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Dead Soldiers

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Dead Soldiers
Season 2, Episode 02
Airdate: January 14, 2003
Actual length 46:32
Production Code: 5012-02-202
Written by Kurt Sutter
Directed by John Badham
Previous: "The Quick Fix"
Next: "Partners"


"Dead Soldiers" is the second episode of Season 2 of The Shield and the 15th episode of the series as a whole. It was originally broadcast on January 14, 2003. The previously on segment is voiced by CCH Pounder.

Synopsis[]

An arson attack on a local drug dealer threatens to expose Vic's protection racket.

Recap[]

The Strike Team raid a Torrucos meet-up, the super-gang that Armadillo Quintero formed with the Toros and Los Magnificos. Vic Mackey gives one of the members the picture of Navaro Quintero in the cage and says "tell him I called." Vic and Shane Vendrell arrive on the scene of Theodore Osmond's drug lab having burnt to the ground. Shane worries about their money, but Vic points out that this could lead to an investigation. Claudette Wyms explains what she found to Vic and David Aceveda: there is clear evidence or arson, and the same graffiti found at the scene of the lieutenant burnings. She points out a pig carcass left at the scene with the Strike Team's card pinned between its eyes. When she mentions the rape of Mayda Reyes, Vic wonders why Armadillo hasn't been arrested, and she explains that Topo Reyes took her back to Mexico. After Vic learns that Claudette knows T.O.'s name, he promises to take care of it despite her resistance, so Aceveda orders them to work together.

The Strike Team storm over to Armadillo's house and detain his henchmen, and he insists that he has witnesses that place him away from the fire when it was said. Vic warns him to go back to Mexico and arrests him when he acts defiant. Shane calls in the names of the henchmen and discovers one has an outstanding warrant, so Vic pins a harboring charge on Armadillo. As Vic snaps a picture of Armadillo in the cage, Claudette tells him they should start looking for whoever lit the fire by investigating T.O.'s lab. Vic reluctantly agrees to look for him when Claudette points out that he is Vic's confidential informant, and Aceveda distracts when Lanie Kellis with claim about a city official being shot when she asks to watch Vic work. He asks Dutch Wagenbach to look into it with her accompanying. When they leave, Aceveda asks Vic if he is connected to T.O., and Vic insists he is, but he will be careful.

The Strike Team inform Vic that T.O. is hiding at his grandmother's house and ask when he is going to forgive them for using his money. Vic and Shane arrive to find T.O. playing with his daughter, confirming that he only lost money in the fire and that "records" were kept in a safe. Vic is annoyed that he keeps records of their transactions and agrees to get the records out of the safe, telling T.O. to stay away from Armadillo and asking for a couple of his men to use. He tells Shane to find the Torrucos hideout and have T.O.'s men burn it. Dutch and Kellis arrive to find that the victim, Helen Zamorski, was just a parking enforcement officer. Kellis asks to use Dutch's phone to call Aceveda. Claudette gets the safe first, having gotten a call from the fire inspector. Vic fails to dissuade her from looking into T.O., as she claims that Armadillo had a reason to go after him. Gordie Liman gives Vic Corrine Mackey's current address, but explains that she is already leaving.

Danny Sofer and Julien Lowe answer the call of Alene Carmichael, who is convinced her next-door neighbor, Zayed Al-Thani, is a terrorist because he is Arabic and can apparently smell chemicals through his wall. They force their way into his house and meet his wife Yassirah. After finding nothing, they agree to tell Carmichael that he is not a terrorist. Shane finds the Torrucos' address, so Vic orders him to clear it out and T.O.'s men will burn it. Curtis Lemansky identifies Ripley Verdugo as the arsonist and offers condolences on his family, having heard it from Shane. Vic leaves in annoyed silence and Shane berates him. Vic's safecracker Smith Holts arrives, who he asks to intentionally destroy the contents of the safe by triggering the smart lock. Claudette, having called the manufacturers, is one step ahead of them and reminds Holts to go through the back. Zamorski's supervisor Emanuel Mentoya bemoans the shooting of one of his best workers, and Dutch asks for Helen's ticket-writing record while Kellis runs to the restroom. He asks Mentoya about a parking ticket he got while testifying in court and tries to get Mentoya to waive it, but he refuses as Kellis returns.

2x02 Claudette Tio

Claudette interrogates T.O.

Looking over T.O.'s records, Claudette notices a monthly payments to a "landlord" (T.O.'s code name for Vic) and does not buy Vic's suggestion that it is Armadillo, suggesting it could be whoever Armadillo is trying to eliminate. As they arrive outside T.O.'s place, Vic demands that Claudette let him go in alone, making her suspicious. Inside, Vic orders T.O. to claim that he is an ordinary shop owner forced to pay protection money, showing him Verdugo's picture and telling him to identify him. As they bring T.O. in, Liman pulls Vic aside and explains that Corrine is taking Megan Mackey to Phoenix. Catching up with Claudette, he finds T.O. identifying Verdugo. Claudette orders Vic to pick him up and stays behind. Vic watches her through the interrogation room cameras as she asks T.O. about his records. The Strike Team discuss the correlation between Vic's anger at them and his family disappearing, Shane insisting that they just need to keep their heads down and do their jobs as he pulls a nearby fire alarm to lure Verdugo out of his building. They toss him back into his apartment and arrest him.

