Ranking Characters Of The Wire: The Streets

15. Butchie

A close confidant and friend of Omar, Butchie was the blind bar owner that had several connections in Baltimore's underworld. As Omar had a tendency to antagonise anyone in the game, it was nice to see he did have friends somewhere and despite his limited screen time overall, the connection between them was strongly felt.

Helping Omar out of several tight spots, Butchie could broker meetings between Omar and other figures in the drug trade as he would be Omar's point of contact. Butchie also provided him with protection when he was in prison and proved himself to be his true friend.

After Marlo wants to get back at Omar, and proving himself to be a very different kind of kingpin to Prop Joe or Stringer, Marlo has his man Chris Partlow torture and brutalise Butchie in an attempt to give him up. After he refuses to turn his friend in, Chris kills Butchie. It is a sad end to a character who put loyalty to his friend above his own life.