(SPOILERS for this week’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan will be found below.)
At long last, after almost a year without a new episode, Power Book III: Raising Kanan finally made its return to STARZ this past weekend. The series altogether details the early days of Kanan Stark, who was played by 50 Cent in the original Power series, and in just one season, we’ve already seen what drove Kanan to enter the drug game. Kanan’s desire to protect and provide for his family is what motivates his entrance into the drug game, but he may have underestimated how ruthless it can be, something we see at the end of season one.
The inaugural season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan ends with Kanan, his mother Raq, uncles Lou-Lou and Marvin, best friend Jukebox, and others in a state of panic as Kanan attempts to murder Detective Howard following orders from Raq. Kanan’s attempt is unsuccessful and the aftermath of that is where we begin in this week’s newly released episode to start season two. Following the shooting, Kanan spends the summer in Virginia until things cool off, and it’s not until Raq returns to pick him up that he’s told Detective Howard survived the shooting. With that being said, Kanan returns to Queens where the city remains tense following the shooting. Elsewhere, Lou-Lou struggles to make a profit with his record label, Marvin is tasked with somehow earning his daughter Jukebox’s trust back, Raq looks to expand, and Detective Howard works to get back on his feet.
Here are some of the biggest questions we had after the first episode of season two:
Does Detective Howard Actually Not Remember Anything From The Shooting?
After Raq and Kanan head back to Queens, we see Detective Howard get rolled in a wheelchair out of his hospital room to be officially discharged after the shooting. In a conversation with the doctors as Howard is being discharged, Detective Burke, Howard’s fairly new partner, seems to question the fact that Howard can’t remember anything from the shooting. While the doctor assures her that memory loss in trauma cases is normal, her skepticism is completely warranted as we see in multiple scenes in the episode. Howard stakes out at Kanan’s home before slyly driving away, but not without Kanan noticing him in the vehicle. The episode also closes with a meeting between Raq and Howard. All signs point to Howard remembering everything from the night he was shot, and it seems like his memory loss is all an act as he looks to get back to investigating Raq, Kanan (who is still unaware that Howard is his father), and others on his own terms.
Can Marvin Repair His Relationship With Jukebox?
It turns out that Kanan is not the only person who spent a summer away from home. Jukebox also moved out from under her father Marvin’s roof and it’s for good reason too. In the second-to-last episode of season one, Marvin brutally attacks Jukebox after he finds out about her romantic relationship with Nicole through pictures in her room. Marvin confronts her about it and even taunts Jukebox about Nicole’s death and that leads to Jukebox spitting on him which was followed by Marvin’s attack. In season two, Marvin seems to be remorseful about his actions, especially after three months without his daughter at home. He tries to talk to her, but Jukebox wants nothing to do with him. Marvin has a lot of work to do to repair his relationship with Jukebox, and that work will involve a lot more than a simple apology and half-assed promise to do better.
How Much Did Kanan And Jukebox Change In A Summer?
A lot can change in a summer and that couldn’t be clearer between Jukebox and Kanan. After reconnecting in this episode, Kanan and Jukebox sit outside the former’s house for a conversation. It’s here that Kanan questions cigarette-smoking habits, which earns quite the telling response from Jukebox. “The world didn’t stop spinning when you left kid.” Problems, trauma, and a need to survive still remain, and with that, brings expected and unexpected changes for the people and the world around you. While Jukebox’s smoking habits and broken relationship with her father are new to her, Kanan’s heightened fear of the drug game’s realities is new for him, especially when you remember that he begged Raq to bring him into it. Traumatic moments will change you, and we can slowly see that between Kanan and Jukebox. The question that remains is how will it further change them as both individuals and in regards to their friendship?
We Know Scrappy’s Weakness, What’s Everyone Else’s?
Raq details her plans to expand the drug operation into New Jersey, but until that’s underway, she wants everyone to be on their toes with making money and also making sure nothing attracts police officers to their new operation headquarters. With that comes Raq’s request for Scrappy to put his gambling ways on pause. Of course, he doesn’t listen, and that results in him being at the wrong place at the wrong time as a police raid goes down during poker night. With Scrappy’s weakness clearly being his gambling itch, it leaves one to wonder what everyone else’s weaknesses are. Well, Raq’s might be her overzealous expansion goals which could result in her missing the smaller details. Lou-Lou’s upstart record label is taking away from time and production in the drug business, something that frustrates Raq as it could hinder their growth. Marvin’s anger continues to get the best of him which could cause irreversible damage if he’s not careful. Kanan is hesitant about continuing in the drug business, but it may be too little too late as he’s caused enough damag. This hesitance could also make him a liability to the family.
How Do Raq’s Short-Term Goals Change Now That Unique Is Out?
For Raq, Detective Howard’s attempted murder was not only a way to get rid of a nuisance to her operation, but it was also a way to get rid of the competition. That’s because Raq framed Unique (played by Joey Badass) for the shooting by having Kanan wear Unique’s trademark jacket during the shooting before having it quickly placed in Unique’s hotel room. Raq’s plan falls apart as Unique is released from jail and allowed to get back to work. We can assume that Raq’s plans to expand will only infuriate Unique who looks to elevate his own crew in the drug game. Raq hints at compensating Unique’s crew in order to have her plans go uninterrupted, but that can only happen if Unique is willing to work with her, which in itself is a tall thought. It may have been smooth sailing for Raq during the summer, but things could get real cold, harsh, and brutal with winter around the corner.
What Are Raq And Detective Howard Meeting About?
Well, this happened a bit sooner than expected. At the end of episode one, Raq and Howard and briefly shown meeting in the same park that Kanan shot him in. Throughout season one, Howard spent much of his time investigating a shooting that he believes (rightfully so) that Kanan was responsible for. Howard’s investigation fails to amount to any arrests, and he spends the rest of the season keeping a close eye on Raq, Kanan, and everyone else in the operation. His close watch is also a result of him being Kanan’s true father, information that Raq desperately wants to keep away from her son. So, this random meet-up between Raq and Howard could be about anything. Is it about the shooting? Is it about Howard wanting to tell Kanan that he’s his father? Is it about both? Or is there something new in store for us? Well, we’ll just have to wait until episode two to find out.
New episodes of STARZ’s ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ are available to watch on Sundays at 12:00am EST.
