I reactivated my World of Warcraft subscription(s) last week, for pretty much the same reasons stated in today’s strip.  With the expansion coming, and a big new content patch, there are things I want to do in the game before these things happen.  Also, I always seem to come back to it, playing a few months on, and a few months off.  I still enjoy the PvP (not arena), the world, and the combat system. (I’m a numbers guy)

I actually have two accounts (as I hinted to above), with my “main” being my blood elf paladin, Nayamara (she has better gear than that, this is her pvp shit), and my heavy DPS work being done on my other account via my deadly fury warrior, Grimsworn.  I dual boxed those guys from 60 to 70 and let me tell you, a fury warrior/holy paladin combo is really goddamn nice.  Also, I have no “roleplaying” hot key, to be clear.  I’m on the Zul’jin server, and even mentioning roleplaying is likely to get you set on fire.

This “arc” for the week is two-fold.  One, I want to do some WoW strips.  Two, the format (screenshots) is rather easy, even if different, and it will allow me to get caught up on things, like a buffer, and the new September donation incentives.

The other thing we (yes, us) have to get on is the theme week.  Part of the reward for capping two fifty in August was going to be a themed week some time this month, so we need suggestions now.  So any ideas you have, add them as a comment to this post.  I’ll take the ones that don’t suck, and on Friday, we’ll run a poll and have a vote for the final pick.  For themes, it could be like an All Sydney week, Transformers, a game theme,  bikinis, whatever.  Make your suggestions now.  If no one comes up with anything, I’ll make a few and we’ll vote on them, but this is your chance to be heard.

[00:39] <@Fenris> I just watched the last episode of the Wire
[00:40] <@Fenris> I’m heartbroken
[00:40] * Vorpal offers Fenris a hug.
[00:41] <@Fenris> I have no idea what to do with my life now.

This newspost is getting crazy long, but I really had to say something about the Wire while the last episode was fresh in my mind.  Everything above is pretty much all the site related news, so if you don’t care about the Wire, you can skip to the last sentence of this post.  Also, I’ll probably be spoiling the hell out of the series for new viewers, so if you plan to watch the show, stop reading now.

I first saw the Wire a few years ago.  I caught one episode from season two on HBO.  As veteran Wire viewers will know, its hard to take anything away from just one episode, out of context.  The show plays like a great novel series, with every episode being a chapter, every season a book, and you really do have to start from the beginning to get it.  So while I didn’t quite know what was going on when I saw that episode, I knew there was something here that I liked.  There was something real here, something gritty, but not in a way that it was trying to portray itself as such.  The Wire is what it is, and you learn over the years that it isn’t looking to make you feel good, or feel bad.  And while the place you get off looks a lot like the place you got on, you grow on that journey.  Or, in the very least, you figure some shit out.

I was listening to an old Bill Simmons podcast, talking with Jason Whitlock about the Wire, specifically which episode it was when they realised they were hooked on the show.  For me, it was pretty early, in episodes three and four when we begin to understand that Lester Freamon is “real police”.  Lester, I think, quickly became my favourite character.  This is not to say I wasn’t vested in the others.  This cast is far too rich and deep not to appreciate them all, but Lester was definitely the most interesting to me.

I’m still a tad lost on what I took away from the last season.  There is some resolution, but not completely.  Whitlock made an interesting observation as how the kids tell the backstory to the primary criminals from the first few seasons.  I’ll go one step further and say that the entire show portrays a cycle.  From Avon, Stringer, and Wee Bey, to Michael, Randy and Kenard, we see the kings first from their throne, do their downfall, and then new princes up and coming.  Very cleverly done.  The cycle is also mirrored on the “law” side, with Carcetti and Daniels increasing in power, wanting change, but somewhat evolving into what they started off despising (Carcetti moreso than Daniels).

As in my quote, I’m still not sure what to do with myself.  It is like when you put down a fantastic book, or walk out of a great movie… you’re still absorbing it, coming to grips with what you’ve seen, and also coming to grips with the fact that there is no more.  Well, yet.

I’ll cope, and I cope by sorting.  So here’s a brief list of some of my favourite characters and scenes from five years of the Wire.

Characters:  As mentioned above, I was a big fan of Lester Freamon.  But I think my other favourite characters had to be Wee Bey Brice, Michael Lee, Leander Sydnor, Marlo Stanfield, Bodie, and Stringer Bell.  I could go into why, of course, but that could be another two thousand words.  Suffice to say, these guys really stood out to me because of their consistency and believability.

Finally, here’s an assortment of some great Wire scenes, in no particular order.  Spoilers are everywhere, of course…

Stringer tells Avon who killed D’Angelo.

Marlo’s fantastic “My name is my name!” scene.  You really see that cool facade slip here, and the street come to the surface.  He spends the entire series saying as little as possible, portraying everything through looks and language, and right here he just unravels.  Omar had his number.

Bodie’s final moments.  I accidently spoiled Bodie’s death for myself by reading the Wire website, but I’ll admit this one still shook me up.  Fantastic character, troubling way to lose him.

“The king stays the king.”

The infamous “Fuck Me” investigation.

Michael says goodbye to his little brother.  You’re not human if this didn’t get to you.

I could go on and on, but it’s time to let go.  Or at least wait for the movie.  Or hope for it.

With this format of strip, there will be updates every day this week, so check back Tuesday.  Don’t forget to vote.

I’m out.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 8th, 2008 at 12:39 am and is filed under comics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.