Power makes betrayal look easy. Last week, we were skeptical of Tariq's activities with Vincent and "Inside Man" confirmed these suspicions. Within the first minutes of the sixth episode of the season, viewers learn that Tariq is setting both Tommy and Ghost up. Little St. Patrick knew that his father and Tommy would pay any enormous sum of cash to set him free, so he cuts a deal with Vincent to pay him back for the drugs that he scammed. Tariq plans on keeping half of the $2 million Vincent demanded as ransom, which would be the ultimate come up for a kid who just had no product one episode ago. Unfortunately, Vincent plans to kill Tariq, Tommy, and Ghost once he gets all the money. Everyone is backstabbing everyone.
Speaking of backstabbers, Tommy and Ghost agree to work together to save Tariq. The former friends are well aware that after this adventure they will return to being enemies, which is the most realistic occurrence of this season so far. Power's sixth season has amped up the action, but has also become less and less realistic. It feels as if the writers replaced the refinement and intricacy of earlier seasons with Arnold Schwarzenegger level warfare. It's unrealistic to believe that Tommy and Ghost could salvage a friendship after orchestrating the deaths of the former's father and the latter's lover.
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Vincent soon visits Tasha and informs her about Tariq, forcing her into the team up as well. Ghost, Tommy, and Tasha use their street sources to push enough dope to make a million within 24 hours. Ghost gets Dre to team up with Alphonse, Tommy assembles his crew to hit the streets, and Tasha links with her stripper friend and Lakiesha to push weight through the strip club. It's a quick and impressive come-up. The other million is secured by Ghost, who blackmails Councilman Tate into loaning him funds from his campaign. Remember, Ghost has audio of Tate gloating about skimming money off the funds himself. With the full $2 million in hand, Tommy and Ghost head to pay Vincent off, but Jason shows up at the worst time possible.
Jason and his team hold Ghost and Tommy at gunpoint and take half of their money. The Serbian takes $1 million as payment from Tommy (for protection) and Ghost (for killing Stanomir). That's when Tommy and Ghost realize Jason has been playing them against each other and extorting both of them, but they don't have time for retribution. They take the $1 million they have left to Vincent, who is not pleased. The mobster diverts from Tariq's plan and beats the piss out of the teen as a warning to Ghost and Tommy, while they're left to find another quick million, again.
Now, this is where things get a little ridiculous. Ghost and Tommy try the drug angle again after Tasha reveals that she has a connect. This time though, the team only raises $40,000. So, that's when they come up with the bright idea to rob Tate's upcoming political fundraiser. Ghost and Tasha attend the event together, while Tommy's squad makes their way in and holds the place up. This entire scene seems forced and it's to poke more than a few holes: how do you rob an entire ballroom filled with powerful politicians without any of them having security? How about the fact that not one person took out a cell phone to call 9-1-1. Even in the event of mass shooters here in 2019, people pull out their cell phones to take videos or ring for some help. How about cameras, metal detectors, or alarms? Somehow, the heist goes off without the threat of modern-day technology foiling the plans.
The entire stick up would have worked well too, if Tate didn't recognize Alphonse's voice. Alphonse goes off-script for a moment, doing the most in an attempt to intimidate Ramona. This gives Ghost enough time to pass Tate (who used to be a cop) a gun which he uses to disarm, and possibly kill, Alphonse. Meanwhile, Tommy's squad has made off with all the stolen goods. Now, Tate looks like a hero and the money was secured to save Tariq. How convenient. It would have been more believable if Tommy and Ghost pulled off a good ol' fashioned robbery for the cash. However this season is all about the dramatics, and this episode did not disappoint from that standpoint.
Tommy and Ghost bring Vincent his money, and of course, the mobster tries to double-cross and kill them. Luckily, Ghost called in a favor with Benny, who feels indebted to Tariq for bringing him Elisa Marie safely. Little does he know that Tariq is the reason Proctor is dead. Benny gets Vincent to back down, and all ends well for Tariq. Lucky kid. Soon after, Benny tells Tommy that Ghost informed him who killed his cousin Proctor, and there is a moment of realization between the former friends. Ghost realizes that Tommy is the actual killer and Tommy discerns that his old buddy has stumbled upon the truth. This leads Ghost to vent to Tasha, and the two piece the puzzle together. Both parents now know that Tariq has been working with Tommy, and their eyes are finally open to what Tariq might be capable of. Tasha was on Tommy's side for most of this season, but we're seeing her lean back towards Ghost once she realizes her son is making moves behind her back. Allegiances will become even muddier going forward, and Tariq's loyalties will be key. He is in a position to get any of the main players killed. He can work with Tommy to betray his father, or vice versa. He remains the most important character on the show from here on out.
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