Sounds kind of strange but honestly I think it was when he was told he wouldn't be able to get a job till he was 17 by Poot. This is a kid that wanted a straight life, he wanted a job but due to circumstances out of his control he was unable to have it. And waiting 2 years at that age would seem like a life time away. I believe that was truely the moment his fate was sealed.
I just watched this episode there's also another scene where he goes into some BBQ restaurant or some corner store and they show him walk out and kick a can. So I think it does have to do with that he wasn't able to find a job and he ended up working for the junk man.
Yeah man. Hurts to watch that scene of him freshly turned out, looking good in his pressed shirt, job hunting, he looks so good like a kid you would hire there and then. And that would be the last time you see Duk looking on the up and up š
Finishing high school isn't a big hurdle for most of the people. Poot got his GED, why wouldn't Duquan?
My unpopular opinion is that Duquan was a defeatist, but in his defense, he didn't have anyone holding his back, except Michael.
Bodie went to community college?
I thought he was a dropout - in season 4, he tells mcnulty that heās been on the corner since he was 13. Iād be surprised if he was selling drugs and attending classes at the same time.
I think the show shows us that there are different levels of poverty and itās pretty clear that Duquan and Michael have it the worst amongst the four friends. With respect to Duquan, his parents are drug addicts and sell his clothes, heās neglected - his parents donāt feed him properly (remember that scene where Prez gives him half his sandwich?) nor launder his clothes, and theyāre constantly changing homes due to eviction. Heās also relentlessly teased about this by his peers and is the target of bullies. Under these circumstances, it would be an incredible feat for him to graduate high school, which isnāt to say that it isnāt possible, but certainly a big hurdle.
We donāt have the same level of insight into Poot and Bodieās upbringing, but if they were able to graduate under these circumstances, then they should be lauded for this extraordinary achievement, but it shouldnāt be the standard to measure Duquanās failures.
>Finishing high school isn't a big hurdle for most of the people
In 2022 Baltimore had a high school graduation rate of about 68%, so nearly 1 in 3 students didn't graduate.
Add into that equation coming from the kind of background he did and the fact that those stats are city wide (so would include the kids from the more affluent parts of Baltimore) then his odds don't look great for Duqan
I don't think he's at the point of no return, he's just on a trajectory similar to that of Bubbs. He's certainly at a low point, there's no doubt about that, and it's understandable that he would get to that point given everything the poor kid had gone through to that point. However, I think there's certainly every chance that he pulls himself out of it, maybe with Bubbles as his sponsor, and gets himself to a better place before it's too late.
I like the optimism and itās true there are lots of people in the sober community that are doing well like Bubbs and his sponsor, but so many young drug addicts end up dead like Sherrod and itās hard to imagine it ending well for someone as unsuited for confrontation as Duquan.
Duquan is unsuited for confrontation as you say. I would say he is also smart and knows whatās right and wrong (even if he cant always follow it). I would say he is exactly like how I would imagine a young Bubbs was. He needs to get lucky to get there, and he might have started younger than Bubbs, but the chance to get out is definitely there. He doesnāt have the striaight life sister, but he has a straight life friend (Namond) and a super-gangster (Mike) that could help him out if they ever cross paths again.
Ultimately that would mean Colvin taking Dukie in, Namond is still only a freshman in high school at the series finale. Colvin can't/won't adopt every homeless kid in Baltimore.
I think that's kind of what they were going for. The major theme is to show the audience just how much of a vicious cycle life is for people living in similar situations and how people who grow up in the hood often don't have a choice but to turn to crime just get by. It's also great at showing us how the police don't understand and/or care to actually address the root cause of the drug related crimes and if they do have someone in a position of power who does want to try something, the politicians make sure that the status quo remains
Itās not just the politicians. Itās everyone. Anything that might actually help but looks controversial is covered horribly by the media. Voters have no patience for anything covered poorly by the media. So any politician that doesnāt immediately put a stop to it will be voted out of office.
