Agreed. He's the only villain character that was ever planning ahead and thinking laterally. Everyone else got tunnel vision.
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shades was awesome i hope we learn more about his past in season 2
i'm your conscience - ant man ca: cw.
i"m your conscience - jamie foxx.

I agree that he was the smartest. But he was the only bad guy who wasn't emotionally involved. This allowed him to be cooler headed about things.

You can tell by the delivery of his lines that he's a beep actor. I'm not even sure if he was trained, and if he was, he needs his money back.

He didn't seem that bad on Sons of Anarchy.
Maybe because everyone else was so bad on that show and the writing was often terrible!

Theo Rossi is FREAKING terrible.

Loved the scene where he is sparring with Priscilla in the interrogation room
I was laughing so hard when he suddenly seemed all scared and teary-eyed at her threat of a long jail time! There was just no way he would break that easily.
"We're a team, Garrus. There's no Shepard without Vakarian."

He's the only one that seemed to understand that you need to be smart and be always had his eye on the nig picture. Cottonmouth was too focused on his money, diamondback was too focused on revenge, and Mariah didn't know what the hell she was doing and could barely stay afloat when the beep hit the fan.
I can't wait to see more from him in the future.
Theo Rossi is IMHO one of the best actors on the show. He put on some great performances throughout. Loved the scene where he is sparring with Priscilla in the interrogation room, or this scene:

Screenwriter smart, not real world smart.

Also he's the only one with pending charges in the show besides diamonback.. he's out on 2 million bail..
Shades was definitely the smartest villain.
A smart villain doesn't get caught doing other villains handi-work

That is sort of true. Both cottonmouth and diamondback are intimidating, that is necessary quality of a crime boss. Shades although smart but he is not intimidating.
A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist - Sir Humphrey Appleby

But when Diamondback was in the room, everyone knew he was the boss, everyone wanted to impress him. The same with cottonmouth.
That was probably more because both had the tendency to simply shoot everyone who so much as looked at them funny than out of actual respect.
"We're a team, Garrus. There's no Shepard without Vakarian."

I say what I say because when Cottonmouth died he actually wanted to take over and told everyone they all work for him now, but his act thoroughly unconvincing, he just did not look the part. As leader he should have said few words to motivate his subordinates but that just did not seem to be in him.
But when Diamondback was in the room, everyone knew he was the boss, everyone wanted to impress him. The same with cottonmouth.
It is not that Shades did not want to be in charge, he was just not that kind of person.
A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist - Sir Humphrey Appleby

Shades is kind of guy always a step behind, in the shadows, always a second in command kind of guy.
He's actually always a step ahead, that's how he can stay in the shadows and still play everybody else. If you think about it then it's very smart: As second in command he can influence important decisions and even control what the boss gets to know or, more importantly,
not
to know. While at the same time he can deny most of the responsibility by handing it either down (the goon messed it up!) or up (told you this wasn't a good idea!)
Imagine the cops busted the whole organization, the boss will have trouble talking his way out, the second in command (if he can actually be identified as such) can always claim "I only followed orders, I never knew!" and get a lighter sentence.

But he has problems too. He is not the sort of guy get noticed, not very driven, not really a leader, do not have a strong desire to "own" it. Cottonmouth is an ambitious leader, Diamondback has a commanding presence. Shades is kind of guy always a step behind, in the shadows, always a second in command kind of guy.
A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist - Sir Humphrey Appleby

"Nig"?!? Lmao

Shades was definitely the smartest villain. He was way more patient than the other ones.

He's like Littlefinger. An opportunistic gangster who knows how to manipulate other people accordingly.

Agreed. It was established from the start that he was the craftiest cat in the game, always staying lowkey when needed and only rising up when absolutely necessary. He waited for each of his superiors to destroy himself before he finally stepped up to the throne with Mariah.
I think he loves Mariahbut not traditionally. They are a power couplethey're both in love with the power they see in the other.
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To me he seemed like a bit too perfect. I liked Cottonmouth the most because of his personality and flaws.

agreed. i am sad they killed off cottonmouth. i'd have rather he killed his cousin than the way it played out. that actor was incredible to watch.
glad that shades is still around though. extremely enigmatic characterbut not as smart as littlefinger. PLEASE.

I never thought of that comparison but now that you mention it, I have to agree completely. I can't wait to see what kind of role he has in the future.
And I didn't necessarily dislike him at first, but he didn't have as big of a presence until Cottonmouth was out of the picture. He was more of a background character until Mariah killed Cottonmouth and that's when he stepped forward. Theo Rossi beep nailed it, too. I've been a big fan of him since Sons of Anarchy and I was really excited to see what they had in store for him. Before Cottonmouth's death, I thought he would end up getting killed off but I was so happy that he didn't.
Just because you are too stupid to understand it, it does not mean that it is a plot hole

Yeah. I didn't like him as much at first. Guess I found Cottonmouth more intriguing and intimidating so Shades was overshadowed. But he quickly grew on me after Cottonmouth's death. I realized he was this shows Littlefinger. The smartest guy in the room that knows how to use power while not trying to wield it himself and making himself a target. He's not a big fighter. But he is smart. And ruthless.
Clever things make people feel stupid and unexpected things make them feel scared

LOL at the typo. I also loved his character. My second favorite MCU villain after Kilgrave.