Written by John Edward Betancourt
Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Three Premiere of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
Television shows that revolve around the criminal underworld and drug dealing… can be quite emotionless in nature. As though everyone involved in the game and those in the pursuit of the game, have switched their emotions off in order to deal with the tough and bloody world they operate within. Which means that when people die in these stories, and they most certainly do, there is little impact upon those surrounded by the fallen, regardless of what side they are on. Because… that’s the game. You win, you lose, and you lose a lot along the way, and the audience accepts that because there is so much to see and so much more to endure regarding the story. But there is that part of us that wonders… whether or not the losses would hurt and if they could have an impact in such a world. After all, it is populated by human beings, who have feelings and have made attachments along the way and that is precisely why, the STARZ series, Power Book II: Ghost, and the Power Universe as a whole, continues to captivate fans everywhere. Because this is a series that often explores the human side behind the game and how it can take a toll and how there are emotions that come into play in a world that we deem emotionless, and those emotions are of note today, simply because… they were featured often in the season three premiere of the show. A feat that ‘Your Perception, Your Reality’ accomplished, by catching up with everyone three months after the events of ‘Love and War’ and well… it was definitely a dark time for everyone involved in that finale. For Brayden was nothing short of a family pariah, relegated to a family job at the firm and furious that he was in essence, rebuilding his life at a time when he thought it had just begun and he wasn’t the only one reeling in this tale. For Tariq, while acquitted, was suffering from the horrors of the court of public opinion at Stansfield and fighting for his academic life, and of course… there was devastating damage to be found in the Tejada household. For Monet was a shell of her normally strong self and rightfully so. For her son was dead and that was difficult to reconcile, actually, it was downright impossible. Which is why we saw Monet at her most vulnerable and her lowest and that made… for a bevy of brilliant moments from this series. The kind that reminded us of the humanity that is often on display in this series and franchise.
Because this served as a fine lesson that the losses can and will harm a person in this business, regardless of the reconciliation they have made regarding their career choice and it was powerful to watch Monet hurt, and one could not help but sympathize with her regarding her loss and the pain she was experiencing and it truly left us wondering if Monet will be the same this season. Which added a strong sense of realism to this story. One that was further enhanced by Tariq’s journey here as well. Since he genuinely found himself in a strange place and he was genuinely worried about his future and those are also… very real things that people deal with and this added a sense of vulnerability and relatability to Tariq that we haven’t seen before. And it was equally as powerful to see Tariq struggle further with who he wants to be in this life since he once again found himself dealing with the echoes of the past and the choices he’s made.
However, while it was incredible to explore the fallout of the events of last year in such a dynamic and moving manner… this is still a story about the game and its dangers, and it didn’t take long for those dangers to become apparent in this story. For in the wake of Mecca/Dante’s death, a force of nature swept into town… Noma. A woman that was not to be trifled with and rightfully so. For she was Mecca’s former connect and fiancée. In fact, the blue diamond that went up for auction was hers and once she grabbed hold of that in the most brutal manner possible, she came for those that might have harmed her love, and that put her face to face with Cane, Brayden and Tariq and in order to keep their lives they agreed to help her move product, and they might have… bitten off more than they can chew. Because she has more product than Tariq’s group has ever seen. But it is theirs to move and they must move it quickly before Noma… unleashes her violent and horrifying fury. Which is the perfect way to set the stage for season three since it puts everyone in a unique new position this year. But while we wait to see how Tariq and his friends move this metric ton of product, and deal with this new threat, we can bask in the wonder of a powerhouse premiere. One that featured some top notch acting, with Michael Rainey Jr. and Mary J. Blige leading the way since they killed it in this particular tale, and it featured some magnificent writing as well. Since this story featured depth and emotion and it masterfully reintroduced us to this universe and left us eager for more. Since we are quite curious to know if Monet can find her fire again and if Tariq can escape walking the same dark path as his father, and of course to see how the surprises present in this episode play out… as season three of this magnificent series continues along. Until next time.
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