles is one of the most likable characters on the show. Though a drug addict who cannot seem to get his life together, he is nevertheless kind and caring. He even takes a young man named Sherrod who is also living on the streets under his wing.
Bubbles is not a strong or powerful person and he becomes an easy target for a thug who continuously steals his belongings. Pushed to desperation, Bubbles spikes his drugs with poison, knowing the thug will steal them. Unfortunately, Sherrod unknowingly takes them and dies.
Did Deserve: Snoop Pearson
When Marlo arrives on the scene, he quickly becomes a formidable player in the game who is not afraid to kill. One of his most valuable weapons is Snoop, a young woman who is one of the most ruthless killers on the streets.
Snoop is perhaps responsible for more deaths than anyone else on the show and she never shows any remorse for it, even the innocent people. She doesn't even care when she is told to kill her friend Michael. But Snoop's murderous ways are brought to an end when Michael gets the drop on her and takes her out.
Didn't Deserve: Security Guard
One aspect that is often talked about on The Wire is the code of the game. Some of the most violent criminals still believe that innocent civilians that have no part of the underworld are never to be harmed, while others don't share such feelings.
Marlo is in the latter category as he only cares about maintaining his reputation. In a convenience store, Marlo openly shoplifts just to taunt the security guard. The security guard confronts him, telling him he knows who he is and isn't challenging Marlo, but tries to stand up for himself. That was enough for Marlo, and he orders Snoop to kill the man for talking back.
Did Deserve: Cheese Wagstaff
Cheese is one of the easiest characters to dislike in the show. He is a ruthless killer, but he is also quite cowardly and too incompetent to be considered truly intimidating. He forces dogs to fight to the death and betrays his uncle Proposition Joe to Marlo.
Once Marlo takes over Joe's position, Cheese is made a member of his inner circle. But when Marlo decides to back out of the game, Cheese seems to think it's his time to step up. As he's giving an impassioned speech about how this is his time, Slim Charles shoots him in the head, getting revenge for Joe.
Didn't Deserve: Wallace
Having seen Michael B. Jordan become such a huge name in Hollywood, it's crazy to look back at this early role of Wallace on The Wire. Wallace was one of the youngest kids working in "the Pits" and he heartbreakingly also takes care of all his younger siblings as they don't have parents.
Wallace is a good kid and after unwittingly helping to set up a murder, he is overcome with guilt. This causes suspicion among some of the people in charge and Wallace is marked for death. Seeing him beg for his life as his friends Bodie and Poot carry out the execution is one of the most emotional moments in the series.
Did Deserve: Stringer Bell
While Avon Barksdale runs the criminal operation, Stringer Bell is the businessman behind it all. He is a calm and collected man with ambitions to escape the life of crime and move towards more legitimate work. But that doesn't stop him from being a cold-blooded killer.
Though Stringer is too smart to kill anyone himself, he tells other people to carry out murders for him. He is responsible for the deaths of D'Angelo and Wallace to name only a couple. As cautious as he is, Stringer becomes a target for Omar Little and Brother Mouzone, two of the deadliest men on the streets. They team up, corner Stringer, and make him pay for his many crimes.