'Power Book II: Ghost' Season 3 Premiere Recap

Source: Starz / Power Book II: Ghost

Season two of the critically acclaimed Starz series Power Book II: Ghost was action-packed and left fans on the edges of their seats. We witnessed Tariq continue to navigate through college all while managing to still run a lucrative drug business. When the dust had finally settled, Caridad Milgram, Mecca (or Dante Spears) and Zeke Cross all fell to their demise. Along with that, Brayden took the blame for Course Correct and was kicked out of school. Season three picks up right where the last one left off.

NOMA

There’s a new villain in the Power Universe…and she is fierce. We learn that right away. Remember that sapphire ring Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) stole from Mecca last season and gave to Davis MacLean (Clifford ‘Method Man’ Smith)? It seems to be coming back to haunt them. It’s revealed that MacLean put the expensive ring in an auction and it was won by some random guy who obviously has some money. During the auction, a mysterious woman looks on as it is sold. The man who bought the ring in the auction uses it to propose to his girlfriend. It looks like it’ll be a happy moment until the same mysterious lady from the auction shows up with her goons and requests the ring back. When the man declines to hand it over, his wife’s arm is cut off by the lady in question. After that, the couple is brutally shot to death.

Tariq and Brayden (Gianni Paolo) pull up on Cane (Woody McClain) to discuss working together again. After considering the heat that’s currently on Course Correct, Cane abruptly declines their offer. Before they can talk further, they’re interrupted by the mysterious lady. She discloses that her name is Noma (Caroline Chikezie) and she is Mecca’s partner and get this…his fiancée. She is joined by the same goons from earlier in the episode including her second in command Obi (Kyle Vincent Terry). After Noma threatens to kill the three of them, Tariq, Brayden and Cane agree to help her find Mecca’s killer and move her weight throughout the city. Later on in the episode, Effie (Alix Lapri) joins the boys as they visit the warehouse where Noma keeps all of the product. Just like that, our characters are once again knee deep in the game, whether they like it or not. Will Noma, Obi and their crew turn out to be some of the most ruthless villains the Power Universe has seen?

TARIQ

Our main character is going to be in for a roller coaster ride this season. Whether it’s dealing with the death of his ex-girlfriend Lauren (Paige Hurd), dealing with his current girlfriend Effie, looking for acceptance from his fellow classmates and faculty, moving work for a new connect or contending with past and new foes who want to squeeze him for what he has, Tariq has an interesting road ahead.

Tariq thought he was going to get a fresh start but after Mecca’s death, he was still in need of cash. After meeting Noma, he now has no choice but to get back in the game he desperately wanted to leave. Effie will be another new form of stress for Tariq this season also. While Tariq tries to deal with Lauren being gone, he must also deal with all of the questions Effie has for him regarding the drug game and now, Diana being at Stansfield also. Although he has to work closely with him again, Tariq would be smart to watch out for Cane trying to take his girl. Some of the questions Effie asks Tariq stem from Cane putting thoughts into her head that Tariq is trying to keep her out of the business. Tariq’s yet to find out that Effie and Brayden had something to with Lauren’s disappearance. When he does, it will surely change how he thinks and looks at everyone around him. One of the main people who is supposed to help keep Tariq safe is secretly against him. That person is Cooper Saxe (Shane Johnson). Tariq has to be even more careful than before. With that being said, he might not be off to the best start. After the Course Correct scandal and getting divorced from Simon Stern, Bash (Abubakr Ali) approaches Tariq. He threatens to turn him into the NYPD if he doesn’t pay him to keep him quiet. When Tariq meets with him later on in the episode, he offers Bash stake in his next business move. The conversation doesn’t go as planned, tensions rise and Tariq ends up stabbing and killing him. At the same time this was going on, Brayden and Cane were on their way to the room to do the same thing. The three of them again work together to get rid of the body. Will killing Bash come back to bite Tariq? Can he trust Effie? How will Tariq win over his classmates and clear his name?

