Upamanyu Biswas
The fourth season of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ is filled with twists and turns throughout, influencing the fate of prominent characters in surprising ways. This kicks into gear from the first episode when Unique returns from the dead and begins his revenge crusade against Raq. However, in episode 8, titled ‘Street Struck,’ we are treated to two major events surrounding Quân and O-Cee that are pivotal to their characters moving forward. The bombastic revelations take place early in the episode, setting the tone for several exciting turns that change the story’s perspective. To that end, it prompts questions about whether Quân and O-Cee will continue to have an active role in the series or leave a different legacy behind. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Quân Meets His End at the Hands of Marvin
Episode 8 begins with Marvin staging a robbery at Quân’s base. While the whole thing seems suspicious from the off, we quickly learn that the plan is to kill Quân, who has been a major thorn in the Thomas family’s operation for a while. Although Marvin keeps up the pretense of stealing valuables from Quân’s safe, it is merely to hide his real goal. Thus, he reveals his identity to the drugpin by taking off his mask just before he shoots him and leaves him for dead. The character’s death comes as a shock because of his connections to other powerful groups, including Unique, and his own gang’s strength. However, Marvin is no slouch either, as we have seen him take down countless people under Raq’s strict orders. The same is the case in Quân’s cold-blooded murder.
Throughout season 4, Quân adopts a tough and steely exterior that is highly uncooperative with Raq’s business plans. As such, she finds it difficult to deal with him, which is abundantly visible when Quân hikes the price of doing business with him, showing how he is capable of flexing his muscles without any fear of Raq. From that moment on, Raq’s problems with Quân only keep increasing as he makes more challenging demands that infringe on her capabilities to uphold them. However, things particularly take a turn after Unique announces his return from the dead, forcing Raq to resolve her standoff with Quân. Thus, the drugpin is killed by her, allowing her the ability to assert her dominance in the market once more. Meanwhile, Quân realizes the cost of doing business with Raq Thomas and getting on her bad side.
O-Cee Pays a Heavy Price For His Betrayal
Moments after Quân’s death, episode 8 also brings an end to O-Cee’s storyline as Unique shoots him through the head. While shocking, there is an air of inevitability to his death because of his actions throughout season 4. After working closely with Kanan on his operation, we see how O-Cee flips allegiances to Unique after the latter breaks into Kanan’s hideout and threatens him. Subsequently, O-Cee starts working for Unique while spying on Kanan’s day-to-day routine. One of the big things he notices is the boss skimming cash from his operation and hiding it in a secret stash he keeps in a self-storage space. Under Unique’s orders, O-Cee breaks into the facility and steals the whole chest full of money, crushing Kanan’s plans of starting his own criminal enterprise using the stored cash.
Realizing he has been betrayed, Kanan starts looking for O-Cee all over town but is unable to find him. Eventually, we learn that O-Cee has been hiding out in Unique’s place with his men because he fears retaliation from Kanan. He urges Unique to charter him a trip out of New York, where he can escape Kanan’s reach. However, his persistent request lights Unique’s temper, who unloads a bullet straight through O-Cee’s head. The death stuns the other people in the room as they absorb the ruthlessness of their boss’ actions. The body is cleaned up and left in a dumpster for the authorities to pick up. When the news reaches Kanan’s doorstep, he immediately takes his boys to O-Cee’s mother’s place, where they support her in a time of great need. It leaves Kanan with a lot to consider as he reflects on O-Cee’s passing.
Paul Yen and Cornelius Kittrell Could Be Bidding Farewells to Raising Kanan
With their characters dying in brutal ways, both Paul Yen and Cornelius Kittrell might be severing their relationship with ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ after episode 8 of season 4. They have brought different intensities to their characters, embodying the unique journeys of their characters amidst the chaotic underpinnings of South Jamaica, New York’s criminal underworld. Talking about his experience on set, Yen said, “What an opportunity it’s been to be a part of such an incredibly complex world. Six months in NYC was a complete joy… Thank you to the incredible cast & crew of this well built machine… It was eye opening to be a part of such a talented family. And of course, so much love to the BTS folks who make it all happen.”
Meanwhile, Kittrell also shared his thoughts on season 4, especially highlighting his character’s betrayal arc, saying, “Sometimes it be the ones closest to you.” Ultimately, both actors added immensely to the already existing cast of main actors, bringing a level of conflict into the central drama that pushed the story in different directions. For instance, Quân’s fearless attitude towards Raq, while unwise, creates a great deal of tension between the two business partners. It forces Raq to think of new ways to navigate her situation, particularly as Unique waits to strike from the dark. Additionally, O-Cee’s death comes right after Kanan has already lost Famous and Joyce. Thus, he may be pushed to a new level of violence as he seeks retribution for those dying close to him.
Read More: Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 4 Episode 8 Recap: Street Struck
