One thing’s for certain and two things are for sure: Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.) is his father’s son no matter how much he may try to deny it.
Fans first grew to either hate or love James “Ghost” St. Patrick, the fictional character portrayed by Omari Hardwick, during the original Power series. The OG show has since morphed into a universe with multiple spinoffs.
When supporters of the original series bid it farewell in 2020, it wasn’t long before the second installment, Power Book II: Ghost, hit the airwaves in the same year. The original Ghost character may be no longer, but in this spinoff, fans look inside Tariq’s decision to follow in his father’s footsteps. He’s an Ivy League college student by day and drug kingpin by night.
While Ghost didn’t necessarily take the college route, he did do a good job of appearing to be one thing to the masses, despite being the complete opposite as a ringleader in the drug game within the New York City streets. His one dying wish was to break free from a life that he did not want his son to be a part of, but not only did he fail to do so, but his death came at the hands of the very person he seemingly was trying to protect. Unfortunately, no matter what way one swings it, Tariq and Ghost are the same.
What makes them similar is simple – both characters hide their selfishness behind the family’s needs, yet they play a role in the family’s demise more than they’d like to admit.
As Power Book II: Ghost’s fourth and final season is currently underway, let’s explore how Tariq’s approach to his father’s legacy may be who Ghost thought he was.
Legacy and expectations
Ghost had a very clear vision for his son and that was to keep him away from the criminal lifestyle at all costs. Instead, his dishonesty with the person he was outside of their home may have very well pushed Tariq into the life that his father wanted so desperately to escape.
In Power Book II: Ghost, we watch Tariq’s journey directly reflect one of ambition, loyalty, and an intense desire to prove himself in a world where some may call him privileged– and others may say his father’s sins have already tainted him.
Father-son relationship dynamics
Fans first met Tariq in the original Power season and he was the innocent, adolescent, eldest child of Ghost and Tasha St. Patrick. However, as time passed, we quickly saw him not only become the man of the house because when his father wasn’t caught up in the drug game, he was having an affair with his high school lover.
Now, as an early adult navigating life as a college student, Tariq is the mirror image of Ghost. From his intelligence to his strategic thinking and ability to navigate dangerous situations, he has become everything that his father thought he was when it came to maintaining control or power (pun, very much intended) of the streets.
Unlike Ghost, who desires to transition from a life of crime to a legitimate businessman, Tariq embraces the criminal world to achieve his goals. From the outside looking in, Tariq could very much represent the devil on Ghost’s shoulder, telling him to stay in his shadow side of a life filled with lies, deceit and the blood of many people on his hands.
A prime example of repeated cycles
Much like Ghost, Tariq’s actions often blur the line between right and wrong. The idea that Tariq is who Ghost thought he was can be perceived as a tragic reflection that sometimes it is impossible for one to escape not only one’s environment but also the complexities that come with the pressures of maintaining the family legacy, whether it be good or bad.
At the end of the day, Tariq’s resentment toward his father can be seen as a direct result of what happens when a parent’s dreams for their child don’t align with reality. As fans anxiously await the outcome of the end of Power Book II: Ghost where Tariq may soon become a father himself, one can only wonder how soon it’ll be before the generational curse of the St. Patricks comes to a halt.
