The Wire 508 - "Clarififications" - SPOILERS

[xiix]

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.I can't believe my favorite character of the series is dead...this changes everything. They've been with us since day one, then all of a sudden, when I least expected it, BOOM.

I'm in shock.

[aliquot]

I loved Omar too, but then I thought about it -- there was no other way he could die. Not in some glorious shoot out against Marlo Stanfield, Avon Barksdale, Cheese, Brother Mouzone, and the ghost of Stringer Bell. The man had a very dangerous profession, and it was only a matter of time before some little pissant decided it was worth the risk of missing for the glory of actually capping him.

I liked seeing Poot working in generic Foot Locker. It showed another way to get out of the Game -- just up and quit. But then Dookie showed that you can't really do that unless you put your time in. That's fucked up.

I also liked how Omar, this larger than life figure to viewers of The Wire, was basically a nobody above the street level. Gus Haynes, about as down-to-Earth and street savvy as a civilian can get, wouldn't have known who this guy was (had he been told the name; he wasn't). It's a nice parallelism -- the street hoppers and dealers don't know who Clay Davis is, even though he's also a larger than life figure.

I'm liking this season. I know people have been complaining about how the quality has dropped off, but all I know is I look forward to each new episode as much as I ever have.

[AdmiralCrunch]

For clarification, Omar's death was the spoiler that caused the giant shitstorm a while back. For selfish reasons, I'm glad it was in this episode so I'm now spoiler-free. The whole Omar-Marlo feud couldn't have gone anywhere, and Omar's rampage couldn't justify his presence much longer, plot-wise.
I'm glad Jimmy's finally feeling guilty about his stuff, but we've only got two episodes to sort that out. It's either gonna be getting away scot free, or Kima's gonna rat them out and send them all to jail.

[MaxTheVool]

I also thought that it was significant that it was a kid who killed Omar (sad though it was). Much of Omar's invincibility was that everyone KNEW he was invulnerable, so no one ever even tried to mess with him... but one guy gets a bit brave and gets lucky, and even Omar dies like anyone else.

I sure hope his little note helps McNutty and Freamon take down Marlo, though.


Question: Was the kid who killed Omar the same asshole kid who always hassles Dukie? The Big Spoiler from a few eps back implied that it was, but it didn't look like him at all to me. That kid has an obnoxious arrogant fat little face, this kid didn't. But I'm terrible with faces.

[Valerieblaise]

Kenard was the one who killed Omar - he's the same kid that stole from Namond last season & yes, he hassles Dukie. Earlier in this episode, he was with some other kids and about to set a cat on fire when he was distracted by Omar walking by.

First time in my life I've wanted to strangle a child. I know he's fictional, but still.

[ZipperJJ]

Kenard also was pissed at Omar last week (or 2 weeks ago?) when Omar came by to hassle Michael's crew on the street. That time that Michael is talking about when he speaks with Snoop and Chris and tells them he's real glad Omar didn't recognize him from Dougie's (??) house (where Omar Batman-ed out the window).

When Omar walked away, Kenard blew up a little and shouted some nasties about Omar. At that moment I thought to myself that I bet Kenard was going to kill Omar, and it would be "poetic" that the street's nastiest little ballsy kid would be the one to take down the street's biggest threat, and the "circle of [drug] life" would continue as someone younger basically steps up and becomes the new Avon or Marlo. Both of those guys obviously started out as batshit crazy mofos who would shoot anyone who tried to stop them, and that's exactly what Kenard proved he is willing to do.

I still really admire how The Wire is willing to drop a major character like that. Unannounced and just GONE with no real foreshadowing or build up. That's truly gutsy.

I am also glad that they waited until the final season to kill off one of the show's best characters. They got my Wallace and they got my Brodie and I'm glad they let me "keep" Omar until the end.

