Leon

Leon
Name	Leon
Affiliation	Dark Army (formerly)
Status	Alive
First appearance	“eps2.0_unm4sk-pt1.tc”
Played by	Joey Bada$$

“	Do you want to be here, right now? And I don't mean here-here, I mean here in a cosmic sense, bro. Like... existence could be beautiful, or it could be ugly. But that's on you.	”
— Leon

On the surface, Leon is a friend of Elliot Alderson during the latter's prison sentence, joining him for meals and basketball games. He is extremely laid-back and talkative, and frequently waxes philosophical about situational comedies. In secret, he is an agent of the Dark Army, assigned to protect Elliot during his prison term, among other jobs. Leon has extensive connections within the penitentiary, trafficking in contraband like pornography and drugs.

Leon is played by Joey Bada$$.

History

Leon grew up in Brooklyn. He has two younger sisters, who he helped raise. He is otherwise very reluctant to talk about his background; when asked about the reason for his incarceration, Leon said that he was doing a "favor for a friend", and left it at that. (“eps1.91_redwheelbarr0w.txt”)

Season 2

Leon strikes up a conversation with Elliot on his first day in prison. Undeterred by Elliot's silence, Leon advises him to find allies and establish a routine, offering to connect him with contraband. Elliot requests a notebook. (“eps2.7_init5.fve”)

When he and Elliot aren't together at mealtime, or at the basketball court, Leon works at the prison library, watching DVD box sets on the computers. During the course of Elliot's prison term, he heralds Mad About You as an artistic triumph, and begins watching Seinfeld. Though he initially struggles with its nihilist philosophy, Leon comes to enjoy the series - with the exception of the Soup Nazi, as people obsessed with rules "bug the shit out of him". (“eps1.91_redwheelbarr0w.txt”)

Watching one of the basketball games, Leon fails to return a ball that bounces under the stands, angering one of the players. Leon makes a show of throwing the ball away, deliberately sparking a confrontation; Ray intervenes, retrieving the ball and reminding Leon to behave. As the players return to the game, Ray muses on the social dynamics of power and performance. (“eps2.0_unm4sk-pt2.tc”)

Hoping to rid himself of Mr. Robot, Elliot asks Leon for Adderall. Leon advises him to be careful with the dosage. (“eps2.1_k3rnel-pan1c.ksd”)

When Elliot brings a chessboard to lunch, Leon offers to play a game, and discusses chess as a method of self-improvement. When Elliot says that he's playing for "existence", Leon applauds the stakes, but asks why Elliot is passively waiting around. He encourages Elliot to dream of his ideal future, one that he is willing to fight for. (“eps2.2_init1.asec”)

Leon's loyalties are finally revealed when Elliot is menaced by a group of white supremacists. Armed with a knife, Leon takes down all four single-handedly. He tells Elliot to expect a letter the following Tuesday, and asks him to put in a good word with Whiterose the next time they meet. (“eps2.5_h4ndshake.sme”)

Soon afterwards, Leon is released from prison. He leaves Hot Carla a business card for "Art Vandelay, Importer/Exporter", in case of emergency. (“eps1.91_redwheelbarr0w.txt”)

Later, in Arizona, Leon approaches Mobley and Trenton, asking them for the time. (“eps2.9_pyth0n_pt2.p7z”)

Season 3

Leon escorts Mobley and Trenton back to their home and holds them hostage at knifepoint, murdering Mobley's roommate when he refuses to comply. After driving out to the desert to bury the roomate's body, he is surprised when Trenton and Mobley try and fail to escape in his car, and forces them to dig the remainder of the roommate's grave. Upon returning Mobley and Trenton home, he calmly parts ways with the hackers, leaving their fates in the hands of a group of Dark Army soldiers.

Later, Leon returns to New York under new orders from the Dark Army and waits for Elliot at the latter's apartment. He is surprised when Elliot returns with Angela Moss and openly mistakes her for a call girl. Angela in turn accuses him of eavesdropping on them, though he calmly denies it. After Angela leaves, Leon escorts Elliot to the meeting with Whiterose and leaves him in the company of Dr. Wang, once again parting with his charge on good terms.

By the time Irving arrives with Elliot at a barn outside the city, Leon has been helping keep an eye on the captured Darlene and Agent Dominique DiPierro, along with Santiago and two other Dark Army agents. When Irving, Santiago and DiPierro leave, Leon remains inside to help guard the Aldersons. After Dom returns shaken, having witnessed Santiago's brutal murder by Irving, Leon offers her some weed to ease the tension, but she refuses. Eventually, when the meeting turns sour after Elliot threatens to expose the Dark Army, Leon puts a gun to Darlene's head and forces him to cooperate.