Well, well, well. What a twisted little hour that turned out to be.

We're midway through this season already, and typically, the midseason finale should be the setup hour for the remainder of the season. As you pivot toward the finish line, those endgame storylines must be set in motion, and the halfway point is the perfect time to introduce them.

Power Book IV: Force Season 2 Episode 5 was that transition hour, as every principal player was featured and thrust into the next phase of this stellar season. Or, in the case of one, not so much.

Coming off Seamus's murder, Tommy had to figure out what to do with D-Mac, and it didn't seem like he knew what to do outside of keeping him off the streets.

As nice as it's been seeing Tommy embrace his family and them embrace him, there are still moments where you remember just how little they all really know about each other.

It has felt like, at times, both Tommy and JP have failed to see D-Mac for who he is and not who they want him to be. They see a brilliant young man who can be anything he wants with some determination and grit.

But they weren't around for most of his life and don't know what he's been through. And they come at him from a supremely authoritative angle, which isn't wrong, but it's also ineffective.

Why would D-Mac listen to these two men who, while related to him, are basically strangers?

Tommy isn't used to giving out orders and people not falling in line, which was exactly what D-Mac did throughout the day.

D-Mac has wanted to prove himself to Tommy, and instead, he made the biggest mistake of his life.

Laying low was the correct move, but D-Mac didn't want to listen. And even when he did listen, all it took was a little Kate meddling to get him to ignore Tommy for the last time.

Diamond: I know D-Mac is your nephew, but you gonna have to figure something out. Or I will. Can't have him running his mouth in these streets.
Tommy: I know. Imma handle it.

Permalink: I know. Imma handle it.

Kate has been trying, but whether you stand on the side of it being too little too late or you genuinely want to see Kate make those amends she was looking for, you must admit that her intervention was selfish.

She's decided that she will be the mother figure to D-Mac that she was unable to be to Tommy and JP. But Kate's idea of mothering doesn't come from a place of protection. She wants him to like her, and she wants to take advantage of this second chance, but it feels like it's more for herself than D-Mac at times.

She knows enough about Tommy to know that if he was warning D-Mac as strongly as he was, it should be taken seriously.

There wasn't an active threat against D-Mac, but she didn't know that.

Framing it like Tommy had D-Mac killed was certainly a choice, but it was not believable. Tommy would never do that. But I couldn't blame him for keeping up the ruse even when Kate broke down because they could not trust her regarding D-Mac.

She was more concerned with being his buddy than being someone meant to safeguard him.

The series has never fully known what to do with D-Mac, but even so, hopefully, this isn't the end of his character. But if the whole crux of his return depends upon the streets being less hot in Chicago, that may be a long way off.

The increased cop presence once again had Tommy on edge, and it's lowkey funny to see him rightfully anxious about the authorities sniffing around but entirely in the dark about how close they actually are to blowing up his whole life.

We don't see much of Stacy, but when we do, it's clear she's a woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. And she wants Tommy's head on a platter because making that kind of bust will make her run for mayor that much easier.

Imagine nabbing Tommy Egan. That's a career bust that many others have failed to do. She can taste the victory on the tip of her tongue, and while Vic Flynn would have been a nice little appetizer, she was after the entire four-course meal.

Say what you want about Vic, but he's been through a lot, and right now, he's more interested in surviving and trying to do right by Gloria's memory than anything else.

While he numbed much of his pain at first, he's moved beyond that and has instead decided to embrace his rage. And even while knowing the FEDs were on his back, he still went forward with the plan to kill his daddy.

Look, Walter Flynn was a crap person and an even worse father. He lived by a code and embraced every -ism he could find.

He wasn't a good person, and you can almost pinpoint his downfall if you rewatch Power Book IV: Force Season 1.

So often, he pitted his children against one another and continuously failed them, all while proclaiming to be doing everything for the betterment of the Flynn name. And honestly, I believe that he believed that because it all came down to the family name.

He built this empire, and preserving it was all he cared to do.

On the one hand, he was tough on his children because he knew what it took to be the leader of an empire. There's no time for weakness or indecision. He tried to instill that leader mentality in both Vic and Claudia, and he succeeded with them both, but in different ways.

Claudia is truly her father's daughter. She adopted his ruthlessness and cunning instincts and was hardened over time by a continued lack of respect. Walter molded her into the perfect soldier but would never give her what she wanted simply because she wasn't a man.

Vic, on the other hand, was handed everything he wanted and didn't want, and while Walter may have seen him as weak and undeserving, his emotional tormenting turned him into someone with intelligence and moxie.

Say what you want about the Flynn children, but they've been both coddled and persecuted their entire lives. And with the threat of having the empire taken away, they decided the only way to save what they helped build would be to take out the man who gave them everything they had.

And Walter had it coming. You keep kicking and kicking someone, and eventually, they'll try to kick back.

Killing Walter was a way for the siblings to step up and do things on their own terms. And they had a solid plan.

If you want to get to Walter, you have to isolate him and get him to let his guard down. A family dinner would do just that, and all the cogs were put into motion to get it done without Vic or Claudia needing to lift a finger.

