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Power Book III: Raising Kanan is the origin story of Kanan Stark (Mekai Curtis) and the people that had the most influence over him in his life. His mother, Raquel “Raq” Thomas’ (Patina Miller) played a pivotal role in his upbringing. Ambitious and determined, she has positioned herself to become the biggest drug dealer in New York City.

Though Raq thinks she’s done everything perfectly to secure her new position, she would have never dreamed that her nemesis Detective Malcolm Howard (Omar Epps) is still alive.

Raquel Thomas wears a leopard print body suit in the living room of one of her apartments in a scene from 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan'
Patina Miller as Raquel Thomas in ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ | Starz

Raq forced Kanan to shoot Detective Howard in Season 1

When we were first introduced to Detective Malcolm Howard in Raising Kanan Season 1 there was clearly some major animosity between himself and Raq. It turns out that the detective is actually Kanan’s birth father. Kanan had always been told his father was the late gangster Def Con Stark. However, upon learning of Kanan’s birthday, the detective put the pieces together and became desperate to know his son. Raq wasn’t having it and ordered Kanan to kill the detective instead.

“I remember the ninth episode where Raq goes to teach Kanan how to kill his dad,” Miller told Vanity Fair. “For me as a person, when I read it, I was so upset with her. Because I had been riding with her the entire time. And then to see that on the page, I immediately called [Raising Kanan creator] Sascha [Penn] and was like, ‘They’re going to hate me! Oh my God!’ And then he presented a great argument, which is, ‘Raq is doing what she needs to do for the family. She believes it.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, you’re right! She does believe it!’ Raquel knows that some of the things that she’s doing might not be right but it’s about her continuing to sort an inner dialog with herself is like ‘keep it together, keep it together.’”

Raq is going to be shocked to learn that Detective Howard is still alive in ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Season 2

When Raq demanded that Kanan kill Detective Howard, she ordered two shots in the chest and one in the head. Kanan never completed the third shot. When the series 1 finale ended, Raq was convinced that Howard was dead. Therefore, she’s going to be shocked to learn that Kanan never completed the task.

Moreover, Kanan is going to be shocked to learn the real reason, Detective Howard was on Raq’s hit list.

“I think the foundation of Kanan and Raq’s relationship has been broken, at this point,” Curtis told PopSugar. “There’s definitely been a trust and a boundary on both sides that’s been crossed. It’s just really interesting seeing how they deal with the constant back-and-forth of ‘blood is thicker than water, but I still can’t forget this.’ I can’t wait to see how it all comes together, because it really comes to a boiling point — just the edginess and the intensity that’s there.”

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Kanan could learn the truth about his father in season 2

As we know, Kanan has no idea that Detective Howard is his birth father, and not High Post, the long-dead gangster that publically dated Raq to hide his sexuality. Now that we know Detective Howard has survived the attempt on his life, it’s likely that he will tell Kanan the truth about his identity.

“You’re actually going to get to see a little bit of how [Detective Howard] really struggles with what to do in this situation and how he feels about his relationship [with Kanan],” Curtis told PopSugar. “It’s going to be a lot. There’s going to be a lot of emotions thrown up in the air.”

When Kanan does learn the truth it will change everything between him and his mother.

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