The Power universe was dealt an enormous blow recently when news broke that Power Book II: Ghost season 4 and Power Book IV: Force season 3 would mark the end of both spinoffs. Given the continued success of the shows set in the Power franchise, the cancelations came out of the blue. Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book IV: Force are sequels to the original Power, featuring some of the most popular characters. Their premature endings create questions about the viability of the Power brand in the long term.

The strength of both shows is that they didn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel. Instead, they featured familiar characters in the throes of conflict in new settings. While they are solid entries as Power spinoffs, wrapping up their runs doesn’t mean an end for the characters. Despite the questions about why Ghost and Force were canceled, the network has a good reason for the controversial decision.

Two Power Shows Are Ending Because Starz Is Prioritizing New Projects

The Power Universe Remains Popular

It’s no secret that aging shows get more expensive to produce, so Starz is focused on keeping its slate of originals cost-effective. According to Deadline, ending longer-running shows like Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book IV: Force is the easiest way to prioritize new projects. The network also recently announced Outlander is ending with season 8 and has canceled Heels and Hightown. With Starz planning more Power-related shows, there’s a high chance Tommy and Tariq’s stories will not be complete at the end of Power Book II: Ghost season 4 and Power Book IV: Force season 3.

A new prequel, Power: Origins, is in the works and will follow Tommy and Ghost’s younger years. A fifth spinoff is also in development, but the network isn’t revealing story details at this stage. The show could theoretically pick up following the end of the two spinoffs and continue the present-day narrative in a more unified way. Bringing back more popular characters as part of one show is a great way to get people talking. However, the success of any future show in the franchise likely hinges on how Power Book IV: Force and Power II: Ghost end.

What We Know About Power Book IV: Force & Power Book II: Ghost’s Endings

Both Shows Are Expected To Get Endings

Despite Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book IV: Force being canceled as production is underway on their final seasons, they are each expected to have closure. The Power franchise is still a hot property, but a surefire way to maintain its appeal would be to give the spinoffs strong and conclusive endings. Still, if there are plans to use the present-day iterations of Tariq and Tommy again, there will likely be an open-ended nature to their storylines.

They’re both pivotal players in the long-running franchise. A plausible way to halt their storylines for a while is for Tariq and Tommy to wind up in prison. The direction would pause their storylines until they’re needed again in another show. Tariq and Tommy have a complicated history with one another, but there’s plenty of potential to work together.

The Power Franchise Is Continuing, Even Without Force & Ghost

The Power Universe Will Feature More New Shows

Even though Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book IV: Force are concluding, the only other spinoff has no end date. The Mekai Curtis-led Power Book III: Raising Kanan scored a season 5 renewal earlier this year, long before its fourth season premieres. Depending on how its future plays out, Power Book III: Raising Kanan could ultimately be the longest-running Power spinoff.

The reasoning behind such an early renewal has yet to be revealed. However, the spinoff will likely be used to set up Power: Origins, thanks to Ghost, Kanan, and Tommy’s rich history. It won’t be surprising if Curtis ultimately moves over to Power: Origins because Power Book III: Raising Kanan will likely not return for season 6 due to the cost-cutting at Starz. At some point, the timeline of Power Book III: Raising Kanan will be the same as the upcoming spinoff, so it makes sense from a financial standpoint to proceed with one prequel.

It’s easy to look at the endings of Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book IV: Force as a bad sign for the franchise, but a network’s goal is to attract and keep viewers. As a result, Starz could forge ahead with more limited series set in the Power universe. Some storylines don’t call for an ongoing series, so the network may think longer about future projects. Power Book V: Influence got canceled after years in development, meaning Starz executives are protective of the Power universe.

Power Book II: Ghost season 4 airs on Fridays on Starz. Power Book IV: Force season 3 does not have a premiere date.

Source: Deadline