Sugar

"You do this business long enough, everybody knows everybody."

―Sugar to Luke Cage^[src]

Sugar is a former member of the Stokes Crime Family who worked as Cottonmouth's enforcer as a part of Zip's gang. Following the death of Cottonmouth, as well as the defeat of Diamondback, Sugar continued working for Mariah Stokes Dillard. However, when the situation with Harlem got worse due to the Stokes' ongoing war on Bushmaster, Sugar had sided with Luke Cage and aided him in reclaiming the streets.

Biography[]

Early Life[]

Recruited by the Stokes[]

"Every school came to see me. Girls screaming my name. That's why they call me Sugar. I was the man till I twisted my knee. That was my shot. I thought I was done. Then this councilwoman, Mariah Dillard, paid for my tuition at Grambling, even though I couldn't play. And even after I dropped out, Cottonmouth gave me a job and kept food on my table. How could I say no to that?"

―Sugar to Luke Cage^[src]

Sugar was a very good football player. So good that everybody wanted him, colleges, girls, fans. Girls would always call him "Sugar." However, he twisted his knee and lost everything. A councilwoman named Mariah Dillard paid for his tuition. When he dropped out, her cousin, Cornell Stokes, gave him a job.^[3]

Thugs as Bodyguards[]

Working for Cottonmouth[]

ZipSugarStandingAsideOfMDillard — Sugar and Zip follow around Mariah Dillard

Sugar and Zip were tasked to be bodyguards for Mariah Dillard. While Dillard visited the park to raise support for the New Harlem Renaissance, Sugar and Zip followed her around. Dillard told them to stay further away from her. When Cornell Stokes visited the park, Dillard complained about the thugs following her around, scaring everyone. Stokes reminded her that they were there to protect her, hand out flyers and get contribution tributes.^[1]

Robbing Genghis Connie's[]

"You want some?"
"I don't even like these n***as, man!"

―Luke Cage and Sugar^[src]

That evening, Sugar and other members of their gang stood outside Genghis Connie's to pass out flyers. After the restaurant closed, they entered Genghis Connie's to threaten Lin and Connie Lin into giving money to support Mariah Dillard. Sugar tried to convince the Lins to show Mariah Dillard some love and contribute, stating that they will go away if they did so. Following the refusal of Jin Lin to give them money, Zip angrily told them to do so. At this moment, Luke Cage, who had just entered the restaurant, told them that he did not like his tone and that they were being disrespectful to the Lins. Following a brief conversation, Cage and the gang got into a fight, in which Cage first took out Amos, Zip, and Koko before he looked at Sugar. Instead of attacking Cage like his gangmates had done, Sugar told Cage that he didn't even like the other guys and ran away.^[1]

State of the Union[]

Sugar was told to come to Harlem's Paradise for a so-called "State of the Union". During the meeting Cornell Stokes and Darrell Mitchell discussed the financial situation after what happened at Fort Knox. When Mitchell mentioned Luke Cage, Koko raised his hand in order to say something. The statement Koko made did not fall well with Stokes, who took out his gun and killed Koko. This shocked Sugar, who sat on the couch behind Koko and got splattered with his blood. Sugar and the others were told to hit the street, every business between 110th and 155th, and take half of their money, to recoup the money Stokes had lost. If asked why they were they doing this, they should tell them to go visit Cage at Pop's Barber Shop and ask him why they are paying the "Luke Cage stupidity tax". After being yelled at by Stokes, Sugar and the others left the meeting to hit the street.^[4]

Working for Dillard[]

Being a Driver[]

Sugar continued to serve the Stokes Crime Family. During the time, he became a father to a baby girl. Working now as a driver in addition to being a body, Sugar encountered Luke Cage one day while looking after his car. Cage questioned him about Mariah Dillard's intention, as Sugar shared Dillard's intend to get out of the game and she intended to do so by selling her Hammer Industries contract to the highest bidder. Despite Sugar's cooperation, Cage believed that Sugar was still hiding something and scratched his car much to his frustration and anger.

He later called Cage about Arturo Rey III having a supply coming at a disclosed location, but it was really a ploy by Dillard to lure Cage at a location to be assassinated. The plan failed.^[2] Following the murder of many people in relations with Dillard, Shades told Sugar to guard the back of Harlem's Paradise and if anyone goes near it, shoot.^[5]

Protecting Mariah Dillard[]

BlackMariahTildaSugarCage-Outside — Sugar collects Mariah Dillard from the station

Fulfilling his duties in protecting Dillard, Sugar escorted Tilda Johnson into Harlem's Paradise to protect her.^[6] Even after Dillard lost most of her wealth and having her home burned down by Bushmaster, Sugar continued to work for her. When accompanying his boss away from the precinct, they were attacked by the Stylers. While Cage defended them, Sugar drove his employer to safety, bringing Dillard to her burned home. Sugar offered to lend his wife's clothes to Dillard.^[7]

Cage and Rand's Visit[]

When Harlem's Paradise was visited by Luke Cage and Danny Rand, Sugar was among the guards watching them. When Cage briefly inquired him about falling back to the game, Sugar simply replied that his car was damaged. He continued to watch over the duo while they talked to Mariah Dillard.^[8]

Leaving Mariah Dillard Stokes[]

"This don't feel right."
"Ain't supposed to feel. You just do. We soldiers."
"This feels right to you? Marching a dude down the block as we head to a restaurant? This is off. I ain't doing this shit."

