The Shield/Characters

Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis)
The main character and leader of the strike team. Certainly not your typical television protagonist, as the character shot and killed a fellow police detective in the pilot episode of the series, without any remorse of regret. Despite this (and more), Vic attempts to do right by his family, the officers under his command, and the people in the community he is sworn to protect. Your millage may vary in how you view him and the way he works.


 * The Ace: Especially in Season 1 and 5 when the captains had a lot less power. Often gave speeches where people supported him, some refused to believe he was stealing drugs, Danny telling Julien he was mistaken in Season 1, tough guy, friends with Gilroy, and often getting laid.
 * Anti-Hero: Type IV or V.
 * Badass
 * Bald of Evil: Or bald of anti-hero, bald of villain-protagonist, etc.
 * Berserk Button: Hurting children and those closest to him, let alone any form of betrayal (as Terry found out) will cause you to suffer the full force of Vic's wrath.
 * Dirty Cop: In spades.
 * Dual-Wielding: Once or twice he's gone in a bust carrying two guns, mostly for intimidation, he probably didn't plan on trying to fire them.
 * Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Loves his kids, does all he can to get them the money they need for his two autistic ones.
 * Even Evil Has Standards: During Seasons One and Two, he demands a "no selling drugs to children" pledge from the drug dealers who he is in bed with.
 * Subverted though in that while he has no problems with Julian being gay, is more than willing to blackmail him over his sexuality by reminding him that not all of his co-workers are as enlightened as he is.
 * Genius Bruiser: He's not super book-smart but very crafty and certainly very strong.
 * The Hero: *COUGH!* Well he is in charge of the the strike team.
 * : His final fate.
 * Jerkass: To Dutch, at first because he thinks he is an easy mark that he can push around. Later, when Vic discovers that Dutch is possibly the one person dogged enough to find and expose his evil deeds (and becomes close to his wife) Vic alternates between exploiting Dutch's ego and being a douchebag to him.
 * Reconstructed.
 * Kavorka Man: Bad temper,pushy, bald, his stomach makes him look fat but DAMN he's got the confidence to get laid.
 * No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Delivers one to Armidillo in Season 2, and an even worse one to Guardo in Season 6.
 * Really Gets Around: His wife, Danny, the battered-woman caretaker, the K9 unit lady from Season 3, Sadie, etc.
 * Tragic Hero: Debatably, and a very dark take on it. His fatal flaw would be combined with his habit of playing "white knight" to women in peril.
 * Villain Protagonist
 * Why Don't Ya Just Shoot Him: While Vic is normally willing to shoot people who get in his way, there are several times where he lets Shane walk away when the smart thing to do would be to just kill him.

Shane Vendrell
Vic's best friend and protégé. Impulsive, reckless, and at times racist, Shane drives much of the conflict in the series as his desire to move out of Vic's shadow causes much chaos and conflict.


 * One of several in Season 7.
 * Cowboy Cop
 * Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
 * Deep South: Hails from Atlanta, Georgia, and has "Dixie" for his cell phone ring tone.
 * Despair Event Horizon
 * Ignored Epiphany: Initially he's torn apart over Terry's death, but after Vic tells him to get over it, he never looks back. This is the beginning of his downwards spiral, as Shane ends up applying the lesson Vic taught him over killing people to.
 * The Lancer: Vic's right-hand man.
 * My Greatest Failure: Shane, to Vic as far as the level of failure from Vic with the way he took Shane and turned him into a monster.
 * Narm: His one-liner ("Eatin' ain't cheatin'!") used to justifying performing oral sex upon a woman who wasn't his wife qualifies.
 * Noble Bigot with a Badge: The character evolved into this, largely due to Walt Goggins being uncomfortable with the casual racism of the character.
 * Oral Fixation Fixation: Smokes as well having a fetish for performing oral sex upon women.
 * Too Dumb to Live: Prone to impulsive panic moves that only get him into worse trouble than he started out in.
 * Wham! Line:

Curtis "Lem" Lemansky
The muscle of the Strike Team, as well as it's conscience. Will often remind Vic and the rest of the Strike Team that they are supposed to be cops and try and reign in Vic's more corrupt notions (with various degrees of success). Unfortunately for him, he ultimately becomes a liability for the team and.