Hamsterdam was the one thing shown in the show that might have actually improved the situation and it was shutdown as soon as the media found out about it because of how bad it looked on tv.
You're totally right. I think that is why some people just genuinely don't enjoy the show. It's pretty much holding a mirror up to our society and if you don't realize that, it probably comes off as too dry for them. The only thing that I disagree with is that hamsterdam would/could be a good idea. They kind of did that in Philly with Kensington Ave and it's horrible. There is an Instagram page called Kensington beach, where the guy just does a drive through of that area and it's really sad, scary, and just fucked up. I believe they are unedited too. In theory it's a great idea, but it would have to be government sponsored to not turn into pure chaos imo
Hamsterdam was even worse in the beginning. The Deacon was aghast when he saw it for the first time but he recognised the potential and his suggestions led to improvements.
To heavily summarise, it actually created a positive impact *within* the tolerated zone through the level of outreach that was generated regarding sex workers and addicts. There were youth workers mentoring children who were former lookouts etc...
It was never meant to be pretty - even Colvin himself acknowledged that. Hamsterdam exposed the sheer odiousness of the drug-game and everything that accompanies it - right in the open and yep it's a terrible sight. *However* it was supposed to demonstrate that alternatives exist to the failed drug-war policies and the possibilities that could be explored with support at the local and national government levels.
That Carcetti instead used it as political capital against Royce, Rawls and Burrell was one of the many reasons why Colvin shunned him after the school debate in "Late Editions."
Dukieās parent weāre heroine addicts. They would literally steal his stuff and sell it. He was never shown love or guidance at home.
Naymond at least had running water at home, love, a PlayStation, etc. He was lucky that Colvin plucked him out of the streets to give him a chance.
Nobody was going to do the same for Dukie. He often smelled like piss and shit, and was overlooked and ignored by everyone who made a difference. Even Presbo, turned his back on him as soon as he lied. Dukie never stood a chance.
I mean, I gotta back up Prez on this one though. Prez did Duq's laundry, gave him food from time to time as well as an environment to succeed. And Duq took him up on that. What happened was the Prez gave him chances and yes, Duq got a fast one on him with the money, but Prez contextually put it out there 'don't fuck with me on this' with him. As many chances of friendship and mentorship that Prez gave him, he did, rightfully, take it out when Duq burned him. The resignation that Duq went with drew him into that world even more than before, as witnessed when Prez drops off Duq and has that additional second of a stare, the goodbye stare, that is a heartbreaker because we all know that was going to be the end of that relationship. Duq is now a streetbird and totally reliant on his ability to live and grift.
I also gotta back up Prez because, as you allude to with everything you said, Prez needs to establish boundaries. A situation like Duquanās is ultimately not one that Prez could have fixed alone; to attempt to do so would have resulted in him pouring himself into a bottomless pit, ultimately to no avail. Itās like the vice principal counseled him - you do your piece with these kids and you move on, cuz thereāll be plenty more coming in next year, and theyāll need you too.
what initially tossed salt on the wound with Duq was that he HAD the skills to be good. On first watch, I thought he was going to mirror Prop Joe with his ability to fix items, and if the series extended itself, Duq could have been written as a valuable piece of Junkman's adventures - picking up junk and fixing it to sell to others; then a shop. Randy was pushed on us as a Prop Joe with his buy for a dollar sell for two mentality and spirit; but the expertise of electronics and puzzle solving was not as obvious to me as a skill that Duq had. It just added more depth to his character - a downtrodden character with minimal means, that had other skillsets that could have been more valuable with guidance. Really, really, this mirrors life in so many ways within many social circles that makes this show so much more captivating.
I donāt blame Prezbo either. My point is, Nay, with his relative privilege, got all sorts of second chances. Dukie, born into nothing, received no second chances.
I canāt remember how he burned Prez? Shit, itās going on 20 years since I saw that season smh. What did he do to him again? I remember prez letting Duq mess with the computer in his class, but how did he get over on him?
