Saying goodbye to 'Power Book II': How it went from spinoff to 'legendary' status

In one of the final scenes in Starz's hit crime-drama "Power," James "Ghost" St. Patrick stands in his iconic pose in a well-tailored grey suit, staring over the balcony at Truth nightclub.

His son, Tariq, enters and confronts him.

Gun-in-hand, the overarching question on Tariq's mind: When will Ghost take pay for all the pain he has caused? His mother, Tasha (Naturi Naughton), tried to stop him, but it was too late. The same bustling New York City club that symbolized a life beyond the game for the prominent, once-untouchable drug dealer turned politician became the site for his demise.

And it was by the hands of his offspring, whom Ghost (Omari Hardwick) tried but failed to keep away from his discreet criminal lifestyle. As the "Power" Writers Room put it back in 2016, Tariq's actions were "the result of parents who over-corrected in their parenting."

Ghost's deceased mentor-turned-opp, Kanan Stark (Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson), who taught Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) about the streets, appeared before him in a vision before he ultimately pulled the trigger. Ghost's longtime friend and right-hand man, Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora), witnessed the fatal shooting and pointed his gun at Tariq, but he urged him to "let him go."

Among fans, the beloved protagonist was murked by the most hated character on the show. Shortly before the February 2020 finale, the network announced the "Power Universe," an extension of the flagship series with several spinoffs, including "Power Book II: Ghost" starring Rainey.

'Power': Who shot Ghost? 'Power' reveals the killer in series finale of 50 Cent drama

Life in the 'Big Rich Town' is not always sweet

"They say this is a Big Rich Town. I just come from the poorest part. Bright lights, city life, I gotta make it," a slow, chilling rendition of the show's renowned theme song played during the finale after Tasha was arrested by the FBI for Ghost's murder. The once fabulous, grandiose drug tycoon's wife was stripped down bare into an orange jumpsuit and taken to a jail cell after her plot to frame her new love interest for the crime failed.

"When Tasha had to take off the wig...her lashes, the makeup, the nails, and she took the rap for Tariq, was one of the moments where I felt like you saw her at her lowest," Naughton said. "However, it was a moment that I think also shows strength...and the love of a mother."

The scene was the opposite of the days of the St. Patricks eating breakfast in their lavish penthouse, as seen in the original pilot, which debuted in June 2014.

The family dynamic soured throughout the series as Tasha and Ghost's marriage crumbled primarily due to his relationship with federal prosecutor Angela Valdes (Lela Loren), the death of Tariq's twin sister Raina (Donshea Hopkins), and the other arduous consequences of being linked to a notorious kingpin living a double life.

It was only Tasha and Tariq eating breakfast on his first day of college when agents knocked on the door of her apartment and took her into custody. "Tariq, listen to me. Go to school," she tearfully demanded. "Live your life." She was able to make a deal to enroll him in school so that once he graduated, he could receive his inheritance.

Tasha's final words were the perfect segue into the first season of "Power Book II: Ghost," in which viewers saw Tariq work tirelessly to excel at Stansfield University while simultaneously finding his footing in the gritty drug world.

'Power Book II: Ghost' is 'legendary'

Due to their overwhelming disdain for Tariq, many fans weren't keen on a sequel and said they wouldn't tune in. But Courtney Kemp, the show's creator-showrunner, was confident viewers would return despite the backlash.

"I knew what Michael was capable of, that he could take the whole show on his back. I also knew that once Ghost was dead, the story of his son handling that legacy, the guilt, the responsibility... it was going to be compelling," Kemp explained in a statement. "I also knew that the bildungsroman works for a reason. Everyone loves a coming-of-age story. It's highly relatable."

Just like the fans, Rainey was initially skeptical about the spinoff. But he has since proved he was ready for the challenge.

"Coming off of killing Ghost, I'm like, 'Nobody's really gonna care about this character after this episode comes out,'" Rainey, who has played Tariq for a decade, told USA TODAY. "We committed. We did it. And we were kind of able to make the fans do a 180 turn."

And he's right. The feelings about Tariq quickly shifted.

