“Ghost” series finale and spin-off rumors

SPOILER ALERT: Key plot points from the series finale of Starz' Power Book II: Ghost are revealed below.

In 2014, Michael Rainey Jr. was a young teenager when he debuted as Tariq St. Patrick on the Starz drama series Performancefrom executive producers Courtney A. Kemp and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Today, Rainey is older and wiser after a decade of growing up in front of audiences on two Power Universe series, most recently: Power Book II: Ghost where he survives to see another series finale. Could there be a third?

The Power Book II: Ghost Finale, currently available to stream on the Starz app, wraps up many storylines and leaves some stories open for a possible sequel. Deadline has spoken to the network about the future, but there are no announcements at this time. And it's important to note that with another season of Power Book IV: Power It remains to be seen, so anything can happen. I suspect we'll have to wait a bit longer before we hear anything concrete, so in the meantime, let's have some fun with speculation that will keep cast members like Rainey entertained, at least for now. More on this in the questions and answers below.

DEADLINE: This is the second show that Tariq has survived after the finale. Congratulations! What was it like for you to play this character and grow with him?

MICHAEL RAINEY JR.: Man, it's a second ending. I think that's crazy. The journey that Tariq depicts has been a roller coaster ride. It was great. It was great fun. You know, people hated me for all the crazy things I did in the beginning. (Laughs) Fast forward, it turned like a 180° turn, which was an awesome experience. It's pretty rare to see a character on a fairly prominent television show that people hate and then end up loving them. That was a blessing.

DEADLINE: You had many impressive moments in the finale, but one stands out the most. What can you say about the scene where Tariq is negotiating his future with Noma's (Caroline Chikezie) brother Chinedu (Sahr Ngaujah) and he calls you Ghost? It seems that Tariq feels worthy of the title for the first time.

RAINEY: Tariq literally does what Ghost (Omari Hardwick) would do, which is to eliminate everything that needs to be eliminated. Then he will get into the position he needs to be in by connecting with the right people to achieve his goals. (Tariq) tells (Chinedu) the rundown of (his plans) and how the new operation will work, to which the guy reacts “like a ghost.” At that moment, Tariq realizes that yes, that's exactly what Ghost would do. This is the scene where Tariq fully accepts that he is definitely just like his father.

DEADLINE: Do you think Tariq ever regrets following in his father's footsteps when all he wanted was a successful life away from crime?

RAINEY: I think he does that sometimes, but then his ambition comes out and he remembers that he wants to be at the top. At this point he says, “Forget all this!” So ​​he puts it back in gear and sets off again. Being a family man seems cool, but I have to get back on the road, that's Tariq's mindset. He just loves the thrill of being on the road.

DEADLINE: True, but last season Tariq found himself at a crossroads when he learned that Diana (LaToya Tonodeo) was pregnant with his baby. It's an inevitable conversation for the future.

RAINEY: Yes, (Laughs), you see this little hallucination he's having and everything. It all goes back to his history with his father. Unfortunately, that was taken away from him far too soon. You know, you haven't even seen half of what that would look like.

DEADLINE: What could that have looked like?

MRJR: Man, who knows what Tariq St. Patrick Jr. would have been like. He probably would have been the best gangster/businessman of all time! It would have had a bit of Tariq and Diana and a bit of Ghost. It would have been him this guy. I have a feeling he would have been this guy. Diana wouldn't have let him join in, but he would also be Tariq's son. Who will stop him when he wants what he wants?

DEADLINE: Diana also had a different future planned for herself, but in the end she fully accepted Monet's (Mary J. Blige) legacy. This is the makings of the next Ghost and Tasha (Naturi Naughton) or Monet and Lorenzo (Berto Colon) – this love that rides on mortal danger and weathers almost every storm. Do you agree?

MRJR: They would make a great couple, you know? Diana is the balance Tariq needs. Furthermore, she doesn't pressure him to live a different life because she knows life on the street. She'll understand why he does certain things or what he's going through, rather than a Lauren (Paige Hurd) who wants him to be a good guy. Diana basically knows everything, so that would make for a balanced relationship.

DEADLINE: Power villain Noma dies in the finale, but not before seeing her innocent daughter brutally murdered by Diana. I wonder if Tariq took a second to think about how something like this could happen to him too one day.

MRJR: This also happened to Tariq when Diana was pregnant and they lost their child because of the world they live in. This is actually crazy because I didn't make this connection before. That's a foreshadowing, they're on the same little path right now.

DEADLINE: It's been great to see Naturi play your mother again a little more than before in the last few seasons. Especially in season 3, when Tasha and Tariq reunite with Tommy (Joseph Sikora). What was it like on set getting the OGs back together?

MRJR: Man, man, man, man, that was awesome. It felt like the original Performance days. It brought us back to a moment in time, a full circle moment. Obviously we've been working together for a long time, but just coming back and doing another project was great. You never knew when something was going to happen, but it was always so much fun. It definitely felt like the old days.

DEADLINE: Do you think Ghost would approve of his son's outcome?

MRJR: I think he would be disappointed and turn in his grave. (Laughs) Or maybe he could have made peace with the fact that his son would have turned out just like him. Look, it's over now and we can't even…

DEADLINE: But is it over?

MRJR: Listen, in our universe… I don't know. I would love for the fans to get what they want, but in our universe it would just be very discredited (if Ghost returned) it would be too wrong. Coming back from the dead is like that, I don't know.

DEADLINE: Many of us aren't even sure if he really died. Power is our telenovela and people come back from the dead all the time.

MRJR: (Laughs) We have to get you to write the return of Ghost.

DEADLINE: Don't encourage me because I will drop everything and set this up. But in the meantime, let's discuss the tough decision Tariq made when he said goodbye to his best friend Brayden (Gianni Paolo).

MRJR: (Fake crying and laughing) It's so sad and I hated that. It reminds me of the time when Ghost and Tommy were annoyed and had their problems. It's like, “Ah no, we should be (tight). “Why can’t we be brothers as we should be”? But you know, things happen. Sometimes people have to take different paths. (Tariq) had to make this decision even though he didn't want it to be mutually beneficial. Brayden currently has a drug problem and is struggling with the loss of Elle (Talia Robinson). He's unfocused and you have to get to the point in what we do.

DEADLINE: Fans have been sharing their ideas on social media for possible spin-offs, including mine, where Tommy and Tariq are a popular couple. Are you reading those?

MRJR: I've seen a lot of tweets like this. I read these fan theories and I'm like, “Yo!” Y'all are cooking. The theories are crazy and there are so many different ones. What I like best is that Kanan is Tariq's father; That was the funniest theory. So they say that Kanan slept with Tasha back then and that he is Tariq's father. It's so crazy.

DEADLINE: Let's break down your post-credits Marvel scene, where Tariq is on the phone with a mysterious person and carries on as if his story didn't end with the finale of Power Book II: Ghost. What can you share?

MRJR: I don't know what's going on. You know, the power universe never ends. Personally, I'm just excited to see what they get next. (When I read that scene) I thought, 'What are you all talking about?' I'm looking forward to whatever. When they call me, I pick up my phone. All I care about is giving the fans what they want. If they want Tariq to live until he is 50, I will do that. Tariq is just a phone call away. Maybe I need to cut my hair first.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.