With Power Book II: Ghost Coming to an End, What Does the Future Hold For Starz's Most Popular Franchise?

When the news came that Power Book II: Ghost was ending, I'll admit it floored me.

Since the ending of the original Power, the continued universe has seen much success. Still, being the first and a direct continuation of the original, Power Ghost has probably amassed the greatest popularity.

But they say all good things must come to an end, and the end of Ghost has me wondering what happens next for the longstanding franchise.

We know that another Power spinoff is coming; this one is a starter story for Ghost and Tommy.

Power Book III: Raising Kanan has proven to be a compelling and worthwhile look into Kanan Stark's upbringing, and considering the franchise's track record, there's no reason to believe the Ghost and Tommy spinoff will be any different.

Everything started with that duo, and it feels like a no-brainer to explore their beginnings and expand things through their backstory.

That's much like Power Raising Kanan did by introducing all the characters who helped shape the Kanan Stark we came to know.

But finding out Power Ghost was ending so soon after learning about the latest spinoff felt like a cold buck of water was dumped over my head.

Though, when you think about it, Tariq's story always had a shelf life.

Tariq found himself in a much different position than Ghost did at his age.

While Ghost had to work his way up through adulthood, Tariq was born into money and resources, and even when the money dried up, he used so much of what he learned to find new avenues to succeed.

Of course, we all know he ended Power Book II: Ghost Season 3 Episode 10 running for his life beside his best friend.

Still, the breakneck pace of this spinoff and Tariq's ascent toward independence once he graduated always felt like the series had a built-in end date in mind.

But even so, the series was such a massive success that it would have made perfect sense to continue. However, it's not out of the realm of possibility to see Tariq or others show up on the only other Power Universe series that takes place in the present day.

One way to keep the Power Ghost and the legacy going would be to incorporate one or more characters into the Power Book IV: Force world.

You may wonder why anyone from New York would find themselves in Chicago.

And I would say, why the hell not?

I have no doubt the Power writers could convincingly find a reason for Tariq, Brayden, Cane, or even someone like Effie to find themselves in Chi-town and running in the same circle as Tommy Egan.

That would be a way to keep the spirit of Power Ghost alive after a cancellation that's left many fans reeling.

The Power Universe has always been about continuing the stories that Power began, introducing new ones, and incorporating players from the original series into the spinoffs has always paid off.

It would be a crime not to see anyone from that first spinoff again.

Speaking of Power Force, with it being the only true extension of the original, hopefully, they are given continued time to grow and tell Tommy's story.

Through two seasons, it feels like they've only scratched the surface of what Power Force could be, and they have another season to continue building the Chicago drug dealing landscape and Tommy's pursuit of taking it over.

They say Power never dies, and there's no reason why Tommy's story couldn't be the eventual jumping-off point for another spinoff that expands the franchise even further.

That could be through a character we already know or one who hasn't been introduced yet. But there's room to continue this universe in the present day if you put enough care into developing a generation beyond Tariq.

If they chose not to pursue other present-day iterations, that may signify the end of the Power Universe, which would be incredibly disappointing.

Few franchises can survive 20+ years, with Law & Order being the only one that comes to mind right away, but Power could do it.

To do so, they would have to commit to stories beyond those in the past.

Now, that's not a knock on the Power Raising Kanan or the new Ghost & Tommy endeavor, which both add to the Power lore and allow this whole franchise to be one of the most well-rounded you'll ever see on television.

Think about some of your favorite series of all time and imagine you could get a series that looked into the backgrounds of the protagonists and antagonists in a fresh way that gives deeper meaning to the source.

It's extremely rare and should be celebrated. But you can't sustain the whole franchise by only looking backward.

The franchise's future depends on what new ideas they can conjure up moving forward, including new characters alongside those we've come to know and love.

It'll be paramount for them to build around the right pieces, but they're known for crafting stories around the unlikeliest characters and getting the audience on board.

Tariq St. Patrick and Kanan Stark were two of the most loathed characters on Power, and their two spinoffs have been wholly successful due to the layers and nuances they've added to characters through expanded storytelling.

The same could be done for others if given the chance.

After ten years, I would never bet against Power.