Well, at least it was looking that way until Claudia decided she was ready to sacrifice both dad and brother for the sake of the crown.

The entire shootout at the Flynn compound played like a movie. It was shot beautifully and was a fitting end to the series' first big villain.

Paulie, fresh off his firing, had the best death, getting shot up repeatedly as he stood his ground one last time in his family's name. Walter tore him up during Power Book IV: Force Season 2 Episode 4, yet he was ready to die in the name of loyalty.

When Vic called him on it, you could see that clear generational divide. It didn't even occur to Paulie that he could walk away, while Vic wasn't leaving that place without seeing his father's blood all over the ground.

It was very fitting that Vic was the one to kill Walter because even though he and Claudia both had reasons to hate him, Vic killed Walter for himself and Gloria. To think he would ever get over her death and continue to play dutiful soldier was naïve on Walter's part.

Walter was literally the worst, but I appreciated that he stayed true to himself even when faced with death. Walter Flynn would never go out looking like a punk by pleading for his life. He lived as a jerk, and he died like one, too.

Power series, in general, have never shied away from making shocking moves, and this was probably the biggest one Force has made thus far. Walter was an OG member of Power Force, and if he can be killed off, then who's to say it can't happen to anyone else?

In fact, I'd be shocked if both Flynn's that are left make it out of this season alive.

Vic's decision to work with the FEDs was born when he realized Claudia set him up. Vic has been calling Claudia mini-Walter for ages, yet he was still somehow shocked that she was willing to get him killed to control the family when it's 100% something Walter would have done himself.

Claudia's so unhinged and power-hungry that if Vic can play his cards right, he can set Claudia up beautifully in several ways. And if he was willing to pull the trigger on Walter, I can't see any reason why he wouldn't do the same to Claudia.

Suddenly, the Flynn family (well, what's left of it) drama just got much more interesting.

Elsewhere, Diamond and Jenard finally found themselves having a conversation that didn't involve threats and business when they came together after their father's death.

Diamond presents as stoic and calm, almost like nothing can touch him. We know he's led a life that's left him very tough, and after meeting Big Sid, you could see why.

Big Sid decided that even on his deathbed, he would double down on his Diamond hatred, which was sad to see. Diamond may have acted like he wasn't bothered by his words, and maybe he wouldn't go home and cry about it, but there's no way they didn't sting.

Do me a favor. Watch out for your brother.
Big Sid [to Diamond]

Permalink: Do me a favor. Watch out for your brother.

Diamond looked out for Jenard growing up because it's clear Big Sid wouldn't do it. And it was such a big brother thing to protect Jenard even amongst their beef by framing Big Sid's final words in a way that would give Jenard some peace despite his heartbreak.

The beef between Diamond and Jenard has been very real, and I wondered if Jenard's drug use would be the catalyst for these two finding a truce, but it was their father's death that allowed them to bridge the divide.

Diamond inviting Jenard back into the fold without talking to Tommy sounds dangerous, and while they're building the coalition, who's to say that the few people Jenard still has on board will want to work alongside Tommy?

Diamond wasn't wrong when he told Tommy that everything started the second he killed Chewy, and I don't think everyone will be willing to just let that pass.

Tommy trusts Diamond enough to probably be okay with Jenard's return in the meantime, but they won't be working with the Jenard they knew.

This Jenard is descending into a full-blown drug addiction; everyone can see it. He's acting erratically, lying like crazy, and not thinking clearly. He's been lucky enough so far not to inquire too much blowback. Sure, he's taking L's, but he's still breathing.

How long until that luck runs out?

Everything Else You Need To Know

Once Mireya finds out that Miguel jacked up Kendall's hands, she's going to worry about what will happen once Miguel finds out about her and Tommy. But she should be more worried about what will happen to her brother if he gets in Tommy's way.

Claudia didn't hesitate to flip the script and kill Doyle. She is so cold-blooded.

While I think keeping Kate in the dark was smart, it feels like her relapse will lead to a downward spiral that will be very difficult to watch.

I wonder what the fallout from Walter's death will be and how Vic will find his way in with CBI. My guess is that Vic will go full throttle as the Flynn leader, much to Claudia's chagrin, and broker some kind of deal. I'm also wondering if now's the time for Walter to rat Claudia out to Tommy about Liliana.

I don't like it when JP and Tommy fight. Stop doing that!

Diamond was acting as if no one would care about Seamus's disappearance, but I find that VERY hard to believe.

I'm not sure when Big Smurf became Tommy's number-one man, but he's really down to do anything.

Somehow, we're already halfway through this season, and it's a damn shame because the series has never been better! Each week is building upon itself, and you can feel this heading toward a monumental conclusion.

Were you surprised by Walter's death?

Do you think Tommy, Diamond, and Jenard can work together?

Will the coalition work out?

Will Vic succeed in taking Tommy down?

So many questions need answering, so please do that in the comment section. And remember, you can watch Power Book IV: Force online anytime via TV Fanatic so you stay caught up!