Sumith Prasad
Max’s crime drama series ‘City of God: The Fight Rages On’ revolves around the characters who stay away from death in the 2002 film ‘City of God.’ One of the major characters who remain alive at the end of the original movie is Matheus Nachtergaele’s Carrot. While his rivals and compatriots die, Carrot does not lose his life. Still, he is nowhere to be seen in the premiere episode of the sequel show. Since the series features several prominent characters from the film, Carrot is evidently missed. Even though his absence may seem puzzling at first, it is understandable why the show leaves the gangster behind in the past! SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Police Arrest Carrot For Unleashing Chaos in the City of God
‘City of God’ ends with one of Wilson “Rocket” Rodrigues’ colleagues publishing an article about the violence in the City of God using his photographs. The newspaper article exposes the crimes and murders that have been happening in the favela to the entire country, putting pressure on the police to maintain law and order in the community. The authorities choose to interfere in the affair when the war between Carrot and Li’l Zé culminates with a showdown between both of their armies. While their soldiers kill each other, the police arrest the two leaders for giving birth to a war that tarnishes their city and the social institutions severely.
However, by the time the arrests happen, Li’l Zé has managed to strike a deal with Reginaldo Cavani, the officer who captures both the former and Carrot. Zé bribes the officer to attain his freedom without knowing that the Runts will kill him in no time. Reginaldo accepts the gangster’s money and leaves him because he has Carrot in custody. As far as the officer is concerned, he only needs one murderer to present before his superiors and the media as the man responsible for turning the City of God into a battleground.
Reginaldo does not care about maintaining law and order in the favela, and his sole aim is to clear his name from the entire ordeal by presenting Carrot as a significant arrest and a sign of him doing his job. Therefore, when the events in ‘City of God: The Fight Rages On’ take place, Carrot can be in prison. Since he has been involved in several murders and other atrocities, he must have been sentenced to life in prison if he hadn’t received the death penalty. As the series progresses, we may learn how Reginaldo became the Secretary of Security, and Carrot’s fate most likely is connected to his surprising ascension to a top political position.
Carrot’s Presence in City of God: The Fight Rages On Would Not Have Made Sense
It is not a surprise that the writers of ‘City of God: The Fight Rages On’ chose not to include Carrot in the series’ narrative. First of all, the original film ends with a shift in power. After Carrot’s arrest and Li’l Zé’s murder, the Runts become the new rulers of the City of God, which is a significant development. This emergence of a new force, which has been growing up as a mere beneficiary of Carrot and Li’l Zé’s “generosity,” shows that you only reap what you sow. By giving guns and money to these senseless children, the gangsters let the Runts become a severe threat to their empires.
The conclusion of the film shows how little children can be agents of violence and bloodshed and that age does not matter in a place like the City of God. Bringing back Carrot to the favela would have invalidated this impactful ending of the original movie. Furthermore, Carrot has no means to ensure his freedom and return to his neighborhood. While he gets arrested, his soldiers are eliminated by Li’l Zé’s men. His general, Knockout Ned, is killed by a Runt who exacts his vengeance on the bus conductor for murdering his father. Without an army and political support, it is unlikely that Carrot will get released from prison to show up in the series’ primary setting.
The writers of the crime drama show must have chosen to move on from Carrot to explore characters with more scope than the gangster, especially Reginaldo. The police officer must have put the drug dealer behind bars for good to become a man with supreme authority. Such a development opens new avenues for the show to explore, while Carrot’s return seemingly offers nothing more than nostalgia.
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