10 Best Deaths of ‘Power’ and Its Spinoffs, Ranked
[Warning: The following contains discussions of suicide.]
When you turn on the TV and start watching a drama about drugs, money, and violence, you don’t expect to see people hugging and smiling all of the time. With that said, you also don’t expect to see the level of violence Power has displayed across six seasons and three (eventually, five) spinoff series.
More than 300 characters have died throughout Power, Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and Power Book IV: Force—and 46 of those deaths occurred in the sixth season of Power alone. However, that’s why so many have come to love the series. No one is safe. James St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick), Kanan Stark (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), and Monet Tejeda (Mary J. Blige) are just a few of the major stars who have met an untimely demise.
In the aftermath of Power Book II: Ghost‘s finale, let’s look back at the ten deaths that have shocked, saddened, and thrilled fans over the last decade.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or dial 988. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
Honorable Mention: James "Ghost" St. Patrick
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.)
Murdered In: Power Season 6, Episode 15
The death of James “Ghost” St. Patrick is certainly the most impactful death within the Power universe, but it was also the most predictable. To his credit, he showed a desire to leave the drug game alone long before his son, Tariq St. Patrick, shot him in the series finale. Still, his desire to leave the drug game doesn’t make up for the laundry list of offenses he piled up along the way. From lying to his mistress, Angela Valdes (Lela Loren), repeatedly neglecting his wife, Tasha (Naturi Naughton), and mismanaging his son’s upbringing, it’s easy to see why the final season centered around one central question: Who killed Ghost? There were so many people who wished to end his life because of the things he had done that it was pretty hard to feel sorry for the man. To make matters worse, his death gave birth to a new version of his son, Tariq. He’s everything Ghost didn’t want him to be, but everything he inadvertently raised him to become.
Honorable Mention: Angela Valdes
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Tommy Eagan (Joseph Sikora)
Murdered In: Power Season 6, Episode 1
Angela Valdes is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing characters in the Power universe. From having an affair with Ghost to telling Ghost that he needed to cut ties with his best friend, Tommy Eagan, she was constantly driving a wedge between many of the main characters. However, she did a bit of good along the way, including saving Tariq from being investigated for Ray Ray’s (Marcus Callender) murder and getting Ghost out of prison. Should she have stuck by Ghost’s side for as long as she did? Probably not. In fact, her commitment to believing Ghost’s lies while also driving a wedge between him and Tommy is what ultimately got her killed. Still, her primary focus throughout all six seasons of Power was simple: Get Ghost to leave the streets alone and start a new law-abiding life with her. Given her history with him, it’s understandable. Unfortunately, it’s also easy to understand why Tommy shot her in the stairwell and killed her.
Honorable Mention: Holly Weaver
Cause of Death: Strangulation
Murdered By: Tommy Eagan
Murdered In: Power Season 3, Episode 5
If you ask most viewers to share their thoughts about Holly Weaver (Lucy Walters), friendly and kind words will be few and far between. She stole Tasha’s earrings, told Angela that James was Ghost, and even hired hitmen to take out Ghost and Tariq. All things considered, she wasn’t a good person, but who in Power is? For all of her faults, Holly seemed to be set on having a relationship with Tommy and potentially starting a family with him. In the end, Tommy is the one who takes her life in one of the most brutal deaths the show has featured. At least Angela was killed by someone she hated, not Ghost.
Honorable Mention: LaVerne "Jukebox" Thomas
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Kanan Stark
Murdered In: Power Season 4, Episode 6
From the moment LaVerne “Jukebox” Thomas (Anika Noni Rose) appears on screen, she is busting her gun at a robber and a store clerk. Still, she didn’t deserve to go out in the way that she did. In Season 4 of Power, she devises a plan to extort money from Ghost by kidnapping his son and holding him for ransom. At the time, she believes her longtime friend, Kanan Stark, will have her back. Unfortunately, Kanan shoots her, chooses Tariq instead, and takes him under his wing. Sure, Jukebox is a killer and a corrupt cop, but nearly every character in this series has some major flaws. However, they don’t all die because of them as she did.
Honorable Mention: Noma Asaju
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Cane Tejeda (Woody McClain)
Murdered In: Power Book II: Ghost Season 4, Episode 10
Noma Asaju (Caroline Chikezie) is arguably the strongest villain to have entered the Power universe. In the original series and its spinoffs, it’s extremely rare for a villain to kill a central character. Tommy killed Angela. Kanan killed Jukebox. Tariq killed James. The murderer is usually someone close to the victim. Through spite, violence, and evil, Noma was able to kill her enemy, Monet Tejeda (Mary J. Blige). More importantly, she killed a version of Monet Tejeda that was actively working to right the wrongs she had done to her children. With that said, Noma’s goal was always the same: protect her business and protect her daughter, Anya. She fell well short of achieving either goal, but she was doing the same thing that Monet, James, and many other parents in this series have done. By the time Cane shoots her in the Power Book II: Ghost finale, her death is warranted, but it doesn’t make it less unfortunate because it didn’t necessarily have to end that way. She just had to avoid killing the mother of three children who were raised to take revenge on anyone who tried to break up their family.