Dutch brings in Barney Plotkin, a man who has racked up over thirteen hundred dollars in parking tickets and that he got another one today. When he claims to have not fired a gun recently, Dutch asks him to take a gunshot residue test, which he agrees to. Claudette asks why T.O. is paying a landlord if he owns his buildings, and reveals that she can get search warrants for his home and other building. As she asks for help getting Armadillo, Aceveda recognize T.O. as the man the sheriff pulled over and asks what else Vic hasn't told him. Vic insists T.O. will not expose anything about him as the Strike Team bring Verdugo in, who he puts Claudette on. Danny and Julien return to find that Carmichael has let Al-Thani's prayer rug be ripped up by her dog. Julien warns them both to cut it out, and a humored Danny compliments Julien's ability to handle the situation as they leave.

Claudette shows Verdugo his picture, and he points out that his head has not been shaved for a while despite T.O. identifying him as bald. Claudette immediately calls Vic on this and storms back into T.O.'s room, demanding to know why he lied. She asks him what his connection to Vic is, but Aceveda interrupts with the torching of the Torrucos building. Claudette is defiant, but Aceveda insists that they need to keep up appearances for Kellis. Dutch interviews Izzy, the last man Zamorski ticketed before she was shot. He again asks him to take a residue test. As T.O. leaves, Vic orders him to burn the records. Liman calls him and reveals that Corrine went to Phoenix to take a connecting flight back to California. He advises Vic to let him follow her. Kellis confronts Aceveda and asks why he pulled her off Vic. Claudette interrupts and states that the arson was revenge, learning that they released T.O. and his records. When Kellis asks what they are talking about, Claudette hesitates before brushing her off.

Dutch wonders if both Izzy and Plotkin are innocent, only for Ray Carlson to deliver the tests with a positive result on Plotkin. Dutch brings him in and declares intent to get search warrants, prompting Plotkin to admit that he shot Zamorski because his tire was three inches away from not getting ticketed. Dutch asks why he agreed to the residue test if he knew he was guilty, and he claims he'd look guilty anyway if he didn't take it and "you said it was a government test, so I figured 'how reliable can it be?'" Aceveda explains to Vic and Claudette that Verdugo implicated two other accomplices, and Vic realizes that Armadillo is building a network inside local prisons. Claudette angrily asks why Aceveda clearly covered for T.O., promising to fight Vic and Aceveda to get Armadillo in prison. Kellis witnesses the end of the argument as she comes to tell Aceveda that Dutch solved his case. Armadillo shakes hands with his prison-bound men before leaving.

Danny and Julien find Carmichael and Al-Thani arguing because the former put an American flag partially over the latter's window. As they begin spewing racist insults at each other, Carmichael grabs a knife and Julien arrests her. Al-Thani grabs a gun from his house and begins shouting at Danny about how he is innocent but gets no protection from Carmichael, prompting her to shoot and kill him when he points it at her while waving it around. Yassirah comes out and weeps over the body as Carmichael taunts him. In the aftermath, Aceveda tells her that the shooting was justified. Kellis wonders how the situation would've played out if Carmichael was killed, and Aceveda asserts it would've been much worse. At T.O.'s house, he complains to Vic and Shane that three of his best men are missing and suspects Armadillo. Vic orders him to stay put. Claudette brushes off Dutch's questions about what happened. He asks Kellis out, who warns him not to.

2x02 Tio burned-3

T.O. lies burned and dead.

Liman takes Vic to the office of Ludwig Morgal, a private investigator that Corrine hired and returned to California to meet. Vic walks in on her meeting with Morgal, who threatens to get a restraining order on her behalf when Vic tries to get to her. Morgal escorts her out as Corrine takes Megan into a car, and he reveals that he is investigating Vic's criminal activities as he drives them away. Vic gets a phone call and answers to hear T.O. shouting his name. Vic hurries to the scene and finds Claudette surveying his burnt corpse. The Strike Team arrive at Armadillo's house to find the door open and him reading peacefully. Vic brutalizes him with a large book, and when he continuously refuses to leave the country, drags him to the kitchen and burns his cheek on a stovetop until Shane and Lem pull him off. A bloodstained Vic walks outside, where Ronnie Gardocki reaches for him but thinks better of it.