[Windwalker]

Omar's death was tragic, but pretty much expected, considering how he was behaving the past few episodes. He was fighting a war, by himself, against a vast criminal organization that's been responsible for dozens of deaths. How else could it end? He was literally a wounded animal at the end. It is quite poetic that he got taken out by Kenard. Everyone has a bit of a blind spot when it comes to small kids, even Omar. Man, his killing reminded me of a scene (if you've seen it, you know which one) in City of God. New blood washes away the old, and all that...

As for McNulty, I've always been rooting for him, even though I think he's an asshole. I want to seem him land on his feet, but he always makes it so difficult. The way things have been set up, he almost has to take the fall now. What would be twisted (and make a Wire-like sense) is that Lester takes most of the fall (perhaps because he's the one most directly involved with using expensive city equipment to violate first amendment rights), while McNulty gets a slap on the wrist.

I mean, if my favorite kid from last season (Randy) could end up getting punked like that, anything's fair game, really.

[ZipperJJ]

Bumping this for the people who just watched it Sunday.

[Rubystreak]

What I thought when I saw Omar's death was, "The Assassination of Omar Little by the coward Kenard Catkiller." It reminded me of how Jesse James and Wild Bill Hickok were murdered, by some little punk who thought he was a badass and got in a potshot from behind.

What I didn't like about Omar's death was how the writers consistently degraded that character all season. It was very message-y to me, as if they felt it was wrong to allow someone like Omar to have the happy ending of S4. It might look like glorifying him, and we can't have that. So everything was systematically stripped away this season. I didn't like it, not because it's not fitting that Omar should die. I didn't like who did it (just to be sure you know he's a sadistic, amoral shitbag, they show him lighting a cat on fire-- not heavy-handed at all, nope). His body is looted, his muder is bumped from the paper in favor of a fire, get can't even get tagged right in the morgue. Because A LIFE OF CRIME IS BAD, M'KAY?

But the good thing is, Omar's list got into Lester's hands, which is going to lead directly to the downfall of Marlo's gang. Good for Sydnor for breaking the code. I can't wait for that to happen.

McNulty is screwed because I think Kima is going to blow the whistle. It sure looked that way anyway. I don't see a great resolution for this for McNulty.

Other highlights: Gus finding out that Scott lied about the vet's story, then refusing to run his lead without an attributed quote. Yay. Also, sounds like Bubbles is going to get some media recognition.

Dukie got a job! I wish he'd go back to school, but at least he's not in harm's direct way.

Something I noticed just now somehow... Cheese Wagstaff. Randy Wagstaff. Are they related? Or is it a coincidence?

[MaxTheVool]

What I didn't like about Omar's death was how the writers consistently degraded that character all season. It was very message-y to me, as if they felt it was wrong to allow someone like Omar to have the happy ending of S4. It might look like glorifying him, and we can't have that. So everything was systematically stripped away this season. I didn't like it, not because it's not fitting that Omar should die. I didn't like who did it (just to be sure you know he's a sadistic, amoral shitbag, they show him lighting a cat on fire-- not heavy-handed at all, nope). His body is looted, his muder is bumped from the paper in favor of a fire, get can't even get tagged right in the morgue. Because A LIFE OF CRIME IS BAD, M'KAY?


I didn't see a lot of that as moralizing to tell kids not to be criminals, but just as recognizing that even someone as legendary in the underworld as Omar is still just another body to the morgue workers. Omar was (in a sense) a superhero to the corner kids, but BNBG to white Baltimore.

[ZipperJJ]

I didn't see a lot of that as moralizing to tell kids not to be criminals, but just as recognizing that even someone as legendary in the underworld as Omar is still just another body to the morgue workers. Omar was (in a sense) a superhero to the corner kids, but BNBG to white Baltimore.

Yeah I saw that too. I really had to question myself when the scene came up with Gus deciding not to run Omar's death in the paper and I thought "holy shit guys, that's the biggest story of the last 4 years!" ... but really, it's only a huge story for those of us who are able to follow every facet of Baltimore city life on The Wire. For Balitmore as a whole, it's not that important.

