r/TheWire • u/Lumpy-Actuator6776 • 19h ago
Bugs and his dad
On my third re-watch now. I’m curious about the relationship between Bugs, Michael, and the father. I cannot remember if/when it states why Michael hates the father so much - was there some kind of abuse eluded to from the past that I’ve missed?
When Michael goes to Chris/Snoop to have the dad killed he’s asked “what’d he do?” and there’s a hard look between Michael and Chris without dialogue until Chris says he’ll do it. Could the silence mean that Chris gets it and/or that Chris was abused as well as a younger person?
Am I reading too much into this and/or did I miss some kind of explanation?
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u/ilnuhbinho 18h ago
from Micheal it's only implied, but with no room for ambiguity (his distrust of cutty, his body language around Bugs and his dad, etc)
but when Bunk has Micheal in the box he confirms it without saying it directly, says something like "after what that heinous motherfucker did to you"
edit: also yes, basically everyone assumes that Chris was also abused and that's why he goes off the rails
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u/Delroy_Jenkinss 17h ago
This. See also:
Chris: "You like lil boys ngga?" *Beats a man to death in the street in a manner that was at least partially responsible for the DNA evidence that got Chris locked up for life.
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u/ygstunnter01 Proposition Joe 18h ago
It’s insinuated that Michael was sexually abused by bugs dad. One of the first instances was his distrust towards Cutty when coming back from the boxing match. You are correct that the interaction between Michael and Chris is exactly that.
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u/electricrhino 18h ago
Don’t you remember Bunk pulling his file
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u/Lumpy-Actuator6776 18h ago
Honestly, I do not.
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u/JadeMack85 17h ago
When Bunk pulls the file to look into Marlo’s crew, he finds a CPS report that alleges that Michael was sexually abused by Bug’s daddy, but Michael refused to cooperate with the investigation. When Bunk brings Michael in, he challenges him and basically says Michael is too small to have caused all the damage during the murder, and Michael still doesn’t speak up.
It’s implied that Chris “knew” what Michael went through, and that’s why he went overboard beating him to death and didn’t even get him into a vacant house, like he was getting vengeance for his own trauma.
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u/Sparkkplugg55 Obliged! 18h ago
It's heavily implied that Micheal was sexually abused by Bug's dad. There is even a scene where I think Bunk lifts a DFS case file citing allegations.
Judging by Michael's behaviour and choice of words when talking to grown men trying to care for him, it sends us a message ( the viewer ) that michael does not trust older men.
Chris sensed it and has children of his own. Which is why he went completely off the handle in beating his face in.
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u/sshambl1 15h ago
It gives some insight into how easy it was for him to turn out to be such a cold killer unlike the paths the other boys took.
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u/Romance_Tactics 18h ago
That’s exactly what the context is. Their father abused Michael and Michael was making sure he didn’t do the same to Bug.
Chris understood right away the hopeless vulnerability in Michael’s request, because he was also a victim of abuse.
I think we get a glimpse of a case file when Bunk is investigating that confirms Michael’s dad was guilty
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u/sdcamilleri On a Sunday morning. 18h ago
Bunk also calls him a "baby-bumping motherfucker" as he peruses the file. I believe that's as explicit a confirmation as we ever get.
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u/ITSTHECREAMMACHINE 18h ago
Bug’s father was touching Michael, which is why he confronts his mother and says he told her that he wasn’t coming back.
You’re correct about the unspoken understanding between Chris and Mike.
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u/Lumpy-Actuator6776 18h ago
I must’ve missed them saying this on the show.
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u/Kvltadelic 17h ago
They dont explicitly say it ever. One of the reasons the show is the best ever.
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u/TraditionAcademic968 17h ago
Michael was weird around men (Cutty being too damn friendly) because of implied sexual abuse. He kind of looks down and away when a guy is close to him.
That's why he didn't want Bug around him. Why he was so mad at his mom for letting him back in. And why Chris beat him to death with his bare hands
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u/Emotional-Row794 15h ago
On my 6th rewatch, I realized the show was called the wire.
Disclaimer: I am being a jack ass
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u/Far-Advantage-2770 10h ago
Just saw the show for the 40th time, and I am starting suspect this show might be a little woke
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u/Emotional-Row794 6h ago
This made me Rogen laugh, I love the idea of a right winger watching it and just being like "Yeah Hurc was the smartest motherfucker in the show, that why good things happened to (the most diabolical son's of bitches in television history)"
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u/naughty_rez_dog 17h ago
Get off the phone and focus on the show, you have to follow each moment to understand moments like these, unlike modern television
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u/SomethingClever70 She looked like one of Orlando's hoes 17h ago
Here ya go:
look at you, you baby bumping mother fucker
Pay particular attention to 16-18 seconds in. And pause the video. It was a CPS case with Michael as the victim. His mother was not cooperative.
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u/Levi_Gucci 18h ago
He was abused. I know it doesn't come out and say it, but there's plenty of subtext. Plus, Chris accuses him of it before he beats him down.
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u/Kvltadelic 17h ago
Which turns out to be why they go down in the end, that Chris drops his control and beats him to mush.
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u/theronster 13h ago
I’m not sure how people miss this stuff. Sure, they don’t say things out loud alll the time, but there’s more than enough context to understand.
I can only assume people are half-watching stuff these days, while constantly checking their phones. It’s a disease, and it’s ruined folks’ ability to pay attention to anything.
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u/MaiiinStream 17h ago
Bugs dad (Michael’s step dad) sexually abused him. In season 5 you see bunk following up on the stepfathers death and he sees a sexual abuse case that was dismissed due to insufficient evidence ( or some other reason)
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u/OrangeCatFanForever 9h ago
I believe Bunk calls Bug's dad a "baby bumping motherf*cker," as in bumping uglies.
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u/Prestigious_Run_633 18h ago
Third rewatch???We’ll call you Herc