‘Power Book IV: Force’ Recap – ‘Great Consequence’

9/9/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Joseph Sikora as Tommy Egan in Episode 202 of ‘Power Book IV: Force’ – ‘Great Consequence’. (Photo Courtesy of STARZ.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 202 of ‘Power Book IV: Force’. To revisit the Season Two Premiere, click here. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

One unfortunate reality about our world that none of us ever enjoy dealing with, is the consequences that come from our boldest actions. Simply because, all we are trying to do is get ahead in this life, and sometimes to do that, you have to be bold, you have to stand tall and it’s just a shame that there are people that are willing to offer pushback and drama in the everyday world, when people pull this off. But… jealousy, and such matters are indeed part of that ride, and we do our best to handle them and move forward accordingly because that’s all you can do when people flip out over the fact that you took a chance, when they wanted to remain stagnant and unwilling to remove themselves from their comfort zone.

But while that is indeed annoying and something we brace for; we are the lucky ones in the everyday world. Because in the criminal underworld, the consequences for bold actions are in fact… quite scary in nature. Because there is no one from human resources that can step in and take care of the anger that is on display over a bold choice. For in this world, when someone gets bold and works to get ahead, they’re cutting into someone’s revenue stream and there are ugly consequences that come into play. Some involve the barrel of a gun, some involve a knife and some… might do worse than wound, and well… those kinds of consequences were put on full display in the next episode of Power Book IV: Force on STARZ.

Some of which were financially devastating, such as the ones that Jenard dealt with in this tale. Because his bold decision to just go for broke and leave his brother and the business they built behind… brought about a lot of trouble for him in this tale. Because what he was not prepared for, was the sheer fact that his new crew would be inspired by his own rogue actions. Since they offered up insubordination, trash talking, and that led to a hard lack of revenue. Because this crew simply thought life with Jenard would be wild and free, and immediately backed away when he laid down the law, that left him destitute and stunned as to how to bring his business to bear. But this was in fact, the price he paid for turning his back on his brother and violating all kinds of codes in the process, and now… he must live with that and figure out a better way forward.

However, he dealt with perhaps… the most relaxed of consequences in this tale. Simply because so many others… struggled with theirs. For instance, Walter Flynn’s decisions over the past few episodes bore some ugly consequences. The kind that saw him forced to peddle crappy drugs on the South Side to even remotely have a chance to make some money and pay off his debts, and he had to play his children like fiddles to get some traction with sales, and he finally saw what he had done to his son. For Vic was destitute in this tale, and unable to function or cope without alcohol in his bloodstream. Which brought about trouble legally for Vic, and Walter’s half-hearted apology to his son after he spent a little time in jail, only brought more consequences to bear. Since Vic finally decided it was time for a little payback against his dad, the kind that would bring down the business completely. All because Walter made some bad choices to hang onto his legacy.

Shane Harper as Victor Flynn in Episode 202 of ‘Power Book IV: Force’ – ‘Great Consequence’. (Photo Courtesy of STARZ.)

But while those were ugly and nasty consequences for a drug lord to face for his actions, Tommy of course, faced the worst ones of all. Mainly because… he has been making nothing but bold decisions in this series, this episode included. After all, he went on a tear in this story, taking charge when it came to the cash drops and the re-ups, to flex up and offer facetime to Miguel and he even showed off his toughness by taking a round in a firefight alongside Miguel. Wherein we learned that Miguel and the Serbian Mob were at war since that mob can’t stand competition. All of which… allowed for Tommy to be welcomed about Miguel’s faculty, wherein he could listen carefully to what plans were on tap for an upcoming drop that would benefit Tommy and his business greatly. Since a simple little game with Miguel and the Serbians could in fact… net him power, powder, and respect.

In fact, he wasted little time in bringing this plan to fruition. One that saw a pair of low-level Serbian Mafia men die swiftly and without warning at CBI’s hands. All so their bodies and truck could be moved for later use, and while that transfer happened… Tommy personally oversaw the next part of the plan. Wherein Miguel’s men would come under fire from CBI right in the midst of that product drop. All so Tommy could steal the product, and plant what was left of those dead mafia men, to make it seem as though the Serbian Mob stole from Miguel. A move that would and did infuriate Miguel. To the point where he was ready to declare war regardless of those consequences. All because Tommy F*ckin’ Egan went for broke like never before and played chess with everyone, and his win made it seem as though… there would be no consequences from his actions.

But alas, we know those actions have indeed caught the attention of law enforcement. To the point where there was more work here behind the scenes to get a Task Force put together to bring down Tommy and the cartels. Which went nowhere really… thanks to internal politics and corruption. But on one fateful night, that all changed, and the consequences of Tommy’s actions were set in motion through tragedy. For while Tommy enjoyed a burrito and was minding his business, some Serbian mob members spotted him and went after him, and while Tommy was fine, because he’s quick like that… the little girl that caught a stray bullet wasn’t so lucky. And her passing, and the sheer tragedy of that moment and the optics it produced, gave life to the Task Force and trouble for Tommy Egan and CBI. Because now, the law will be on their heels and working to topple this growing empire, and that is quite the consequence to face.

But before we ponder upon how Tommy will respond to that kind of heat; we need to celebrate one amazing episode. Because this story held nothing back in showcasing how the consequences of the game are ugly and brutal in nature. Since we saw them devastate lives and psyches here, all because the wrong person stepped up at the wrong time and hit an equally as powerful force in the process. All of which added depth to this series, and depth to the characters. But what matters most, is that all the ugly that happened here, served as a fine reminder that consequences have been chasing Tommy and everyone he’s known since day one. For this really is a story of consequences, and well… it really will be interesting to see how Tommy handles the consequences of his own actions as the law prepares to go after him and his many sins. Until next time.

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