Wallace (The Wire)
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| Wallace | |
|---|---|
| The Wire character | |
 Michael B. Jordan as Wallace | |
| First appearance | "The Target" (2002) |
| Last appearance | "Cleaning Up" (2002) |
| Created by | David Simon |
| Portrayed by | Michael B. Jordan |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Drug dealer for Barksdale Organization |
| Date of birth | April 4, 1986 |
| Date of death | September 1, 2002 (aged 16) |
Wallace is a character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Michael B. Jordan. Wallace is a 16-year-old drug dealer for the Barksdale Organization, who works in the low-rise projects crew known as "The Pit" with his friends and fellow dealers Bodie and Poot. When information he provides leads to the brutal death of Brandon Wright, the boyfriend of stick-up artist Omar Little, Wallace feels guilty and tries to leave the drug trade. He informs on the Barksdale Organization to the police, and as a result he is killed by Bodie and Poot under orders from drug kingpin Stringer Bell.
Wallace, born on April 4, 1986, is the son of Darcia Wallace. He is a 16-year-old drug dealer in the Barksdale crew's low rise projects organization (called "The Pit"). He serves with Poot and Bodie Broadus under D'Angelo Barksdale, through the entirety of season 1.
He shows the signs of a half-finished education: he can identify famous people on currency better than the rest of his crew (including D'Angelo, who objects when Wallace correctly points out that Alexander Hamilton was never president) but sometimes struggles with the math involved with drug dealing. He also takes responsibility for numerous younger kids in the projects, housing them in a squatter's apartment, packing their lunches, seeing them off to school, and helping them with their homework. He betrays his age when he is found playing with toys while supposed to be on lookout duty.
After Omar Little robs the pit crew's stash of drugs, Wallace spots Omar's accomplice Brandon playing pinball and calls this information in. Stringer Bell grabs Brandon and tortures him to death. His body is left on display, coincidentally outside of Wallace's home.
Wallace receives a quarter of the $2,000 bounty on Brandon's head but is so sickened by the event that he decides he wants out of "the game". He approaches D'Angelo and tells him he wants to go back to school. D'Angelo gives Wallace his blessing and some cash. Poot discovers that Wallace has spent the money on drugs and is spending most of his time at home getting high, to help with his PTSD from the murder.
Wallace is picked up by the police and agrees to cooperate with the Barksdale detail. He reveals Stringer's involvement in the killing of Omar's boyfriend Brandon.
In order to keep Wallace safe until the trial, the detail sends him to live with his grandmother in rural Cambridge, Maryland. After detective Kima Greggs is shot in an undercover operation, the detail becomes so preoccupied with her condition that Wallace is temporarily forgotten. Bored with life away from Baltimore, he returns to the low-rise projects and asks to get involved in the trade again.
Stringer Bell becomes suspicious of Wallace's return. D'Angelo tries to reassure Stringer of Wallace's loyalty, but Stringer is not convinced and assigns Bodie to kill Wallace. Cornered at gunpoint by Poot and Bodie, Wallace begs for mercy, reminding Bodie of their friendship. Bodie first taunts Wallace, then hesitates, unable to bring himself to pull the trigger. Poot urges him on, and Bodie finally shoots Wallace, only to leave him wounded and dying. Poot takes the gun and finishes him off. ("Cleaning Up)".
D'Angelo is outraged when he learns of Wallace's death. It is one of the main factors that leads D'Angelo to want to leave "the game" himself, and it drives a permanent wedge between him and Stringer, which culminates in Stringer ordering D'Angelo to be murdered in prison - which in turn leads to Stringer and Avon Barksdale turning on each other when the former confesses his role, ending with Avon giving Stringer up for dead.
In season 3, McNulty finds the crime scene photo from Wallace's murder, and he and Roland Pryzbylewski share a look.