―Sugar and Mariah's Soldier^[src]

However, Sugar began to have misgivings about Mariah Dillard, who displayed increasing deranged behavior as she took control of the Stokes Crime Family and reassumed her birth name. When they began marching the captured Anansi down the street toward his restaurant, Sugar made his misgivings known to a fellow associate. When he replied that they were soldiers and they should follow orders, Sugar took a stance and decided that he won't be a part of this. When the associate pointed a gun at him, Sugar ignored the threat and left her service.^[8]

Working for Luke Cage[]

Joining Luke Cage[]

"Harlem doesn't need a sheriff."
"You're right. It needs a king. Let's talk."

―Sugar and Luke Cage^[src]

Following the Massacre at Gwen's, Sugar decided that Mariah Stokes needed to be stopped. Sugar began searching for Luke Cage. Upon searching, he managed to locate him on the streets. After some slight hostility at first, Sugar offered his assistance to take. He reasoned that Stokes had become crazy and she needed to be taken down. He further told Cage that Harlem was in need of a king, not a sheriff. Convinced by Sugar, Cage agreed to work with him.^[9]

Assisting Cage[]

"What's the word, Sug?"
"It ain't Shabba. It's Satan's niece. Mariah's in bed with the Chinese. My people saw Oldboy up in her office. She probably gave him the green light to sell that poison up in Harlem, in exchange for points on the package."

―Luke Cage and Sugar^[src]

Now working for Luke Cage, Sugar used his connections on the streets to assist him. When drugs with Bushmaster's name began flooding the streets of Harlem, Sugar informed Cage that the Yangsi Gonshi was responsible for the drugs. After some investigating, he managed to find the location of one of their drug houses which he informed Cage about.

Not long after Cage destroyed the drug house, they learned that Mariah Stokes Dillard intended to hold a free concert at Harlem's Paradise. Cage deduced that Stokes intended to use the concert to lure him to the club and protect her from Bushmaster. Sugar suggested that he should avoid the concert and let Bushmaster kill Stokes.^[10]

Becoming Cage's Second[]

"Rosalie Carbone needs to talk. Anibal Izqueda is here, too. What do you want me to do?"
"Put them in VIP downstairs."

―Sugar and Luke Cage^[src]

Despite Luke Cage successfully defeating Bushmaster and ensuring Mariah Stokes' arrest, Harlem began suffering from attacks from new gangs who aimed to conquer the territory. Sugar worked with Cage to discover the source of these attacks. They were soon visited by Shades who informed them that Rosalie Carbone was responsible for these attacks.

Joining Cage at Columbia University, Sugar informed Cage that people who used to work for Stokes were killed. When Cage asked if Stokes would be going after him, Sugar was confident that she would not. Having bonded, Sugar shared some of his past to Cage and his past loyalties to the Stokes Crime Family were due to all the aid that the family provided for him in the past. He expressed his belief that despite Stokes' actions, she genuinely cared about Harlem.

LCageSugarDGriffithStandingTogether — Sugar and his allies being greeted by Sheldon

Sugar learned from Cage that Stokes died in prison from poisoning. Despite her criminal actions, Sugar admitted that he would miss her. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Sheldon who simply came to make peace and give his respect to Cage's rule on the streets. D.W. Griffith figured out that Cage was organizing crimes in Harlem. Wanting to keep Pop's legacy alive, he announced his intention to buy Pop's Barber Shop and that meant Cage and Sugar must leave to conduct their business elsewhere. They were soon visited by Benjamin Donovan who asked to talk to Cage. No longer welcome in the barbershop, Sugar joined Cage as they left.

As Stokes had left Harlem's Paradise to Cage, Cage accepted, intending to use the club to monitor crimes in Harlem. He then employed Sugar as his right hand man. At the night of the club's reopening, Sugar informed his new boss about the arrival of Carbone and Anibal Izqueda wanted to talk to Cage. He was ordered to place them at the VIP seats. Sugar waited until Misty Knight got out of the offices to whisper further reports to Cage. As the night proceeded, Sugar informed his boss that Claire Temple has arrived to see him. When Cage tasked him to tell Temple to go home, Sugar went to do his task dutifully.^[3]