Shades (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Hernan Alvarez, better known as Shades, is a villain of the first season of the Netflix hit series Marvel's Luke Cage. He is portrayed by Theo Rossi.

Past
Shades has a backstory with Luke Cage, as he was one of the men who beat Cage up in prison.

Deal gone wrong
After a deal between Cottonmouth and other gangsters has gone wrong, Shades' employer Diamondback, who provided Cottonmouth with high-tech guns, sends Shades to help Cottonmouth in his attempts to get back his money. Shades arrives at Cottonmouth's office and bluntly tells him that after the botched deal, the weapons are in a police lockup and that the money is gone. Shades wants to know whether it was an inside job and Stokes replies that it was most certainly not, reminding Shades that he needed the money too. Cottonmouth is concerned, believing that Diamondback wants to take over his operation. Shades, however, assures him that this is no takeover and offers his help in solving the problem.

After meeting with his cousin Mariah, Cottonmouth speaks to Shades and another henchman. The henchman confirms that Dante, whom he found dying at the scapyard where the deal went wrong, was one of the men who attacked the deal. Dante also gave up the names of two who were with him. One of these boys is invited to the Harlem's Paradise, where the henchman brings him to Cottonmouth. When Shades enters the club through the kitchen, Cage immediately recognizes Shades, who in turn does not recognize Cage. Shades heads up to Cottonmouth's office, where he witnesses Cottonmouth beating the boy to death. Afterwards, he is tasked by Cottonmouth to get rid of the body and to find and bring him his money. Cottonmouth's men then start hunting the boy Chico, the last of the three attackers.

While Pop and Cage are talking about Cottonmouth and the deal in Pop's Barber Shop, they are surprised when the very same turns up to get shaved. While Pop is shaving Cottonmouth, Cage has to control his anger in order to not attack Shades immediately. When he clenches his fists so hard that the broom he is holding breaks in two, Shades briefly looks up, only to comment that it is a cheap broom. Shades then starts a conversation with Cage, telling him that he just came home from a three-year stretch in prison. He claims that he grew up in this very neighborhood and then inquires whether Chico is still around, claiming that he knows him from his youth. Cage gives no real answer, telling him that people come and go. As they turn to leave, Shades reminds Pop and Luke to call out if Chico is seen. With Cottonmouth's assistant, Shades meets with an informant who tells them that Chico is inside Pop's Barber Shop. The two then drive up next to the Barber Shop and shoot up the store from outside. Pop is killed by the bullets but Chico, who is wounded, and Luke play dead. Shades and the assistant enter the barber shop, grab Chico's backpack and flee, Shades muttering that they should have waited.

Back at the nightclub, Shades and the assistant meet with Stokes and Mariah on the roof. There, while Shades once more claims that they should have waited, the assistant tells Cottonmouth that he made an 'executive decision' at the barber store where they know Chico was at that time. Cottonmouth is amused about the term 'executive decision' and asks whether the two got Chico when he tried to slip outside. When he is told that the assistant instead shot up the store itself, his amused facade swiftly crumbles. Shades tells Cottonmouth that he advised the assistant to wait, to which the assistant replies that the "shit got loud because it needed to be loud". When the assistant claims that people should know what happens to people who rob Cottonmouth, Stokes loudly screams that Cottonmouth is not his name. The assistant does not understand why Cottonmouth is so furious, claiming that all that counts is that they got the money back. Although he is still angry, Cottonmouth calms down, telling that Pops can always rebuild and that he himself will donate money for that cause. When he is told, however, that Pops died in the attack, Cottonmouth grabs the assistant and throws him off the roof. During the entire conversation, Shades remains quiet.