He would walk brazenly down the street, secure in his mission to rob a stash house or buy some Honey Nut Cheerios. & His silk robe and long black trench coat would fan out behind him, an obvious nod to the capes worn by superheroes. & In fact, in this season, the writers embellished Omar's superhero-like qualities when they allowed him to jump from a four story balcony during a shoot out with Stanfield's crew. & I don't fault the writers for that flourish, but I also knew it was their way of foreshadowing what was to come. & In direct contrast, the writers gave Omar a harsh and mundane death at the hands of young Kenard (a little punk-a** bully who is merciless, sure to be stone cold muscle for some future king-pin). &
All of us may have wanted more from Omar's death, closer to the back-lit, dramatic high-noon (at night) showdown he had with Brother Mouzone in Season Three. & But it was not meant to be, and as a result, all the more poetic. And, a dramatic death is not characteristic of The Wire's brilliance. & I've had my problems with this season, but the way Omar died is exactly what I expect from The Wire . & Omar and his code died so creator David Simon's overarching message about the cruelties of capitalism could sustain. & The game is about power and money, and when the powerful become more corrupt and dictatorial, it gets even dicier for a man with a code.
There's always been a tenderness to Omar, which is a great testimony to actor Michael K. Williams' ability to portray a man a gay man with a vulnerable heart combined with the machismo necessary to skillfully outsmart and rob drug-dealers. Omar never put his gun on anyone who wasn't "in the game" and, in fact, he killed rarely. &
In last night's episode, we end up in the newspaper room, where Alma reads Gus crime reports that could be used to fill out the paper. I listen closely because I know it's coming. & Homicide, 34-year old black male, shot in a convenience store. & Gus decides to go with another story and Omar's death goes unreported. & At the end of the show, we're in the morgue and a clerk realizes Omar's body has been incorrectly tagged. & He makes the correction and the final shot is Omar's body bag being zipped up over his face. & Omar remains anonymous in the systems and bureaucracies driving urban life. & But, on the streets, Omar is the stuff of legends. &
Here are some of my favorite Omar moments: &
"Occupation? & I rip and run. & I robs drug dealers." &
Bunk gets to Omar:
"it's all in the game, yo."
&