Episode credits[]

Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest starring[]

Co-starring[]

Featuring[]

Uncredited[]

Production staff[]

Featured Music[]

Note all the music originally appears in FX airing release not applicable for streaming websites,they might change music over time due legal disputes

  • Kinto Sol - Las Muerdas la Mano
    • The beginning of the episode, Turokos at the yard having set of new tattoos
  • Los Pinguos - Mi Manera de Amarte
    • Strike Team visits Armadillo's house in the early morning to ask about his where abouts the night Maya was raped
  • Nawal Al Zoghbi - Ghib An Aynaya
    • Julien and Danny inspect the apartment where the woman complained the smell coming from
  • Supervision - Baby
    • Danny confronting the armed man Zayed Al-Thani, plays quietly on the background
  • Whitehouse - Cuentan Que El
    • Heard at the house of Armadillo , when Vic burns his face

Episode Title[]

Notes[]

  • International airdates:
    • Germany: February 11, 2006
    • France: August 15, 2007
  • Vic Mackey is seen driving a dark blue Dodge Durago with a 2PCE496 license plate. He and the Strike Team are also seen driving a light brown Chevrolet van.
  • This is the second appearance of the Strike Team trademark presentation card. Vic Mackey gives the card to some of the Torruco gang members in the opening of the episode. When the Torrucos burn T.O. Osmond's comic book shop, they leave the Strike Team card on a knife stabbed on the head of a dead pig as a message to Mackey.
  • The ASPCA protested the portrayal of the dead pig stabbed in the head.
  • Gordie Liman tells Vic that Ludwig Morgal played with the NFL Rams for one season. The Rams are based in St. Louis. Gordie also tells Vic that Ludwig "thinks he's Dick Butkus" in reference to the popular football player from the Chicago Bears.
  • Danny Sofer makes a reference to the September 11, 2001 attacks when talking to Zayed Al-Thani. Also, Alene Carmichael calls Zayed "Osama".

Quotes[]

  • Vic Mackey: You and your brother are into a lot of things. Pimping drugs, consolidating chulitos.
  • Armadillo Quintero: No, I'm not like my brother. Navaro enjoys parties, late nights. I'm much more comfortable in bed with a good book to read.
  • Vic Mackey: And a little girl to rape.


  • Vic Mackey: Maybe you can stay at my house for a little while.
  • Armadillo Quintero: What's the charge?
  • Vic Mackey: I'll think of something on the way.


  • Zayed Al-Thani: Look at my prayer mat. I hang it here to dry, and she had her dog rip it to pieces.
  • Alene Carmichael: Anyone could have done that. If it's so sacred, you shouldn't leave it out.
  • Zayed Al-Thani: Somebody needs to put that animal to sleep.
  • Alene Carmichael: Is that what you're doing in there? Cookin'up gas to put us all to sleep?
  • Julien Lowe: That's enough! Look, you had us search his place, and we did. He's not a terrorist. Go back inside and restrain that dog before I call animal control. And you, stop egging her on, stop threatening her dog, and stop acting like such a victim. Both of you go inside and stay inside your own apartments. You do not want us coming back here again!
  • Danny Sofer: You're learning.
  • Julien Lowe: Good teacher.


  • Zayed Al-Thani: Am I a suspect just because I am Arab?
  • Danny Sofer: No, sir. You're a suspect because 19 guys who look like your twin brother killed 3,000 Americans... Look, the easiest way for us to handle this is just let us come in, take a look around.
  • Julien Lowe: Or we can file a report with the federal government and let them check you out.
  • Zayed Al-Thani: (sarcastically) God bless America.


(After Danny Sofer shoots Zayed Al-Thani in self-defense)

  • Alene Carmichael: Where's your Allah now?


  • Berlin Ortegon: "Harboring a felon"? Come on. That's a stretch, even for this precinct.


  • Claudette Wyms: You send me on a bogus run. You cut loose the only lead I have. And then you let this guy cut a deal that buries my case. What the hell is going on?
  • David Aceveda: We want this as much as you do. We got three arsonists off the streets. That's a pretty good day.
  • Claudette Wyms: Save the statistic crowing for your civilian auditor... What happened here today was bullshit! I don't know exactly what the puzzle looks like yet, but the pieces I see are pretty goddamn ugly... I have never interfered with how you run your team... or how you run for office. I get assigned a case, I'm gonna find the truth. And if I have to go through both of you... I'll get it.


  • Dutch Wagenbach: It was great spending time with you. I hope I didn't make too many mistakes.
  • Lanie Kellis: Not at all. Thank you for all your time.
  • Dutch Wagenbach: If you wanna talk some more, maybe we could grab a meal sometime.
  • Lanie Kellis: Dutch, hitting on me... THAT is a mistake.
  • Dutch Wagenbach: N-No. I meant if you wanted to ask some more questions... I've got a girlfriend... Christ.

External links[]

The_Shield_Season_2_Dead_Soldiers_promo

The Shield Season 2 Dead Soldiers promo

The Shield Dead Soldier 1 minute original FX promo

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