You know this week’s episode of Power Book III: Raising Kanan is about to hit different when older Kanan opens with, “I ain’t got nothing more to say,” and actually stays silent through the end. That creative choice alone set the tone: serious, reflective, and emotionally loaded. And this episode delivered.
Let’s start with Raq. For the first time in the series, we saw her shed real tears. Of the Thomas siblings, it always made sense she’d be the one to break, because she’s held it together the longest. But that tear wasn’t just grief; it was transformation. Raq is never going to be the same after this. That moment at their mom’s house with Marvin and Lou, full of subtle expressions and nostalgic pain, was shot beautifully. For a brief second, they weren’t drug lords or hardened survivors. They were just siblings remembering where they came from.
On the flip side, Kanan is fully spiraling. The idea that he saw Raq bribing cops and instantly assumed she killed Famous is, frankly, dumb. He’s so deep in his own head and trauma that logic has left the building. It’s sloppy thinking, but that’s who Kanan is right now: reactive, raw, and emotionally reckless.
Joey Bada$$ continues to kill it as Unique. His scene with Raq was layered, tense, and emotional, but also frustrating because we, the audience, know he’s not seeing the full picture. His line, “I ain’t dying for nobody ever again,” hit hard, especially considering he’s talking about his own son. Pernessa is clearly marked for tragedy, and when that happens, Unique’s going to spiral even further.
Meanwhile, Marvin is in serious danger. Him handing a gun to Jukebox and expecting it back? C’mon. That’s not coming back, and Marvin might not either. Early’s involvement is only adding more fire to what’s already a burning mess.
Now, about Jukebox. This was her villain origin story, officially. She’s not just doing dirt anymore. She’s enjoying it. Her motives are different from Kanan’s. He sees the game as a path to freedom, legacy, maybe power. Juke? She’s doing it for the thrill. That darkness explains so much about who she becomes in OG Power, the mastermind behind kidnapping Tariq, the one who went darker than even Kanan did.
As for Famous’s death, my money’s on a dirty cop, not Raq. They already had her take out D-Wiz in Season 1, and repeating that beat would feel lazy. Episode 8 is likely where we find the truth.
All in all, this was a standout episode with tight writing, emotional stakes, and performances that hit across the board. This is the show firing on all cylinders.
