John Walker getting a best down from the Dora Milaje wasn’t just great television or even “fan service”. There a lot going on in that scene which will be dissected just below
The Dora enter the scene when John Walker has just threatened Sam. One of them throws a spear into a beam between them, protecting Sam who is obviously didn’t want to fight.
So John Walker started the fight by threatening a Black man who helped defend Wakanda. #WinterSpoilers
John’s behavior toward the Dora is insulting and passive aggressive & FILLED WITH MICRO AGGRESSIONS (Like when he referred to their spears as “pointy sticks). He touches Ayo without her permission in a gesture that white men often claim is friendly but is actually a condescending way they assert their authority and power over others, especially women.
YOU DO NOT PUT HANDS ON A BLACK WOMAN WHOM YOU ARE PAINFULLY UNFAMILIAR WITH. It is not cute neither is it an ice breaker. Just F*cking DON’T ✋
We’ve seen John uses that gesture before, along with his nonchalant “aw shucks” act before. At this point we, the audience, should be aware that it is a mask that covers calculated violence and can’t be reasoned with. Ayo sure sees it. #WinterSpoilers
Which makes it very interesting to see so many people cast the Dora as aggressors in this situation. It shows how much we’ve internalized white supremacy that we see a white man we know to be dangerous threaten a Black man but frame Black women as the aggressors.
PS I understand that by virtue of how the fight scene is filmed it looks like the Dora, Ayo especially, have lethal intent. But if anything the fight demonstrates that if the Dora Milaje want someone dead he would be dead. They left those men alive. ♀️
And by returning the shield, they demonstrated that John Walker was of ZERO THREAT to them.
The Dora Milaje showed restraint and more importantly, class.
For those of you idiots saying "Don’t make it about race”, I say screw you. This show if anything shows how America views itself as the altruistic saviour when in truth they’re little more than soiled cattle muddying & soiling everything they touch.