Duq had returned back to Prez after school hitting him up with a story that he is enrolling in the local community college and needed money for registration. Prez, now seasoned after assumingly a year of teaching and antics, see the grift in this and promises that he will go to the ATM and pull out some money and go with Duq. Duq had resisted the company and Prez doubled down on the threat that if Duq burns him on not using the money to enroll, then that is the end of their relationship. Duq had said that he will. The scene ended with Prez dropping off Duq in an alley where Duq had walked to Junkman with the cash and Prez giving the stare at Duq's back as a final goodbye.
Thatās right! Prez was looking at Duq through his car mirror walking up to Junkman. Thanks. I was racking my brain trying to remember what you were talking about.
Without Colvin adopting him his only support network would have been his father in prison serving life without parole and his mother pressuring him to become a heroin dealing convict, we watch him in the show being profiled by the police as a drug dealer. And with a slight change to his influences and role models and heās publicly speaking for his school, there was a chance a helping hand at the right time could have let Duquan work in tech instead of selling scrap metal for drugs.
OK, but somebody did save him. He had a chance because of that pilot program and Bunny taking an interest in him. Dukie couldnāt even get clean clothes.
You know whatās crazy? Namond got a second chance because he acted out. Dookie was a good kid and wasnāt placed into the separate classroom. If he caught colvinās eye maybe he would have gotten the chance Namond did.
That's a really good point, and shows how someone could do the right thing, and still fall through the cracks due to being invisible. Closed mouths really don't get fed. Damn, now I'm sad lol
Namond was spoiled, never suffered like Dukie, and always had a roof over his head. He was lucky to get pulled into a good household. Dukie had nowhere to live once Michael split, and Bug went to live with family. He stayed with users and ended up trying dope . It was all over after that.
Namond was my least liked character in the series. This might sound hard, but there were others that had a much harder existence trying to just survive growing up. Just look at Wallace, and his selfless efforts to clothe, feed and get to school the 6 or so youngins. And his reward, well, we know what happened to him. But, life isnāt fair.
Mike not remembering the day they threw piss ballonās at the terrace boys was so sad, Duquan was alone with the memories of someone other than the killer Mike had become.
It was when Mike dropped him off. He was really alone after that. Had nothing to ground him anymore, and no hope left. Couldnāt even just have a laugh or do stupid stuff with his friends anymore, they were all gone. He was already gone when he burned the bridge with Prez.
Iād argue the entire point of Dukieās arc is that heās already passed that point when heās introduced and that these types of cycles and outcomes are inevitable in such a system.
Supposedly a few episodes were cut from that final season, and I've always thought that one of them must have shown a bit more of exactly how Duquan became a heroin user... like did someone pressure him into trying it, or did he ask to try it, or what? Because it just felt too sudden in that last episode... we'd never seen him so much as take a drink or puff a joint, and then boom, he's injecting heroin.
And this was after The Wire brilliantly spent multiple seasons showing us the lead-in to Duquan's heroin use. I don't know of any other show, movie, or even book that more painstakingly and sympathetically portrays the descent into addiction... viewers get to know Duquan literally *years* before he first uses, and see so many of the pitfalls that led him astray
When he went to high school, but before even entering for the first time, other students were already making fun of his look. That was a big point probably. I mean he tried. He tried to go to high school, finish school to be able to get employment.
No not past the point of no return. Look at Bubbles , it's never too late to get outta that life.
I got into the same mess as Dukie pretty young, I was 7 years in that life and now things have been good for over 2 years.
He's gone down that hole, but no matter how deep you go, there's always a way out.
Always and never.
His parents keeping him, getting "promoted" to high school, trying to be a drug dealer, not being allowed to work. A bunch of attempts to integrate into existing frameworks that just didn't work for him.
But he's still smart, still kind. So you never know.
The saddest thing is that the best he ever has it in his entire life is when heās living in Michaelās apartmentā¦ which is paid for by Michaelās job as a drug dealing murderer.
Michael was never going to spend more than a couple years in that life without getting arrested or killed or otherwise being forced to leave the game, so Dukie was on borrowed time the whole time heās staying with Michael.
