Power Book II: Ghost season 3 episode 10 recap — Tariq is way over his head (again)

Michael Rainey Jr. in Power Book II: Ghost
Michael Rainey Jr. in Power Book II: Ghost (Image credit: Starz)

NOTE: this post contains spoilers for Power Book II: Ghost season 3 episode 10, "Divided We Stand."

Episode 9 ended with Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) getting bashed over the head and finding himself in the hospital. Beforehand, Ghost's son was able to get the jump on Tommy (Joseph Sikora), who had just killed several law enforcement officers protecting Tasha (Naturi Naughton), Yasmine (Paris Morgan) and Estelle Green (Debbi Morgan). Realizing it was Monet (Mary J. Blige) who set this assassination attempt up over a post-mortem letter from Cooper Saxe (Shane Johnson), Tariq spends attempts to kill her and Tommy. 

He goes to Tommy's mother Kate (Patricia Kalember) with gun in hand for information. There's a funny moment where she offers Tariq a drink before he declines as she follows up with "would you like a juice box instead." During that conversation, she talks about how he is dangerously following in his father and grandfather's illegal footsteps. With that said, she understands Tariq's situation and simply wants him to be better. 

When Tariq is on his way to murder Monet, Tommy pulls up in his signature vintage Ford Mustang to stop him. He explains to his non-biological nephew what exactly happened that night following their Mexican stand-off. It was Tasha that knocked Tariq out in order to broker a peace. Tasha and Tommy have a conversation about wanting to be better with Tommy pretty much explaining the events that have transpired in Power Book IV: Force. It's here where Tommy mentions that he's still dead in New York and that he’s going back to Chicago.

As the intensity of the season reaches a new level, the Weston family not only has to deal with the federal investigation for the ponzi scheme at the finance firm but the death of Lucas (David Walton). In the middle of a family meeting at the Weston home, Monet and Caine (Woody McClain) show up demanding their money. In the meantime, Caine takes some expensive pieces of art alongside some other expensive trinkets from the family as a down-payment. 

The moment puts Brayden (Gianni Paolo) in a position where he officially wants to leave the life, considering the pressure on his family and the fact that he had to kill his uncle. Of course, Tariq has an issue with this, threatening their brotherly bond. 

As the Tejada family deal with the fall out over Lorenzo's (Berto Colon) death by the hands of Gordo (Erik Hernandez), they decide to join forces against Tariq, Lauren (Paige Hurd) and an incarcerated Effie (Alix Lapri). Monet attempts to get Effie murdered from behind bars as a way to shut her up, seeing as the RICO case that's still over their heads through Jenny Sullivan (Paton Ashbrook). 

Meanwhile, Cain and Dru (Lovell Adams-Gray) manage to prevent Lauren from testifying to a grand jury by threatening her parents. Lauren tells the grand jury she was forced by Sullivan to say Effie was the one behind her attempted murder, which does two things. First, it ends Lauren's arc as she is free to go into hiding with her parents as the RICO case is closed. Finally, it frees Effie, who feels as if Tariq betrayed her. 

That doesn't even include Tariq's situation with Noma (Caroline Chikezie). Monet decides to have a meeting with Noma to put Tariq on the spot for everything that's gone wrong with the operation. She also gives Obi (Kyle Vincent Terry) a slash to the face once Monet reveals to Noma that a deadline for money was missed. In the previous episode, Tariq asked Obi for an extension considering their Weston Firm operation had ended due to the federal investigation. In exchange, Obi asked Tariq to secure green cards for his family in Nigeria to come to the United States. He gets those green cards through the newly elected Rashad Tate (Larenz Tate) who at his highest career point, loses his fiance Harper Bonet (Keesha Sharp).

With Monet leading Noma's operation, she decides to keep Tariq alive long enough so that they can make sure to pay their debt to the drug and weapons lord. This also gives Monet an opportunity to repair her relationship with Diana (LaToya Tonodeo), who alongside Dru do conspire to kill their mother. Who do they get to do that? Tariq of course. It's also revealed that Diana is the one who gave the assassination request to Tommy's mother in the first place. 

Right before Tariq is about to kill Monet with Diana in the car, a strange vehicle pulls up with an Uzi and shoots Monet multiple times, sending her to the hospital. Tariq then realizes it was his mother Tasha who is the gun woman. 

This leads to a shocking conclusion where Tariq attempts to meet with Noma before the Tejadas appear with Effie. Tariq tries to scare Noma by revealing he knows where her daughter is before she gives a laugh. It looks like all this time, Noma didn't have a daughter but a son that's already in hiding, alluding that Effie set Tariq up. With Tariq by himself and facing death, Brayden comes to the rescue, which leads to a fire fight and escape. With Power Book II: Ghost season 3 concluding, Tariq and Brayden aren't just officially at war with the Tejadas, but Noma as well. 

Watch all of Power Book II: Ghost season 3 on the Starz app.

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Ural Garrett

Ural Garrett is an Inglewood,CA-based journalist and content curator. His byline has been featured in outlets including CNN, MTVNews, Complex, TechRadar, LA Weekly and more.