‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Creator and Stars on Kanan’s Villainous Transformation: ‘He’s Rolling With the Punches of What He’s Become’

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As the fourth season of the popular crime drama “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” set in the ’90s and aired on Starz, approaches its climactic end, viewers are grappling with the realization that the young character Kanan Stark (played by Mekai Curtis), who we first encountered in Season 1, is almost fully transformed into the ruthless antagonist he became in “Power.

Despite withholding certain key facts, the creator of “Power Book III: Raising Kanan”, Sascha Penn, hinted during a recent FYC panel with the show’s cast members that viewers should brace themselves for some surprising twists.

One of the frequently asked questions about Kanan’s connections is his relationship with Raq, family members, and Jukebox: ‘Given how close he appears to be with Jukebox in the series “Power”, why would he harm her as shown?’ To this, Penn clarified that a thorough and comprehensive explanation for this conundrum is indeed provided in the storyline.

He went on to explain: “This is how Kanan transformed into who he is today, and this is how each of us evolves into ourselves. The individuals around us influence us, shape us, and our life events have a similar effect. There’s an idea that it takes a community to raise a child. In this context, the community is South Side, Jamaica, Queens, and Raq served as his mother. This has always been the central theme. When I initially proposed the show, I said, ‘Consider, Kanan wasn’t naturally the way he appears in “Power.” He had to develop into that character.’ What we aim to do is explore what this journey entailed.

Additionally, seated at the panel were actors Patina Miller (portraying Raquel “Raq” Thomas from “Raising Kanan”), Mekai Curtis (assuming the role of Kanan Stark), and Wendell Pierce (depicting Snaps).

As Season 4 comes to a close, Kanan appears tougher and more malicious than before, causing difficulties for Curtis as he navigates his character and how Kanan views him.

Curtis remarked, “Kanan seems to have had to adjust to the consequences of his decisions.” He added, “Given the specific circumstances and the tough choices his mother anticipated he’d face as he stepped into the limelight, it appears he’s had to adapt to that environment. Everyone around him wanted to shield him from it. I don’t think he dislikes himself; instead, it seems more about acceptance. It appears he’s navigating the challenges of the person he’s become at this stage. Essentially, you can see him struggling with a newfound awareness or understanding of the world and what he’s been taught since day one – a tremendous ability to love.

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2025-05-15 19:46