Also, re: Wagstaff - I noticed that too. The only person who might catch on to that is Bunk but I'm not sure how much he cares about non-Chris-and-Snoop people anymore.

I wonder if McNulty's "happy ending" will be getting kicked off the force. They've already established that working homicide drives him to anger and alcohol, and that he truly does like being part of a family (which he can't have if he's in homicide). Also, getting kicked off the force seems to have worked well for Bunny, Herc and Pres.

[descamisado]

R.I.P. Omar: One of the best (extended) scenes ever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pKE-JDjYog).

I liked seeing Poot . . . . It showed another way to get out of the Game -- just up and quit. . . . Dookie showed that you can't really do that unless you put your time in. That's fucked up. I'm liking this season.As distinctive looking as Poot is (that vast forehead), I didn’t realize it was him at first. I’m still (mostly) liking the show. I don't know what bothers me more: Omar is already dead and Marlo is still standing; or Omar was killed by the “nothing” Kenard on his own; or that it was spoiled for me at that other website (my own fault).

. . . Cheese Wagstaff. Randy Wagstaff. Are they related? I wondered about this too and thought maybe I’d missed an explanation of the relationship in a past episode. Is Cheese Wagstaff the other person on the Marlo/Vondas network?

What I thought when I saw Omar's death was, "The Assassination of Omar Little by the coward Kenard Catkiller."Snerk!

Other highlights: Gus finding out . . . Scott lied about the vet's story, . . . .As bad as the faked stories and lying were initially, like Gus said, Scott should know when it’s time to give it up and stop lying; for that, he should go down.

What I didn't like about Omar's death was how the writers consistently degraded that character all season. . . . I didn't like who did it (just to be sure you know he's a sadistic, amoral shitbag, they show him lighting a cat on fire-- not heavy-handed at all, nope). . . . get can't even get tagged right in the morgue.I’m probably reaching here but I took the mis-identification to be a parallel of (a) murdered street player that belongs, in a sense, to the Stanfield string of murders, mixed up with (b) a body that could fit into the fake homeless white men murders (by description).

One of the questions I asked at the end of the trivia game was re the parallel between the sets of murders: “What compare/contrast statement can be made about the two sets of big, outstanding cases?” The vacant murder scenes are “homes without people” and the homeless murders involve “people without homes.”

Random thoughts:

FBI profile describes McNulty to a "T" (or course); not only because he made the phone call, but it also describes his personal life.

Davis hasn't missed a step and is back in the game (liquor board seats). Sheeeeeeeeeeeit! Clay can't believe the dirty politics of playing the race card. WTF, Mr. Race-Baiter himself!

I’m almost tempted to just cut and run and watch the last two episodes on demand. With Omar’s death by that upstart Kenard, what’s the point? I understand what everybody’s talking about re the circle of life, new blood washing away old, etc., but if Omar had to die, I just wish it hadn’t been by the hard of this disrespectful fucktard.

Even though this killing will earn him some stripes in the Game, I’ve always felt he was a little too disrespectful to his higher ups (Namond; Michael by way of Dukie) and needed to be kept in his place. He actually reminds me of Marlo in that regard, in the sense he doesn’t earn the respect but takes; it could end up being their downfall (were there time left to show it).

I do hope that finding the list in Omar’s pocket will be some help in bringing down some part of Maro’s crew.

[Rubystreak]

Davis hasn't missed a step and is back in the game (liquor board seats). Sheeeeeeeeeeeit! Clay can't believe the dirty politics of playing the race card. WTF, Mr. Race-Baiter himself!

What did you guys make of Lester's threat towards Davis? Davis doesn't know it's an empty threat, so maybe he'll just decide to retire on his own? Or will he go after Lester? Be interesting if the way that Davis gets taken down is by a bluff.

As for my feelings about the writers minimizing Omar... that's just how I felt about it. The whole season was written to show his diminution. Didn't care for it.