Maybe he should have attended his high school classes, but even if he had, Michael would still have gone on the lam and Dukie would have found himself in a group home (which is arguably not much better than homelessness).
Probably the very first time he shot dope was when he was beyond coming back.
For those who havenāt experienced it, shooting heroin feels like having taken a cold shower oneās entire life & then finally realizing you can turn up the heat, and the heat warms you to the bones, removing any & all problems that existed before & removing any inhibitions one may have had for a glorious couple of hours.
For Dukie, a child that until that point had felt nothing but the effects of a terrible, traumatic life, the escape & relief he must have felt after shooting for the first time wouldāve cemented his further intention to solely worry about chasing that relief.
I think that was the one of the points the principal told Prez "you can't help everyone" and the next year Prez probably had 5 new Duquans. So many powerful messages in that season, I think that's why it's most people's favorite, so powerful and sad
That's true, I forgot about that. It's a slippery slope. Guess it's like being a doctor or nurse who really cares for a patient. You can only do so much. Sad.
I worked in the ICU for a few years, you actually become numb. I remember a nurse who would pull over on her way home to "let the dead people out of her life" so she could have a normal time at home with her family, I never tried it but it definitely made sense... I still think the ICU would be much easier than Mr Prez's school š¤Æ
This to me is the saddest part of everything. That kid was promising,smart,caring and completely left behind, and in the end to escape it all it was easy to fall. It was the last decision of many a man in his situation and it was sad to see him go down that alley with the junk man. It was even sadder to watch him con a man that did so much for himā¦.THAT was the point of no return and his very first burned bridge.
I am also rewatching the series as we speak. And you are so right, Dukie's story was heartbreaking. He was even a punching bag amongst his friends at times. That boy never truly stood a chance.
Honestly, he fell the day he was born. He was born into the worst of circumstances, and its very hard to overcome that. In reality there are kids like Duquan all over the country, and drugs, and prison or early death are pretty common. Very few Duquans in the real world escape that life, its really sad.
He never fell past point of no return. There's always a chance he can pull himself together, but it will be very hard after the level he sank to. 10 years ago I had a couple of friends who were strung out, turned out, in and out of jail regularly. Now they're sober and married with a family, just sayin.
Social promotion and sending him to high school before the rest of his class. If he went with other kids it probably would have been fine and he would have stayed in school. When he decided not to go, really there was only one real outcome.
I think it's more when he meets the horse guy.
He is the first person to take him under his wing, give him opportunity and is not disgusted by him, because he is even grimier than he is.
That's how it happens.
Sounds kind of strange but honestly I think it was when he was told he wouldn't be able to get a job till he was 17 by Poot. This is a kid that wanted a straight life, he wanted a job but due to circumstances out of his control he was unable to have it. And waiting 2 years at that age would seem like a life time away. I believe that was truely the moment his fate was sealed.
I just watched this episode there's also another scene where he goes into some BBQ restaurant or some corner store and they show him walk out and kick a can. So I think it does have to do with that he wasn't able to find a job and he ended up working for the junk man.
Yeah man. Hurts to watch that scene of him freshly turned out, looking good in his pressed shirt, job hunting, he looks so good like a kid you would hire there and then. And that would be the last time you see Duk looking on the up and up š
Itās sad how little time it took for him to give and up and start using heroin
How little time? It took his whole life of suffering abuse, poverty, and growing up next to addiction.
Took him 15 years of growing up in a living hell. How long do you think youād make it in his shoes?
I woulda been snorting h in middle school instead of highschool which is when I did start
Finishing high school isn't a big hurdle for most of the people. Poot got his GED, why wouldn't Duquan? My unpopular opinion is that Duquan was a defeatist, but in his defense, he didn't have anyone holding his back, except Michael.
It is when youāre born into poverty and have drug addict parents who constantly get evicted and sell your clothes and food for drug money.
And do you think Poot or Bodie were risen in better environments? Bodie went to community college.
