Power debuted on Starz in June 2014.
That was eleven years ago, and since then, the little series that could has spawned three spinoffs, with a fourth currently in production.
In many ways, the Power Universe has become what the Starz network is known for, but as one year into the next ten-year run of the universe (hopefully!), we can’t help but question where things can realistically go from here.
The premise of Power was simple and not groundbreaking, but when the original show was on, it was ON.
The cast was full of amazing actors, the writing was crisp, the action tight, and perhaps above all else, the storytelling was engaging and ambitious.
Power never played by any rules, and they did everything in their power to deliver an entertaining product, which they instilled in their spinoffs as well.
Power Birthed Many Spinoffs
Power Book II: Ghost took Tariq St. Patrick, a much-maligned and loathed character over the years, and turned him into a kid worth rooting for.
They took his character, kept him in the same city, but crafted an entirely new world around him, and the result was a thrilling, fast-paced ride across four seasons that, at a certain point, may have been the most popular series of them all.
But when the decision was made to end Ghost after its short-lived run, it started to feel like maybe the wheels were coming off the Power bus.
I’ve been on record as saying that the universe shouldn’t end because I firmly believe there are more stories to be told. However, with each spinoff that concludes, I worry about what comes next.
Power Book IV: Force will end after its third season this fall, and while the end of Ghost made sense from a practical standpoint because Tariq was making a full ascent to becoming his father, and after that, what’s left?
You can’t say the same for Force, which found its footing during Power Book IV: Force Season 2 and became a reliable show. It pushed Tommy to new heights, and the supporting cast stepped up to assert themselves as prominent players.
So, why end it now?
That’s a question that’s never been answered in any kind of satisfying way, and you’d think with ending two series and only one coming onto the scene, that would be enough cancellations for a minute.
However, the news soon arrived that Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 5 would be its last.
So, where does that leave us now?
Spinoffs Are Disappearing Before Our Eyes
By the time we get into 2026, we’ll have just two active series in Raising Kanan and the newbie on the block, Power: Origins. And no announcements have been made about any other projects.
Though, maybe that’s by design.
Okay, hear me out here!
What if the Power Universe is gearing up to go all in on the 80s/90s period of this intricate and complex world, essentially abandoning all present-day Power storylines and properly closing that world with the end of Force?
Raising Kanan was always the gamble among all the spinoffs because even though it centered around an established character, it did not feature the same actor or take place during the same period of time, meaning it was essentially starting something brand-new in many ways.
Add to that the fact that Kanan was not a well-liked character, and the series had to do some heavy lifting to get the audience to buy into a story revolving around new actors and some characters they would have happily never seen again.
The gamble, of course, paid off with Raising Kanan cementing itself as the best entry into the universe, and maybe that’s why they’re moving forward with Origins and perhaps some other as yet unannounced projects that will expand the earlier years of the world more in-depth.
We met Ghost, Tommy, and Kanan during Power when they were well into adulthood, but their relationships dated back to childhood.
There Are Many More Stories to be Told
While we will see that on Origins, we have no idea what other characters and storylines may emerge there.
There may be characters we weren’t aware of that have meaningful stories, intersecting with others in a way that makes them worthy of further exploration.
Origins may spin off into something separate at a certain point, allowing for more series to enter into the fray.
I could be overthinking this or indulging in wishful thinking, but it’s hard to imagine everything ends with Origins.
Yes, they could wrap it up in a tidy bow by starting at the beginning to get us to the end, but why would you do that when the universe has proven to be very lucrative for the network?
Once Raising Kanan ends, you could shepherd some of those characters over to Origins, the most obvious being Kanan, or what about spinning something off with Marvin and Lou-Lou?
Again, perhaps this is me just hanging onto something that is clearly dying a slow death, but somebody once told me that Power Never Dies. And I took that seriously.
That felt like a promise to me, and perhaps I took it too literally, but there is still considerable creative potential within this entity.
Power Works Best When Storylines Are Grounded
I know these aren’t the most glamorous of ideas, but Power is a proven commodity, and with the right storytelling, there’s nothing they can’t accomplish.
As excited as I and many fans are to see Origins and dive into the early years of the two most important people in the history of all of these shows, I’m still confident they have more left in the tank.
There are so many characters, so much creativity, and fan goodwill to push this universe another ten years if they’re given the chance to.
I know there are many Power fans out there, and I’d love to hear from you!
How are you feeling about the current state of affairs?
Do you think Power: Origins will be the end?
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Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Online
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