Monroe Fuches

Monroe Fuches
Biographical Information
Alias(es)	The Raven Kenneth Goulet
Born	c. 1960s
Nationality	American
Occupation	Army officer (formerly) Barry Berkman's handler (formerly) Gang leader (formerly)
Affiliation(s)	United States Army (formerly) Chechen Mafia (formerly) Raven Gang (formerly)
Behind the scenes
First appearance	"Chapter One: Make Your Mark"
Last appearance	"wow"
Portrayed by	Stephen Root

"Denial. It's tough. I used to think I was a soldier, ignoring the fact I never fought in a battle my whole life. I was a poser. Then I fancied myself a mentor, fostering other men's natural abilities but it wasn't until I was in prison, and I got beaten to an inch of my life day after day that I finally dropped the bullshit and just accepted who I am... a man with no heart."

―Fuches to NoHo Hank.

Monroe Fuches (b. 1960s), also known as "The Raven" is a former U.S. Army soldier who became a manipulative criminal in his later years. He worked as the handler for hitman Barry Berkman for years, until they moved to Los Angeles to work with the Chechen Mafia and Barry attempted to leave his life of crime to become an actor. Feeling betrayed, Fuches attempted to sabotage Barry's new life and relationships, which led to a long-standing feud between the pair.

After he was arrested and served an eight-year sentence at California State Penitentiary, he emerged as a cruel and hardened gang leader, and engaged in a violent gang war with NoHo Hank over Hank's refusal to admit to his mistakes.

Biography

Background

Fuches was a close friend to John Berkman for years while also serving as an Army officer in the United States military. Fuches met Barry Berkman when he was seven years old and quickly took a liking to him.

Recruiting Barry

Fuches and Barry

Following Barry's murder of an innocent man in Korangal, Afghanistan, Fuches was able to arrange Barry's discharge from the Marines, beginning Fuches' manipulation of Barry. The years following the discharge, Fuches molded Barry into a hitman after seeing potential in him.

A new partnership

In 2018, Fuches arranged for Barry to travel out to Los Angeles to work with the Chechen operation. Fuches worked with head of operations, Goran Pazar to have Barry kill a local personal trainer Ryan Madison for having an affair with Pazar's wife. Fuches eventually flew out to LA to help Barry with the Chechens after issues came up.

Prisoner

After Barry's hesitant manner about the killing, the two are kidnapped by the Chechens and brought to Pazar's home. Fuches is tortured by Pazar's right hand man NoHo Hank and Vacha until Barry agreed to a hit on another target. When Barry accepted the hit, Fuches was forced to remain and be held prisoner until the hit was done.

However, Goran Hank had no intention of letting Fuches live as he had already gotten a famed Chechen assassin named Stovka come to the United States to kill both. When he arrived, Fuches began talking to him only for Stovka to kill himself. Fuches denied any involvement but the Chechens beat him more and were ready to kill him.

A new plan

Fuches is eventually freed by the Chechens and continues working with them, planning new hits as it is learned that Bolivian crime boss, Cristobal Sifuentes is coming to the States. Barry is told to take him out with the help of others while Fuches continues to work behind the scenes.

Fuches is captured again after Goran learns that Sifuentes is a nice person and that the hit on them was planned based off of Fuches' lies. Fuches is captured and told to be killed by Ruslan but is delayed by the Chechen building a trap to kill him with. This gave Barry enough time to kill Goran, Ruslan, and other Chechens, saving Fuches.

Fuches escapes as the cops close in on the place, though his tooth is left behind.

New hitmen

After Pazar's death, Fuches is brought to an airport by Barry and forced to get out of the car, losing Barry. Fuches decided to go back to Cleveland and began hiring new hitmen to try and replace Barry. None of them were even close to Barry's skill, one hitman leading the police back to Fuches' motel room.

Fuches is taken into custody and claimed that he was held hostage. Eventually, Fuches was interrogated by LA cop, John Loach, giving Fuches a chance to enact revenge on Barry.

Revenge on Barry

Working with Loach

Fuches in "What?!"

Fuches and Loach returned to Los Angeles with the goal of having Barry confess to his crimes while Fuches is wearing a wire. At first, Fuches failed to get Barry to reveal information, annoying Fuches. When Barry came to Fuches for help, Fuches began to have doubts about ratting him out.

One night, Barry came to Fuches and accidently revealed that he killed Janice Moss, giving Loach enough information to arrest Barry. However, Fuches and Barry were given the assignment of killing Ronny Proxin, a man who has been sleeping with Loach's wife.

Fuches drove Barry to the Proxin home and waited as Barry performed the hit. When Barry escaped the house, wounded, Fuches drove to a drug store to patch him up but got alarmed when Barry revealed that Ronny's daughter, Lily attacked him as well. They got Barry the supplies he needed and patched him up but the stitches were done poorly and are pulled out quickly.

