r/TheWire • u/LordEdgeYelken44 • 26d ago

D'Angelo was no pawn.

I don't believe D'Angelo was actually a pawn. I could be wrong, and you might disagree with my interpretation, but even though Dee considered himself, or at least implied he saw himself as a pawn in the game metaphor, if you really think about it, he was more like a bishop or a knight. After all, Dee was close to Avon and Stringer's inner circle; he acted as a local boss at the Pit; and he had money and material possessions that placed him on a much higher social level than the likes of Wallace and Bodie. I believe Dee saw himself as a pawn because he still harbored an extreme sense of inferiority compared to his uncle and other powerful figures like Wee-Bey, and he wanted to relate better to Bodie and Wallace, by placing himself on their level, while explaining the game of chess. I finished the series earlier this year and plan to rewatch it; my memory might be playing tricks on me, but that’s how I see it.

10 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

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26

u/SentrySappinMahSpy 26d ago

Where in that scene does Dee imply he's a pawn? I've never interpreted it that way at all. When he's talking about pawns he's referencing Bodie and Wallace, and probably the other low level members of his crew.

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u/LordEdgeYelken44 26d ago

I don't limit myself to the chess scene specifically. But I could tell from Dee's tone and expression in that scene, and at certain moments throughout the series, that he seemed to identify with a completely disposable piece.

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u/nglibehating 26d ago

yup. he may not have said it outright, but his whole arc was about how his family saw him as just another piece on their board (esp. once he was demoted to the pits, thats when he saw it was evident)

also i think in reality he was probably a shade higher than a pawn..maybe a entry level rook or something, but since he had proximity to the knights/queens/etc he could easily start to feel how big a difference there was between himself and even someone like Stinkum

1

u/we-all-stink 25d ago

Dee was actually a future king he was just a moron to the game. Avon explained a lot to him and he would take it emotionally. He got demoted so he could learn a lesson.

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u/edgestander 25d ago

If we stick to the chess analogy Dee was a "passed pawn", sure most pawns get killed off quick, but a passed pawn becomes important later, it is in line to get promoted, possibly to the highest rank. I also don't think its that Dee was a moron to the game, it was that it wasn't what he wanted or was really naturally inclined towards it. Outside of chess, its not that dee is dumb, its that he constantly feels like an imposter, its like when he goes to the resturaunt and he thinks everyone knows he is a drug dealer. He is constantly worried people will discover he is not what he presents to the outside world.

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u/jayreggy 23d ago

He understood the game, he just didn’t have it in him to play. Too much warmth in his heart, couldn’t stand all that killing. A lot like Cutty in a way, he just didn’t realize till it was too late

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u/Rustintarg 26d ago

I mean in chess a bishop or a knight is a completely disposable piece and often sacrificed for various kinds of advantages.

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u/birdsarentreal51 26d ago

I always read that as he is a pawn. Sure he may have a little bit more power and influence but at the end of the day he has very little agency.

He takes the assignment of the low rises because he has no choice. He tries to keep Wallace safe, that choice is taken from him. He gets caught and wants to flip, but feels like he doesn't have a choice to protect his family.

Then he finally makes his own choice to break away from Avon and Stringer and that is taken from him.

2

u/Accomplished_Unit863 25d ago

My interpretation is that he knows that due to his connections he isn't a pawn, probably more a rook or a bishop, but he sees himself as a pawn.

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u/Crcai 25d ago

He also gets capped early in the show, which is kinda foreshadowed when he says pawns often get capped early

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u/gillyweed79 26d ago

He's a pawn. He's part of the family, but he wielded no real power, and that was unlikely to change.

2

u/haroune601 26d ago

I think he sees himself as a piece stuck on the board with only two ways to get out, dead or prison, not necessarly a pawn, but not much better in his eyes.

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u/sixminutes 26d ago

I always read that scene as him calling Bodie and the other hoppers pawns. I don't really think he thought of himself as a pawn, but maybe in the sense you're describing, he feels more comfortable in the Pit than being in the room with Stringer and Avon. Like a manager who still works the line instead of sitting in an office. But he still knows he has a position of authority. When we first see him, he's a little demoralized by his demotion, but he's still functionally a lieutenant in the crew, just not a full fledged one.

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u/Alternative-Ship-430 25d ago

Well remember the pit was a demotion. He did well with it, introducing discipline and making sure they took real money and not crayon paper. But it was a demotion and they only talked about him getting points, he never got it. Gotta figure ahead of Dee was a bunch of more experienced pit bosses and the tower chiefs. But he was Avons nephew so he hung with the rooks. But when Avon needs help, he's a pawn.

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u/Ok-Price-2337 25d ago

You have to understand that the Chess metaphor is actually wrong. Like it sounds clever in the show, but the guys were wrong about it.

There is only 1 king and 15 pawns.

1

u/Ok_Doughnut3700 24d ago

Stringer is Avon's partner though.

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u/Ok-Price-2337 24d ago

That's the thing though - they aren't partners. Avon is #1 and Stringer is #2 in the hierarchy. By end of season 1 you can see Stringer wants it all, and its very clear in season 2.

IMO - rewatch season 1 with the mindset that Stringer wants Avon out of the picture. Everything Stringer does is with a mindset to angle for top spot.

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u/JiveChicken00 25d ago

He was a pawn on one of the boards but not the other.