Nightshade's appearance in the series Intro sequence.
Rafaella 'Nightshade' Diamond (voiced by Jane Schoettle) is a character in the Hasbro toyline 'C.O.P.S n Crooks). In the animated series she gained notoriety as a highly skilled thief operating in Empire City as part of Big Boss's gang of crooks. Eventually, after relations with Big Boss soured after he abducted her younger sister, Rafaella reformed- marrying C.O.P.S member Colt "Mace" Howards sometime latter.
Biography[]
Rafaella Diamond was born to a rich family. The eldest of two Rafaella was set to inherit the family fortune until she was disinherited. Despite all the wealth she had Rafaella had found a thrill in stealing jewelry and exotic items from other households. When her parents discovered what she had been doing, they- under some pressure from other families- kicked her out. Deprived of the luxury she had been accustomed too, and lacking an upbringing that would compel her to find work she turned to thievery and became very good at it. Eventually as she began to do more daring grander heists for the thrill she caught the attention of Big Boss. Big Boss, wanting to control all crime in Empire City, had one of his henchmen recruit her. In Big Boss she saw a chance to experience the life of luxury she had grown up with, though in a more 'mafia-esque' setting. Thus she generally stayed on his good side though not without the ambition of working for herself again rather than needing Big Boss's permission before doing a crime.
The Case of the Baffling Bugman[]
The Case of the Thieving Robots[]
As part of a plan to sneak thieving robots into households Nightshade worked the desk at a toy outlet established as a front by Big Boss's gang. Her task in that capacity was to convince customers to purchase the robotic friend toys that would eventually rob them. In this capacity she even convinced C.O.P.S member Longarm to purchase one as a gift for his son. While at face value an amazing feat given her status as one of Empire City's most wanted criminals, this single sale would domino into the operation being pre-maturely uncovered.
The Case of the Big Frame Up[]
Paired with Berzerko for a masked robbery she and he ran into an elderly man while making their escape. The man gave chase and she complained about how far Berzerko parked the get away car. After being foiled by the old man she determines to make him pay. Once back at Big Boss's place she relays to him her plan after the news reveals who the old man was; Longarm's father. Big Boss expands the concept a bit further, but the plan remains the same- framing him for a crime so the old cop feels what it's like on the other end of law's arm. Disguising herself Nightshade approaches O'Mally (Longarm's father) with the offer of a security guard job after he's turned down from joining C.O.P.S due to the age requirement. The night he begins work, she shows him around the fur warehouse, part of another front operation for the syndicate, and leaves before the plan is put into action. Sometime after O'Mally is detained under the accusation of stealing furs from the warehouse, she and Berzerko return to the place where O'Mally stopped them after the robbery. She's certain the C.O.P.S got every coin, telling Berzerko they aren't as dumb as he is. Reminding him of a coming heist on a blimp she's unaware that Longarm's son recognized the car they drove to the site in and followed to over hear. At the heist, while she works at cracking the blimp's safe after a charity brunch was held on it- where people payed thousands of dollars for a plate- Berzerko sets off an alarm while trying to close the doors to prevent anyone from getting on board. Feeling the caper has gotten out of hand, and not trusting fully Berzerko's insistence on using extra explosives to crack the safe, she gets a sense of intuition that proves correct as the safe is blown out of the blimp. As Berzerko is apprehended she bails, and shortly after Bezerko confesses to the fur robbery, and that the gang set up O'Mally.
Big Boss's Masterplan, Part II[]
While Nightshade played no role in the abduction of the President of the United States she did accompany Big Boss during his return to Empire City. A return that was to herald a looting and plundering of the entire municipality. When he spoke of potentially turning the city into a criminal haven and renaming it she looked away with a level of disappointment. Composing herself she smiled, being seated next to Big Boss in his personal car. After arriving at the syndicate's headquarters she slipped away. Evidently not caring at all for that plan.
The Case of the Missing Masterpiece[]
The Case of the Crooked Contest[]
The Case of Mace's Romance[]
The Case of the Lying Lie-Detector[]
The Case of the Lawless Lady[]
Production History[]
Nightshade was the most popular of the Crook characters in the toyline as reflected by sales. Part of that was her characterization in the animated series. Compared to the other Crooks Nightshade is depicted as more approachable and less violent. Even Ms. Demeaner, the gang's other female character, is depicted with a scarier personality towards children- especially in the episode "The Case of the Pint Sized Hero". In comparison Nightshade's appearance in "The Case of the Thieving Robots" further enforces her as somewhat approachable with her task being to work the desk at the front job which is a toy store. The character's popularity eventually lead to her getting a reformation arc by the writers of the series.