The Boondocks MLK episode, is one of the best "What If" scenarios!

Today marks the legendary Civil Rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who as with Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, and Fred Hampton paid the ultimate sacrifice for Black equality and justice but in the 2006 Episode of the acclaimed animated comedy series, The Boondocks, titled "The Return of the King" things were slightly different in an alternate "reality" King did survive the assassination attempt on his life only to come out of a coma after 30 plus years King has a hard time adjusting, where his views are deemed archaic, to the extent of facing hostile backlash in a post 911 world just for speaking noble albeit outdated views.

Robert and the idealistic activist Huey Freeman sees MLK at a book signing and is inspired to bring him back into the public spotlight after facing scorn from his misappropriated "Turn the other cheek" comments and his disillusionment of Black culture (i.e. Thug culture.) Although King comes off a bit too naive whether it’s public relations or technology (he's seen having a hard time operating an iPod.) he is aware of how Movie studios and corporations like Apple or McDonald's exploit his image without King being the recipient of any profits. King is persuaded by Huey to start a grassroots political party but unfortunately, MLK went out to contact a "promotion firm" which brought out the worst stereotypes of Black people, hoodrats, ratchets, gangstas, Pulpit hustlers, and THOTS.

Infuriated with everything he witnessed after waking up from his coma, King lashes out at the partygoers: "Will you Niggas please shut the hell up?!?"

King's tirade was hysterically funny and there is a merit of truth. King questioned, "is this what I took those ass whippings for?!?" 

King leaves the event and the United States to live the rest of his life in Canada.  King's speech motivated many across the country to act via uprisings.

Underneath its satirical premise, this episode was rife with social commentary if not poignant, and despite the controversy that soon followed (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr referring to some Blacks as "Niggers.")

The Return of the King was a "teaching moment" as it laid all the cards and basically told the black community to wake up from their own "coma" and take responsibility while adhering to accountability.

In some ways, this episode foreshadowed events like the uprisings that have occurred after George Floyd's murder, where then President Donald Trump threatened the activist protesters with tear gas.

Yet the orange hypocrite encouraged sedation on January 6th, 2021.

While Oprah did not run nor win the 2020 Presidential election, another shameless bootlick Kamala Harris, was voted in as the first Black Vice President and should Joe Biden give up the ghost, she would take her place as the de facto President of the United States.

Although the episode was a fictional account, truth be told that the majority of Black Americans do not embrace hoodrat culture and King's "speech" echoed the thoughts of most if not many within the Black community. 

The other truth is how the marginalized community was plagued with Heroin and Crack, brought in courtesy of the United States government to further suppress them, and then there is Gangsta Rap that promoted thug culture, misogyny, drugs and black on black violence.

While this genre was an opportunity for talented rappers to escape poverty, its marketing by Recording companies exploited the black community and opportunists like Lyor Cohen and Jeffrey Heller may he rot in hell, took advantage of this.

So, if King or Malcolm X survived their assassinations, would things would have changed for the better, as in equal equity, reparations, and further means of empowerment? Possibly. One can only dream.