The Wire Finale Season 4

The season 4 finale of The Wire closes on winners and losers. So much of this season was about kids and the influences the older generation has on them. A father son bond developed or was attempted with a lot of the characters. Most obvious was with Colvin and Naimen. It was relieving to see WeyBe, Naimens father do the right thing even though it was hard for him to accept Colvin could give his son a better life, or life period really. Seeing Naimen go from one of the trouble makers in his school to literally being forced by his mother to sell drugs and then transform into a kid with a chance at a better life was uplifting. On the other hand we see some disappointments as Prysbuluski sits in his car on a street corner and see Dukie, one his brightest students who he has taken a special interest in, sell drugs on a street corner. Knowing how Dukie’s family treated him, by stealing his clothes and making it impossible for him to be hygenic, he was sadly in a better place living with and selling those drugs for Michael than with his terrible neglecting family.

Michael underwent a pretty big transformation as well, now being a solider in Marlo’s street gang. He kills on order and doesn’t ask any questions and again sadly his life appears to be better than it was at home with his poorly addicted mother. Now he has his own apartment and lives with his younger brother and has taken Dukie in as well. In the end montage we see him sleeping in the back of the SUV after just having shot someone point blank in the head. Michael  has accepted his new family and his role.

Then there’s Randy and Carver. Randy has been outed through Herc’s stupidity as a snitch and is a target for other kids to bully and beat up now. Carver tries everything he can, pleads with social services and ultimately becomes frustrated with the very system he serves part in. In the end he is not able to save Randy from having to go to a group home where he will be picked on by other street kids.

In the end of all that happened to the four kids Michael, Dukie, Randy, and Naimen. It was almost shocking that Naimen was the one who got the best deal in the end. Whether we feel he deserved it or not, I feel out of the four kids he knew most what a better life was, and recognized his chance when it presented itself. He was also lucky that Colvin aka Bunny took an interest in him. This is such a great series, there is so much more to know about these character and what they went through and if you havent seen the entire series I strongly suggest you do.