Lena and James in “Unfinished Business”

Lena

Everyone knows that Guardian's a hero.

James

But not everyone knows that Guardian is black. You know how old I was the first time cops put cuffs on me? Seven. I was seven years old. My family and I were taking a vacation. We were staying at this nice hotel, and my cousins and I decided to go out in the grounds and play hide-and-go-seek. One minute I'm trying my damndest not to be found, and in the next I'm shielding my eyes from police lights. And these four huge cops, they came and they pulled us out of our hiding places, and the whole time we're saying "Wait, what are you doing? We're staying here," but none of them believed that we were supposed to be there, none of them believed that we belonged. So my oldest cousin must've been about eleven, and I was the smallest, but they slapped cuffs on all of us anyway, and my arms were so little they had to put them around my forearms. Then they marched us into the hotel lobby like a bunch of criminals, and my mom was there, and then they believed us. She kept yelling "Get those cuffs off my boys!" Those cuffs. [sighs]

Lena

James, that's horrible.

James

[nodding] Racism is the oldest form of bullying.

Lena

I'm so sorry that happened to you.

James

But when I became Guardian, I put that mask on and it was strangely liberating. It was the first time, in my life, that I had the opportunity to be judged on my action and my heart, not how I look.