Most tragic character on The Wire

I can't decide, so I'm just closing my eyes and shoot, hoping I hit something. I think it's Bodie. My heart sank three feet when he got capped, even when you could see it coming.

 

Bodie died a soldier's death. Sad, but not tragic. He could have ran. He stood and fought. He didn't end up in vacant house, with lime rotting his body and rats nibbling at his hands. He died on his corner.

What really got me was Carver beating on his steering wheel, and the pack of hyenas closing in on Randy, and Randy getting his shot in, knowing his beating was going to happen.

The first time I can remember television making me cry.

 

Agree with Zeke about Bodie, but for me it was Duquan. Aside from Nemond, he seemed like the only kid to give a damn about school and learning. The system truly failed him, and he deserved better.

 

Another thing about Randy: he always had that killer smile that could sucker you into practically anything. To me, it was genuine. But I didn't even see a half-smirk from him over the last three or so episodes. How can you not feel for the kid?

 

Yeah the actor did a really good job in portraying that events really beat down Randy's character. I voted for Dookie, just because the kid never had a chance, even though he's such a good kid.

Bodie was one of my favorite characters, and while he may not have had a chance either back when he got started, he definitely chose to keep living that life, and he knew that outcome was a strong possibility. About his death, I love everything about the show, and think that everything is done top-notch, but I didn't think that scene was done great. It just seemed odd the way they filmed it like he was out in the dark in the woods, you'd think he'd be able to see 10 feet in front of him. And it seemed kind of sloppy for Chris and Snoop to get in a shootout on a corner. The biggest issue I had was how calm Poot was... pleading for Bodie to get out of there, all the while with bullets firing around him. Minor quibbles, but one of the few scenes that I've ever felt missed the mark.

 

Chris didn't listen to Marlo in regards to the shooting. Marlo said Chris and Snoop were too hot to be involved. Didn't make sense for them to be on the scene.

 

BEST ... SHOW ... EVER.

I really think it might be. Thanks to The Wire, I now watch other shows, good ones, and think, "if this were The Wire, they'd have the balls to kill off one of these main characters."

Anyway, to answer the poll question (sort of), how can you choose? At first I thought about Randy because he's a good kid who was in foster care for no fault of his own, then was forced to make several confessions at school that led to him being caught in layers and layers of bureaucratic nonsense ... and then being helpless to defend against hordes of snitch-haters. Seeing how Carver cared but couldn't do anything was pretty tragic, too.

But then I thought about Bodie, and how after four seasons he was so familiar. I did not want to see him go out just because he and McNulty weren't careful enough about their meeting. But hey, they were both pretty stupid about that and the price was paid. Bodie getting killed is a perfect example of how The Wire writers have no fear.

Then I thought about Bubbles - his whole existence is a tragedy. That graphic image of him hanging in the police station was too much. I thought he was dead for sure. But they just released him, so it's back to the squalor of the streets.

Then there's Dookie, who's now slingin. Something tells me he still has a chance to right himself. But another truly tragic figure is Michael. He was always a good kid, cared more about his little Bug than himself. But now he's neck-deep in the life of an enforcer.

Like I said, who can choose?

But it all sets up what will certainly be another great season (whenever it returns) with the Major Crimes Unit back and probably a closer look at the Greeks, all while still dealing with the police, schools and political systems.

 

Good point forgot about that.

Dude, I agree. I love that you never know who is going to get killed off, makes the show much more suspenseful. Like with 24 you know Jack Bauer, no matter what, ain't going anywhere. And even though I didn't want to see it, I felt like Tony or Chris woulda been gone in the last season of the Sopranos, but they didn't pull the trigger, so to speak. I bet one of them will be gone but it'll be at the end of the run (another thread completely), unlike the Wire which is unafraid to take major characters and beloved characters at any time.

 

Did anyone else think that letting Bubbles go ans sending him to the psych ward was almost cruel and unusual?

I mean, what kind of heroin withdrawl must that be, after 20-some years?

 

Other than probably Michael, do any of the four kids figure prominently next season?

 

I would guess we would have to check in with Namond.

Dookie will get killed.

I WANT to know what happens with Randy.

 

I say they're all back at least to start the season. This show doesn't just start fresh each season, the storylines are always interweaving. They may push some stories to the backburner (Randy seems like a possibility) but they don't really ever eliminate a character without revisiting them.

I guess season 2 was somewhat of an exception that, but that was such a different world than the ghetto that it wouldn't make sense for any of those characters to pop back in now that the focus has changed (though the Greek looks like he'll be back). I think the kids will stay in next season because presumbably the show is going to stay in W. Baltimore, in their environment.