Suits’ Best Villain Arc Should Have Lasted Much Longer Than It Did

Suits season 4 delivered the show’s best villain arc, yet only lasted a few episodes. While the first few Suits episodes followed a case-of-the-week structure, the show later began to have multi-episode arcs dedicated to just one case or topic. For example, Suits season 2 was about taking down Daniel Hardman, the show’s first overarching villain. Most of the Suits antagonists were characters from outside the firm, though, which is why season 4’s Louis Litt storyline was so promising. After fighting other lawyers and bankers for half of the season, Harvey and Mike suddenly had to face Louis.

Louis Litt ranks high in the list of best Suits characters, having appeared in all seasons of the show. While Louis gave Suits some of its best scenes, the show did not always know how to use the character. Louis’ personality changes a lot throughout the series compared to how he acted in season 1, going from a serious threat to Mike and Harvey to a comic relief. Suits season 4, one of the show’s best, came close to bringing back the more menacing side of Louis Litt. Unfortunately, the show wasted what could have been a great arc.

Louis Litt Briefly Became Suits’ Main Villain In Season 4

Louis found out about Mike in season 4, episode 10

Suits season 4, episode 10, “This Is Rome” is widely considered one of the best Suits episodes. Following Louis’ resignation from Pearson Specter at the end of the previous episode, “This Is Rome” saw him trying to get back on his feet with the help of Mike, Donna, and Harvey. However, since Jessica would not let Louis take any of his old clients with him to his new job, tension was created between him and his former co-workers. By the end of the episode, Pearson Specter had succeeded in keeping all of Louis’ clients, leaving him without a job.

“This Is Rome” also sees Mike visiting Louis to support his friend. However, Mike makes a huge mistake and does not recognize the Order of the Coif key, something someone with his grades at Harvard should have received too. Before the credits roll, Louis reveals to Donna that he knows the truth about Mike in one of the most intense scenes in the whole show. Donna was by far Louis’ best friend at the firm, so seeing him yell at her because of Mike Ross’ Harvard lie was a major turning point for the character.

Louis was angry because he had been lied to by everyone, including someone he always viewed as a good friend. Donna even used Louis’ relationship with Sheilla to convince him to stop investigating Mike’s Harvey situation, which only made things worse when Louis found out the truth in season 4. Still, as furious as Louis was, he used this as an opportunity. Louis wanted his job back, but that was not everything. If Jessica didn’t make Luis name partner, he was going to expose her, Harvey, and the entire firm regarding the crimes committed by Mike Ross.

Suits season 4’s mid-season finale could have changed the show forever, making Louis Litt a full-time villain and putting Mike in check for several episodes. The show had been building up a confrontation between Louis and Mike since the pilot, as Louis was the first person at Pearson to suspect there was something off about Harvey’s new associate. Louis came close to finding out the truth about Mike a couple of times, which made the season 4 reveal even better. Louis was now more powerful than ever and could’ve been the new “Daniel Hardman” – an enemy from within the firm.

Louis Litt’s Suits Villain Arc Ended Too Soon

It only took three episodes for Louis to forgive Mike

Louis’ love for his firm had always defined the character. Suits season 1 starts with Louis finding out that Harvey Specter is going to become the new senior partner, not him, setting up the rivalry that would set the tone for their relationship for seasons to come. Louis eventually became a senior partner, but his dream was to have his name on the door. After three Suits seasons in which Louis was depicted as a funny, charismatic character who sacrificed everything for his professional career, viewers were actually rooting for him to have his name on the door.

However, the way Louis achieved it made his story quite tragic. Louis now had his name on the door, yet he had no friends at the firm. While Louis had always been a little isolated compared to the other characters, those at Pearson Spector were his family. An angry, resentful Louis who got what he wanted at the expense of burning bridges with everyone made for a great storyline that unfortunately ended too soon. It only took three episodes for Louis to forgive Mike. By the end of Suits season 4, episode 13, “Fork in the Road,” Louis had forgiven Mike.

Louis Litt Made For A Great Villain In Suits

Louis’ brief villain arc was Suits’ best

Louis’ villain arc in Suits only lasted three episodes, yet it was enough to show how great of an antagonist he could have been. Despite Louis’ jealousy over Harvey, he was the only character on the show who could rival Harvey Specter’s talent. Louis was Pearson’s greatest asset after Harvey, yet he did not always get the recognition he deserved. That said, Louis was always looking for recognition, to the point he believed all of his actions needed some reward. Finding out Jessica accepts hiding Harvey and Mike’s secret was the last straw for the character.

From Louis’ perspective, Jessica was willing to look the other way at Harvey’s mistakes, whereas his mistake had cost him his job and his clients. Louis’ anger was somewhat understandable and set up an incredible villain arc. Most of the main Suits characters knew about Mike’s secret and were on his side by that point, meaning they were now all against Louis. A smart, experienced lawyer who believed the firm he saw as his family had failed him could have been Suits‘ best villain story had Louis not forgiven Mike so easily.

Louis Was Better As An Antagonist Than A Comic Relief

Louis was always more fun as an antagonist

From participating in a mock trial over a cat to overcoming his stage fear, Louis was sometimes given low-stakes storylines that almost felt like filler. Louis shined the most when he was given important arcs, particularly the ones in which he antagonized other characters. Louis was not “evil,” nor did he ever work against the firm’s best interests like Daniel Hardman. Still, his need for approval and jealousy over Harvey positioned him as a potential villain. Louis was much more interesting when he was an obstacle to other Suits characters than when he was a laughingstock.

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