Maybelline "Mabel" Stokes, better known as Mama Mabel, is a significant antagonist figure in the television series Luke Cage, set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although she doesn’t appear in the show’s main timeline, her presence is deeply felt through numerous flashbacks and the memories of other characters. Mama Mabel was the powerful and ruthless matriarch of the Stokes Crime Family, as well as the undisputed queen of Harlem’s criminal underworld during the youth of her grandchildren, Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes and Mariah Dillard (née Stokes). Her actions, decisions, and legacy form the foundation for many of the central conflicts depicted in the series.
She was portrayed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson.
Biography[]
Power, Operations, and Position in the Harlem Community[]
Mama Mabel Stokes was a powerful and respected crime boss in Harlem. She led the Stokes family empire, running its operations from a building that served both as the family home and the center of her criminal activities, including a brothel. Her authority was absolute, and her word was law in the territories she controlled. Her methods were pragmatic and ruthless. She ran a business trafficking in stolen goods, with young associates like Henry "Pop" Hunter bringing her stolen watches. Mama Mabel was firmly opposed to drug dealing in her territory and responded violently when anyone brought it up.
She maintained control through brutal punishments. One example of her cruelty was cutting off a boy’s finger for breaking her rules or showing disloyalty. She also owned a signature pearl-handled pistol, which became a family symbol, passed down as both a weapon and a sign of their violent legacy. Mama Mabel inspired fear but also "kept Harlem shipshape", providing order and protection from chaos through criminal means. She worked to present herself as someone who cared for the community, earning respect and loyalty from parts of Harlem. She was both a protector and a ruthless ruler, combining care with brutality in her leadership.
Stokes-McIver Conflict[]
The conflict between the Stokes and McIver families originates from a business partnership between Buggy Stokes and Quincy McIver. They shared dreams of rum production and opening a nightclub, leading to the creation of Harlem's Paradise and the Bushmaster rum brand. Their agreement, written on a cocktail napkin, guaranteed McIver half of the profits. However, under pressure from external interests (likely white gangsters), Buggy betrayed and murdered Quincy to take full control of the business. Buggy was wounded in the confrontation and died months later.
After Buggy’s death, Mama Mabel and her brother-in-law, "Pistol" Pete, quickly worked to erase any trace of Quincy McIver’s involvement in their empire, consolidating the Stokes family's claims. The culmination of this betrayal occurred in the mid-1980s when Mabel and Pete traveled to Kingston, Jamaica, taking young Cornell and Mariah with them. The official purpose was to settle financial matters with Quincy’s widow, Gwen McIver, who demanded her share of the profits from Harlem’s Paradise and Bushmaster rum. However, instead of negotiations, Mabel mocked Gwen’s claims and then personally threw a Molotov cocktail made from Bushmaster rum into Gwen’s house, burning her alive inside. The horrific scene was witnessed by Gwen’s young son, John McIver, who was left an orphan. Mabel then threw the partnership napkin into the flames. Two years later, Pistol Pete returned to Jamaica, likely under Mabel’s orders, and shot young John in an attempt to eliminate the McIver family's claims once and for all. However, John survived, treated with nightshade.
Raising Cornell and Mariah[]
Mama Mabel Stokes raised her grandchildren, Cornell Stokes and Mariah Dillard, using fundamentally different approaches that shaped their futures and their relationship. Cornell was prepared from a young age to take over the family’s criminal enterprise. His musical talent, shown through his piano playing, was actively suppressed by Mabel, despite encouragement from his uncle, Pete. Mabel saw his artistic ambitions as a weakness that didn’t fit the harsh life she planned for him. He was forced to participate in the violent aspects of the family business to harden him and prepare him as her successor.
Mariah, on the other hand, was steered toward education and success in the legal world. Mabel invested in her schooling, sending her to a private school, and aimed to protect her from direct involvement in the family’s criminal activities. Mabel showed more affection toward Mariah and placed her hopes in her to secure the family’s future through legitimate influence.
"Pistol" Pete Stokes played a key but troubling role in the household. He supported Cornell’s musical ambitions, opposing Mabel’s plans for him. At the same time, he sexually abused Mariah. When Mariah’s abuse came to light, Mabel’s initial response was to send Mariah away from the house rather than confront Pete directly, choosing to protect the family structure instead.
This unequal treatment and complex family dynamic sowed deep resentment and rivalry between the cousins. Cornell resented Mariah for the educational opportunities and protection he was denied while being forced into a life he didn’t choose. Mariah, though favored in Mabel’s plans, suffered from Pete’s abuse. Mabel’s decision to send Mariah away, instead of punishing Pete, prioritized the family’s stability over the well-being of her grandchildren.