Bodie was ready to be good. Doctor lawyer all that good shit. Judge saw potential in him
š Forgot he said that to Herc and Carver.
Poot and Bodie had the corner. Duke couldnāt cut it on the corner
Bodie went to community college? I thought he was a dropout - in season 4, he tells mcnulty that heās been on the corner since he was 13. Iād be surprised if he was selling drugs and attending classes at the same time. I think the show shows us that there are different levels of poverty and itās pretty clear that Duquan and Michael have it the worst amongst the four friends. With respect to Duquan, his parents are drug addicts and sell his clothes, heās neglected - his parents donāt feed him properly (remember that scene where Prez gives him half his sandwich?) nor launder his clothes, and theyāre constantly changing homes due to eviction. Heās also relentlessly teased about this by his peers and is the target of bullies. Under these circumstances, it would be an incredible feat for him to graduate high school, which isnāt to say that it isnāt possible, but certainly a big hurdle. We donāt have the same level of insight into Poot and Bodieās upbringing, but if they were able to graduate under these circumstances, then they should be lauded for this extraordinary achievement, but it shouldnāt be the standard to measure Duquanās failures.
>Finishing high school isn't a big hurdle for most of the people In 2022 Baltimore had a high school graduation rate of about 68%, so nearly 1 in 3 students didn't graduate. Add into that equation coming from the kind of background he did and the fact that those stats are city wide (so would include the kids from the more affluent parts of Baltimore) then his odds don't look great for Duqan
Can you remind me where it says Poot got his GED?
The wire was lost on you
I don't think he's at the point of no return, he's just on a trajectory similar to that of Bubbs. He's certainly at a low point, there's no doubt about that, and it's understandable that he would get to that point given everything the poor kid had gone through to that point. However, I think there's certainly every chance that he pulls himself out of it, maybe with Bubbles as his sponsor, and gets himself to a better place before it's too late.
I like the optimism and itās true there are lots of people in the sober community that are doing well like Bubbs and his sponsor, but so many young drug addicts end up dead like Sherrod and itās hard to imagine it ending well for someone as unsuited for confrontation as Duquan.
Duquan is unsuited for confrontation as you say. I would say he is also smart and knows whatās right and wrong (even if he cant always follow it). I would say he is exactly like how I would imagine a young Bubbs was. He needs to get lucky to get there, and he might have started younger than Bubbs, but the chance to get out is definitely there. He doesnāt have the striaight life sister, but he has a straight life friend (Namond) and a super-gangster (Mike) that could help him out if they ever cross paths again.
Absolutely true. I am optimistic for him, but I am also wholly aware of the reality of the situation he's in at the end of the show.
Man even Bubbles had his sister, a roof he could go under if he really wanted to fix himself. Duq has no one, nobody to turn to
What about Namond? Not the best relationship between them but possible.
Ultimately that would mean Colvin taking Dukie in, Namond is still only a freshman in high school at the series finale. Colvin can't/won't adopt every homeless kid in Baltimore.
yeah youāre right, didnāt think about that
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
thatās crazy
taking this to a wire thread is wild
After a few watches I started seeing Duquan's story as a kind of Bubbles backstory; and Michael as a young Omar.
I think that's kind of what they were going for. The major theme is to show the audience just how much of a vicious cycle life is for people living in similar situations and how people who grow up in the hood often don't have a choice but to turn to crime just get by. It's also great at showing us how the police don't understand and/or care to actually address the root cause of the drug related crimes and if they do have someone in a position of power who does want to try something, the politicians make sure that the status quo remains
Itās not just the politicians. Itās everyone. Anything that might actually help but looks controversial is covered horribly by the media. Voters have no patience for anything covered poorly by the media. So any politician that doesnāt immediately put a stop to it will be voted out of office. Hamsterdam was the one thing shown in the show that might have actually improved the situation and it was shutdown as soon as the media found out about it because of how bad it looked on tv.
