The Wire Finale Is Coming: Ode to Marlo

How in the world can they possibly be ending this show?! There’s so much more to do. That’s what I keep telling myself. I won’t lie, I don’t want these cats to go out gracefully, I want them to keep doing shows until the wheels come off.

Why can’t we just watch Michael and Kenard rise up as rival drug lords? Why not let Namond Brice become an influential police captain who works to bring his old running crew down? What about Avon?

Will he come back and take things over? There’s the issue of Brother Mouzone, too. I mean, there are just so many loose ends. So many issues. Yes, the motto of the show is “The Game is the Game,” meaning you can’t reform, you can’t improve and you can’t change the Game.  After all, the Game, be it the Police, The Street, The Docks, Politics, The School System or the Press, is motivated by individuals that seek short-term self interest rather than the long-term collective goals they are supposedly working towards. Right, you can’t change the Game and you can’t change the show, so do this thing like Law and Order or CSI and franchise these joints to other cities.

Well, at least I can pay homage for my boy Marlo and his “My name is my name” perspective on life which I happen to share.

Dude, ever since I saw Marlo run that great smack to that one little underling up by the pigeon coop, I knew he was great. It’s not that he was telling him about how to maintain the birds (incidentally, those of you that raise Pigeons, what the hell is up with that?), it’s the way he said it.

“You got the elders lookin after the squabs, takin’ care of the youngins..(pause and crazy look in the eye) I like that”

It’s just the way Jaime Hector looked at the dude as in “if I didn’t like it, it could quite possibly cost you your life.”

Marlo has been impressive ever since. And though I’d still have to give an edge to Avon Barksdale as my all-time favorite character on The Wire, there’s just something about Marlo that deserves special attention. Could the casting directors have picked a better actor to play that character? Marlo is icy, but Jamie Hector’s portrayal of him is just eerie.  Look at how he handles business on this whole Omar talking shit issue:

I mean, how many things has this cat done? How many people has he killed? Look at how he handled that clown Big Face Andre:

I like how he jacked homey for his wild ring. “What’s the real value, I aint much for sentiment.” Oh yeah, Marlo is a bad mufucka..

And these are just off my dome, no particular order and certainly not chronological:

1. Shot ole girl, Devonne I think her name was who tried to set him up by letting him hit in that car, in both breasts and once in the mouth piece…uhh, she’s dead.

2. Took that cat Big Face Andre’s ring after letting him go on and on about Delta Airlines, terrorism, Omar and other superfluous nonsense.

3. Allowed everyone to believe he killed Stringer Bell, even though he didn’t because he wanted to “wear the crown” and wanted his “name to ring out.”

4. Hit that one cat with the CLASSIC “One Way” speech, then had him killed…he’s dead.

5. Hit Michael with that “Hey boy, what, you too good for my money? Then eyeballed him.” That was doubly good because it showed how much of a confident ass Marlo was, which I love by the way, and how strong young Mike was too.

6. Rolled up on Boodie and told him to either work for him or “step off”…clearly Boodie choose to work for him…then he had Boodie killed too. Gotta go, gotta go!! He’s dead.

7. Let Stringer run his mouth about how the days of the “gangster sh*t” were over and now it’s about amassing wealth…meanwhile, all Marlo wanted was pure power as he looked at Stringer like a lion looks at a rabbit.

8. Sent that one cat packing with that “split is 60/40” and then “then pay your people less or short yourself”…..then hit Chris with that “Yeah, he showed no heart” as if that dude was ready to be up in a vacant with the rest of those fools who dared cross Marlo.

9.  Had prop Joe killed after taking all his knowledge and hitting Joe with that “I was never made to play the son” line, then hit him with that ill, “close you eyes Joe, breath in..it won’t hurt.”  Bloaw..

Man, I’m rambling because there are just too many things this cat did to mention.  So let me just run another few videos about Marlo.  Enjoy.

What about how he’s schooled Michael, Marlo 2.0?

Marlo is the greatest..

– Lake Stanfield (Marlo’s cousin on his step sister’s side)

The Battle for the Beltway

Go Go music (argh), mid calf socks, rioting (oh my bad, that’s gonna happen on Wednesday at UMd after Duke beats the Terps again), do rags, overpriced real estate and plenty of white folks walking dogs and pushing strollers – yep, it must be election day in Murr-lin, Va and DC.

Conventional wisdom says that it will be a big day for Obama and McCain, but I’m not so sure. I’d be willing to bet that Hilly C. can make some noise in Northern Virginia, even if she does get the gas face in Newport Newz, Hampton and Virginia Beach.

At the same time, Barack’s act won’t play well in parts of Maryland where they pretty much see him this way.

He better talk their language. In fact, I heard when he spoke at the University of Maryland at College Park, his security had to dress him like an everyday Terps student just to ensure his safety.

You know those thugs with books are getting all riled up like some domestic insurgeant in preparation for their that imminent ass whoopin Duke is going to lay on their boys come Wednesday.

All in all, it should be a pretty important day, so I’m hopeful. We all pretty much realize that the UvT endorsed candidate, Barack, can’t just edge out Hilly C…. Nah, he’s got to win decisively so these wild “Super delegates” don’t throw salt in the people’s game. Honestly, isn’t it time to shelve these arcane electoral processes? Fine, we get it, when you started this vote you didn’t want some hicks with pitch forks out in the sticks taking over your slaves errr and errr government.

You wanted a buffer to save the people from themselves. But at this point, we really need a voting system that is truly representative. One person, on vote, tally up the votes, peace out. Hell, even the Electoral College needs to go. Just think about it, without that silly system, we would have never had to put up with all of Dubyah’s BS.

Convinced? Yeah, it’s time for reform. We need someone who will get the job done.. Someone who isn’t afraid to go to war and do what’s necessary. Someone who can keep people in line.. Yep, I’m nominating Marlo Stanfield for President with Secretary of Offense, Snoop Pearson, ready to beat back any mufucka who doesn’t stay in their lane.

Come on, he already took control of the entire West Side of Baltimore, Iraq would be a picnic for this cat. “Joe, it won’t hurt none, close your eyes.” Marlo is the best.

– Lake

Classic Marlo: “You want it one way”

Look, Marlo is the illest tv gangster since…well, since Avon Barksdale. If you don’t know who Marlo is then you’re just sleeping on the best show on tv, The Wire, or you hate straight up gangsterism (ha) and then I just have to ask, why are you reading my blog? Step off. LOL. Anyway, it’s impossible to get all of Marlo’s hot sequences, but this one just happens to be up on youtube, so I’ll post it.

Man, Marlo is so ill and yes, inside of 48 hours that cat ended up dead inside of a vacant row house.

Marlo is as ruthless as the devil “hisself”… Hot.

– Lake