Power Book IV: Force is back after a long (and I care to emphasize LONG) break.
The two-and-a-half-year wait, along with the Hollywood strikes, had me anticipating seeing how they would follow up on the season 2 finale. Well, Tommy Egan is back, and the other characters are with him for his revenge mission.
The show wastes no time reminding us of the stakes, the grudges, and the characters who will do anything to survive. The extended gap between seasons may have tested patience, but the re-entry is surprisingly smooth. The world is messy, layered, and volatile in the way the Power universe often is at its best.
From the first moments, the episode reestablishes the central tension of loyalty versus ambition. Nearly every character is either double-crossing someone or preparing for the moment they might need to. Claudia’s return, though unsurprising to viewers who were skeptical of her supposed death, still lands as a satisfying reveal. The show knows its audience well enough to avoid neat endings where it shouldn’t, and her reappearance does more than keep her story alive. It restores the central dynamic between the Flynn siblings, whose fractured loyalties continue to fuel some of the show’s strongest interpersonal conflict.
Vic remains one of the most frustrating characters on the board. His inability to see the larger game around him, or even to lie convincingly, continues to put him in danger. Even when he had the chance to run earlier in the episode, it’s questionable whether he would have gotten anywhere meaningful. His arc appears destined for tragedy. If any member of the Flynn family is exiting by the season’s end, all signs point to him.
Meanwhile, tension simmers between the CBI and Tommy’s circle. DMac’s reckless tendencies make him a liability at a moment when precision matters most. There is a sense that his desperation to prove himself may lead directly to disaster. It would not be surprising if an attempt on his life instead takes someone close to him, possibly his own father, in a high-stakes misfire later this season.
Shanti emerges this season with a colder confidence that recalls the menace of Jukebox from the original Power. That parallel raises alarm bells. Characters who gain too much strategic power in this universe rarely get the chance to wield it for long. Jenard, who remains conflicted about harming his brother, could ultimately turn his attention toward Shanti to protect what’s left of his loyalty to Diamond.
The introduction of the Marquez Cartel adds fresh pressure to the narrative landscape. Their presence is immediate and imposing, to the point where it feels like they should have entered the picture in an earlier season. They arrive not just as another faction, but as a strategic force that threatens to shift the entire balance of power in Chicago.
Tommy and Diamond’s partnership begins to show visible cracks. The show hints at a fallout, though history tells us that these two understand the value of their alliance even when emotions flare. Still, the possibility of a break adds suspense to every scene they share.
All of this amounts to a season built on volatility. The relationships are fragile. The organizations are unstable. Every character’s choices feel like they carry consequences that could land two episodes or eight later. If anything, the time away has sharpened the show rather than softened it.
Power Book IV: Force begins its new season with momentum, unpredictability, and a deeper complexity in its character dynamics. The story is setting up betrayals, shifting alliances, and power struggles that feel both inevitable and surprising. For all the chaos already in motion, it’s clear this season has only begun to unfold. There is a great deal to look forward to, and the show seems ready to deliver.
