Michonne

I have downloaded Zeebox so I watch with Twitter, just Twitter, not Black Twitter.  And everyone pretty much agreed Michonne rocks.  And when I said she was probably hella anti-social pre-zombie apocalypse, a few people agreed.

Yesterday, I watched the last episode again.  Per usual, I was struck by how pretty Michonne is, the calculation in her eyes, and the way people respond to her.  It lead me to the following exchange.

Me:  Rewatching TWD. Would y’all consider Michonne an angry Black woman or a
survivalist? My initial thought wasn’t race based and I thought of her
as a survivor. Seems like everyone watching in Zeebox felt the same way.

Friend: Michonne is exactly how most people view Black women. And truth is most Black women accept the survivalist role.

Me: So you’re saying they see Black women as angry or survivalist?

Friend:  Angry. But you don’t have to be angry to be a survivalist. Look at Daryl. He is not really angry at the end of the day. And maybe neither is Michonne.  She acts like someone who had been placed into a role that wasn’t initially meant for her but she is resigned to do it. So its more resentful than full of rage. Like a lot of Black women.

Me:  Humh.

Friend:  Furthermore, Michonne’s behavior at Woodbury mirrors the way society sees us (ABW) and it’s unnecessary. Even though her instincts were right on the money you don’t have to be an angry bitch to get your point across. Which is why she looked crazy. She could have exposed The Governor and saved Andrea (or let Andrea’s wack ass die cus we didn’t need her anymore), while being pleasant and sneaking evidence. Instead, her attitude drew negative attention and alienated her from the group. But that happens to a lot of us. That angry shit only looks empowering on perky white chicks on Lifetime. (This also works when those same perky chicks are called to the carpet.  They are allowed to lash out and usually met with understanding and acceptance of their victimhood, never mind these women were the initial aggressors.)

That last bit about her being ‘pleasant’ is spot on.   I was recently talking to my mom about this.  Being unable to ‘get along’ with people has become one of the proud points of the ABW.  Why is it so hard to just get a long with people and still be cautious and calculating?  That inability to get along isn’t anything to be proud of.  It’s anti-social and off putting.  Michonne is off putting most of the time.  (Up until she belonged to her TWD family.  Even BEFORE RiChonne.)  Feared, but probably rarely liked.  Even with Andrea, Andrea probably calculated that she needed Michonne to survive.  Did she like Michonne?  Nope. She tolerated Michonne while Michonne was meeting her needs.  The minute she found what she thought was better, more comfortable protection, she flung her snatch right at it. (#Message)

Thoughts? (I couldn’t link the original comments.)