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Power Book III: Raising Kanan is in the final episodes of the second season. The acclaimed drama series is set in Queens, New York, in the ’90s. It chronicles the origin story of the infamous Power villain, Kanan Stark. Teen Kanan (Mekai Curtis) is mostly innocent, but he’s slowly being indoctrinated into his mother’s world. Kanan’s mom, Raquel “Raq” Thomas’ (Patina Miller), is a ruthless drug queenpin.

She runs her business with her brothers Marvin (London Brown) and Lou Lou (Malcolm Mays). Here’s what we know about episode 208.

Mekai Curtis as Kanan wearing a black and yellow coat and K.J. Smith as Palamor wearing a blue shirt in 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan'
Mekai Curtis as Kanan and K.J. Smith as Palamor in ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ | Starz

‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Season 2 is about consequences

In season 1, the Thomas family was in a very good place. However, Raq’s lies and ambition, in particular, began driving not only her brothers away but also caused a rift between her and Kanan. Now in season 2, people are paying the consequences of their actions.

“People know who they are now; we’re able to go into the story,” Miller told Shondaland. “They’re ready for what comes next — but I don’t think they’re ready for what comes next. The second season has the fallout of the consequences of what we saw in season one. As powerful as Raquel is, she is unsettled this season. There’s weird alliances and new enemies. She tries to hold on to her position and her child. Her relationship with her son isn’t as strong as the first season.”

Inside Season 2, Episode 8

In episode 207, “No Love Lost,” everyone in the Thomas family made a move that will surely cost them something in the future. Kanan began exploring a sexual relationship with his girlfriend’s mother, Palomar (KJ Smith). Raq decided not to kill Symphony (Toby Sandeman), but she also began to poach one of Cartier’s (Omar J. Dorsey) East Coast distributors from him. Lou Lou gave Cartier partial ownership of the recording studio in exchange for a loan. And finally, Marvin hired a mobster’s son to kill a former adversary, but the mobster’s son was killed in the hit.

Now, in episode 208, “A House Is Not A Home,” things will undoubtedly, hit the fan. The description for the episode reads, “The rift between Raq and Kanan grows, and Kanan seeks comfort elsewhere. Marvin lays low, waiting for the consequences of his actions to blow over, and Raq sees dark clouds on the horizon.”

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‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Season 2 is exploring nature versus nurture

As the final episodes of season 2 unravel, Kanan and Jukebox, in particular, will further harden into the future characters that they will become. Though the teens are nowhere near the ruthless adult versions of themselves portrayed by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Anika Noni Rose, things around them are forcing them to adapt to their environment.

In fact, Sascha Penn, the Raising Kanan creator and showrunner, has explained that nature vs. nurture is a major theme for him in the series. “[Nature vs. nurture] is fundamental to the story and the tension. I think that’s the question we all sort of ask ourselves as human beings but also as parents,” he told The Koalition. “I think that’s really part of Raquel’s journey. ‘These choices I’m making not just for myself but for my son, what are they going to do to him?’ We know the answer to that, we know that at least they’re going to contribute in some way to whom [Kanan] becomes.”

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