You should know more about your grandfather because he would have loved you, Kanan. You have that same spirit he had, that same belief in yourself. Look, your grandfather did what he did because he didn't like his life and the world around him. Mm, he didn't like me much neither. But for most of his life, he believed he could do anything he set his mind to. That's why he had so many jobs and interests and passions. Elijah was capable and skilled and brilliant... just like you.—Joyce Thomas, to Kanan Stark
"GANGSTAS DON'T DIE"
Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Elijah Thomas is a mentioned character in Power Book III: Raising Kanan. He is the father of the Thomas siblings, namely Raq, Marvin, and Lou-Lou Thomas, and the grandfather of Raq's son, Kanan Elijah Stark.
Biography[]
Elijah Thomas was born in 1925 in Clinch County, Georgia. His father Charles was a railroad worker, while his mother Ruth did white people's laundry.[1]
What your grandfather did was selfish, man. And weak. To him, it felt like it answered all his problems, but all he did was leave them problems behind and some new ones, too, for the rest of us to figure out.—Marvin Thomas, to Kanan Stark
At some point, Elijah met his wife Joyce, and the two had three children: Marvin, Raq, and Lou-Lou. The three had fond memories of their father: Marvin was enamored with his father's prizefighting, Lou-Lou with his horn playing, while Raq treasured being considered her father's favorite. Tragically, Elijah died by suicide, leaving a still very young Marvin behind to raise his siblings while they faced the neglect of their mother.[1]
Legacy[]
Now that I'm older, though... I understand him better. Understand why he did what he did better too. Death gotta be easy, kid, 'cause life is fucking hard.
Elijah's suicide scarred his children, and they came to resent him for his death. On the other hand, aspects of him can be seen in them: Elijah's confidence manifested in his daughter Raq, while his fighting skills and musical talent manifested in his sons Marvin and Lou-Lou. Unsettlingly, Lou-Lou further resembled his father with his suicidal ideation.
When Raq birthed Kanan, she partly named him after Elijah. In 1992, the late Elijah was the center of his grandson Kanan's research paper, consisting of the varying perspectives of the family he left behind.[1]
Trivia[]
- Elijah is first mentioned in Raising Kanan's first season: When Raq calls for Kanan by his full name, and when Marvin recounts raising his siblings in the face of their mother's neglect and their father's death.
- Lou-Lou's remark about Elijah's suicide ("Death gotta be easy, kid, 'cause life is fucking hard") is a reference to 50 Cent's "Many Men (Wish Death)" ("Death gotta be easy 'cause life is hard").
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "GANGSTAS DON'T DIE". Sascha Penn & Albert Minnis (writer), Mario Van Peebles (director). Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Starz. March 7, 2025. 4x1.