Power
After 10 years of following the same formula,Powerlooks set to shake things up with its new spinoff, and it could be the franchise’s best show yet.
With six successful seasons to its name,Powerfinally came to a close in 2020, but the story didn’t end there as the universe continued to expand with three unique spinoffs.
Each series followed a character from the main show and continued to flesh out their journeys; however,Power Book II: GhostandBook IV: Force’s cancelationmeans there is only one ongoing spinoff, but a new one is on the way.
Starz confirmed another prequel titled,Power: Origins, is in the works, although no release date has been confirmed yet.
The plot will focus on Ghost and Tommy during their younger years, with the story being set before the events of the original show.
Although this premise could be risky,Power Book III: Raising Kananhas already proven a prequelcan work in this universe, but it isn’t the project’s only gamble.For the first time, aPowershow will have more than one protagonist, but the end of this 10-year tradition sets up an exciting future for the crime franchise.
Custom Image by Kyle McLeod
Power: Origins Focusing On Ghost AND Tommy Can Make It The Best Show Yet
Tommy & Ghost’s Dynamic Could Help Origins Rival The Original Power Show
DespitePowerhaving plenty of interesting characters,the main show was always predominantly about Ghost, making him the sole protagonist before Tariq, Kanan, and Tommy became the leads of their own spinoffs.
However,Poweris finally going in a new direction asOriginswill be about both Ghost and Tommy, with the duo sharing the spotlight.
Their relationship was always one of the main highlights of the franchise - both as enemies and friends - meaning the characters teaming up once again should be amazing, especially as their past feels like it has plenty of unexplored history to uncover.
Custom Image by Milica Djordjevic
If the franchise can maintain Tommy and Ghost’s strong personalities and give them a high-quality narrative, their prequel could surpass the individual-based spinoffs and become one ofPower’s best shows.
Although the likelihood of new actors playing the protagonists will be hard to get used to, Tommy and Ghost are easily two ofPower’s best-ever characters, meaning their younger counterparts should still excel.Originswill still have to grow its supporting cast, but audiences will instantly care about the lead characters, and exploring both their lives individually and as a collective gives the show a fresh dynamic.
Therefore, if the franchise can maintain Tommy and Ghost’s strong personalities and give them a high-quality narrative, their prequel could surpass the individual-based spinoffs and become one ofPower’s best shows.
Power: Origins Breaking The Franchise’s Main Character Tradition Comes With A Risk
Origins May End Up Relying On Familiar Drama & Character Dynamics Between Its Protagonists
Power: Originsmay be full of potential, but breaking the main character tradition does put the show at risk of becoming too familiar.
Whereas the other spinoffs focused on new dynamics,Ghost and Tommy’s relationship was already explored heavily in the main show, andOriginsmay tread over old ground.
While it will undoubtedly be interesting to see how they first met and got into the game, their possible tensions ultimately resulting in the duo becoming allies again is something that has been done time and time again in the main show, meaning this angle would have to be avoided.
Power had some incredible action and drama throughout its six season run, and these 10 episodes stood out above the rest as the show’s best.
Instead, Ghost and Tommy would have to be on the same page for almost the entirety of the spinoff; otherwise, it could become too similar to the originalPowershow.
Unfortunately, this leaves less room for drama and conflict, suggestingOriginswill have to be extremely careful about how their relationship is handled.
The idea of Tommy and Ghost scheming together again still seems way too good to fail, but the project must find a way to keep both characters relevant and faithful to the main series without repeating old storylines if it wants to truly shine.
How Power: Origins Will Be Different From Other Shows In The Franchise
The Spinoff Will Be Less Reliant On New Character Additions
Whereas otherPowershows have all focused on its large roster of characters,Originswill give Ghost and Tommy the majority of its attention.
Of course, it will still have to introduce a variety of new characters to make the project memorable, butthe series will likely feature younger versions of already established faces, such as Tasha, Angela, and Julio, who will all help tell the protagonists' story.
On the flip side, the other shows have all had key characters outside the leads whose storylines were pivotal to driving the narrative forward.
Diamond has acted almost as a secondary protagonist inForce, whileGhostandRaising Kananhave been filled with key supporting characters who have sometimes stolen the spotlight from Tariq and Kanan.
However,Originsis set to be completely different, as Tommy and Ghost will likely be at the center of the action at all times.
WhileRaising Kananis a prequel, it still shares the same sort of stakes asPower’s other shows, given there are huge question marks about who lives and who dies, unlikeOrigins, which will be all about relationship building and character development.
Tariq has become one of Power’s main protagonists thanks to his spinoff show, but one kill could cement his status as the franchise’s biggest villain.
Any new introductions are destined to be written out by the end of the show since they don’t appear in the main series, while those that audiences recognize are guaranteed to survive.
As a result,Originswon’t contain any of thePowerfranchise’s most shocking deaths, but it could include some surprising revelations that change how the original show is perceived.
Despite crime and drama undoubtedly playing a big role in the spinoff, its tension and jeopardy will be completely different from anything the franchise has done before, and it could still reshape thePoweruniverse.
Power Origins Could Still Be Influential On The Franchise’s Future
Tommy & Ghost’s Unknown Past Could Be Pivotal To Setting Up Power’s Next Shows
Even thoughPower: Originsis a prequel, it could still have massive ramifications for the franchise going forward.
It may seem difficult for the spinoff to offer any major surprises, given audiences know where Ghost and Tommy end up in their adult lives, butOriginsis still incredibly valuable to thePoweruniverse.
Alongside caring more about the bond between Tommy and Ghost, the show could help add even more depth to certain characters that appear in the original series, making their deaths feel even more heartbreaking after learning about their past.
Additionally,Originscould flesh out the importance of Ghost’s family, assuming the show gets that far into the protagonists' stories.
Some dialog about Ghost wanting Tommy to take care of his family, no matter what, would explain why Tommy was so eager to help catch Raina’s killer, and it could set up a future alliance between him and Tariq.
Despite Tommy having a level of resentment towards Tariq for killing Ghost, he may reflect on his oldest friend’s wishes and help protect his son now that he’s heavy into the drug game, whichPower Book II: Ghost’s finale even teased.
Power BookShows
Release Year
2014
Power Book II: Ghost
2020
Power Book III: Raising Kanan
2021
Power Book IV: Force
2022
Power Book V: Origins
TBA
There could also be a scene inOriginswhere the protagonists discuss a contingency plan in the case of extreme danger, with Ghost mentioning faking his death.
It may be a long shot, but this may set up his potential return, andOriginscould even include a post-credit scene set in the present day, highlighting that Ghost has been alive the whole time.
The revelation would undoubtedly shake up the franchise, and even if it didn’t happen, some small teases and Easter Eggs inOriginscould hint at future storylines involving Tommy, which would be crucial forPower’s future.
Your Rating
Your comment has not been saved
Cast
Power, released in 2014, follows a successful New York entrepreneur who covertly leads a drug empire catering to wealthy elites.
As he seeks to leave the criminal world behind and protect his family, he navigates the precarious balance between his dual identities.
