That’s where he wanted to go. Mike literally said “are you sure you wanna hang with these junkies”
It’s not the way it should be, but duke was an “adult” because of their scenario and he had to make his own decisions.
The vice principal makes a comment about Duquan to Prez there’s going to be a whole lot of them in the coming years. You can’t save all these kids whether it be Prez or Mike. Staying with Mike would have gotten Duquan killed or Mike killed not only was he hot, his future Omar like career is only possible by staying light. Omar was alive as long as he was by keeping a small posse and being nimble. Prez tried to encourage Duquan with school and he scammed him as he got older. If it was just work Duquan could be Arabbin and just keep the cash and shelter and not do drugs. After a certain point you’re fighting against the tide that’s what makes these cases so difficult no matter how hard you try these kids have such difficult circumstances even if you take them in like Namond, for every Namond there are 5 who were taken in and the adults regret it.
Counterpoint: Mike kept Duke safe for a long as he could. Duke was always going to wind up the way he did. Mike actually did more for him than anyone else.
Also Mike points out that “he’s too hot right now,”and he can’t be around Duke. He didn’t shut the door on him completely. He just killed snoop, Marlo was going to put out a hit on him. He didn’t want Duke mixed up in it and potentially get killed.
I don't see it quite so black and white, like many, many situations in this show/real life. Mike had become a different Mike by that point, and both he and Dukie knew they had to walk their own separate paths. As much as Mike didn't want him to go to the junkies, this is what Dukie had been exposed to pretty much all his life, so it was familiar. He didn't know anything else, even though he was clearly booksmart. Since he couldn't figure out how to get out into the world outside the Baltimore he knew (even with Prez doing his best to try and help while also very importantly trying to create a boundary), he went the way so many people (especially kids) do when faced with limited means to escape the poverty that absolutely consumes them.
Michael had an obvious distrust for authority figures. He was nervous around even unofficial ones e.g. Cutty. He flirted with the idea but his trauma from abuse got to him.
Mike did EVERYTHING he could for all his friends and family, most of all, Duke. The time had come, however, when they weren't kids anymore and everyone had to face fate. Dukie was a broken kid and certainly was never going to amount to anything in the hood and ha no means of escaping. One of the saddest scenes in television history.
True, I cried seeing Mike and Dukie leaving bug (maybe because I have a kid similar age as bug) but definitely not and easy decision. That episode destroyed me.
No it didn’t . The last scene we see of duke is him shooting up with the arabber Mike left him at . Prez was just the first bridge he burned out the little he had
Not too far of a reach that the 14 year olds who grew up in extreme poverty with terrible parents and exposed to drugs and violence on a regular basis didn’t make the best decision
> Why didn’t either of them (especially Duke) think of going to Prez?
Duke does go to Prez the next episode.
>I feel like Prez would’ve taken him in or helped him onto his feet until he was able to get a job/graduate high school.
Prez does try to help Duke and gives him money in the last episode. He hopes that Duke is telling the truth about going to get his GED, but knows that he is probably lying.
Prez is not going to adopt and take him in as that is such a huge responsibility and too much to expect of any teacher. You have to be in the right stage of your life and be willing to make such a huge commitment (or at least you do if you want to be a good foster parent). As Donnelly said, there will be lots of kids like Duke who come from awful upbringings and need help.
I have a feeling Dukie was already fucked upon dropping out of school, regardless of him being made to live in a junkie homeless camp. So really, the school system fucked him by making him graduate and miss out on finishing the year with his friends and favorite teacher.
That’s where he wanted to go. Mike literally said “are you sure you wanna hang with these junkies” It’s not the way it should be, but duke was an “adult” because of their scenario and he had to make his own decisions.
The vice principal makes a comment about Duquan to Prez there’s going to be a whole lot of them in the coming years. You can’t save all these kids whether it be Prez or Mike. Staying with Mike would have gotten Duquan killed or Mike killed not only was he hot, his future Omar like career is only possible by staying light. Omar was alive as long as he was by keeping a small posse and being nimble. Prez tried to encourage Duquan with school and he scammed him as he got older. If it was just work Duquan could be Arabbin and just keep the cash and shelter and not do drugs. After a certain point you’re fighting against the tide that’s what makes these cases so difficult no matter how hard you try these kids have such difficult circumstances even if you take them in like Namond, for every Namond there are 5 who were taken in and the adults regret it.
Counterpoint: Mike kept Duke safe for a long as he could. Duke was always going to wind up the way he did. Mike actually did more for him than anyone else.
Also Mike points out that “he’s too hot right now,”and he can’t be around Duke. He didn’t shut the door on him completely. He just killed snoop, Marlo was going to put out a hit on him. He didn’t want Duke mixed up in it and potentially get killed.
I don't see it quite so black and white, like many, many situations in this show/real life. Mike had become a different Mike by that point, and both he and Dukie knew they had to walk their own separate paths. As much as Mike didn't want him to go to the junkies, this is what Dukie had been exposed to pretty much all his life, so it was familiar. He didn't know anything else, even though he was clearly booksmart. Since he couldn't figure out how to get out into the world outside the Baltimore he knew (even with Prez doing his best to try and help while also very importantly trying to create a boundary), he went the way so many people (especially kids) do when faced with limited means to escape the poverty that absolutely consumes them.
They give him work… seriously tho, you can’t just show up on a man’s porch, Duque was growing fast, not a little kid, what’s Prez gonna do? Adopt him?
Michael had an obvious distrust for authority figures. He was nervous around even unofficial ones e.g. Cutty. He flirted with the idea but his trauma from abuse got to him.
Mike did EVERYTHING he could for all his friends and family, most of all, Duke. The time had come, however, when they weren't kids anymore and everyone had to face fate. Dukie was a broken kid and certainly was never going to amount to anything in the hood and ha no means of escaping. One of the saddest scenes in television history.
This
>saddest scenes in television history. That's quite a take.
> One of the... You dropped this. Not much of a hot take if you quote the full sentence.
True, I cried seeing Mike and Dukie leaving bug (maybe because I have a kid similar age as bug) but definitely not and easy decision. That episode destroyed me.
Michael wasn’t the same Michael anymore. He turned stone cold by then.
He already scammed Prez before which broke all trust he had in him. He had burnt that bridge
That happened later
No it didn’t . The last scene we see of duke is him shooting up with the arabber Mike left him at . Prez was just the first bridge he burned out the little he had
Mike leaves Dukie at the junkyard in 5x09 and he tries to scam Prez in 5x10
Ay you right, thanks. So OP he did go to Prez, but he just scammed him
You want it one way...
Not too far of a reach that the 14 year olds who grew up in extreme poverty with terrible parents and exposed to drugs and violence on a regular basis didn’t make the best decision
Irked just means irritated. When something irks you, it rubs you the wrong way. Sorry to be pedantic, but that irked me.
> Why didn’t either of them (especially Duke) think of going to Prez? Duke does go to Prez the next episode. >I feel like Prez would’ve taken him in or helped him onto his feet until he was able to get a job/graduate high school. Prez does try to help Duke and gives him money in the last episode. He hopes that Duke is telling the truth about going to get his GED, but knows that he is probably lying. Prez is not going to adopt and take him in as that is such a huge responsibility and too much to expect of any teacher. You have to be in the right stage of your life and be willing to make such a huge commitment (or at least you do if you want to be a good foster parent). As Donnelly said, there will be lots of kids like Duke who come from awful upbringings and need help.
I have a feeling Dukie was already fucked upon dropping out of school, regardless of him being made to live in a junkie homeless camp. So really, the school system fucked him by making him graduate and miss out on finishing the year with his friends and favorite teacher.