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Power dropped the second episode of its final run. It continues its focus on the day Ghost is shot from the point of view of the suspects. This episode is all Paz Valdes – Angela’s sister. It is as satisfying as any episode we’ve seen throughout the series run. Kudos to Courtney Kemp for fleshing out the back stories of these supporting characters. Rather than a rush to the end viewers are getting a 360 view. Actress Elizabeth Rodriguez who plays Paz Valdes knocks it out of the park. She’s every tia, prima and hermana rolled into one with the chancla at the ready as if it were a six shooter.

Titled “He Always Wins”, the episode opens with Paz suffering nightmares over the death of her sister.  She relives the night she was at the hospital to see Angela. Reality sets in and she awakens, only to find a nightmare of a different sort – the current state of her family. Her father Nestor is suffering dementia, mistaking Paz for Angela. Her son Junior is questioning why he cannot return to school. The effects of being in the Ghost St. Patrick orbit are never more evident. To add insult to injury as she catches the morning news she learns Ghost is now a candidate for Lt. Governor.

 

On A Mission

Paz is not going to take Ghost lying down. She goes to Tasha to enlist her to help bring Ghost down. It’s a testy exchange and despite Paz best efforts Tasha isn’t about to bring down the father of her children. Yet, Paz is undeterred and insists she’ll do it with or without her. Paz heads back to her home, grabs a gun and heads to Truth.  She’s on the precipice of shooting Jamie several times, yet always has an obstacle in front of her. Next stop the AUSA office. Where she learns Cooper Saxe has been fired, which squashes the arrangement she had with him to arrest Jamie for Angela’s murder. No matter, she visits James Warner and offers up evidence to implicate Ghost. The rub – if they find anything that can nail Ghost – it also means Angela’s pension and benefits could go away too, putting Paz and her family in further dire straits.

 

Digging Up Old Wounds

Warner and Paz have Angela’s body exhumed. They find the burner phone which would have texts implicating Ghost and Angela. It’s a tragic moment, even worse, the information on it is damaged.

Paz won’t quit though, she offers Warner to wear a wire to get Ghost to incriminate himself about his business. Get Ghost to confirm criminal activity and they can move forward with a RICO action. We then cue to Episode 10 when Paz visits Ghost at Truth. Ghost does not cop to anything but provides enough of a lead to show Angela committed wrong doing. The result, Paz loses Angela’s benefits. If that weren’t enough she then gets a call that her father is in the hospital. It appears her son told him about Angela and it sent him into shock. Yeah, Paz has had it rough today.

 

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

After the news Paz heads to Tasha’s utterly defeated. The two bond over there predicament. Tasha drops more news – Ghost has a new boo – his campaign strategist Ramona. The news sends Paz into a fury.

 

She’s back on the case. Next stop Tommy’s she goes over to his place with a gun and a request – kill Ghost.  Tommy’s not having it though and tosses her out of his place.

Back at the Fed’s office. Detective Rodriguez attempts to pitch Warner on the Dre deal. When a Steven Ott of the DNC pays a visit. He has a message – leave all matters surrounding James St. Patrick alone – “he is property of the Democratic Party now”. Damn, talk about Power!

After learning of Ghost latest conquest, Paz heads home. Defeated she is crying on her bed. Her son, over hears his mother’s mourning. Later in the evening Paz awakens and finds her gun is missing. She tracks down  Junior at Truth about to do the deed. Yet, talks him down. However, Paz is still incensed. She enters Truth intending to kill Ghost. After several opportunities she relents and returns to the hospital to see her father.

In perhaps the most touching moment of the episode. Paz father, Nestor finally recognizes Paz. Nestor shares with Paz how they named her. “All we ever wanted for our family was peace – Paz – That is you. Peace came easy for Angela, but for you. You always had to try so hard”.

A fitting resolution for the character of Paz Valdes as she was in search of it the entire episode.

 

The Morning After

The next morning Paz awakens to learn that Ghost has been shot – and killed! The latter a confirmation that Ghost will not back. In a fitting end point to the episode, upon learning the news Paz Valdes utters the word “he lost.”

Subsequently, we see Paz and her son at a law office. It appears Ghost updated his will and left Paz and her family a sizable portion of his estate. On the way out, Tasha stops Paz and asks if she took the money. Paz indicated she did not. Tasha shares one more bit of information – Angela’s shooter – it was Tommy.

Paz heads straight to Tommy’s loft to find it empty.

Only three episodes left.  It wasn’t Dre, it’s not Paz. All signs lead to Tommy. Tune in next week to find out.

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