 * Ascended Extra
 * The Big Guy: The biggest guy of the team, often in charge of breaking down doors. Also wields a shotgun.
 * The Cast Showoff: Kenny Johnson is a retired professional arm-wrestler and his final episode of the series (the mini-episode "Wins and Losses") revolves around him represent the Barn in an LAPD arm wrestling tournament.
 * A Day in the Limelight: "Throwaway", which was designed to spotlight the character.
 * Does Not Know His Own Strength: In real life, his actor has been described as being a big dog who thinks he's a puppy.
 * Gentle Giant: Loves kids and animals.
 * Hair of Gold: Blonde.
 * The Heart: Tries to stop Vic and Shane when they go too far.
 * Only Sane Man: Will often interrupt Vic and Shane during various schemes to remind them that they are supposed to be on the side of law and order. Which leads to....
 * Peer Pressure Makes You Evil: The fact that Vic and Shane largely get Lem to go along with the evil schemes of the Strike Team by exploiting Lem's need for a surrogate family, via peer pressure.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With Shane.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With Shane.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With Shane.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With Shane.

Ronnie Gardocki
With his facial hair and tech skills, Ronnie is the resident nerd of the Strike Team. Also The Woobie, given the amount of bodily harm he endures over the course of the show. Originally a background character, the character's role in the show grew over the course of the series, due to the character's fanbase. Also, is rivals Vic in terms of Misaimed Fandom, as far as people liking him in spite of being a corrupt cop.


 * Ascended Extra: Started out as a background character, before his role grew slowly but surely and became a central character in Season Seven.
 * Badass Moustache: His mustache in seasons one and two.
 * A Day in the Limelight: "Back To One", which had Ronnie helping Dutch/Tina/Billings bust a pair of would-be meth dealers and the biker gang that they were selling to; however, the episode is something of a subversion in that we don't get into Ronnie's head or find out anything new about him, instead we see Ronnie in action as a cop and watch the other characters react to him essentially showing up the other detectives in action.
 * Even Evil Has Standards: While he was quite vocal about wanting to kill Shane, Vic's proclamation that he was going to kill Shane AND his pregnant wife Mara (in front of their two year old son none the less!) freaked even Ronnie out.
 * Growing the Beard: Subverted; the season Ronnie traded in his mustache for a beard (Season Three) is generally considered to be the least liked season of the show.
 * Hollywood Nerd: Allergic to everything but sheet metal, awkward with women, good with computers fits the bill.
 * Nerds Are Sexy: Even when they have facial hair!
 * Only Sane Man: The only member of the Strike Team who realizes that Shane is a threat that should be neutralized.
 * Senseless Sacrifice:.
 * Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism
 * The Smart Guy: Works bugs, electronics, computers, and stuff.
 * Villainous Breakdown: His speech at the end, as he is being arrested.

Terry Crowley
"Driver" for the Strike Team, Terry Crowley was placed on the Strike Team by then-Captain Acaveda as a means to keep an eye out on the antics of Vic and his crew. Unfortunately for him, when Acaveda approached him about gathering evidence about Strike Team corruptions, Terry agreed only to get a bullet in the face for his trouble.


 * Decoy Protagonist: Ads depicted him as the true star of The Shield.
 * Expy: For his Homicide: Life On The Street character, Max Kellerman.
 * Sacrificial Lamb: Though unlike a lot of lambs, his death isn't ever truly forgotten and continues to haunt the show for most of its run playing a particularly big role in the fifth season.
 * Too Good for This Sinful Earth: How some fans tend to see Terry.

Tavon Garris
Young black detective who is placed onto the team by orders from above, as far as wanting to include one minority onto the all-white Strike Team. Unaware of Vic Mackey's corrupt nature, the skilled rookie detective made a big mistake when he went and told Shane that he was hoping that Vic would take him under his wing as a mentor. One massive brawl later and a car wreck, Tavon was written out of the series.


 * The Ace
 * Dropped a Bridge on Him: Written off via a series of injuries, after the actor decided to pursue a career in movies rather than stay with the series.
 * Hannibal Lecture: Delivers the mother of all speeches to Shane, when he comes back in Season Seven, about why he sucks as a human being.
 * Put on a Bus
 * The Bus Came Back: For one episode in Season 7.
 * The Sixth Ranger: Technically fifth. The first of several though.

Armando "Army" Renta
Army sniper who, after a tour of duty in Iraq, returned home and landed a job with the LAPD, where he was partnered with Shane Vendrell. The two got along well, but Shane's corrupt cop ways ended up getting the two in hot legal water. Rather than risk his luck, he ended up resigning from the LAPD and returning to the military.


 * Only Sane Man
 * Put on a Bus
 * The Sixth Ranger

Kevin Hiatt
A capable officer introduced as the one who'll succeed Vic in leading the Strike Team. His arrival is initially met with some tension but Vic and co eventually warm up to him.


 * By-The-Book Cop: More than most other Strike Team members at least.
 * Replacement Scrappy: Initially viewed as this in-universe.
 * The Sixth Ranger

Claudette Wyms
Veteran detective who is partners with Detective "Dutch" Wagenbach. Though positioned as the conscience of the Barn, she's more than willing to turn a blind eye to Vic's corrupt corruption.


