‘Power’ Showrunner Addresses Theories That Ghost Faked His Death
In Power Season 6, a former drug dealer turned club owner with plans on becoming the next lieutenant governor of New York, James St. Patrick, was shot and seemingly killed by his son. Although viewers saw Ghost fall over the balcony with a gunshot wound to his chest and heard the details of his will, some fans believe he faked his death. Showrunner and creator Courtney Kemp addressed the theory in an Instagram Live.
James “Ghost” St. Patrick died in ‘Power’
After obtaining wealth from selling drugs, James “Ghost” St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick) desired to “go legit.” Therefore, he opened a club, Truth, which turned into a New York hotspot. He then began eyeing the political scene and decided to run for the next lieutenant governor.
Although James did well business-wise, he neglected his family and cheated on his wife with his high-school sweetheart. Additionally, his son got involved with his former mentor turned rival who helped influence Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) to get into the streets by robbing his wealthy classmates.
After he exposed the identity of one of the robbers, a corrupt cop came looking for him and killed Tariq’s twin sister, who confronted him, while the teenager watched nearby. He eventually got revenge by murdering the police officer, and Ghost agreed to take the fall for him if anything happened.
However, after his bid to run for lieutenant governor, he changed his tune and demanded his son turn himself in for the murder. The club owner also threatened that he would turn his ex-wife in for killing her best friend, Lakeisha Grant (La La Anthony).
Therefore, Tariq thought he had to protect the family and shot and seemingly killed his father in Truth. However, the club owner got the last say as he removed Tasha (Naturi Naughton) from his will and forbade Tariq from touching his assets until he graduated from a university with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
Some fans think Ghost faked his death
Even though viewers saw Tariq shoot his father and watched Ghost fall over the balcony, some still have their doubts if the club owner actually died because his body wasn’t shown.
In Power Confidential, Omari Hardwick has teased that his character planned to fake his death and could’ve followed through with it after meeting Ramona Garrity (Cynthia Addai-Robinson).
Throughout the series, Ghost has expressed his desire to “go legit,” but his wife wanted him to be the “biggest godd**n drug dealer in New York City.” Additionally, his best friend, Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora), wanted them to continue their street life.
Therefore, he might have found a way to get out with Ramona’s connections. Rashad Tate (Larenz Tate) has already ruined her reputation, so the political strategist would have reasons to leave the Big Apple behind as well.
Showrunner Courtney Kemp addresses faked death theories
In an Instagram Live, a follower asked showrunner and creator Courtney Kemp if the main character faked his death. She explained that those who know them believe he’s dead, but she “can’t speak to if it will always be that way.”
While Kemp acknowledged they had “written and intended” for him to die, “things can change” in the Powerverse. The showrunner continued and noted that the situation would have “played out” differently if Ghost knew his son planned on shooting him.
She closed by stating, “if there’s any hanky panky happening, it’s not necessarily because of Ghost.” Therefore, viewers might see an alive Ghost through another character’s eyes or an alternate universe where the club owner lived. Power Book II: Ghost premieres sometime in 2020.
