‘Power’ Recap – Season 5, Ep. 8: A Friend of the Family
Source: Power / Starz
The best laid plans of gangsters and lawyers often go to hell. Backstabbing, double crossing and [REDACTED] have been staples of this show, but it all reaches it’s apex in another crazy episode 8. Wanna know what’s so crazy we hid? Dive into SPOILERS and more from this week’s episode of Power.
Leaving off from last week, Ghost is ready to take the fall for the Raymond Jones murder. Angela, explaining to Ghost about how he doesn’t fully comprehend the consequences of his actions, peppered him with sample questions the police would ask. There’s no way Ghost could take the rap for this crime without impairing his family or friends. So they devise a new strategy; Frame someone else. Ghost wants to pin the murder on Dre. As he leaves to put the plan in motion, Tasha suggests Kanan may be the better person to go down for the crime.
Ghost gets Tommy on board for the setup. The plan is to prove Dre met with with Ray Ray to provide a connection between the two. Ghost would then admit to firing Dre because he sold drugs in Truth, and Tommy would plan Diego Jimenez’s head in Dre’s place to provide more motive for the killing and drug dealing.
Ghost meets with Tate to further strong arm the councilman into compliance. He tells Tate the “real reason” for the animosity with Dre and the drug dealing both in Truth and Basset’s clubs. He compels Tate to sever ties with Dre, otherwise his Gubernatorial aspirations would be in the toilet.
After a meeting with Dre where he tell’s Ghost he no longer owes him anything and warns him to stay away from his crew, Ghost orders a hit on Dre. Tommy is ready to execute the plan, but Ghost won’t answer his call. Ghost was in a heated argument with Tasha about the location of the murder weapon that killed Ray Ray. Tasha didn’t have it, because Tasha had plans of her own.
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Photo: Starz
Source: Power / Starz
The AUSA’s continue to look for ways to build their case against Ghost, Angela, and everyone involved. With Silver in the wind and Teresi’s tepid witness testimony, the crew decide to subpoena Keisha and anyone else close to Ghost and his family. They also want to squeeze Proctor for better information on his clients. Mak and Saxe attempt to press Proctor about the Marshall Williams murder and every other murder tied to Ghost and Tommy. Their abundant speculation about Proctor’s connection is enough to convince the newly reinstated lawyer to find out whatever he needs to satisfy their thirst for “justice”, or else he’d be in their crosshairs.
Proctor meets with Ghost to get clarity on the Marshall Williams murder. Ghost gives Proctor noncommittal responses and assures Proctor that he’s good. He also gives a “hypothetical” scenario for how much trouble could someone face if they admit to a crime he (they) didn’t commit. Proctor says they won’t stop at just the person and the whole family is vulnerable. Ghost gives Proctor nothing more than surface level information. Maybe his trust has changed?
Proctor meets with Cousin Benny to retrieve his laptop with the incriminating recordings about Ghost and Tommy’s operation. This insurance policy is Proctor’s last ace in the hole, but he doesn’t know whose side he should choose. The Feds would love to bag everyone for these crimes, while Ghost has been professionally loyal to Proctor only after using blackmail to secure his services. Benny assures Joe he’ll make the right decision, and Proctor decides to identify Angela Valdez to the District Attorney’s office as the person to watch if anything criminal is occurring. Mak may be conflicted, as Angela still has his golden ticket to D.C. and out of the office. Who does he choose?
Keisha meanwhile, finally meets the Teresi’s. Connie schools her on the difficulty of dealing with career criminals and questions her ride-or-die sensibilities. Keisha has faith she would remain loyal and so does Tommy…until Keisha actually gets served. Keisha is distraught and cannot fathom how this is happening so quickly. She even questions why Tommy came back to her life in the first place. Tommy suggests speaking with Tasha and following her lead so everyone gets out unscathed. Keisha speak with Tasha and she’s on the fence with stepping up and lying for her due to their strained friendship. What would Keisha decide?
Source: Power / Starz
CONTINUED
Source: Power / Starz
Tasha has put in a fade request on Kanan since he got out of jail. This tragic incident gave her the opportunity to frame him and remove Kanan from her life forever. She worked with Angela to devise a plan and called Tariq home so he could give Angela the info she needed. Tariq reluctantly tells the Jukebox story and the weak ties between Kanan and Ray Ray. Tariq refused to help any further and questioned Tasha’s loyalty for setting up an innocent man (again) and working with the woman who assisted in destroying their happy home.
Tasha later brings the idea of framing Kanan to Ghost who hated the idea. To Ghost, every problem begins and ends with Dre. Tasha thinks Ghost is using Dre as an excuse to mask his true feelings of regret for the ones he trusted getting killed on his watch. To her, Ghost is the one to blame for everything that’s happened. Ghost desperately wants to prove his worth and reiterates to Tariq that he doesn’t want to setup Kanan and will take the fall if it comes to it. Kanan cosigns the statement after a conversation with Tariq while he showed the kid the ropes of being a true g on the street. During their run, Tariq pressed Kanan about killing Shawn. Kanan disowns Shawn and claims he was disloyal. Tariq should have no fear of Kanan because he cares for Tariq like a son. Well, Kanan’s surrogate son was waiting on the opportunity to betray his mentor.
Tasha and Angela’s plan sprung into action. Tariq planted Tasha’s gun in Kanan’s car. Angela submitted a kidnapped person’s report for Tariq and gave the police the info to find Kanan. Kanan’s car gets pulled over, and they’re removed from the car. Tariq confirms police speculation that he’s being held under duress, and needs escape. While the cops pulled Tariq into the car, Kanan morphs into the Black John Wick for one final shootout. After killing the four cops, while sustaining his own wounds, he seemingly spares Tariq’s life to getaway. Kanan’s escape was short lived, as he succumbed to his injuries and dies in the stolen detective car. Later, Tasha, Tariq and Keisha give corroborated accounts that implicated Kanan in Ray Ray’s murder. Angela no longer has to deal with the case as it’s closed and let Blanca Rodriguez know her work is done.
Kanan planted the seed of doubt in Tommy earlier when he prophetically saw that either him or Tommy were next to face Ghost’s wrath. Standing in the morgue and facing their adversary’s cold body, Tommy wonders aloud how all of their allies have fallen in similar ways, and whether Ghost can truly be trusted.
The end of this saga is the beginning of a new era of disloyalty and distrust between old friends and new foes.
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