Picture Supply: Starz
If there’s one factor we discovered from the primary installment of “Energy E book III: Elevating Kanan,” it is to not mess with Raquel “Raq” Thomas, performed by Patina Miller. As a drug queen-pin and Kanan Stark’s (Mekai Curtis) mother, Raq will do no matter it takes to develop her empire and hold her household collectively, despite the fact that their bond has began to interrupt down.
Season one concludes with Kanan escaping to Maryland with Symphony Bosket (Toby Sandeman) after capturing Detective Howard (Omar Epps), which Raq had Distinctive (Joey Bada$$) take the autumn for. Nonetheless, issues do not pan out like Raq hoped, and Howard remains to be alive. In accordance with Miller, season two picks up three months after the capturing, so the characters have had time to type by means of all the things that is gone down. “Kanan is coping with the implications of doing one thing like what he did and the way he is modified,” Miller tells POPSUGAR. “Raquel is the pinnacle of an empire now, and he or she’s actually working the streets in the way in which she needed to. It is about her holding onto that energy and increasing but in addition getting the household in line.”
However retaining the household collectively is proving to be simpler mentioned than finished. “[Kanan and Raq’s] relationship has been fully broken from the actions that she took, so there are a number of penalties to that,” Miller explains. “Raq is looking for some type of floor with Kanan as a result of she is aware of that possibly she should not have finished what she did, so she’s having to cope with that whereas additionally attempting to cope with the specter of Howard not being lifeless and what meaning for her and the security of her enterprise, herself, and her bond along with her son.”
When POPSUGAR spoke to Curtis in June, he mentioned that “the inspiration of Kanan and Raq’s relationship has been damaged,” and Miller echoed the emotions: “The belief is certainly damaged. . . . The belief I’d say that we’re speaking about is when it is revealed that she killed his good friend [D-Wiz], however [only] as a result of she needed to.” Consequently, there is a time period when Raq severely questions whether or not or not she might belief her son. Miller continues, “They have been sort of coping with belief some time . . . so she makes the silly mistake of sending her little one, who will do something for her, to do the dumbest factor she might presumably do, [and now] she has to hold that into the second season. If Kanan discover outs, that relationship shall be finished.”
And Raq, after all, is not simply going to take a seat again and let that occur. In accordance with Miller, Raq will “struggle to tooth and nail to ensure her son is aligned along with her.” Miller says, “If she’s bought to plot him with being a soldier within the enterprise and do type of all of the issues that she does, you are going to watch her undergo these completely different strategies of getting her son again.”
However what about Symphony? The final time viewers see him, he is driving Kanan to Maryland after Raq requests his assist. Can we count on a rekindling of their romance in season two? “Like she advised Lou Lou (Malcolm Mays), ‘When you’re in it, you are at all times in it.’ I feel that is the issue that she’s at all times needed to grapple with. She is aware of the implications of the sport, however she’s in it now,” Miller notes. “With Symphony, she’s capable of dream of this different life, of the white picket fence, and he or she will get to type of be susceptible and have these concepts about being in a relationship with somebody like him. What’s thrilling to her to start with is that he’s a distraction from her chaotic world, and due to who he’s, he is capable of sort of get in deeper, and he or she feels an excessive amount of with him.”
Regardless of Raq’s real emotions for Symphony, Miller says her character is scared she might probably trigger him hurt along with her involvement within the drug sport. Miller explains, “She does not see a world the place the 2 of them could possibly be collectively with out one thing taking place, which is why she tries to push Kanan out of the enterprise. She is aware of it is too troublesome. It is not as simple as saying, ‘I am gonna get out,’ which is what she preaches to Lou Lou.”
Raq undoubtedly has her work reduce out for her this season. Along with retaining her household intact, Raq now has to cope with the mafia as she strikes into their hostile territory, and in keeping with Miller, “issues are going to hit the fan for her.” Miller assures, “You will notice her sweat in a means that you have by no means seen her sweat earlier than. This lady is ferocious, issues are taking place in actual time, and he or she is coping with quite a bit. There are some belongings you’ll by no means see coming, and I hope that folks take pleasure in it, however strap in for the experience.”
“Energy E book III: Elevating Kanan” season two premieres on Starz on Aug. 14.
