‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Recap – ‘Anti-Trust’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 209 of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Often times, the penultimate episode of any particular season of any particular crime drama… is super tense and epic in nature and it make sense as to why. After all, the majority of seasons for shows in this vein, feature a specific high stakes story arc, complete with a villain of sorts. Which in turn means everything in the penultimate episode should be designed to set the stage for the finale. So, we can wait with bated breath to see how this epic tale is going to come to a close, and how the hero or the anti-hero will win the day, and this is a standard because it works like a charm. For it truly engages an audience and leaves them eager to continue the journey and it tends to keep people coming back season after season to see how the show can top itself.
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But now and again… you run into a crime drama that wants to shake things up and try something outside the norm for its penultimate tale and one such series that fits that mold in Power Book III: Raising Kanan on STARZ. For ‘Anti-Trust’ is a story that defied the usual conventions to provide us with a vastly different kind of penultimate story, one that informed us that what the Thomas family might deal with in the season two finale… is something of a more personal reckoning. A feat that it accomplished by quickly resolving the plot thread we thought we were barreling toward in the finale instead. Specifically, a war with Sal Boselli and his lackeys. Because shortly after we learned that Marvin was okay… Lou took revenge upon the gang by dropping the shooter, putting the whole situation at a stalemate.

Because Sal didn’t know how to respond to someone fighting back and keeping the ‘eye for an eye’ mentality going, and he wasn’t making any progress regarding intelligence on the Thomas operation since Unique refused to be a snitch. He just wanted his cut, plain and simple. So, without war on the horizon, the show also made a point to wrap up all kinds of other problems. For instance, this is an episode that dealt with the problem that Cartier was becoming. For he started to flex up on Lou-Lou in the office and he even tried to muscle in on Raq’s operation, while she was making strides stealing his contacts away. Which couldn’t stand so she and Lou-Lou handled business the only way they knew how and having those two plot threads be resolved in their own unique ways… allowed for a potential reckoning to come to fruition. 

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Simply because… the whole situation with Detective Howard took on a whole new life in this story. Not just because Kanan finally said aloud to Malcolm that he understood their ties as father and son, but more so because Detective Burke’s obsession with the case… will force everyone to deal with the past and the events of the season one finale. All because Sam, when pinched on the street, was suddenly eager to tell the police everything he knew about the night that Howard was shot. Which were words that fell upon deaf ears at first, but since Burke got wind of it… she was quick to try and do everything and anything to get his testimony. Which was no easy task since Sam was released early for his crime and had no interest in speaking with her if it meant giving up a potential ace in the hole down the line.
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But money talks in this life, and the promise of more for Sam… allowed for him to agree to help out Burke and give her the skinny on what happened on that fateful night. Which in turn, set the reckoning in motion. For Detective Howard heard and saw her plan come to life, and he got the information back to Raq. Who informed Marvin that Sam needed to be dealt with post haste. Which Marvin tried to do humanely since he was still reeling from the death of his potential love and that backfired. Since Sam took Marvin’s charity and basically threw it back in his face by heading back toward his old stomping grounds with a boatload of cash and new gear to sell for drugs and well… that will undoubtedly bring him fact to face with Detective Burke and that will bring forth the reckoning in question. 

For now, everyone will have to face the consequences of their actions, and learn the lessons that come with that, and that will make for a fascinating season finale. One that will be both intimate and moving in nature. For the sins of so many here, weigh heavy on souls and some of the decisions made this season… may create rifts amongst the family when the reckoning arrives. Especially everything related to Detective Howard and what Raq asked Kanan to do, and that could change the course for so many, and truly… it will be fascinating to see how next week’s finale brings all the chaos and strife together and see what kind of impact that has upon the family and how it drives Kanan Stark closer to his unfortunate and tragic future. Until next time.  

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