 * Big Good: Arguably the final arch-enemy of Vic Mackey.
 * Da Chief: Has shades of this after finally becoming the captain.
 * Good Is Not Nice: Yeah she's a much straighter cop than Vic but she's got some negative qualities and did pull a few dubious acts.
 * The Heart: Of the Dutch-Claudette partnership, she usually pursues a more emotional angle when it comes to dealing with victims and criminals.
 * Holier Than Thou: One of her bad qualities is she does sometimes pull this.
 * Retool: The character originally didn't care either way about Vic's corruption and even actively tried to stop her partner from getting involved in Acaveda's attempts to stop him. But in Season Two, the character suddenly becomes concerned about Vic and his corruption.

Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach
Detective and partner of Claudette Wyms. A brilliant but socially inept detective who deals with bad guys such as rapists, murderers, and other unsavory characters. The Rival to Vic Mackey.


 * Badass Bookworm: Probably the smartest character on the show.
 * Butt Monkey
 * Defective Detective: Despite being a brilliant detective, his personal Life is often a mess.
 * Earn Your Happy Ending: Although bittersweet as he has discovered Claudette is dying, his ending is probably the happiest. After seven years as a Butt Monkey, he finally takes down the Strike Team,is about to get another killer to confess and has been given the number of an attractive attorney.
 * Jerkass: Not to the same degree of 'in-your-face' as Shane or Acevada's back-stabbing but because of his poor people skills he can occasionally come off as one.
 * Kick the Dog: Choke the cat, actually, but close enough.
 * The Profiler

Steve Billings
Comic relief character, introduced in Season Four; a veteran cop who is five years away from retiring and dead set on doing as little as possible until then, in order to ensure he sees the day of his retirement.


 * Berserk Button: Could rival even Vic's and Lem's love for kids. Doesn't like them harmed.
 * Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Lazy and waiting for retirement but he will move heaven and Earth to get someone who hurt a kid.
 * Cruel Mercy: Dutch gives this to Billings when he uncovers Billings' scheme with regards to the station's vending machines being his property, opting to instead hold it over his head as leverage.
 * Dirty Coward
 * Jerkass: Hates Dutch with a passion, going so far as to manipulate him into seeing the girl he had a crush on having sex with a fellow detective just for the lulz.
 * Pointy-Haired Boss: Was promoted to captain essentially because the top brass wanted someone weak-willed that they could control; once placed in control of the Barn, he spends most of his time secretly scamming money out of the department via installing vending machines in the station (which he owns) and leaves Danny to actually do the paperwork to run the place.
 * Single-Target Sexuality: Has a major mancrush on Ronnie Gardocki, though given the way he utterly fails to intercept a blackmail letter sent against him, he doesn't seem to show it well.
 * The Slacker

David Acevada
Politically Ambitious police captain turned city councilman; longtime foil for Vic Mackey, going from The Rival to reluctant ally when Acaveda's political ambitious lead him into the arms of the Mexican mafia.


 * Aborted Arc: After personally intervening to save Danny's job after she was let go from the LAPD due to budget cutbacks, Acaveda let her know after the fact that she now owed him and that she could pay back his patronage by way of narcing on her fellow officers to him. Despite this being set up, the entire thing is forgotten within a couple of episodes.
 * Limited Advancement Opportunities: Averted. During the course of the show, Aceveda goes from being the Captain at the Barn, to City Council to (probably) Mayor all in about 3 years or so in the show's timeline.
 * The Odd Couple
 * Out of Focus: To varying degrees in Seasons 4, 5, and a lot of Season 6.
 * Rape as Drama
 * Took a Level in Badass

Monica Rawling
Replacement Captain for the Farmington District after Acaveda left following his election to city council. Played by famed actress Glenn Close.


 * Arch Enemy: Antwon.
 * Badass: Doesn't take shit from Vic or the top brass of the LAPD.
 * Cool Old Lady: The role of Monica Rawlings effectively revived Glenn Close's career as far as bringing her to the small screen and introducing her to a new generation of fans who saw her as a "take no shit" asskicker.
 * Grandma, What Massive Hotness You Have!: Yow there's something about a lady that can handle herself...
 * Jerkass: Her reaction to finding out that Claudette and Dutch were on the DA's shitlist, needless to say, was to blame Claudette and remind her of all of the guilty criminals that her actions ended up getting freed from jail.
 * Mama Bear: Protective of her fellow officers, especially after two of them are murdered on orders of Antwon Mitchell. Even after finding out, for sure that Vic Mackey is corrupt and so are his fellow officers on the Strike Team, she cryptically tries to warn Vic "to be careful" during their final meeting.
 * Team Mom/Team Dad: Has shades of this, team mom because she got much needed money for the barn due to the her seizure program and she fixed the men's bathroom. Team dad because she could really get stern with her subordinates.
 * Too Good to Last: Got a lot of fans in the Barn due to the fact she was getting money to fund the place and money to the community, some were sad to see her go.
 * Especially on an acting level, as Glenn Close's presence on the show revived a series that came out of a dire third season. FX realized this, so they arranged to sign Glenn Close up for another series (Damages).
 * Utopia Justifies the Means: Her seizure program rubbed a lot of elbows the wrong way but she was putting money into the community. Especially after she evicted a woman and her grandson from their home, which was bought with drug money.

