Maybe it will help people to think about it like this: The cloak of invincibility on TWD, especially from the fan POV, is for white characters only. White characters die, yeah, but the one character no one thinks will ever die because it would supposedly ruin the show and no one would watch anymore is a white guy, followed by another white guy who is actually meant to be the protagonist. 

Folks will say, well, Michonne is invincible (NOW they’ll say it to argue that race had nothing to do with Glenn’s death), but of course half the fans were gleefully predicting that Michonne was doomed, DOOMED all summer, while Daryl theories were treated as crack theories. I like to think she is, from Gimple’s POV, but she definitely is not to the fandom. Morgan? He was introduced in episode 1 and is still going – but he didn’t become a regular until – what, season 5? So he’s seen as sort of an outsider still. 

Speaking of Morgan, imagine if it were Morgan instead of Daryl who punched Negan in that scene. No 75% of the fandom would be saying it wasn’t his fault and feeling bad for him. 

The kicker is, Daryl took over aspects of Glenn’s relationship with Rick, aspects that have given him more screen time (Glenn having been Rick’s “right hand” in the comic), but when it came to the “iconic” death, Glenn got to keep that. Or, to be more accurate, as several fans have noted, Abe got Glenn’s death, Glenn got bludgeoned to feed Daryl’s story. 

There is no narrative reason for Daryl to be untouchable on a show where no one is supposed to be safe. 

Yes.

The Trope of Black Women’s Elevated Status Romantically and Socially in Zombie/Survivalist Settings

So, this bit of meta has been knocking around in my head for quite a while. 

I’ve been a huge fan of the zombie genre for a looong time.

Before I even jump into this, I think it’s important to note, that basically the beginning of the modern iteration of this genre Night of the Living Dead and subsequently Dawn of the Dead, used it to upend social taboos for black men and make very risky, and even to this day super-relevant on-the-nose statements about black men in America.

In 1968′s Night of the Living Dead:

***this movie is available to watch for free on youtube. anyone with any interest in social metaphors about black people on film needs to make it their mission to watch this movie at least once.***

I think that it’s important to note that the dawn of the modern zombie genre began with breaking HUGE racial taboos.

Now, with this background, I want to talk about one particularly interesting pattern to ponder regarding black women’s presence within the zombie genre.

I’ve noticed that within the zombie genre (and by extension survival/apocalyptic “last people” scenarios), black women go from being virtually invisible in a romantic sense in “normal narratives” to being the top pick as a partner in all respects in these scenarios.

The first example I can remember was in 1971′s The Omega Man, starring Charlton Heston and Rosalind Cash, an early adaptation of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, and potentially the instigator in the trend:

Both characters are the last humans alive, tough and able to defend themselves in this harsh world populated by a new other (humanoid vampire-like species which shuns light).  And eventually they become romantic partners.

This is noteworthy, as this movie predates the height of the blaxploitation era, coming right at the heels of the apex of the Civil Rights Movement.

Keep reading

I’ve thought a lot about this trend. The zombie genre is built on social commentary – it has never been just about the monsters. Still, how did it get to be so Black woman-centric?

That’s something to think about. And tbqh, I think that’s probably the case for Robert Kirkman’s Michonne (but not Scott Gimple’s). 

Selena (like Ben in NotLD) was never written as Black. The top 2 picks to play her were Naomie Harris and a white actress whose name escapes me. (It’s all in Danny Boyle’s commentary). He didn’t change anything but maybe one or two lines of Mitchell’s, but I think Mitchell’s part where he claims “the black one” and describes how he plans to rape her became racial commentary as much as a smack at the patriarchy.

Z Nation did what The Walking Dead didn’t at the time it started – it made Roberta Warren the lead. I’m behind on it, but I don’t really find Roberta to be a SBW trope unsubverted. SBW as a media trope aren’t desirable, that is kind of fundamental.

My theory is that zombie media likes to revisit the idea that once society’s gone, social constructs fade out. To keep it short, basically the only thing keeping Black women from being the standard of beauty and desirability is society.

That last line though

I reblogged for that last line

Also reblogging for that last line.

6 months ago Father Gabriel: *shits pants*

current Father Gabriel: 

“ Sometimes I wish Danai would leave the show just so she can have better material to work with. And then I think, please don’t leave Danai! You’re one of the only reasons I watch the show.”

So

TWO black dudes getting gruesome deaths on Fear The Walking Dead….

1) Dude getting his face eaten off….

2) Calvin, the drug dealer, getting run over… TWICE..

And ONE Black dude (the daughter’s boyfriend) is obviously dead too…

ETA: I don’t want to see no shit about a goddamn thing, since we ALL know The Walking Dead has an issue with disproportionately killing off Black male characters. 

- Merle - Shane - Lori - Hershel - Beth - Dale - Sophia - Andrea - Lizzy - Mika

And countless other white characters have been killed.

So kindly shut the fuck up and go somewhere else with your hate-inducing shit.

The white characters are already disproportionately represented on TWD for a show set for multiple seasons in Metro Atlanta. White characters are already over represented all over TV, so killing them off is nothing.

But when you have limited number of black male characters (AND black female characters in this universe) and then killing them off in decidedly gruesome ways (Noah) or sacrificing themselves for white characters (T-Dog) or killing one off a few episodes after a new one arrives,  it’s noticeably obvious that black males die a lot quicker, more gruesome, and for shock value.

Finally, 

I would like to share with you this text, contains important thoughts about Michonne. And recommend to follow this new blog.

“In a recent episode, she volunteered to go on a dangerous mission in place of Glenn. It was implied that she felt it would be better for her to risk being killed because she didn’t have anyone that would miss her, unlike Glenn. That was a very disturbing revelation for Michonne fans.

This is all problematic writing for a dark skinned black female character. Michonne is a beautiful woman, but she hasn’t once been shown in a desirable light. Carol has been openly flirted with several times. Sasha, a light-skinned black woman, has been flirted with and had relationships. Tara, a woman who isn’t even interested in men, has been hit on and has had love interests. Rosita and Maggie have lovers. And Michonne…has her sword?

That leaves our lonely samurai to continue to look out for herself because no one (love interest or not) is going to express any concern for her.  

The new character bio that AMC presents on their website for Michonne this season talks about love. She loves people and she is loved back, is what it says in short.

To that I say, no. “

http://moviepilot.com/posts/3646421?lt_source=external,share_twitter,manual

http://imrpitwd.tumblr.com/post/133425116072/is-michonne-really-progressing-in-the-walking

R.I.P. RICK GRIMES 2010-2015

Michonne should have had her entrance moment at the party.  She should have walked through that door and turned heads.  She should have showed up with her hair in a cute style, her skin glowing, a flattering dress in a nice color (or other dressy pants outfit, because Danai can wear the hell out of some suits!), and a radiant smile.  If Michonne had arrived and looked stunning I wouldn’t have been as upset about Jessie (I’d still be upset, but at least they wouldn’t have downplayed Michonne to make another woman look better).