10. Kanan Stark
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: New York Police Department officers
Murdered In: Power Season 5, Episode 8
Kanan Stark’s story is much like Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s — complicated. Kanan Stark killed a lot of innocent people, including his own son, Shawn (Sinqua Walls). However, he also took James and Tommy under his wing and molded them into what they ultimately became. He also saved Tariq’s life after plotting to kidnap him. For better or for worse, Kanan was ruthless, but he did have a soft spot for some people in his life. After finishing a brief crime spree with Tariq, the two were riding around when police pulled them over. Unbeknownst to Kanan, Tariq and Tasha had orchestrated a plan to plant a dirty gun in the trunk of his car. When the police pulled Kanan and Tariq over, Tasha had already called and reported her son missing, so officers calmly loaded him into the back of their car. Tasha also knew that Kanan had no interest in going back to prison. As expected, he took the officer’s gun and shot all of the officers nearby before they could take him in for questioning about the gun. He suffered a few fatal gunshot wounds in his attempt to escape. Kanan was not a sympathetic figure, but he went out guns blazing, as you’d expect from him.
9. Monet Tejeda
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Noma Asaju (by way of her affiliates)
Murdered In: Power Book II: Ghost Season 4, Episode 9
Monet Tejeda was seemingly everything that James, Tasha, and Lorenzo (Beto Colon) weren’t: a parent who actually loved their kids. Tasha pulled James back into the game when he was trying to get out. Lorenzo shot Monet’s oldest son, and there isn’t enough room on the page to explain all of the ways in which James was a bad parent. Despite all the mistakes she made throughout Power Book II: Ghost, Monet spent an entire season trying to rebuild her relationships with her kids. She was not a great parent by means, but she ultimately gave her life trying to protect her son, Cane. Monet will go down as a fan favorite for her sacrifice and desire to redeem herself.
8. LaKeisha Grant
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Tasha St. Patrick
Murdered In: Power Season 6, Episode 8
LaKeisha (Lala Anthony) played second fiddle to Tasha for the majority of her time on Power, and it ultimately proved to be her undoing. When LaKeisha showed an interest in Shawn, Tasha had an affair with him. When Holly came into her shop after stealing Tasha’s earrings, LaKeisha was ready to go to war for Tasha. When Tariq was kidnapped, LaKeisha played her role and helped get Tasha’s son home safely. After all of that, LaKeisha was put in a position where she’d have to take the stand against the St. Patricks to protect her son. Instead of trying to work with her, the St. Patrick family tried to intimidate her in order to keep her off the stand. When she refused, Tasha killed her. LaKeisha was no saint in all of this, but there were few moments more dramatic than being killed by your former best friend.
7. Shawn Stark
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Kanan Stark
Murdered In: Power Season 2, Episode 9
If James or Tommy had killed Shawn because he was having an affair with his Tasha, it would have made sense. If Tasha had killed Shawn to keep him from telling James about the affair, it would have made sense. However, neither of those scenarios played out. Instead, Shawn was killed by the one person who had the least amount of justification for doing so: his father, Kanan. Kanan was in prison for the majority of Shawn’s life and unable to be an active father figure. After Shawn learned that James had a hand in putting his father in prison, he tried to kill him but failed. Instead of comforting his son and telling him to leave the street life alone, Kanan killed Shawn and called him weak in the process—not to mention, Kanan finally decided to be a father figure a few seasons later when he took Tariq under his wing and empowered him to kill James.
6. Liliana
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Claudia Flynn (Lili Simmons)
Murdered In: Power Book IV: Force Season 1, Episode 10
Liliana (Audrey Esparza) is one of the more loyal and likable characters to enter the Power universe. She started as a runner for Tommy and Ghost’s operation, but her employment was cut short after she was slashed across the face by the infamous assailant in pink sneakers. Initially, Tommy and Ghost told Julio Romano (J.R. Ramirez) to kill her, but Julio gave her money and told her to get out of town instead. As fate would have it, she would reconnect with Tommy years later in Chicago during the opening season of Power Book IV: Force. While the two didn’t exactly hit it off at first, they became close. Unfortunately, nearly every woman who gets close to Tommy ends up dead, and Liliana was no different. The daughter of Tommy’s rival, Claudia Flynn, killed Liliana while Tommy was at odds with the Irish Mob in Chicago. Her death was much like Julio’s, a byproduct of street wars but sad nevertheless. Liliana was loyal to Tommy until the bitter end.