Mabel’s way of raising Cornell and Mariah directly contributed to their dysfunctional relationship as adults and ultimately to their downfall. Cornell’s suppressed talent and forced entry into crime fueled his bitterness toward Mariah. Mariah’s ambition, combined with the unresolved trauma from Pete’s abuse, created a volatile mix that led to tragedy. Mabel not only raised them - she set the stage for their future conflict, building the divisions that would later break their bond in a violent end.
Confrontation with Betrayal – The Execution of "Pistol" Pete[]
A pivotal moment for the Stokes family was Mama Mabel’s decision to eliminate “Pistol” Pete. The events leading to his death began when young Cornell told Mabel that Pete had been secretly doing business with rivals, including Salvador and the Puerto Ricans. This betrayal sealed Pete’s fate. When Pete returned home, Mama Mabel confronted him with his betrayal and handed her pearl-handled pistol to young, terrified Cornell. She ordered him to take Pete to the back and shoot him. Mariah watched the execution, witnessing a moment that served both as punishment for Pete and, from her perspective, justice for the harm he caused.
By making Cornell carry out the execution, Mama Mabel forced him into a cruel choice between loyalty to her and any affection he had for Pete, who had once supported his music. The act punished Pete, bound Cornell to the family’s criminal path, and sent a powerful message about loyalty and Mabel’s absolute control. Mariah’s presence added another layer, showing her that violence was both a tool of punishment and power.
The Birth of Tilda Johnson[]
Another example of Mama Mabel’s ruthless control over her family’s image and structure was how she handled the birth of her great-granddaughter, Tilda Johnson. Tilda was the daughter of Mariah Dillard, conceived as a result of rape by Mariah’s uncle, "Pistol" Pete Stokes. After Tilda was born, Mama Mabel made the decision to give the child away. Tilda was sent to be raised by another family - the Johnsons - under the care of Mama Johnson. As a result, Tilda grew up unaware of her true parentage or that Mariah was her biological mother.
Mabel’s primary reason for this decision was to prevent scandal and protect the Stokes family’s reputation. Revealing that Mariah had given birth to a child as a result of incestuous rape would have damaged the family’s standing in Harlem and jeopardized Mabel’s plans for Mariah’s future as a respectable, legitimate figure.
Mama Mabel's Legacy[]
Although Mama Mabel is no longer alive during the main events of the series, her actions and personality cast a long shadow, shaping the fates of her descendants and the power dynamics in Harlem. Her influence is most apparent in the characters of Cornell and Mariah. Cornell spent his life struggling with resentment towards Mariah, a complex relationship with violence and power, and a longing for music - all direct results of his upbringing under Mabel. His emotional repression and adult struggles can be traced back to the trauma caused by Mabel, particularly when she forced him to kill Pete and suppressed his true passions.
Mariah, on the other hand, exhibited ambition, political savvy, and a complicated relationship with the criminal past of the family. Her eventual embrace of ruthless power and methods was both a struggle against and a partial emulation of Mabel’s legacy. Mariah's desire to be seen as a powerful matriarch of Harlem mirrored the role Mabel once played. In moments of intense stress and guilt, Mariah even experienced hallucinations involving Mabel, indicating the deep psychological impact Mabel had on her life.
The consequences of Mabel's decisions reached beyond her immediate family. John "Bushmaster" McIver's vendetta against the Stokes family, which drives the second season’s plot, was directly motivated by the desire for revenge for Mabel’s killing of his parents (Anansi and Ingrid).
Personality[]
Mama Mabel was defined by her extreme ruthlessness. She was willing to use any means necessary - violence, murder (even against family members and parents), manipulation - to maintain power and eliminate threats or disloyalty. Her actions against Pistol Pete and Gwen McIver are clear examples of this brutality. She ruled her family with an iron fist, demanding absolute loyalty and dictating the life paths of her grandchildren.
She displayed significant hypocrisy, publicly presenting herself as a caretaker of the community while privately acting out of self-interest and cruelty. Her refusal to address Mariah’s abuse until it threatened her business, and her opposition to drugs despite committing other violent crimes, reflected her selective morality.
Mabel had an intimidating, commanding presence, capable of instilling fear and obedience. Even years after her death, her name held great weight in Harlem. At the same time, she possessed strong (though criminal) business acumen, successfully managing Harlem’s underworld and building a powerful empire. Her personality traits - ruthlessness, control, intimidation, calculated "generosity" - were not just inherent qualities but deliberate tools she used to secure and maintain power. Her ability to switch between the roles of benevolent matriarch and tyrant was key to her lasting influence.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Criminal Leadership: Mama Mabel’s primary "ability" was her effectiveness as the leader of a criminal organization. She possessed strategic thinking, organizational skills within her criminal network, and the ability to maintain control over Harlem’s underworld for many years.
- Intimidation and Manipulation: She was a master of psychological manipulation and intimidation, using these skills to control her family members, subordinates, and the community.
- Ruthlessness: Her willingness to commit extreme acts of violence served as a powerful tool for enforcing her will and eliminating opposition.