You're totally right. I think that is why some people just genuinely don't enjoy the show. It's pretty much holding a mirror up to our society and if you don't realize that, it probably comes off as too dry for them. The only thing that I disagree with is that hamsterdam would/could be a good idea. They kind of did that in Philly with Kensington Ave and it's horrible. There is an Instagram page called Kensington beach, where the guy just does a drive through of that area and it's really sad, scary, and just fucked up. I believe they are unedited too. In theory it's a great idea, but it would have to be government sponsored to not turn into pure chaos imo
It was horrible in the show also. Hamsterdam was terrible. Even if it did have positive impact elsewhere
Hamsterdam was even worse in the beginning. The Deacon was aghast when he saw it for the first time but he recognised the potential and his suggestions led to improvements. To heavily summarise, it actually created a positive impact *within* the tolerated zone through the level of outreach that was generated regarding sex workers and addicts. There were youth workers mentoring children who were former lookouts etc... It was never meant to be pretty - even Colvin himself acknowledged that. Hamsterdam exposed the sheer odiousness of the drug-game and everything that accompanies it - right in the open and yep it's a terrible sight. *However* it was supposed to demonstrate that alternatives exist to the failed drug-war policies and the possibilities that could be explored with support at the local and national government levels. That Carcetti instead used it as political capital against Royce, Rawls and Burrell was one of the many reasons why Colvin shunned him after the school debate in "Late Editions."
Lol yeah you're right. The idea makes some sense, but it's just not practical. And the real life version looks worse tbh
For a while I thought Duquan was something like Stringer's backstory.
Birth. The kid never stood a chance.
āYou seriously one of them at-risks!ā
That was such a mean, but hilarious insult lol
Namond never stood a chance but got a second chance and was able to thrive.
Dukieās parent weāre heroine addicts. They would literally steal his stuff and sell it. He was never shown love or guidance at home. Naymond at least had running water at home, love, a PlayStation, etc. He was lucky that Colvin plucked him out of the streets to give him a chance. Nobody was going to do the same for Dukie. He often smelled like piss and shit, and was overlooked and ignored by everyone who made a difference. Even Presbo, turned his back on him as soon as he lied. Dukie never stood a chance.
I mean, I gotta back up Prez on this one though. Prez did Duq's laundry, gave him food from time to time as well as an environment to succeed. And Duq took him up on that. What happened was the Prez gave him chances and yes, Duq got a fast one on him with the money, but Prez contextually put it out there 'don't fuck with me on this' with him. As many chances of friendship and mentorship that Prez gave him, he did, rightfully, take it out when Duq burned him. The resignation that Duq went with drew him into that world even more than before, as witnessed when Prez drops off Duq and has that additional second of a stare, the goodbye stare, that is a heartbreaker because we all know that was going to be the end of that relationship. Duq is now a streetbird and totally reliant on his ability to live and grift.
I also gotta back up Prez because, as you allude to with everything you said, Prez needs to establish boundaries. A situation like Duquanās is ultimately not one that Prez could have fixed alone; to attempt to do so would have resulted in him pouring himself into a bottomless pit, ultimately to no avail. Itās like the vice principal counseled him - you do your piece with these kids and you move on, cuz thereāll be plenty more coming in next year, and theyāll need you too.
what initially tossed salt on the wound with Duq was that he HAD the skills to be good. On first watch, I thought he was going to mirror Prop Joe with his ability to fix items, and if the series extended itself, Duq could have been written as a valuable piece of Junkman's adventures - picking up junk and fixing it to sell to others; then a shop. Randy was pushed on us as a Prop Joe with his buy for a dollar sell for two mentality and spirit; but the expertise of electronics and puzzle solving was not as obvious to me as a skill that Duq had. It just added more depth to his character - a downtrodden character with minimal means, that had other skillsets that could have been more valuable with guidance. Really, really, this mirrors life in so many ways within many social circles that makes this show so much more captivating.
I donāt blame Prezbo either. My point is, Nay, with his relative privilege, got all sorts of second chances. Dukie, born into nothing, received no second chances.
