Boo Koo Sow (credited in the film as Kid #2) is a Vietnamese boy (though repeatedly misidentified as Chinese) who was injured during the Vietnam War. He appears in both Black Dynamite and an episode of the TV series.
History[]
Early Life[]
Boo Koo Sow was born and raised in Vietnam, in a village that Black Dynamite claims is in Tainan province. He grew up during a turbulent period in Vietnamese history that saw the withdrawal of French colonial authorities, the country's division into North and South Vietnam, and the outbreak of the Vietnam War.
At one point during the war, Black Dynamite's unit attacked his village. He was badly burned, and his legs were blown clean off and got caught in a ceiling fan. Black Dynamite witnessed his suffering and felt guilty for being partially responsible for it. He said something in Vietnamese that Black Dynamite heard as "Boo koo sow," which he thought was "Chinese" and "some cartoon shit." Although he didn't understand it, he interpreted it to mean "Why, Black Dynamite, why?"
Despite his terrible injuries, Boo Koo Sow survived, although he lost both legs and was confined to a wheelchair. He learned how to speak English fluently, and even came to feel grateful for Black Dynamite, crediting him with saving his life. At some point, he came to reside in a fortified village and military compound run by the rogue American Colonel Larry Tureaud, though it is unclear whether this is the same village where he lost his legs.
Events of the Series[]
When Black Dynamite returns to Vietnam on Dennis Flynn's orders, he loudly asks that he's looking for Larry Tureaud. Boo Koo Sow wheels up to him, and Black Dynamite gives him a halfhearted apology for not doing more to help his injury, but he's forgiven. Before Boo Koo Sow can give any more information, Larry Tureaud throws a knife that impales him in the chest, killing him instantly.
Events of the Film[]
Black Dynamite recounts seeing Boo Koo Sow's injuries to O'Leary as a reason for why he left the CIA.
Trivia[]
- Boo Koo Sow is not his real name either, simply being the words he says when Black Dynamite sees him.
- "Boo koo" is likely a corruption of the French word beaucoup, which is also a loanword in Vietnamese. For instance, "Bookoo dinky dow" was how Americans transcribed the Vietnamese phrase "Beaucoup điên cái đầu," which roughly translates to "very crazy."
- "Sow" may be the Vietnamese word "sầu," meaning "sad." If that's the case, then he was saying "Very sad."
- According to the Black Dynamite Twitter account, "Boo Koo Sow is just another word for you are full of shit."
- Despite being described as having been "charred from his head down to his little Chinese knees," he has no visible burn injuries or scars.