"Power Book II: Ghost (sic) is a legendary series because they were able to take Tariq St. Patrick from being the 'most hated character' to being the one we root for week after week," said Tyquel Campbell, the user behind @PowerTVFans, one of the show's most viral fan pages with more than 106,000 followers.

Campbell has been running the page since 2014, when the original series started dominating the online conversation. He considers himself an OG fan: "I must say it was extremely remarkable how they executed this show. Regardless of how one may feel about Tariq, his evolution as a character was dope to watch."

Immediate record-breaking hit

"Power Book II: Ghost" debuted in September 2020 and became an instant smash, breaking viewership records on the premium cable platform's app. It was the first spinoff to "hit the bullseye and capture the targeted audience out of the gate," said executive producer 50 Cent in a statement.

"The viewers weren't ready for 'Power' to end," he continued, adding that having a show with Black leads "proves that diversity works. Before this, you [didn't] see many shows with a diverse cast and crew."

Although it was a new show, it had a similar essence to its predecessor. Appearances from characters from the original series, like Councilman Tate (Larenz Tate), Cooper Saxe (Shane Johnson), Effie Morales (Alix Lapri), Brayden Weston (Gianni Paolo), and Egan helped the show still feel familiar to the fans.

"I was able to keep a lot of the same pacing, the same mix of crime and high-level conversation about romance, sex, race, and class. We were able to push forward also into the world of academia," Kemp said. "Being a Black kid at an Ivy League school − it was a very specific experience for me, and I wanted to put that onscreen."

"Power Book II: Ghost" also includes Mary J. Blige as stoic queenpin Monet Tejada and Method Man as shiesty attorney Davis Maclean − two legends that fans have grown to enjoy in their respective roles. The inner family turmoil of the Tejadas (famously highlighted in the dinner scene in Season 2, Episode 8), the cat-and-mouse game between Tariq and the authorities, and the introduction of Noma (Caroline Chikezie), the unforgiving but sexy British drug heavyweight, keep the viewers at the edge of their seats and wanting more.

Another draw for the show is the fashion. The characters wear luxury brands like Rick Owens, Louis Vuitton, Amiri, and YSL. The wardrobe is true to the storylines and culture. For instance, even when in high-pressure life-or-death situations, the Tejada kids − Cane (Woody McClain), Dru (Lovell Adams-Gray), and Diana (LaToya Tonodeo) − never miss a moment to serve elevated streetwear.

"I think it was really important as a collective to represent people of color on screen in a way that you don't generally see them," acclaimed costume designer Frank Fleming said about the strategic approach to the wardrobe for both shows. "It was a way of looking at ourselves in ways we don't see in a lot of television or film."

'Number one show': Years later, fans still rush to watch episodes at midnight

The show's impact on the culture is reflected in the numbers.

According to Starz, Part One of "Power Book II: Ghost" had more than 6.5 million multiplatform viewers during its premiere in early June. The network also noted the show broke the record for the "highest urgency" to watch the first few episodes of the season on the streaming app. In the "Power Universe" fandom, viewers are known to rush to watch the show at midnight to avoid spoilers.

"There's a whole generation of people who don't even remember a world of TV without 'Power,' which is kind of cool. The social media aspect of 'Power' makes it legendary because we started this whole craze...people were having 'Power' parties," Naughton said. "It was appointment television in a really cool way."

When it was announced earlier this year that "Power Book II: Ghost" was ending, fans were disappointed, but Rainey said it's "all in God's timing." He said viewers will be satisfied with how the esteemed show concludes in October.

The "Power Universe" − which also includes "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" and "Power Book IV: Force" − has garnered over 1.5 billion watched hours worldwide, Starz said. An additional installment, called "Origins," is in development.

"Everything that Fif has told me was going to happen has happened. It's just true. So I would say, don't doubt Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson. Stick with him. He's on the winning team," said Sikora, the lead actor on "Force." "Very grateful to the people over at Starz for keeping it going and listening to the fans, this army of fans around the world."

For 50 Cent, the hip-hop icon-turned-television giant, both shows left an undeniable impression on the industry.

“I want this to be remembered as the number one show for ten years!”

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Power' spinoff initially drew skeptics: How 'Book II' made it work