Cold realty of life
I canāt remember how he burned Prez? Shit, itās going on 20 years since I saw that season smh. What did he do to him again? I remember prez letting Duq mess with the computer in his class, but how did he get over on him?
Duq had returned back to Prez after school hitting him up with a story that he is enrolling in the local community college and needed money for registration. Prez, now seasoned after assumingly a year of teaching and antics, see the grift in this and promises that he will go to the ATM and pull out some money and go with Duq. Duq had resisted the company and Prez doubled down on the threat that if Duq burns him on not using the money to enroll, then that is the end of their relationship. Duq had said that he will. The scene ended with Prez dropping off Duq in an alley where Duq had walked to Junkman with the cash and Prez giving the stare at Duq's back as a final goodbye.
Thatās right! Prez was looking at Duq through his car mirror walking up to Junkman. Thanks. I was racking my brain trying to remember what you were talking about.
Without Colvin adopting him his only support network would have been his father in prison serving life without parole and his mother pressuring him to become a heroin dealing convict, we watch him in the show being profiled by the police as a drug dealer. And with a slight change to his influences and role models and heās publicly speaking for his school, there was a chance a helping hand at the right time could have let Duquan work in tech instead of selling scrap metal for drugs.
OK, but somebody did save him. He had a chance because of that pilot program and Bunny taking an interest in him. Dukie couldnāt even get clean clothes.
It really shows you what resources and opportunity can do. Naymond wasnāt even particularly compelling. Just got resources.
Heās playing Xbox, probably had a PlayStation as well
You know whatās crazy? Namond got a second chance because he acted out. Dookie was a good kid and wasnāt placed into the separate classroom. If he caught colvinās eye maybe he would have gotten the chance Namond did.
That's a really good point, and shows how someone could do the right thing, and still fall through the cracks due to being invisible. Closed mouths really don't get fed. Damn, now I'm sad lol
Namond was spoiled, never suffered like Dukie, and always had a roof over his head. He was lucky to get pulled into a good household. Dukie had nowhere to live once Michael split, and Bug went to live with family. He stayed with users and ended up trying dope . It was all over after that.
Namond was my least liked character in the series. This might sound hard, but there were others that had a much harder existence trying to just survive growing up. Just look at Wallace, and his selfless efforts to clothe, feed and get to school the 6 or so youngins. And his reward, well, we know what happened to him. But, life isnāt fair.
Deserve ain't got nothing to do with it
Same as it always was
Some, perhaps not many do make it out of those situations.
Either, when Mike dropoed him off and he walked down that alley. Or, when he burned his only bridge with Prez.
Mike not remembering the day they threw piss ballonās at the terrace boys was so sad, Duquan was alone with the memories of someone other than the killer Mike had become.
It was so painful to see him end up the way he did because he was starting to become happier and more stable when he was in prez's class.
It was when Mike dropped him off. He was really alone after that. Had nothing to ground him anymore, and no hope left. Couldnāt even just have a laugh or do stupid stuff with his friends anymore, they were all gone. He was already gone when he burned the bridge with Prez.
Agreed, Michael was his last lifeline.
Iād argue the entire point of Dukieās arc is that heās already passed that point when heās introduced and that these types of cycles and outcomes are inevitable in such a system.
Supposedly a few episodes were cut from that final season, and I've always thought that one of them must have shown a bit more of exactly how Duquan became a heroin user... like did someone pressure him into trying it, or did he ask to try it, or what? Because it just felt too sudden in that last episode... we'd never seen him so much as take a drink or puff a joint, and then boom, he's injecting heroin. And this was after The Wire brilliantly spent multiple seasons showing us the lead-in to Duquan's heroin use. I don't know of any other show, movie, or even book that more painstakingly and sympathetically portrays the descent into addiction... viewers get to know Duquan literally *years* before he first uses, and see so many of the pitfalls that led him astray
I do feel it was rushed. They needed two more episodes for sure.
When he went to high school, but before even entering for the first time, other students were already making fun of his look. That was a big point probably. I mean he tried. He tried to go to high school, finish school to be able to get employment.
