Upamanyu Biswas
After spending large chunks of season 4 contemplating on Famous’ whereabouts, ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ leaves fans with a surprising revelation that could confirm the beloved character’s fate, spelling a monumental change for the Thomas family moving forward, particularly Kanan. In episode 5, titled ‘The Nail That Sticks Up,’ Famous’ mom arrives in town looking for any leads that might shed some light on her son’s disappearance. However, she is dismissed by the local authorities, who pin the boy’s missing status as a case of running away from home. Meanwhile, we get intermittent flashbacks that illustrate Famous’ childhood and his mother’s hand in his formation. Thus, when the news is unraveled about the boy’s fate, it sends a reverberating shock through every character, even if there might be a sense of ambiguity involved. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Famous’ Body Seemingly Winds Up in a Dreary Part of Town
From the beginning of season 4, Famous’s disappearance has been one of the background plot threads that the central characters talk about during the episodes. Each individual has a different explanation for the boy’s missing state. However, no one knows what happened to him or why he may be gone for such a prolonged period. This becomes all the more alarming when, in episode 5, his mother turns up seeking answers about her son’s status. After Detective Garcia sends her away, the woman tracks down Kanan, hoping that Famous’ best friend might have some reasonable explanation for his vanishing. As Kanan has no way to help the woman, he leaves her after consoling her. Later, we witness a separate scene where a shoplifter tries to find a hiding spot in a dark alley and instead discovers Famous’ body underneath a dirty mattress.
One of the striking things about the scene is how the show keeps us from seeing Famous’ body. The reasons behind it could be two-fold. The first among them could be to preserve a sense of modesty and keep fans from seeing Famous depicted gruesomely. However, the second might be because it is not Famous at all. While the second option may seem unlikely, especially when we see in a follow-up scene Famous’ mother identifying the boy with a horrified expression outside the police morgue, it is possible that the boy is still alive. After all, there is a golden rule about a character’s fate never being confirmed unless we see their body. Yet, it may not be applicable here because everyone surrounding Famous seems convinced he is dead. Additionally, the question remains as to why he is dead in the first place.
Antonio Ortiz’s Exit is Confirmed With Famous’ Death
It is evident that Famous’ death is more than a little off, especially with the variables in the equation and our ignorance of how it might have come about. However, while we might be unsure about his fate, there is reason to believe that the outcome is genuine, especially given the comments from Antonio Ortiz, who plays Famous. The actor has been sharing his experiences working on ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ in a message that reads like a final parting between him and the show. “This was an incredible journey from the very beginning. I was blessed to be given this opportunity. I was able to work with some of the most amazing people on an amazing project for an amazing period of time. They say film is forever so I say add FAMOUS to the history books,” he said.
Based on his comments, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Famous is more than likely gone, and our main characters will have to deal with the repercussions of his passing and the questions left behind. The actor has brought life to Famous’ singing exploits and friendship with Kanan and Jukebox for multiple seasons, growing in stature since his early appearances in season 1. Even though the Starz show has previously brought back a seemingly dead character to life, case in point Unique, the main antagonist of season 4, it seems unlikely that the same treatment could be reserved for Famous, mainly owing to his lack of concrete influence on the narrative beyond his peripheral role as Kanan’s close buddy. The actor left an indelible mark on the series, and the emotional weight of his role will undoubtedly be felt for the rest of season 4 as Kanan comes to terms with his passing.
Read More: Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 4 Episode 5 Recap: The Nail That Sticks Up