BRAYDEN

After deciding to take the blame for Course Correct to save Tariq, Brayden no longer attends Stansfield. Instead, he now works for his father at his firm Weston Holdings. His father emphasizes that this is his last chance to prove himself or he’ll disown him. Brayden will be working directly under his Uncle Lucas (David Walton), who shares that he feels Course Correct was a good idea but taking the blame for it wasn’t. Trace (Cory Jeacoma) also works at the family business. While at a meeting, one of their co-workers mentions Brayden selling drugs which infuriates both of the brothers. Since Brayden now has to help move Nora’s product, how soon will it be until we see Brayden start to use his father’s firm as a place to sell drugs? We were also introduced to Kiki Travis (Moriah Brown), who is a young executive at the firm. Brayden obviously is attracted to her and we can assume that throughout the season, he’ll be trying to win her over. We should also keep an eye out on the relationship between Brayden and Cane. When Bash threatened Brayden, the first person he went to was the street savvy Cane. Interestingly enough, Cane still believes that Brayden is the one who took out Lauren. When will the truth finally come out? How will Tariq respond to finding out his best friend has been lying to him?

THE TEJADAS

After the death of Zeke, the whole Tejada family is reeling… but no one more than Monet (Mary J. Blige). Still confused and distraught by the whole situation, she’s taking her anger out on the whole family specifically Diana (LaToya Tonodeo) and Lorenzo (Berto Colon). Davis MacLean alerts Monet that Mecca left Zeke his penthouse and since she’s his guardian, it now belongs to her. Instead of moving in herself, she requests that Cane and Dru (Lovell Adams-Gray) take it and they oblige. The Tejada boys found a new place to stay but still need a new connect. They meet with one named Kai (Sean Nelson) while Cane throws a party at their new spot but aren’t able to come to an agreement. One thing to watch out for is the fact that Dru is still dealing with Everett (Bradley Gibson). He has been instructed to kill him numerous times now. Elsewhere, Diana now attends Stansfield. Ironically enough, she has a class with Tariq. Even more ironic, she takes Tariq and Brayden’s old room. Her roommate is Brayden’s little sister Becca (Samantha Blaire Cutler). Diana puts together a memorial for Zeke. After Tariq gives a sincere speech (and gets interrupted by a fellow student who thinks Tariq is guilty of the crimes he’s been accused of) about his fallen friend, he sees Monet in tears. The two share a heart-to-heart and Tariq vows to find out who killed Zeke for her. It’s obvious that Zeke’s death is taking a huge toll on her and she won’t stop until she finds out who’s to blame. When will Monet find out that Lorenzo killed Zeke? When she does, how will she respond? Will Everett make it through the season? How will Diana attending Stansfield impact Tariq? Will Dru and Cane find a new connect?

OTHER NOTABLES (EFFIE, DAVIS MACLEAN, SAXE & TATE)

Councilman Tate (Larenz Tate) is back. He used some of his juice to help Tariq get a dorm room after students voiced concerns with Tariq staying on campus. We’re introduced to Professor Harper Bonet (Keesha Sharp), who obviously has some history with Tate. That’ll be an intersesting development. Elsewhere in the show, Effie now attends Stansfield also. Her and Diana became friends last season but that could change now that they’e both on campus and closer in proximity to Tariq. Effie (and Brayden for that matter) still have a huge secret that they’re keeping. What lengths will they go to to keep them from him? Will we learn more about Effie’s past this season? Speaking of secrets, Cooper Saxe has a huge one. He currently works as a defense attorney under MacLean but is also trying to take him, the Tejadas and Tariq down with his on and off girlfriend Jenny Sullivan (Paton Ashbrook). In this episode, we see him eavesdropping on a conversation between Tariq and Davis MacLean. Saxe’s involvement with Sullivan is not a good look for Tariq or the Tejada’s considering the fact that Blanca Rodriguez (Monique Gabriela Curnen) and Detective Kevin Whitman (Jeff Hephner) are both also snooping around looking for dirt to put on them in regards to the deaths of Caridad Milgram, Dante Spears and even Jabari Reynolds. It’s getting very spooky for everyone. It’s only going to get spookier though. Jenny Sullivan shared that she has a criminal informant inside of the Tejada’s organization. Who could it be? Effie? Brayden? A wildcard? We will surely see. Sullivan also spilled the most shocking thing of all at the end of the episode…LAUREN IS STILL ALIVE. When we see her, she asks “How much longer do I have to pretend that I’m dead?” Complete plot twist. How did they pull this off? Who played parts in helping them fake her death? Drop your thoughts about season three’s premiere in the comments and also let us know what you think will happen on next week’s episode!