[Trunk]

What did you guys make of Lester's threat towards Davis? Davis doesn't know it's an empty threat, so maybe he'll just decide to retire on his own? Or will he go after Lester? Be interesting if the way that Davis gets taken down is by a bluff.

As for my feelings about the writers minimizing Omar... that's just how I felt about it. The whole season was written to show his diminution. Didn't care for it.
I don't know what Lester was asking him to do.

Was he asking him to step down? Or was he just planting that seed in case he needs something in the future.

I guess we're not going to see Pres this season. I thought there was still hope of that, like he might come in to work on the code. It was funny how they showed the two cops in the Lex using the GPS early in the episode, but the old school guy using the atlas cracked the code.

I liked how they underplayed the demise of Omar. Well done. I felt bad that Butchie will not be avenged.

[Morbo]

Did anyone else notice that Omar appeared to not be limping at all when he went into the store? I had thought that he was overplaying the limping thing and he was going to use that later to sneak up on everyone. I was busy expounding on that theory to my wife when...well.

I also didn't understand the point of the toe tags in the morgue. At first I thought it would somehow make everyone think he wasn't really dead, or that since he wasn't limping that was an unknown twin brother that was actually killed and not really Omar. But then I came to my senses and realized that the Wire would never ever do something so hacky.

[Trunk]

I didn't fully get the point in the morgue.

Either it was something like he was such a nobody that a morgue worker screwed up his name.

Or, he was somebody enough so that if his name got screwed up, at least someone knew who he was.

But, I tend to think that someone screwed up his name, and the guy who swtiched the tags just thought to himself, "no way is this fat white guy named Omar".

[brownie55]

Since what was spoiled is now out, I want to apologize for thinking there was an over-reaction to it. The poster made three posts and has not been back. I think Trunk called it right. A spoiling troll.

Brownie, now spoiler free for the remainder of the show.

[Fever]

Since what was spoiled is now out, I want to apologize for thinking there was an over-reaction to it. The poster made three posts and has not been back. I think Trunk called it right. A spoiling troll.

Or maybe the poster felt her involvement in future discussions would make everyone uncomfortable? Maybe?

[SkipMagic]

Since what was spoiled is now out, I want to apologize for thinking there was an over-reaction to it. The poster made three posts and has not been back. I think Trunk called it right. A spoiling troll.
Accusations of trolling are not allowed outside the Pit. Please do not do this again.

[SkipMagic]

Or maybe the poster felt her involvement in future discussions would make everyone uncomfortable? Maybe?
Your post is understandable, but unnecessary.

Listen, folks, Cafe Society is not meant for discussion of other posters. Talk about the shows, the actors, the songs, anything to do with the arts; the personality of another poster, however, is irrelevant to the discussion. If you're angry and want to vent, take it to the Pit; otherwise, leave it out of Cafe Society.

Now, let's end this hijack and get back to the main discussion.

[brownie55]

Accusations of trolling are not allowed outside the Pit. Please do not do this again.
Message received.

[monstro]

What I don't understand is how Kenard has not grown at all since last season.

[Rubystreak]

I don't know what Lester was asking him to do.

Was he asking him to step down? Or was he just planting that seed in case he needs something in the future.

He didn't spell it out, but I think he wants Davis to leave public life. I'm just extrapolating. The threat was something like, if you don't go away, I will expose you.

I liked how they underplayed the demise of Omar. Well done. I felt bad that Butchie will not be avenged.

Oh, but he will. It was the list that Bunk found in his hand that led Lester and Sydnor to figure out the code by giving them street addresses for reference. I think that is going to lead to some arrests.

What will the signficance be of McNulty asking Bunk to delay arresting Chris Partlow? I got a bad feeling about that.

[AuntiePam]

What will the signficance be of McNulty asking Bunk to delay arresting Chris Partlow? I got a bad feeling about that.

Me too. I hope it doesn't give Chris an opportunity to get away. Seeing Chris with family a couple weeks ago has to mean something. Omar on the warpath may have caused Chris to rethink his options. Maybe it's my imagination, but Chris looks stressed. I can see him saying "Fuck this" if Marlo gets cocky and orders some more murders.

