Who is Roddy in Slow Horses? Character arc explored in details

As we know, Slow Horses features a team of agents who have failed or made mistakes in their careers and are considered a liability. Roddy Ho was recruited to the team for his computer skills, and unlike others at Slow Horse who ended up there due to serious mistakes, Roddy’s “failure” is a bit more subtle.

MI5, instead of firing him, sends him to Slow Horses to still be able to extract his skills. However, the catch is that Roddy believes him as a prodigy who is being misunderstood in an ordinary world. Read more to know more about the character, Roddy Ho, from Slow Horses.

Here is the full character arc of Roddy Ho in Slow Horses

Roddy portrays himself as someone from the streets, but it seems like he is exaggerating. He has a British-Chinese identity that sets him apart. In season 1, when River calls him for some tech help with Alan Black, he reacts dismissively, while Sid Baker ends up slapping his injured hand. This suggests how little his team members can actually tolerate his antics.

However, he discovers a video of a boy kidnapped via a Middle East chatroom, which gives the Slow Horses their first big lead. Roddy is later bribed by River when he refuses to hack Hobden's emails as he doesn't see any personal benefit. River then tells him that he knows the reason behind his entry in Slow Horses. This disturbs Roddy a little, which hints towards his dark side.

His character is funny as he is often seen listening to Iron Maiden while photoshopping himself into muscular pictures. Yes, that is how he treats his loneliness. In season 2, he realises he is being tracked by mysterious Russians. Most of the agents take this as another story for attention or simply his paranoia; however, this time, he turns out to be right. He then helps River and Lamb by digging into phone records and online activities to decode the Cold War networks. What makes his character resonate is that he feels he doesn't get enough credit for his work, while he is the "real" brain behind every operation.

In season 3 of Slow Horses, Roddy's delusional self meets real danger

Roddy in Slow Horses season 3 is asked to assist the technical support crew when Louisa Guy gets caught in the Glasshouse operation. There comes a point when Roddy agrees to give away sensitive information after being flattered for his genius. Therefore, his arc in season 3 suggests that he has not grown or changed much. His character is still waiting to be redeemed.

Season 4 comes, where the season focuses on River's grandfather, David; however, Roddy plays his usual role, being a hacker in the background. When a bombing happens and they realise it could be connected with Park's politics. Roddy becomes responsible for tracing communications. Therefore, his investigation helps with an important mission.

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This says a lot about the character, as he isn't about transformation like Louisa or River, but remains the same clown-genius even after life-bending experiences in Slow Horses.

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