‘Power Book II: Ghost’ Recap – ‘No More Second Chances’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 205 of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There comes a point in our lives, where we realize… we have the wrong people surrounding us and we need to make some changes to our inner circle. It could be because of a specific moment that harms us, or it could because we have quite the epiphany, but one way or another… this moment arrives, and it puts us in a unique place mentally. One where we begin to wonder what it will take to make those changes and how far we will have to go to purge those people from our lives. Which might not be an easy task if they are a partner or someone we’ve known for many years. But for the vast majority of us in this life, we are able to make this happen, for the everyday world is a place that allows for this. But in the underworld, where laws don’t apply, and separation isn’t that easy… it is handled in a vastly different manner.
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For proof, just take a look at this week’s episode of Power Book II: Ghost on STARZ. For ‘No More Second Chances’ is a story that saw Tariq and Monet come to realize a change was necessary when it came to some of the people in their lives. For Tariq, that happened twice over. Once in Italy, where he joined RSJ to finalize a deal for the firm, and while he was there… Noma once again decided to intercede and make demands of Tariq and his friends. This time, to secure intel on her ex and his dealings via a listening device that Mecca planted and that retrieval… went poorly. Since it saw Brayden be captured and badly beaten and it forced Tariq to show his hand and get Noma’s ex killed in the process. Leaving him to realize, it was only going to get worse from there and she would continue to press them, and a change needed to come.

Thankfully, he now has the dirt needed to do that, since he came to learn through Effie that Noma has a daughter. One that is fatherless now, since she was born of Noma and that ex, but a daughter none the less… and that’s a weakness that can be exploited. But while that was fascinating, and relevant, the end of Tariq’s journey in this story, hammered the point home far harder than expected. For Lauren was pushed to her breaking point by Cooper Saxe of all people, and she escaped and informed Tariq of the truth that Brayden and Effie had kept secret from him. Giving rise to pure shock for Tariq, since he could no longer trust Effie or his best friend, leaving him to ponder deeper upon the reality that other changes might need to come into his life. The kind that would absolutely alter his universe from top to bottom. 

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However, as mentioned a moment ago, he wasn’t the only one having such epiphanies in this episode. For Monet had one as well. Granted she tried to ignore the reality that Lorenzo killed Zeke, by tossing the file out and by just trying to move on. In fact, she was so hellbent on finding peace, she threw feelers out into the world via Tariq to confirm that she had the right body after all, and well… the unfortunate truth that she didn’t… let her concerns about Lorenzo creep back into her mind. Because now it was apparent, he was involved and she didn’t know what to do about that, or if she could remotely have Lorenzo in her life. Instead, she patiently waited and planned for the worst, in the event she came to realize a change was needed, and eventually… she came to understand she did.
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For one fine day and on the advice of Cane, Lorenzo did what we never thought he could do. He told Monet the truth. In the hopes of course of finding forgiveness and catharsis for a mistake on his part. But instead… he received ire and her decision. In that, a change had to happen, he had to go, and he needed to find a new place to live and a new life to lead. Because he took her baby. But of course, this is the Power Universe, and this is where the real darkness of the episode sunk in. Because anyone else would have had that epiphany and called it a day. But Monet Tejada needed revenge, she needed her baby to rest in proper peace. So, she let her planning come into play, and nudged Gordo toward the truth about who killed his father… and her baby… and that led to the end of Lorenzo Tejada.

All of which made for a powerful episode, one that took the dynamic of this series and flipped it on its head. Because now… nothing is the same for Tariq or Monet and more change is on the way since Tariq will have to deal with the horrifying truth that Lauren sent his way. But while we wait to see what the landscape of this show looks like come next week, we can revel in a story that really did a wonderful job of showing us the different dynamic that exists in the criminal underworld when change is needed and understood. For this is a place where rules don’t apply and where street justice rules the day and it was fascinating to see that process play out and it of course, leaves us eager or more of Tariq’s powerful journey, since the revelations present here will have him pondering upon far deeper changes to his life and the path he is currently walking. Until next time.  

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