Things are starting to spiral out of control.

And it's not as if things were ever really calm for anyone, but it's like everyone reached their boiling point all at the same time on Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 1 Episode 8. 

Now, they have to figure out what comes next.

Lou-Lou better pull through.

He'd been in that smoke for quite some time before Marvin got there, but Lou's death would be a tragedy. He's finally started to find his place, and he's taking a stand for himself. To literally be killed the night he decides to stand up to Raq and take the night off would be such a sad irony.

Obtaining half of Bulletproof Records was another way for Lou to branch beyond just being Raq's right-hand man. He's been slowly growing beyond that all season. And even though he doesn't seem to want to abandon the family business completely, he also wants more.

He's not disgruntled per se, but he's tired. And it's at complete odds with Marvin, who wants nothing more than to be the person Lou is to Raq.

But it looks to be WAY too little too late for that at this point.

Finding out more about Marvin's past puts things into a better perspective when analyzing the discord between Raq and Marvin. A significant reason why she can't trust him is that he used to be an addict.

She's always seemed to harbor a lot of animosity toward Marvin, and it makes sense now that she simply hasn't forgiven him for his past mistakes. And it's not as if he's given her a lot of good reasons to trust him now, when he continues to lie to her and gets himself, Kanan, and the business wrapped up in a lot of crappy situations.

But it's a shame because Marvin does seem to try in some ways. He's basically a work in progress. If Raq granted him some more responsibilities instead of deliberately treating him as lesser than Lou, maybe she would see more productivity from him.

His first thought will always be to lie because he knows where he stands in the family hierarchy. Raq won't extend him the same courtesies she would extend to others.

Completely cutting him off seemed a little harsh, but then again, how many chances can you give a person? Having Raq find out about the bad crack from Howard of all people just took her to the point of no return.

If Marvin couldn't tell her about that, he would never tell her about anything, and she had to move on.

Kanan: She finds out everything.
Marvin: I don't think she'd kill her own son. But I know for sure she'd kill me. And your Uncle Lou'd only be too happy to pull that fucking trigger.

• Permalink: I don't think she'd kill her own son. But I know for sure she'd kill me. And your Uncle Lou'd...

But if there's one thing that could bring them back together, it could be the blatant hit on the family. Even if Lou makes it, he won't be himself right away, and Raq will need someone to have her back.

Marvin may be many things, but I don't believe he deliberately does things to hurt the people he loves. Perhaps he's not the brightest, but he's loyal in his own way.

And Raq will need all the loyalty she can get.

Unique's play to eliminate Lou comes at the worst possible time, as Raq is down and out regarding her relationships. She's exiled Marvin, and she and Kanan are as far apart as they've ever been.

For someone so smart, it's a wonder Raq doesn't see certain things more clearly. Like she seems confused by Kanan's eagerness to work with Marvin, but these are the two people you keep at arms-length when it comes to the business, so why wouldn't they team up?

Lou is essentially Raq 2.0, so Kanan would never go to him. So instead, Kanan sought out Marvin's help because they're similar in a lot of ways.

Speaking of Kanan, now that he knows the truth about D-Wiz's death, will he look at Raq the same way?

I did what I had to do to protect you. So, you tell me, Kanan. Who's to blame for D-Wiz? Me or you?

Raq [to Kanan]

• Permalink: I did what I had to do to protect you. So, you tell me, Kanan. Who's to blame for D-Wiz? Me...

Kanan knows who his mother is and who she's always been, but this has to be a whole new side for him. Because not only did she kill his friend, she lied about it and only revealed the truth in a fit of rage.

It wasn't wrong of Kanan to push back at Raq and her role in the man Kanan is turning into.

We, as people, are often a product of our environment. And Kanan's environment is one of crime and deceit. It's what he's been born into, and it's what he knows. So, for Raq to come at Kanan as if he's this enigma she can't figure out isn't fair.

He is his mother's son.

If this doesn't push the twosome apart, finding out the truth about Howard surely will. And to be honest, at this point, Raq would be wise to tell her version of the story to Kanan before he hears it from somebody else.

Or worse, he puts the clues together himself and comes up with his own version of events.

It sounds like the Raq and Howard relationship was inappropriate and dangerous. She was just a kid, and Howard was a whole cop at the time. It's unclear if that was the thing that ultimately caused Raq to keep Kanan a secret from him or if it was something else, but either way, she did what she felt was best for her family.

And she feels like she's continuing to do that by keeping Kanan in the dark, but this feels like something that's going to blow up in her face sooner than later.

Howard seems hellbent on pushing his agenda, and Raq would be a fool to think otherwise. And perhaps that's why she put a hit on someone at the episode's end.

But was that the wisest move? Killing Howard would be an emotional move and not a strategic one. And if it goes wrong in any way, Raq is done for on all sides.

There are many exciting stories in motion currently, but this one may be the most intriguing.

Jukebox was dealing with the fallout from Nicole's death, and that was incredibly painful to watch. She loved Nicole, and all she wanted to do was say goodbye, and it's a shame she wasn't given that chance.

Finding out that the crack she was holding was for Kanan was what ultimately killed Nicole felt like something that was going to be bigger than it was. But Jukebox was correct in her assessment of her life and the lives of those around her.

It's not your fault, Kanan. I don't even think I can blame myself. It's this place, Kanan. It's this place and this fucked up life we're living here.

Jukebox

• Permalink: It's not your fault, Kanan. I don't even think I can blame myself. It's this place, Kanan....

Jukebox thought nothing of taking the crack and holding it because that's what they do. Kanan didn't know Nicole would take it, and neither did Jukebox. It's no one's fault exactly, but damn, it's hard to imagine her death doesn't weigh of Jukebox's conscience for a long time to come.

Everything Else You Need To Know

• Davina's mom passing away and her and her sister being put into foster care was something I didn't see coming. I keep wondering when it's going to come out that she gave Unique the information about the stash house because it has to come out, right?

• Could Toni have been more obvious? She was clearly trying to trap Marvin, but he was too scatterbrained to catch on. Now the question becomes, what does Symphony do with the information he gathered?

• Jessica is so annoying; I'm sorry. If you want to make Famous happen, then you might need to think bigger than Lou-Lou.

• Raq and Juliana teaming up to kill Gabriel was cold-blooded.

We are quickly approaching the end of Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 1, and we've got a lot to discuss about how things may end!

Will Howard come clean to Kanan?

Will Raq forgive Marvin?

Can the relationship between Raq and Kanan be mended?

Drop me a line down below and remember to watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan online anytime via TV Fanatic!

Whitney Evans is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lover of all things TV. Follow her on X.