As Fuches drove around, they eventually found Lily. Fuches attempted to talk to her but Lily ran onto a roof and waited there for hours. At night, Fuches once again tried to help Barry by applying superglue to Barry's wound but it isn't useful. Then, Lily jumped onto their car and snuck in through the back.

Fuches and Barry

Fuches is alarmed when Lily bite down on his face but was unable to do anything as he had accidently superglued his hands to the wheel. Lily ripped a piece of Fuches' cheek away before running off. Fuches drove both of them to another store for supplies but when the police arrived, Fuches hid the car and waited for Barry.

Showing Gene the truth

Fuches showing Gene the truth

After Barry once again attempted to cut ties with him, Fuches went to Gene Cousineau's lake house and eventually found the body of Janice Moss, a victim of Berkman. Fuches, now under the alias Private Investigator Kenneth Goulet, met Gene and told him that he had a lead on her whereabouts.

Fuches takes Gene into the woods, getting angry as Gene talks about Barry. They finally reach an abandoned car and in the trunk, they find the body of Janice. While Gene does this, Fuches calls in the report, claiming to be Gene and frames the murder on him. He then aims his gun at Gene's head but is unable to do it. Fuches fleas the scene, only being spotted by Barry.

At the monastery

Fuches heads to the monastery for shelter and helps ease relations with the Chechens and Bolivians. That night, the two groups celebrate but when Barry arrives, he begins killing people to get to Fuches. Fuches hides throughout the monastery while Barry kills nearly all the people inside. Fuches asks Akhmal and Yandar to help him, who identify him as Barry's mentor. They take him out through a back door and he manages to escape Barry's wrath.

Living in Chechnya

Chechnya

The Chechens sent Fuches to Chechnya for at least six months as they wait for things to die down in Los Angeles. He lived in a small cabin and farm. Fuches soon got a phone call from Hank, informing him that he can return to LA as things have blown over but Fuches was content with his life.

When he learned that Barry is no longer a problem, Fuches called Barry to apologize and expected an apology in return. When Barry failed to apologize, Fuches turned to anger and began to mock Barry for trying to fix his relationship with Gene. Fuches then expressed the desire for revenge against Barry. His caretaker tried to convince him to abandon the idea, using an old fable about forgiveness. However, Fuches missed the point of the fable and intended to strike back at Barry.

The truth is revealed

Fuches arrived back in LA and began going to the victims' families who were affected by Barry. Under the name, Kenneth Goulet, Fuches arrived at the house of Julie and Kyle and revealed to them the real truth. He also visited Ryan Madison's father, George Krempf, trying to make him see that Barry "stole" Ryan's life.

Fuches then went to the biker gang that Taylor used to be with and explained to them what Barry did. Fuches attempted to convince Taylor's sister, Traci only to be shot by another biker.

Recovering

Fuches is quickly found and recovered in a small house and quickly fell for a girl. When Fuches got a call from Janice's father, Jim Moss and seeing a newspaper about Barry, Fuches decided to steal their car and go after them.

In custody

Fuches arrived at Moss' home and then decided to take a drive. Fuches was surprised when Moss arrived at the Police Station and is taken into custody by Mae Dunn. Under the alias The Raven, Fuches is interrogated by Barry's friend, Albert Nguyen and admitted to turning Barry into a hitman and revealed Barry's role in Chris' murder.

Life in prison

Working with the FBI

Fuches was sent to the California State Penitentiary. Early in his tenure, Fuches was shocked to see that Barry was also in the prison, going straight to the FBI Agents to strike a deal. Wearing a wire, Fuches went to Barry but when Barry apologized about what had happened, Fuches abandoned the idea of turning him in and forgave him.

Fuches decides to embrace the made-up title of “The Raven” (given to him by NoHo Hank to throw the FBI off his own trail) as his true status. Fuches unsuccessfully tried to convince some other prisoners to protect Barry, only to learn that Barry was taking the deal previously offered to Fuches. Fuches felt double-crossed and called NoHo Hank and revealed that Barry is working with the FBI. Fuches once again changed course and worked with NoHo Hank on taking Barry down. However, after watching an inspiring movie, Fuches decides to warn the guards that a hit was placed on Barry by yelling it in the general population. Fuches is whisked away to avoid a riot.

While meeting in a private room with the FBI to secure his own witness protection, Barry spotted an imposter posing as a government agent and tried to warn them. Just then, the imposter (sent by NoHo Hank to assassinate Barry) set off a gun pen, but it blew up in the imposter's hand severing at least a finger. This was followed by rapid gunfire from the ceiling by a second assassin shooting all actual government agents; however, Barry managed to grab a gun and killed the ceiling assassin, making his way for his escape from prison.