Jon Kavanaugh
IAD officer who goes after Vic Mackey and the Strike Team. Needless to say, is Driven to Madness when he realizes the depths of which Vic and his friends will go to in order to stop him.


 * Anti-Villain: Forest Whitaker name checked this trope in at least one interview.
 * Big Good: By right the viewers should root for this guy who is trying to get rid of a dangerous cop.
 * Driven to Madness: Putting it mildly.
 * Fallen Hero: Became corrupt when he tried to take down Mackey.
 * Fat Bastard: Subverted. He gets thinner as the season goes on though...
 * Good Is Not Nice: He's trying to stop Mackey but he's got his flaws. Most notably, divorcing his wife rather than helping her with her mental illness problems.
 * Jerkass: Lost points with even his fans when he froze Corrine's accounts. Also the matter with his ex-wife.
 * Jumping Off the Slippery Slope
 * Manipulative Bastard: Does what Mackey does... except he's not the main character so fans hate him for it.
 * Married to the Job: Lampshaded by his ex-wife.
 * Put on a Bus
 * Shut UP, Hannibal: Gets this in his last scene from Vic Mackey.

Ben Gilroy

 * Big Bad: For Season 1, subverted in Season 2.
 * Corrupt Cop
 * Killed Off for Real: In Season 4.

Julien Lowe

 * Aborted Arc: His homosexuality.
 * Berserk Button: Hurt his partner Danny, and Julian will unleash an unholy fury upon you.
 * Black Best Friend: To Danny.
 * Call Back: A small one in the series finale when he briefly glances at a gay couple walking by.
 * Gayangst: Has a little bit of this.
 * The Heart: Can't tell a lie and for the people who commit crimes because of family needs, to tells he'll ask his pastor to look for work.
 * Invisible to Gaydar
 * Out of Focus: See Writer Revolt in the Trivia section.
 * Real Life Writes the Plot
 * Twofer Token Minority: Twifer actually, Black, gay, and Christian.

Danny Sofer

 * Action Girl
 * Badass
 * Cool Big Sis: Has shades of this when she mentors Julien for the first two seasons.
 * Drill Sergeant Nasty: Became a Sargent but she always had the attitude, especially when she gives harsh lectures to Tina.
 * My Greatest Failure: She doesn't very guilt ridden about it, but when she was threatened by an Arabian immigrant, she shot him and her career took a bit of a dive from there.
 * Not So Above It All: Shopped at a place making copies of products and knew it was going to get hit. Still compared to Mackey's record...
 * Out of Focus: Zig Zags this in the last 4 seasons.
 * Secret Keeper: For a while the only co-worker to know that Julien was gay.
 * Team Mom: Becomes something of this in Season 5 due to Billings being too incompetent.

Tina Hanlon
A new recruit assigned to serve as Julien's partner. Her going from vain pretty girl to competent cop was a major storyline for the later seasons of the show.


 * Fan Service
 * Faux Action Girl: Though she does learn from her mistakes.
 * New Meat:
 * Too Dumb to Live: Some of her mistakes fall in this category.

Armadillo Quintero

 * Big Bad: For Season 2.
 * The Chessmaster: Not too bad at it.
 * Genius Bruiser: Pretty tough, even when he got stabbed several times he kept fighting. Officially he is a genius.

Margos Dezerian

 * Big Bad: For Season 3.
 * Creator Cameo: Played by writer/producer Kurt Sutter (who went on to create Sons of Anarchy where he also plays Otto).
 * From Nobody to Nightmare: Briefly, for a few minutes he looks more like a nerd than terror... then he calmly shoots a guy who annoyed him while snorting drugs.

Antwon Mitchell

 * Big Bad: Season 4.
 * Fat Bastard
 * Large Ham

Diro Kesakhian

 * Affably Evil: Never loses her temper and really cares for her father apart from doing bewilderingly nasty things to her enemies.
 * Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
 * Knight Templar

Mara Vendrell

 * Yoko Ono