How is Diana Tejada?
As the end credits of Book II: Ghosts Season 4 Episode 6 roll, with Diana lying on the sidewalk and a panicked Tariq screaming for help, that’s the central question lingering in our minds .
We’ll have to wait for answers about what happens next with Diana and Tarik, but even then, we’ll have to go straight to the source to try and get some answers.
Michael Rainey Jr. and LaToya Tonodeo, who play Tarik and Diana, were kind enough to spend a few minutes with me to discuss my reaction to the latest episode. And look ahead to what the final few episodes have in store.
When one of Carter’s handlers, Felicia, assigns her to kill drug dealer Zion, Diana finds herself in a sticky situation as he could cause trouble for her and her fellow dirty cops.
Diana and Tariq have a long and complicated history, and now they’re about to have a baby, which makes everything even more complicated. But when she needs someone to help her, she goes straight to Tariq.
Tonodio believes Tariq will always have her back, even if their trust is so eroded.
“After that episode, I went back and I was thinking, OK, Monet isn’t available; she’s unpredictable,” Tonodeo explained. “First of all, Kane is not interested in me right now, so I can’t. Then, Drew has his own things.
“Even though there was this push and pull between Tariq and Diana, at the end of the day, Diana really believed that she could trust Tariq to help her through any situation. Even going back in time, I think Monet was the first person to Season 2 or 2 was killed, I can’t remember the character’s name, Tarik came while Kane was away.
“It was Tariq who came over to help with the body and everything.
“So no matter what the situation is, I believe Diana believes Tariq will always be there for her. They have a child together and whether people believe it’s his or not, they have a child. It’s still in her belly.
Taric does appear at Diana’s side, even as he’s enacting his own plans, which involve him rising to heights he hasn’t reached since we saw him in Book of Specters 2 .
When asked what’s important to Tarik right now, Rainey Jr. explained: “I think the most important thing for Tarik moving forward is staying dominant.”
“Now, as he said, he’s an apex predator, so he’s just bossing everyone around. Before, people were bossing him around and he had to defend. He’s attacking. He’s going to get whatever he wants.
“I think that’s the biggest turning point that he’s ever had in terms of his character because he’s usually just used to being who he is, no matter what happens, he’s going to do damage control or he’s going to find a way to get out of it no matter what. What situation he is in.
“But now, he’s putting other people in situations they don’t want to be in. He’s calling the shots now, so that’s what he’s doing.”
This is a new position for Tariq, which makes you wonder how long he can stay in this position and what it means for his future – future Rainey Jr. is not sure if Tarik is closely focus on.
“I don’t think he really knows what his future is going to be like right now,” Rainey Jr. explained. “I feel like he’s very present and he’s only worried about what’s going on in the moment, like, right now.
“He’s so focused on the present that I don’t even think he knows what he wants for the future.
“Right now, all I know is he wants to be a top goalscorer now. He wants to be a top guy, he puts a target on everyone’s back and that’s where he is. He’s not even worried about his future; he’s worried now.
The same cannot be said for Diana, who is in a very different situation than Tariq. She lives a sheltered life in some ways, but also bound by the sins of her family.
As an expectant mother, you have to think about the future. As Tonodio tells us, Diana knew what she wanted. But of course, that’s assuming she’s okay after that devastating conclusion.
“Be independent and break the shackles of family,” Tonodo said of Diana’s future. “Because I always say that her family is her strength and her weakness. Her ultimate goal is to be able to trust herself and her instincts and not rely on her family but be able to stop them.
“Always put family first, but at the end of the day it’s up to her and her independence and what she wants. That’s probably her goal.
Leaving such a heavy suspense, with the health of Princess Diana and her children hanging in the balance, left viewers on the edge of their seats.
It’s hard to say too much about the two stars without giving away information, but Rainey Jr. summed up what we can expect from the final four episodes very simply.
“A lot of ups and downs, a lot of plot twists, a lot of things that you guys don’t expect. So, that’s all I’ll say without spoiling anything. It’s a very fine line.
The Season 4 finale of Power Book II: Ghosts airs Friday at 8/7c on Starz.
