Abhiroop Das
Created by Sascha Penn, Starz’s ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan,’ or simply ‘Raising Kanan,’ dials back in time to the youth of the eponymous gangster, charting his rise to power. Far from being a coming-of-age story, though, this show is shaped more like a cautionary tale, pinpointing the exact moments that went wrong in Kanan’s early life, turning him into the person he is in ‘Power.’ While we are met with all the elements of a bildungsroman, a conflict, a mentor, and an evolution, all of these seem to point in a negative direction, as Kanan slips into a downward spiral with no way out.
Kanan’s uncle, Marvin “Marv” Thomas, is one of the many characters whose roles are narratively subverted. Though he is technically a father figure, the dynamic he shares with Kanan can more so be likened to a family rivalry. In the fifth and final season of the show, however, this rivalry takes a darker turn with the accidental death of Lou-Lou, as secrets emerge and begin to bleed the family from the inside out. Marvin’s arc reaches its peak in episode 7 of this season, and with his entire life’s work at stake, he is not one to turn his eye away. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Marvin Meets His End at the Hands of Kanan
The penultimate episode of ‘Raising Kanan,’ proddingly titled ‘Penultimate Means Second to Last,’ ends with Marvin’s death, bringing us one step closer to a complete collapse of the family. The entire episode seems to be sending off Marvin even prior to his death, as all the connections he has built up over the years, and especially in this season, fall apart, leaving him to muse about a future that might not even exist. At the end, when he sits by himself at the church, the one who appears from behind looks closer to the Devil himself. As Kanan removes his hood and reveals a gun, Marvin realizes that this is the end of the line for him, and it will be at the hands of his own nephew, once his protege.
From killing Lou-Lou inadvertently to making it all the way to this moment, Kanan has had quite the journey himself. It is a matter of accident versus intent, and neither he nor Marvin seems to enjoy the former all too much. In the latter’s case, though, this final exchange seems to become a power struggle, and Marvin doesn’t go out without a fight, that too without even raising his fists. On the contrary, it’s hard to notice even an inch of emotion in his face as he smokes for the last time. The only thoughts he has in that moment are ironically for Kanan. He can see that this death will haunt his nephew for days, if not years, but a part of him also knows that the horror will eventually stop, once Kanan is hollowed out beyond the point of feeling anything, an eerie prediction of who we meet in ‘Power.’
Kanan Kills His Uncle to Sate His Pride More Than Any Practical Reason
Though we aren’t told about the exact events that led Kanan to pull the trigger, the circumstances are quite self-evident. After Pino takes away his support from Raq, what was once a cold war turns into a blazing hot one. Marvin himself has a near-death encounter with Breeze, but that is just the beginning. Hafizi makes it very clear that he wants Raq and her brother dead, and realistically, who better to do that than her own son? In a twisted sense, this becomes a ritual for Kanan to prove himself, and given how much he craves power and the sense of ruling over a group, Kanan cannot turn such an offer down. However, for anyone else, mere ambition alone cannot justify killing a loved one, even if that love has now diminished. But that is where Kanan is different.
In a sharp reminder that he is, in fact, the antagonist of ‘Power,’ we see all the qualities that make Kanan ruthless flow out in this scene. While there may be all sorts of larger reasons to kill Marvin, what is likely the real driving force for Kanan is their last fight, where Marvin beat him to a pulp. With a blow straight to the ego, Kanan resorts to the most aggressive way to fill up that hole, not minding the emotional component. After all, it has always been a battle of who is the truer gangster between the two of them, and Kanan seems to have internalized that a gangster must be emotionally distant and roughed up, even if that’s toxic. Marvin has the most correct reading of his nephew, even in death, as he realizes that Kanan will be alright for now, but there will come a time when no one will be left to mourn his death, and we know for a fact that such a day does arrive.
Read More: Is Lou-Lou Thomas Dead? Did Malcolm Mays Leave Raising Kanan?
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