Seriously. All those bodies. Their luck won't hold forever and maybe Chris will realize that.

I like your comparison of Kenard to McCall and Ford. I thought of Ford but forgot all about McCall, and me a Deadwood fan!

I really, really liked the FBI profiler giving his description of the serial killer, which perfectly fit Jimmy McNulty. :D

[flickster]

Did anyone else notice that Omar appeared to not be limping at all when he went into the store?

That bothered me as well. I was like, Hey that wasn't Omar, he wasn't limping...

[Hippy Hollow]

I was waiting for Omar to get it ever since he starting plugging Marlo's muscle. I mean, dude is lame, walking around by himself in broad daylight. Someone was going to take a shot at him... from a window, a car. It's probably poetic justice that one of the "best" of the bad guys was taken out by one of the "worst." Ever since we've seen Kenard he's just been a complete bastard asshole - something I would think impossible in an elementary school-aged kid. Didn't Michael beat his ass once? Well-deserved I say.

[AuntiePam]

I'm mollified a bit about that little rat bastard Kenard being the one to take Omar out. Some sharp-eyed TWOP'ers remarked that Kenard was one of the kids in season three who played at being Omar. It's sort of poetic justice, if you look at it that way.

[AuntiePam]

Link (http://youtube.com/watch?v=kHXpgbQrsEo) to a YouTube video of the kids who play Kenard and Bug being interviewed for a radio show.

No spoilers for future episodes. The kids say they don't know what happens next.

[ZipperJJ]

Link (http://youtube.com/watch?v=kHXpgbQrsEo) to a YouTube video of the kids who play Kenard and Bug being interviewed for a radio show.

Maaaan, I've always HATED Kenard. But now that I see the kid who plays him, I can't hate him so much. Boooo!

[commasense]

Wow, that interview was amazing, especially the kid who plays Kennard: he's a little preppie who goes to private school in Baltimore and never had a clue about street life downtown before doing the show.

I'm in a quandary about the rest of the show. I'm leaving Sunday morning for a two-week trip. I could watch the next ep On Demand before leaving, but then I'd have to wait two weeks for the last one. Or I can just wait until I get back to watch the last two together.

I think the latter option is the better. In past seasons, the penultimate episode is usually where a lot of big things happen, and then the last one sort of wraps things up.

What do you guys think?

[AuntiePam]

I'd watch 5.9 On Demand. You're right about how everything goes down in the penultimate episode -- that'd be the one I'd worry most about being spoiled for.

The previews looked pretty exciting -- if I had On Demand, I don't know if I could resist.

ETA: Are you going someplace fun?

[Valerieblaise]

I've already watched 5.9 and I'd recommend watching it. I have to wait 2 weeks to see the finale, so I want to share the misery.

[Windwalker]

I was waiting for Omar to get it ever since he starting plugging Marlo's muscle. I mean, dude is lame, walking around by himself in broad daylight. Someone was going to take a shot at him... from a window, a car. It's probably poetic justice that one of the "best" of the bad guys was taken out by one of the "worst." Ever since we've seen Kenard he's just been a complete bastard asshole - something I would think impossible in an elementary school-aged kid. Didn't Michael beat his ass once? Well-deserved I say.

Yea, Kenard's back story is one I really wanted to see; his brand of assholery in one so young is quite extraordinary-- there must be some external reasons. If he doesn't get capped and learns some people management skills, I could easily see him becoming the next Marlo.

If he does get capped, I almost want it to be Dukie, but that would not be good for someone trying to get out of the Game. Poor Dukie's suffered enough.

[MaxTheVool]

Yea, Kenard's back story is one I really wanted to see; his brand of assholery in one so young is quite extraordinary-- there must be some external reasons. If he doesn't get capped and learns some people management skills, I could easily see him becoming the next Marlo.