After Barry escaped the prison, the guards went to Fuches and began beating him for days until he was on the brink of death, trying to glean info on Barry’s whereabouts. Fuches’ refusal to rat out Barry gained him respect from the other prisoners and also made him realize that to survive in prison and become who he truly is, he needed to embrace his intimidating persona as “The Raven.”

in the meantime, Barry meets up with his long time love, Sally, has a child (John) and sets up a simple life in seclusion. Then, Barry learns that Gene Cousineau (his former acting teacher) is going to make a movie of Barry’s life and comes back to Los Angeles with the intention of killing Cousineau.

A new life

NoHoBal conflict

Fuches is free

Eight years after Barry escaped prison, Fuches is released and is greeted by former prisoners who form a gang. Fuches visits NoHo Hank (who has built a legitimate and highly lucrative corporation). In exchange for his silence in prison regarding NoHo Hank's criminal activities, Fuches makes a list of expensive housing and monetary demands for he and his gang (who will work as security for NoHo Hank). Fuches demanded to know where Barry was hiding so he could finally seek revenge.

That night, a drunk Fuches toasted the table about their new coalition, but it fell to pieces after Fuches claimed that NoHo Hank killed his former lover and partner, Cristobal. This enraged NoHo Hank who called off their partnership.

The next day, Fuches and his men are attacked by NoHo Hank with a failed rocket launch at their house. A chase ensues and NoHo Hank manages to narrowly escape.

A bad deal

Final appearance

Later, Fuches and his gang went to the NoHoBal compound to explore rejoining forces NoHo Hank and his crew standing in the lobby with Sally Reed. Fuches learned that Barry and Sally had a son named John John Berkman and he is being held captive in the building. Fuches demands that he be brought out. As Fuches sees John for the first time, he realizes he first met Barry when he was John’s age and a look of regret flashes across his face.

Fuches decides to offer a new deal to NoHo Hank— that Fuches and his men will leave forever if NoHo Hank admits to arranging the murder of Cristobal, because the truth will set him free. NoHo Hank makes a tearful confession in front of his men. Then, NoHo Hank pulls out of the deal, telling Fuches that he is a liar. Fuches immediately pulled out his gun and shot Hank in the chest. A rapid gunfire exchange ensued between the two gangs and Fuches lunged on top of John to protect him.

Then, gently covering the boy’s eyes, Fuches walks him past the the bloodbath and out of the building, only to come face to face with Barry, who had just arrived outside heavily armed to save his son and Sally. Barry realizes that Fuches just saved his son from death.

Barry and Fuches lock eyes and there is a poignant moment of forgiveness amid a complicated history together, and they finally bury the hatchet as John runs to his father.

Personality

On the surface, Fuches appears to be a friendly, paternal figure towards Barry and most people around him, giving them advice, helping them to mitigate conflicts in their life, and usually speaking in a relaxed and welcoming, but confident, voice.

Underneath this superficial façade, Fuches is a selfish, cowardly, narcissistic, and dangerous individual who truly cares for no one but himself. He has shown himself to be more than willing to lie to others, damage their relationships, force them through painful revelations, and manipulate and gaslight them in order to further his own ends, be it the pursuit of money, revenge, or both.

Fuches is also a rather petty individual, who reacts extremely whenever he feels that he's been disrespected. He spent the last few episodes of Season 2, as well as the entirety of Season 3, trying to completely ruin Barry's life as revenge for Barry refusing to work for him, as well as refusing to apologize to Fuches for trying to kill him in the Season 2 finale after Fuches nearly got Gene imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. Fuches also did this despite having multiple opportunities to get away with all of his crimes (which would surely land him in prison for the rest of his life, or on death row) and start a peaceful life on a farm, which shows just how much his entitled attitude and rage can get the better of him. This fits with some fan speculations that Fuches has Narcissistic Personality Disorder, as many narcissists become highly enraged and vengeful, often to the point of behaving ludicrously, towards people over minor slights, or instances of someone refusing to give in to their unreasonable demands for how that person should behave around them.

While being physically incapable of effectively defending himself, and showing a pathetic inclination to run from danger, rather than confront it, Fuches is by no means harmless, or incapable of seriously hurting others. He is a highly charismatic speaker and manipulator, able to turn regular people into willing killers overnight, convince two warring crime groups to bury the hatchet in a few hours, and able to manipulate Barry into killing for him (as well as unfairly giving him most of the money he earns from his hits) for at least a year, all with just the power of his charms and tongue.

Starting in the third season, Fuches is portrayed as one of those natural ladies' men, with considerable success at seducing much younger and more attractive female partners even though he himself is middle-aged and looks somewhat off-putting.

Gallery

Stills

• Season 1
• Season 2
• Season 3
• Season 4