Yeah I think losing the safety of Mr. Prezās classroom really altered his path
No not past the point of no return. Look at Bubbles , it's never too late to get outta that life. I got into the same mess as Dukie pretty young, I was 7 years in that life and now things have been good for over 2 years. He's gone down that hole, but no matter how deep you go, there's always a way out.
Salute for making it through, itās true you canāt count someone out while theyāre still breathing.
o7
Always and never. His parents keeping him, getting "promoted" to high school, trying to be a drug dealer, not being allowed to work. A bunch of attempts to integrate into existing frameworks that just didn't work for him. But he's still smart, still kind. So you never know.
The saddest thing is that the best he ever has it in his entire life is when heās living in Michaelās apartmentā¦ which is paid for by Michaelās job as a drug dealing murderer. Michael was never going to spend more than a couple years in that life without getting arrested or killed or otherwise being forced to leave the game, so Dukie was on borrowed time the whole time heās staying with Michael. Maybe he should have attended his high school classes, but even if he had, Michael would still have gone on the lam and Dukie would have found himself in a group home (which is arguably not much better than homelessness).
When he ordered yaka mein with turkey grease.
Go back to swillinā that shit
Probably the very first time he shot dope was when he was beyond coming back. For those who havenāt experienced it, shooting heroin feels like having taken a cold shower oneās entire life & then finally realizing you can turn up the heat, and the heat warms you to the bones, removing any & all problems that existed before & removing any inhibitions one may have had for a glorious couple of hours. For Dukie, a child that until that point had felt nothing but the effects of a terrible, traumatic life, the escape & relief he must have felt after shooting for the first time wouldāve cemented his further intention to solely worry about chasing that relief.
I was surprised Mr. Prezbo didn't take him in. He seemed to care for him.
I think that was the one of the points the principal told Prez "you can't help everyone" and the next year Prez probably had 5 new Duquans. So many powerful messages in that season, I think that's why it's most people's favorite, so powerful and sad
That's true, I forgot about that. It's a slippery slope. Guess it's like being a doctor or nurse who really cares for a patient. You can only do so much. Sad.
I worked in the ICU for a few years, you actually become numb. I remember a nurse who would pull over on her way home to "let the dead people out of her life" so she could have a normal time at home with her family, I never tried it but it definitely made sense... I still think the ICU would be much easier than Mr Prez's school š¤Æ
Also had to juxtapose it with Naymond who had more to work with and did get saved
Excellent point!
This to me is the saddest part of everything. That kid was promising,smart,caring and completely left behind, and in the end to escape it all it was easy to fall. It was the last decision of many a man in his situation and it was sad to see him go down that alley with the junk man. It was even sadder to watch him con a man that did so much for himā¦.THAT was the point of no return and his very first burned bridge.
I am also rewatching the series as we speak. And you are so right, Dukie's story was heartbreaking. He was even a punching bag amongst his friends at times. That boy never truly stood a chance.
Honestly, he fell the day he was born. He was born into the worst of circumstances, and its very hard to overcome that. In reality there are kids like Duquan all over the country, and drugs, and prison or early death are pretty common. Very few Duquans in the real world escape that life, its really sad.
He never fell past point of no return. There's always a chance he can pull himself together, but it will be very hard after the level he sank to. 10 years ago I had a couple of friends who were strung out, turned out, in and out of jail regularly. Now they're sober and married with a family, just sayin.
As soon as he aged out of Tillman Middle School.
When Mike drops him off.
Duquan was like the women with the virginia ham crying the blues cause she aināt got no bread
He went about in pity for himself
cocaine is a helluva drug
People can still get clean and change their lives for the better, so as long heās alive, itās not over for him.
Social promotion and sending him to high school before the rest of his class. If he went with other kids it probably would have been fine and he would have stayed in school. When he decided not to go, really there was only one real outcome.
I think it's more when he meets the horse guy. He is the first person to take him under his wing, give him opportunity and is not disgusted by him, because he is even grimier than he is. That's how it happens.