I think that's pretty clear. The real question is, who is Michael going to turn out to be, if he lives long enough. The next Avon? Stringer? Prop Joe? Omar? Any chance he'll get out of the life?

[AuntiePam]

Michael's options are limited. He needs money to make a home for Bug, and he can't keep Bug on the kind of job a teenager can get.

If he's got some cash stashed away, however, maybe he could do it, but he'd need guidance.

Marlo wouldn't let him go though, so Marlo needs to be out of the picture for Michael to have a chance.

Too bad there aren't more Bunny Colvins.

[Morbo]

if I had On Demand, I don't know if I could resist.

I do. You could not. :)

[AuntiePam]

I do. You could not. :)

:p So jealous.

I heard they aren't releasing the final episode On Demand until after the regular airing. Is that true? I don't know how I'd feel about waiting almost two weeks between 5.9 and 5.10.

[Morbo]

:p So jealous.

I heard they aren't releasing the final episode On Demand until after the regular airing. Is that true? I don't know how I'd feel about waiting almost two weeks between 5.9 and 5.10.

I had NOT heard that. If true I would go berserk. I guess we'll see Monday...

[commasense]

Yeah, I'm just going to wait until I'm home, sometime after the 9th, to watch both 5.9 and 5.10. It'll be hard, but easier, I think, than watching 5.9 now and having to wait for 5.10.

BTW, I just saw Gone Baby Gone on DVD the other night, starring our own Amy Ryan (Beadie Russell), who earned a deserved Oscar nomination for this performance. It's a great film, and one I think most Wire fans would really like. It was written by Dennis Lehane, who wrote Mystic River and three eps of The Wire, including "Clarifications."

Gone Baby Gone has a lot of the qualities that I like in The Wire: gritty realism, strong supporting characters and performances, and the kind of moral ambiguity that characterizes the real world and our favorite TV show. I won't say more, to avoid spoiling it. But if you're a fan of The Wire, I would be really surprised if you don't enjoy Gone, Baby, Gone.

I watched In The Valley of Elah, too, and many of the same comments could be made about it, although it is a bit more conventional. But very watchable.

See you all in a couple of weeks.

[monstro]

Very cool interview with the actors who play Kenard and Bug (http://youtube.com/watch?v=kHXpgbQrsEo)

[monstro]

Sorry. Double post.

[An Gadaí]

:( I nearly cried when Omar died. What the hell is wrong with me?

[AuntiePam]

There's nothing wrong with you. I didn't cry for Omar, but I did cry for Prop Joe. And for someone in season two, and again in three and four. Not just the first time I watched either. (Trying not to spoil those seasons for folks who might be catching up.)

[descamisado]

Since the crying thing is being brought up here, I'll post this too.

I was too stunned to cry for Omar; in fact, I usually watch Sunday night's episode a half hour later but don't remember doing so because I kept thinking about Omar's death and couldn't decide if I was sad, angry, relieved (at least I knew his end) or what.

I also cried a little for Reginald (can't call him Bubbles here), for the long road he traveled and his dignity at the meeting; and for Michael, who got away in the end but had to leave behind the two people he was able to love.

[Morbo]

I had NOT heard that. If true I would go berserk. I guess we'll see Monday...

BLARG!!! There's an entry for Episode 60 On Demand...that says "The Wire Season Finale will start Monday, March 10, on HBO On Demand."

I need my fix! ::rocks slowly, hugging self::

[AuntiePam]

You might feel better after watching this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGXWUniLCZc) -- the HBO promo for episode 9.

No spoilers in the video, unless you consider previews to be spoilers.

[An Gadaí]

Is the final episode going to be a double episode or a standard length?

[BobT]

The final episode is supposed to run about 90 minutes.

And it won't be "On Demand." Everybody has to wait until Sunday.

The final episode is titled, fittingly, "30."

[An Gadaí]

Are you as excited as I am?

[An Gadaí]

I just saw the final episode. It got out of the bag.

[xiix]

I saw it too. Reasonably satisfied with everything.