‘Raising Kanan’ Star Discusses Finale Setup for ‘Power Origins’ and Kanan’s Misunderstood Journey

Kanan Stark may have survived the conclusion of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan,’ but his journey is far from finished. With the prequel now wrapped up, Mekai Curtis reflects on Kanan’s last moments and hints at what fans can anticipate when the narrative continues with ‘Power: Origins.’

In a recent interview with Deadline, Curtis shared insights into Kanan’s reaction following the death of his mother, Raquel “Raq” Thomas. Raq is killed by Jukebox, who seeks vengeance after Kanan takes her father’s life. When Jukebox later reveals her actions to Kanan, his response lacks the expected fury. According to Curtis, this reaction stems from Kanan’s extensive experiences.

“It’s acceptance. That’s the ultimate version of Kanan understanding what Raq taught him at the beginning of the series.”

Curtis believes Kanan has reached a pivotal moment where he can reflect on his decisions and recognize the harm they have caused.

“When you’ve experienced enough loss and tragedy, there comes a point where you’re going to sit down and just take inventory: you’re going to see where you went wrong, what you did right, where other people went wrong, and how things could have been done differently,” Curtis explained to Deadline.

However, this does not imply that Kanan is devoid of feelings regarding Raq’s death. Curtis notes that the loss still stings, but Kanan comprehends the reasons behind it. He recognizes his part in the series of events that led to her demise.

“It doesn’t mean it hurts any less, but he understands all the bad he’s done,” Curtis elaborated. “He understands, ‘Okay, I did it.’ It doesn’t mean that I’m proud that I did it, but I did it.”

Curtis also feels that Kanan has often been misinterpreted. The younger version of the character is emotional and struggles to articulate his feelings. His violent actions are not merely driven by a desire to create chaos.

“I feel like Kanan is so misunderstood, especially the younger version of him,” Curtis stated. “You see he’s doing things out of emotion, and he doesn’t know how to articulate himself.”

This emotional turmoil is particularly evident in his relationship with Raq. Curtis noted that both characters loved each other, but neither knew how to express that love healthily.

“It was a constant back and forth between Raq and Kanan showing or saying that they love each other, but missing the mark,” he added.

Now, Kanan’s narrative is transitioning into ‘Power: Origins,’ which Curtis has already filmed. The upcoming series will unite young Kanan with young James St. Patrick and Tommy Egan.

Curtis believes that this relationship is one of the most thrilling aspects of the new show. Kanan can see reflections of himself in the two boys, yet he is also aware of their youth.

“You can still see a slight shred of care,” Curtis explained. “Kanan sees himself in these two kids.”

This gives ‘Origins’ an opportunity to reveal another facet of Kanan. Even as he becomes more entrenched in the world that will ultimately shape him, Curtis asserts that there remains a part of him that wishes to protect and guide James and Tommy.

After five seasons, Curtis may have bid farewell to one iteration of Kanan, but ‘Power: Origins’ indicates that there is still much more to uncover about the character.

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