Tommy starting a war? What else is new?
Tommy has a long-term goal to take over Chicago, and while he knows that won’t happen overnight, he also knows that many different things have to be set in motion to get him to where he needs to be.
He started on Power Book IV: Force Season 2 Episode 2 by setting a match to the simmering tension between Miguel and the Serbs. Now, he can sit back and build his empire while the two factions rip one another to shreds.
Tommy always has a larger plan. He’s never been one to sit content with things because he’s always aiming for something bigger.
He knows who he is, and he knows what the life is. And he’s never wanted more than it. Not really.
It’s why he and Ghost so often clashed because Ghost wanted something different, and Tommy was okay with expanding and getting more but never leaving the life behind. His life is drug dealing. It always has been and always will be, and he’s perfectly fine with that.
Diamond: We have to make smart moves. Or we won’t be alive to spend this money.
Tommy: You know, my old partner used to say that same shit to me all the time.
Chicago has been a whole new ballgame for Tommy, and it’s much different than what he was used to in New York. Chi-town is all about territories, and Tommy’s short-term goal has been to expand his territories.
Tommy and Diamond continue to work well together while also not wholly trusting and understanding one another. They trust each other enough to partner up and have one another’s back, but are they open and honest about everything?
Diamond is down to do whatever, but to a certain degree. He’s clearly not opposed to Tommy’s overall plan, but he wants to attack things purposefully and have a plan.
He can’t afford to be sloppy because if he’s caught again, he will likely never see the outside of the prison walls again.
Killing Chewy wasn’t something that Diamond was on board with because he knew there would be backlash. And he wasn’t wrong because as soon as word got back to Jenard and Treason, they were more than ready to go after Tommy.
Diamond may say he’s done with Jenard, but let’s be honest, he’s not entirely done with his brother. If he were, I’m not sure he would have gone to talk with him and warn him against the move.
The dynamic between Diamond and Jenard has always been intriguing because they’re brothers, but there has always been a strong layer of distrust and jealousy, especially on Jenard’s part. And when he felt like Diamond essentially picked Tommy over him, that was his final straw.
But someone like Jenard, who will always be most concerned with his own self-interest, will never be the right person to partner with—brother or not.
Treason was so far behind CBI that Jenard could barely keep his head above water. He can rag on Tommy all he wants, but Tommy and Diamond have plans, people willing to help them, and the money to back themselves up.
Jenard has none of the above.
On the one hand, I feel for Jenard because he’s slowly drowning, but on the other hand, I don’t because Jenard’s problems are self-made. And he loves to make sure to spread the blame around everywhere but at his own front door.
Shanti seems like a cool girl, but we know so little about her outside of the fact that she’s super into Jenard. She liked him enough to lend him a substantial amount of money, and she said it wasn’t a loan, but I have my doubts.
If not for her, he’d be in the back room of Miguel’s hub pleading for his life.
That money saved Jenard for now, but what will he do moving forward? The first thing he should do is figure out how to get his people to buy into what he’s selling. And he also needs to find out what it is he’s selling.
CBI promises more money, a bigger piece of the pie. Treason needs to get on that level, and they need to get there quickly.
And it’s not just CBI expanding that threatens Treason, but Walter has also chosen to encroach on Jenard’s territory, smelling blood in the water.
Walter, ever the racist opportunist, was quick to take that bad batch of pills right on over to the southside for several reasons. For one, he wanted it to go to the non-white folks, and he also wanted to move in on vulnerable territory.
Knowing the batch would likely cause harm would not stop Walter from making a dent in that Dublin number. But moving that kind of weight would require help, and who better to turn to than the children he’s wronged every other day?
Vic was losing it. He was so wrapped up in his guilt and shame that he was unable to take care of himself, and his impulses were off the charts. As much as he wants to blame Walter, and he should, he also blames himself.
Gloria’s death has irrecoverably changed Vic, and his family doesn’t even truly see how much he’s hurting. Or if they do, they don’t care that much.
Walter gave his usual ‘pretend-to-be-sorry while trying to manipulate you’ speech and kudos to Vic for not falling for it. Walter’s not sorry for anything he’s done and doesn’t care that his son is wasting away in front of his eyes.
He also doesn’t care about the way in which he treats Claudia, using her when it’s convenient and casting her aside when there’s a better male option on the table.
Like Jenard, you sometimes want to feel bad for Vic and Claudia, but they’re not these innocent creatures. They’ve made some horrid decisions independent of their father.
Vic’s decision to fight back now feels like it’s too little too late, but at least he’s channeling that rage inside of himself into something that doesn’t involve booze, indecent exposure, and armed robbery.
Circling back to Tommy, he was all over the place during this hour and even got himself shot!
For as many gunfights and deaths as there are in the Power Universe, so rarely do we see the mains getting clipped.
Tommy turned his misfortune into an opportunity to flirt and eavesdrop.
Mireya will fold any day now because she and Tommy have CHEMISTRY! One more “chance” meeting and these two will definitely be on their way to something, but just what can that something truly be when Tommy’s actively undermining her brother’s operation?
Abuela immediately sensing Tommy was bad news was funny, but you could tell that Miguel was already softening on him after he saved his life.
I don’t think he’s ready to bring him into the family secrets, but there wasn’t much conviction behind his threats to harm him.
If you want to change someone’s mind, kill a man about to kill them. It works every time.
Miguel was presented as the boss, but that seems to be in name only because he was taking direction from both his grandmother and the cartel. And no one was super interested in his thoughts on the Serb matter, considering he was the one whose life was currently in jeopardy.
Losing a few men meant nothing to the cartel, but it obviously meant a lot to Miguel. And once he stumbled upon the drop gone wrong, all threats were forgotten.
War can obviously be deadly and costly, especially when jumping into one based on pure emotion and not strategically.
So far, it’s been smooth sailing for Tommy and Diamond. Almost too smooth.
There’s no way things will continue to go this well for Tommy, but if he can get far enough ahead of the blowback, then I could see a future where Tommy Egan is the biggest damn drug dealer in Chicago.
If anyone can do it, Tommy can.
Everything Else You Need To Know
- Tommy and Vic just straight up lying to each other by Gloria’s grave was a great moment. These two don’t have immediate beef, but they don’t owe each other anything. And their paths will likely cross again.
- I love that Tommy was totally focused on his new plan but hadn’t forgotten about avenging Liliana.
- Diamond’s new PO is going to be an issue at some point. Though his stopping by the shop may have saved Diamond a bullet.
- That poor girl getting killed by that bullet meant for Tommy was incredibly sad. Tommy isn’t one to take a hit on his life lightly, so I’d be shocked if that Treason defector makes it much longer.
- Stacy wasn’t going to stop until she got that task force! Seeing how she works with Lt. DiFranco as they mix business and pleasure will be interesting. That rarely goes well.
- Diamond moving on from Adrienne with the quickness! Good for him.
- “I didn’t know it was ass o’clock.” Never change, Tommy.
- A Julio (RIP, King!) mention makes me VERY curious.
Things are just getting started on Power Book IV: Force Season 2, and they’re rolling along just fine so far.
This season feels a lot like vintage Power and like they’re just barely scratching the surface so far. Things are about to ramp up a lot for all the players involved.
Jump into the comments with all your thoughts about the hour and where you think things may be headed next! And remember, you can watch Power Book IV: Force online anytime via TV Fanatic!
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
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