Power Book IV: Force’s Miriam A. Hyman On Tommy’s Reign Of Terror and THAT Game-Changing Moment

All shows in the Power Universe see their fair share of death, but occasionally, a death will come along that truly shocks the audience.

That was definitely the case during Power Book IV: Force Season 3 Episode 7, when headstrong District Attorney Stacy Marks came up against an immovable object that was not willing to play her games any longer: Tommy Egan.

With only three episodes left in the series, the game has once again been changed.

Stacy joined the party full-time in Power Book IV: Force Season 2, and since her inception, she’s been dedicated to her pursuit to make Chicago a better place.

And if that meant ruffling some feathers or getting on the bad side of the Chicago Police Department (and her husband Bobby), then that’s just what had to happen.

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But ultimately, going toe-to-toe with Tommy proved to be too much for Stacy, as she got caught up in the swell of his dominance and manipulation, until she pushed back and was rewarded with a bullet.

We were thrilled to get some time with Power Book IV: Force star Miriam A. Hyman to talk about Stacy’s fate, her complicated history with Bobby, and what she would have loved to do with Stacy had there just been more time.

The end of the episode really shocked me.

You and everybody. It shocked me too.

I had a lot of thoughts about where the season would end, but I did not think Stacy would meet that end, especially not before the finale. Was it really a surprise to you, or were you always aware that this was the direction Stacy was headed?

Yeah, I was surprised, girl. I said, “What the hell?” When I saw that was coming, our showrunner had given me a heads up, and I’m almost thinking Stacy is invincible. There’s no way they’re going to take out the US Attorney. You’ve got to be kidding me. 

But when I saw that that was going to happen, I just had to prepare myself for her end. And so how do you start from the beginning and not be thinking about the end?

Because as an actor, you need to be very laser-focused from scene to scene, line by line, really focused on who the person is speaking to, who’s speaking to me, and how I am responding. 

Because acting is reacting, so I was really shocked to learn that they were going to take her out, and, as you said, it wasn’t the finale after all that she had to struggle with throughout the series.

And these last two seasons, specifically, I thought Stacy would be the one to put the cuffs on Tommy. I thought that that would’ve been a very interesting ending to his demise, to him being this mass murderer. 

He has taken out so many individuals and has pumped so many drugs onto the streets that it could have been a vindication. Stacy is living in his world in this way. He is the protagonist, and she’s the antagonist, although in her mind, he’s antagonizing me, my nerves, but it’s his world. 

It is not called the Stacy Show. It’s called Power Force. He utilizes his force, and she tries to use her power and use her force, but ultimately, he resorts to violence yet again, and now he kills one of the most powerful people in the series.

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So I think they did that to also show his level of power and control. And once she goes to his home, I think he feels like, “Oh hell no, you’ve approached my significant other.” This is the second time, because in season two, she goes to Mireya’s place.

And that’s shocking, and that’s a little fearful when somebody pulls up to your house of that status. She’s not just like some regular cop; she’s not a detective. She is the US Attorney. So that’s a little heavy. 

And I think that, knowing that she’s now pregnant, I think if anything, she instilled some fear in him in a major way. And Stacy goes to him that night and is like, “I’m done.” I don’t want to be a part of this. You’re not going to frame me. You’re not going to keep having my backup against the wall. It’s just not going to happen.

Yeah, absolutely. And before she confronts Tommy in that ending scene, she confides in Bobby. And it was a very sweet scene between two people with this really complex relationship.

Right. Thank you.

When they decided to divorce, it felt like there was almost an unspoken ultimatum that Stacy had to choose between her career and Bobby. But it doesn’t seem to be the same as what was asked of him. So why do you think she ultimately couldn’t choose Bobby?

I think that she loves Bobby. We see in season two, there’s a moment where they have the love scene. And I believe that there are issues in the marriage that are just kind of leading up to this ultimate situation.

 She says to him, “Hey, do you remember how we used to work on these cases until late at night?” And that’s initially how their relationship started. So I always feel like you shouldn’t lie with who you work with. And they both got a little too caught up with work, and they were both passionate about this sort of thing. 

And I think that her passion outweighed his. I remember getting the breakdown, and it says she was young, ambitious, and really driven, and that she’s younger than Bobby.

So, where he might feel a little bit more settled, resolved in his career and where he is and what he’s trying to do, Stacy is on the brink of greatness. She’s like, “Baby, I am just getting started.” She’s the assistant US attorney, top of season two. She’s the US attorney in season three. 

And these people are saying, “You have done so well. You have been handpicked to be the mayoral candidate.” So she realizes that she has a lot of potential. They recognize the other parties involved who are higher up the ladder; they realize this woman is really committed. 

She’s really driven, and we need someone like her to lead the city and make a real change. So she’s a perfect candidate, and I don’t think that Bobby is 100% supportive of that drive.

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I think that he’s one of those men who’s like, “Look, you’re doing really well where you are. Why do you have to fight so much to get any higher? Let’s keep things where they are.” And that’s not good enough for Stacy. 

We see that with a lot of women, where you have a partner who’s not necessarily pushing you in the same way you are pushing for your success. And I think she loves him. That’s a very beautiful moment they have in episode seven. And I think the marriage has just fallen apart. 

Let’s be honest. People get married, and they don’t stay together forever. So we don’t see everything that is going on. We see what’s happening in her office, and when he comes to her office. But I think they would continue to be friends and respect one another. 

It’s not this bitter thing. It’s like, I still have things I’m working towards and accomplishments I haven’t fully seen coming into existence. She’s got more endeavors. So I think we can’t hang on to that. If anything, at least she didn’t cheat on him. There was no infidelity. 

She tells him straight up, and he receives it. And I think he also realizes we’re going in two different directions.

Is there anything else that you wish Stacy had gotten to do during the time on the show that she wasn’t able to? Something you would’ve hoped she would’ve gotten to do as a character?

Yeah, I wish she had gotten to the end of the season. It would’ve been really nice for her to put the cuffs on Tommy and bring him in. I think she would’ve felt really proud of the overall journey to release the city from the kind of chaos he brought to it. She’s from Chicago, not Tommy. Tommy’s from New York. 

So his coming into her city and all this disruption that happens, it would’ve been super, super dope.

I know the fans wouldn’t have liked it, but I think it would’ve been super dope if she’d put the cuffs on him. And ultimately, I would’ve loved a court scene. When I auditioned for the role, I was given all of these court scenes, and let me tell you, I was on it.

It was like ten pages of sides. I memorized it. I was like, “Let’s go.” And then you never see her in court. And it would’ve been really dope to see her fight for what she stood for, bring down the gavel on this guy, and say, “The corruption is done. ” 

And maybe he could have escaped from prison or something like that. But I think that would’ve been really cool. But again, this is Tommy’s world, not Stacy’s. 

So in my mind and in Stacy’s mind, we want to see the right thing ultimately happen. And that’s not always the case in Power Force.

You can watch Power Book IV: Force on Fridays at 9/8c on the STARZ linear platform.

New episodes will be available to stream weekly on Fridays on the STARZ app and across all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms.

***This interview has been edited for length and clarity.***