5. Julio Romano
Cause of Death: Stab wound
Murdered By: Uriel Diaz (Ian Paola)
Murdered In: Power Season 4, Episode 6
Julio Romano will always be remembered as one of the most loyal figures within Tommy and Ghost’s operation. Unfortunately, loyalty can only take you so far within the television universe Courtney Kemp and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson have created. As fate would have it, Andre “Dre” Coleman (Rotimi), one of the most disloyal characters in the original series, ended up being his undoing. When Julio learned Dre was still in contact with Kanan, Dre set up Julio and got Toros Locos members to take him out. Being the soldier he was, Julio took out two guys before Uriel took him out. Julio would get the last laugh as Kanan, Uriel, and Dre all ended up dead by the end of the series. Still, it’s sad to know that Julio is no longer part of the Power universe because of someone like Dre.
4. Ezekiel Cross
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Lorenzo Tejeda
Murdered In: Power Season 2, Episode 10
Ezekiel Cross might not have been the brightest bulb in the box, but he deserved better. For much of his life, Monet Tejada, who he believed to be his aunt, took care of him, nurtured him, and empowered him to become the NBA prospect he ultimately became. However, things took an unfortunate turn when Zeke discovered that Monet was his mother, not his aunt. As anyone would, he wanted to get away and reassess his relationship with his family. While he was walking up the steps to a private jet set to take him away from mess and drama, Lorenzo Tejada pulled up and started shooting. In his defense, Lorenzo fired shots under the impression he was aiming at Mecca, an enemy of the Tejada family. Still, he shot and killed an unarmed college student who just wanted to find some peace away from all of the drama Lorenzo, Monet, and all of the Tejada family seem to attract.
3. Joseph Proctor
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Tommy Eagan
Murdered In: Power Season 6, Episode 5
Joseph Proctor (Jerry Ferrara) is arguably the best attorney to set foot in the Power universe. Still, that’s not enough to keep you alive, especially if Tommy wants you dead. For most of the original series, Proctor was as dependable and loyal as one could be to James and Tommy. However, Tommy never fully trusted Proctor, and his skepticism skyrocketed when Cooper Saxe suggested the trusted attorney might testify against him and reveal that he was responsible for Angela’s death. Tommy isn’t one to let witnesses or snitches live, so he opened fire on Proctor and killed him. “This isn’t f**king over,” he said as he met his demise. To be fair, Proctor wasn’t a saint. He caused his ex-wife’s death, and he was willing to snitch on Tommy to protect his daughter. Still, he was beloved by most fans, and his death hit hard.
2. Theo Rollins
Cause of Death: Suicide
Murdered By: N/A
Murdered In: Power Book II: Ghost Season 3, Episode 8
Power is a television universe in which the good are imprisoned, and the bad roam free. Davis MacLean’s brother, Theo (Reginald “Redman” Noble and Jordan Mahome), took the fall for a crime and let his brother walk free to pursue his dreams. Burdened by guilt, Davis teamed up with disgraced federal prosecutor Cooper Saxe (Shane Johnson) and freed his brother. However, Theo learned that Saxe was an informant and used Davis to obtain information that would put him and a few of his clients in jail. Loyal to the end, Theo killed Saxe and then, feeling guilty and in pain, died by suicide. Theo was a brother to Davis in every sense of the word, but it didn’t do anything to give him peace of mind in the end.
1. Raina St. Patrick
Cause of Death: Gunshot wound
Murdered By: Raymond “Ray-Ray” Jones
Murdered In: Power Season 4, Episode 9
Raina St. Patrick (Donshea Hopkins) was the one pure soul in a fictional world filled with violence, greed, and betrayal. She got up, went to school, and did anything to make her family proud. When her older brother, Tariq, received a text from Destiny (Andrea-Rachel Parker), the girl he’d been seeing, he stepped away from his school dance and headed outside. But it was Ray-Ray, Destiny’s cousin and crooked police officer, who was waiting outside for Tariq. Knowing Ray-Ray wanted to hurt him, Tariq hid, but his sister, Raina, confronted Destiny’s cousin. In a shocking turn of events, Ray-Ray fatally shot her in the chest. Naive to the drug trade and all of the things her family was involved with, she showed more bravery in her death than 99 percent of Power characters show in life. Unfortunately, her untimely death was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Tariq was never the same after that night, and neither was anyone else in the St. Patrick household. Raina’s death felt sudden, but the show probably wouldn’t have ended the way it did if she lived.
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