5 Years Later, The Power Universe Still Hasn’t Topped The Franchise’s Most S/h/o/cking D/e/a/th

With the Power universe being known for its high-stakes drama and big character departures, it’s no surprise there have been some genuinely shocking deaths, but the franchise still hasn’t topped its biggest one from five years ago. The main show concluded in 2020 after six seasons of twists and turns, and while the universe has continued through a series of spinoffs, none have quite reached the heights of the original series. Although Ghost and Tommy will star in Power: Origins, the franchise’s next project, it still seems unlikely to provide the same sort of surprises as their initial journey.

Tariq Killing Ghost In Power’s Final Season Still Hasn’t Been Topped As A Shocking Death

Despite all the massive moments that have happened throughout Power‘s 10-year run, Ghost’s death remains the most mind-blowing death in the franchise. Killing off the protagonist in crime shows isn’t unheard of, as the likes of Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy are just some examples where their leading character suffers a similar fate, but given how untouchable James St. Patrick was for so long, it was still hard to see it coming. Raina St. Patrick’s heartbreaking death in Power proved anything could happen, but even heading into the final few episodes, it didn’t feel like Ghost would be axed.

As a result, seeing one of New York’s smartest criminals finally get his comeuppance was a major shock, and his killer was even more unexpected. Power‘s final few episodes followed the main murder suspects and slowly uncovered who shot Ghost, with the finale revealing it was his own son who killed him. Considering all the menacing foes Ghost had managed to overcome, some people were disappointed Tariq of all people was the one to put him down in Power season 6’s ending, but regardless of the backlash, there’s no doubt it rocked the audience and caught everyone off guard.

Why Tariq Killed Ghost In Power’s Final Season

Although it doesn’t take much for people to turn on one another in the Power universe, killing his own father was still pretty extreme, but Tariq did have plenty of motivation. The main factor was that Ghost planned on sending him to jail. Tariq’s involvement in the drug trade continued to grow in the latter seasons against his father’s wishes, inadvertently leading to Raina’s death alongside a number of other problems. In addition, Ghost was attempting to go legit with his businesses, while Tariq and Tasha were more involved in the drug game than ever, furthering the family’s tensions.

Things reached a boiling point when Ghost threatened to send Tariq to jail, which prompted him to eventually shoot his father after seasons of hostility. Alongside the threat of prison, Ghost’s affair with Angela and constant lying was a major factor that broke the St. Patrick family apart, and Tariq never forgave him. By Power season 6, it’s fair to say Tariq hated his father and having become an independent drug dealer capable of taking lives, Ghost became an obstacle in his way that he had to get rid of, hence why Tariq pulled the trigger during their final confrontation.