Diro Kesakian

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Evil-doer
Full Name	Diro Kesakian
Alias	Diro K’esakean Garine Essagian
Origin	The Shield
Occupation	Student Leader of the Armenian Mob
Powers / Skills	Intelligence Manipulation Cunning Whealt Intimidation
Goals	Kill Vic Mackey (failed).
Crimes	Attempted murder Conspiracy Organized crime Euthanasia
Type of Villain	Affable Crime Lady

“	Your sentiment will destroy you.	„
	~ Diro Kesakian to Shane Vendrell.

Diro Kesakian is the secondary antagonist of the second half of season 6 in the FX television series The Shield.

Diro was the acting head of the Armenian Mafia and went after Vic Mackey after partnering with Shane Vendrell. She was played by German actress Franka Potente.

Biography

Season 6

“	I must finish the job. There is no middle ground.	„
	~ Diro Kesakian tells Shane Vendrell that she is going to kill Vic and Ronnie's families.

Shane Vendrell had a falling out with Vic Mackey, which resulted in him being kicked out of the Strike Team. Shane was forced to look for other opportunities to provide for his family, so he ended up working as an enforcer for Diro and her dying father. After Shane uncovered the names of three black men who were robbing the Kesakians' stable of Russian prostitutes, Diro had the three castrated. Vic attempted to sabotage their relationship by manipulating Diro and telling her about Shane's past with Antwon Mitchell.

Panicking when Diro attempted to end their arrangement, Shane told her that she cannot trust Vic, as he and Ronnie Gardocki robbed the Armenian Money Train. To his horror, Diro responded by putting out orders to kill Vic, Ronnie, and their families. When Shane pleaded with her to leave the families out of it, Diro coldly responded, "We can't leave the people we love out of the choices we make."

Ari Zadofian was sent by Diro to kill Vic's family, but Shane was able to shoot Ari in the stomach and kidnap Vic's family to protect them from being killed. He also transferred his allegiance to Ellis Rezian, Diro's main rival who was also fighting for control over the Armenian mob. Ellis put out a hit on Diro and her father, but Shane warned her so that she could escape before she was killed. Diro was forced to return to Germany, but not before she euthanized her father. Before catching her flight, she told Shane, "Your sentiment will destroy you." This ultimately proved to be true.

Season 7

“	I eventually got Emolia to recant her story, but it didn't matter. Lem was still gone, and our Armenian problem was just beginning.	„
	~ Vic Mackey mentions the issues with Diro Kesakian in his confession to ICE during Season 7.

Diro does not appear in the final season, as she is still in Germany, however her presence still looms over the show. In addition to Shane briefly seeing her police file, the Armenian Mob, now led by Ellis Rezian, is the secondary antagonist of the first half of the season.

Diro is also mentioned by name by Ronnie repeatedly when he finds Ari Zadofian. He demands that Zadofian call Diro and tell her to put a stop to the contracts. Diro calls him back, but before Zadofian could answer, Ronnie shot him twice in the chest, killing him.

Vic later mentions his problems with the Armenians during the events of Season 6, thus alluding to Diro in his confession to ICE agent Olivia Murray. Since the scene cut away before Vic could mention her by name, it can be safely assumed that Vic went into detail about how Diro and Rezian attempted to kill his family.

Personality

Diro was cold, calculating and ruthless. She was prepared to kill Vic and Ronnie's entire families over a robbery that happened years ago. Despite her ruthlessness, however, she had a strange innocent side as she was a loving daughter to her ailing father and a devout Armenian Apostolic Christian. Diro claims that her father told her that the Armenian people have had everything taken from them, presumably referring to the Armenian genocide and, later, Armenia's communist government under Soviet Union rule, and she vowed to never let that happen to Armenian Americans, who are regularly being targeted by rival gangs.

Trivia

• Diro and her father are also the overarching main antagonists of Season 3, as Diro mentioned her father came over from Armenia roughly around the time of the money train robbery, and claimed that the robbery cost her father six months of profit. It is highly likely that either Diro or her father ordered Margos Dezerian to find and kill whoever was responsible for the heist.
• Franka Potente was one of several high-profile guest stars that appeared on The Shield in its later seasons, alongside Glenn Close, Anthony Anderson, Forest Whitaker, Laura Harring and Laurie Holden.
• Diro was intended to appear as a major antagonist in Season 7, but Franka Potente was unable to reprise the role because she was busy shooting another project.
• Diro is the only member of the Armenian Mob in the Shield to be a female.