If there is one word to describe Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 2 Episode 7, it would be MESSY.

Every single character finds themselves in some kind of tricky situation, and it makes for a supremely entertaining hour that continues to push us toward the end of this season. Relationships are splintering, people are getting exposed, and the deaths are starting to pile up.

All the pieces are in place for an explosive conclusion to this wonderful season.

Raq has wanted to expand all season. That's her main objective, and to do that, she had to make nice with Unique and Sal to get access to Jersey and let Cartier wine and dine her so she could learn the tricks of the trade.

We all know Raq is shrewd and will do whatever it takes to stay on top, but I didn't think she would try and steal Cartier's associates! That is some badass level of conniving.

She plants the seeds to get the man beat up, then slides in to try and take him right out from under Cartier's nose.

It's impressive how quickly Raq can readjust and reset, which has always made her such a formidable boss. Putting out fires is the name of the game, but it's equally as important to rebuild soon after.

We'll have to see whether or not Tremont falls in line, but we know that Raq will need all hands on deck when Marvin's screw-up eventually comes to light.

Look, I've been on the record about my feelings for Marvin. I'm unsure whether he's redeemable, but I can admit that he's at least putting in the work to improve. He's trying to approach life differently in certain faucets while taking accountability.

Kenya is on her own shit. Always has been.

Marvin [to Jukebox]

• Permalink: Kenya is on her own shit. Always has been.

He doesn't stomp his feet every time Juke pays him dust because he knows why she's doing it. His self-awareness has been nice to see because it humanizes him and adds depth.

And within the business, he has taken strides to be a loyal soldier. He's been Raq's most dependable ally this season, but that will all come crashing down now.

Marvin goes to Marco for help because it makes sense in the larger sense. He was in that upper-crust neighborhood for all of a few minutes before the cops were on him. Marco lives there and could probably sit in front of that house for four days without anyone saying a word. 

But when someone describes a job as easy, you can almost guarantee it will be anything but. And Marco ends up killing his target before getting killed himself, and the ramifications of this will be BAD.

Marvin could have probably gotten away with plausible deniability, maybe. But with Unique in the know that these two were working together, it's over for him. Unique is smart enough to use this to his advantage and escalate a war between Raq and Sal.

Raq and Unique are both so intelligent, and they see the landscape right now, and for Unique, he needed Raq to stumble. And this is that misstep he can now use. And to be honest, I'm not sure I see the path forward for her because any war will weaken her, even if she manages to win.

It's not at all what she needs right now with her expansion efforts.

And Raq has bigger issues than just business with Burke sniffing around, Symphony leaving town, and Kanan's inappropriate relationship.

Burke has made it her mission to investigate Howard and out him to the force. And I've never understood what the point of all this was from her perspective because what does it really matter to her about Howard's shooting? Howard certainly doesn't seem to care from the outside, so why should she?

I guess she's trying to be a good cop or whatever, but it just feels like a lot of overkill for a situation that doesn't involve her at all. She should know what kind of territory she's stepping into and how badly it could eventually go for her.

She plays so recklessly, meeting with all these people and asking very pointed questions that could get her into trouble. Like her conversation with Symphony, did she not think he would run that back to Raq? And if Raq runs that to Kanan, who runs it to Howard, how does she not see how detrimental that could be for her?

Raq does indeed take the Burke information right to Howard, and whenever those two are together, it always amazes me how calm they are with each other. Raq sent his son to kill him, yet he's still trying to be helpful to her.

Though, I did love the nonchalance with which he told her he made a mistake about Scrappy. Like, 'that's my bad,' and a shrug makes up for the fact that kid is now dead.

Raq has been quick to pull the trigger lately as a means to protect herself and her family, so it wasn't a shock to see her with her gun pointed at Symphony, although I don't think Symphony knows enough to warrant a bullet in the back. He may be able to deduce some things, but with him skipping town, he shouldn't be an issue.

Personal relationship aside, Raq doesn't have many, if any, friends. And it was nice for her to have that companionship during Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 1. But her inability to fully be herself and bring him in would always cost her that friendship.

Safe travels, Symphony. Enjoy planning those bus routes.

Let's talk about Kanan for a second because what in the hell? First of all, when did he and Corinne become boyfriend and girlfriend? One makeout on a dusty couch does not a relationship make. And secondly, Palomar has been preying on Kanan since the minute she met him, but I didn't think it would go here.

It's all very weird and uncomfortable, making me curious about what effect this had on Kanan as he grew up.

Corinne going to Raq was a bold move but good for her. Her mother had the nerve to act like it was Corinne's fault they were together, and Corinne has every right to take this information back to Kanan's mother. I'm not sure how much she knows about Raq, but she must know enough to know that she should be the first to hear the news.

Raq will do what she does when it comes to protecting Kanan, but as the season continues, it feels like the relationship between mother and son is hanging on by a very tenuous thread.

This could be the thing that finally breaks them, and that's a terrifying thought.

Everything Else You Need To Know

• Kenya may mean well, I guess, but it's clear she isn't taking an interest in getting to know Jukebox. And Jukebox is a young woman with this chance to know her mother, and she's struggling with being herself versus pleasing her mother. It's sad to see her feel like she can't be her authentic self and have a relationship with Kenya.

• Lou-Lou inherits Crown's mess and then has to go to Cartier for help and split the studio with someone else AGAIN. Lou should be taking all these things as a sign that maybe this music business is not for him.

• Scrappy's mom is the real snitch. PLOT TWIST.

• Nicole's dad was always less hateful than her mother, so I liked that he showed sympathy to Jukebox and acknowledged that she was also grieving Nicole, as that was someone she loved. I think it will ultimately prove impactful for her to have heard that.

So, do you agree with my word choice for this episode? I think messy really sums up where we are as we head into the home stretch!

Drop a line in the comments with your thoughts about the hour, and if you're not caught up, remember you can always watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan online right here!

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