Raquel "Raq" Thomas is a major character in the Power Universe, serving as the main deuteragonist of Power Book III: Raising Kanan, having previously been mentioned as Kanan's unnamed mother in Power. The middle child among the Thomas siblings and a mother, Raq stepped up as the leader of their drug organization and has a son she deeply cares for, Kanan Stark. She is portrayed by Patina Miller.
Description[]
Official character description from 
and 
Season 1[]
A matriarch plays an important role in any family but that’s especially true for Raq. Tough, ruthless, and calculated, she sits at the head of a drug empire that’s run under a strict my-way-or-the-highway mantra. Raq’s rules apply to her kin the same as they do to her workers, because in her world loyalty and compliance are not optional. She might be the middle child with two brothers, but she’s the alpha of this close-knit pack so everyone else better fall in line or feel her wrath.
Raq is all about her business, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have heart. Her greatest love is her son, Kanan. He’s her everything and there’s nothing she wouldn’t do for him. Wanting nothing but the best for Kanan, Raq tries her best to shield him from her cutthroat world of drug deals and drive-bys but in the Power universe it’s always the ones closest to you that might get hurt.[2]
Season 3[]
To the streets, Raquel “Raq” Thomas is cold, hard, and fierce; an undeniably successful and deadly Queenpin. And yet, Raq is capable of love. And the sole recipient of that affection is her son, Kanan. He is everything to her. This season, Raq makes a life-changing decision to salvage her relationship with her son, but it might be too little, too late.
Season 4[]
To be added.
Personality[]
“
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Raq is that girl. Everybody else orbits around her. She loves passionately — but don't cross her. I don't think we've met anyone like Raq in the universe.
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„
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| ― Patina Miller |
To be added.
Biography[]
Past[]
At an unknown point, Raq's parents began using drugs and became neglectful. As a result, her oldest brother Marvin took it upon himself to raise her and their younger brother Lou-Lou until their parents got clean. To that end, Marvin turned to a life of crime to help the family get by when he was around thirteen. Upon reaching adulthood, the Thomas siblings decided to build a criminal organization. Originally, Raq served as Marvin's lieutenant because he was the oldest and she gave him advice on business ventures.
When she was sixteen, Raq was involved with Rondell " Def-Con" Stark and she had a son by the name of Kanan, who later turned out to be Malcolm Howard’s son, a cop who was investigating Def Con. According to herself, Def wanted to be sure she was loyal by keeping her out of the loop while she was pregnant with Kanan. It's also revealed that Def Con was secretly gay and was paying her to act as his cover to keep up his reputation and that people wouldn't think anything if they thought Kanan was his. When Def Con went to prison, Raq continued her business with her brothers Marvin and Lou until Marvin got himself locked up after becoming a drug addict. As a result, she took care of her niece Laverne until her father was released.
Prior to 1985, she met High Post, who became her boyfriend. He introduced her to the drug business and helps him counting his money and sell drugs. As mentioned by Kanan, he liked Post because he treated Raq right and they were said to be in love.
During 1985, Raq was with her boyfriend doing business before her son returns home from the park crying and Post told her that not every kid is made for the South side. Raq firmly told him that her son is and goes to talk to him. Kanan told her he got beaten up and got his money stolen. Raq scolded him for talking about his money then obliges him to go back and defend himself from the boys with a sock filled with batteries, stating if he didn't then he would deal with her. She casually smokes while watching him take care of the bullies who are left crying and bleeding on the ground. Thanks to her, Kanan got revenge and respect from the other kids who start to talk highly about him.
In 1986, High Post got killed for snitching and Raq was obligated to take control of the business of her late boyfriend with her two brothers Lou-Lou and Marvin Thomas.
Season 1[]
Raq and Kanan at the principal's office.
In 1991, Raq and Kanan attend Kanan's school to meet with the principal, Dr. Loretta West, who called them to discuss Kanan's potential transfer to the prestigious high school Stuyvesant given his smarts. Raq proudly signs the paperwork for Kanan's inclusion as a candidate for the entrance exam. Afterwards, Kanan expresses hesitance in taking the test, and Raq tries to convince him to do so, as she relates her wish for him to find success outside South Jamaica.[3]
Later, Raq, her younger brother and right-hand Lou-Lou, and her older brother and muscle Marvin, visit one of Raq's soldiers, Born Ready, at the hospital, who caught a bullet from an attack organized by Raq's rival Unique. Raq, Lou-Lou, Marvin, and another of Raq's soldiers, Scrappy, discuss what to do about it. Raq, wanting to avoid a war, dismisses Marvin's suggestion to retaliate, and when she learns from Marvin about another attempt to threaten their business, a frustrated Raq exits the hospital with Lou. Raq and Lou then head to a nightclub to do business with its owner Hugo, who they made a deal with to sell cocaine in his club, but instead in his absence they encounter his new publicist Toni Deep. Toni insults Raq and insists that her source will replace her and her "dirty" cocaine. As the hostility between Raq and Toni escalates, Lou defuses their conflict by telling Raq that he handle Toni instead. Raq goes to the bar and meets part-time barman Symphony Bosket, and the two flirt with each other. At some point afterwards, Raq sends Scrappy to kill Toni's dog as revenge for her disrespect.[3]
On Wednesday night, Raq and the rest of the Thomas family eat dinner at their go-to restaurant, Lamont's Diner. They are joined by Raq's niece and Marvin's daughter, Jukebox, and later, one of Kanan's best friends Famous and his sister Jessica Figueroa. After a while, they spend time outside, and Unique's new dealer Buck Twenty drives by and fires warning shots, and when he leaves, Raq worriedly checks on her family. Later, in Kanan's bedroom, Raq checks on Kanan, and refuses his interest in the family's drug business when he expresses it to her. Raq then comforts him when he worries over her survival after the shooting.[3]
Unique and Raq talk.
Knowing that Unique set up the drive-by, Raq meets up with him to discuss the recent threats on her business. Unique assures her he set up the diner shooting only to get her attention for a parley, and that he has checked his soldiers who got "a little wild" and had shot up Raq's spot on 145th Street prior, but questions why Raq's crew was on the north of 139th Street, which High Post and Unique's predecessor Ronnie Mathis negotiated to be a demilitarized zone, to which Raq responds by disclaiming Post's negotiations. At Raq's insistence, Raq and Unique negotiate that Unique takes 140th Street to 143rd Street, while she holds down 144th Street to Sutphin Boulevard.[3]
While an interested Raq converses with Symphony on their date, Lou barges in, and Raq learns from him that Kanan and one of Kanan's best friends D-Wiz killed Buck for selling on what Kanan thought was still Raq's corner. Raq leaves Symphony money to pay for their dinner, before heading out with Lou back to her residence. Raq also learns that Kanan purposely failed the entrance exam to Stuyvesant. Raq scolds Kanan for his recklessness, then orders him to rid his bloodstained shirt. Raq is visibly troubled when Lou states the possibility that Unique would retaliate.[3]
Raq and Kanan in the aftermath of the shooting.
Some time later, Raq smokes on the dinner table. When she sees Kanan, she orders him to take out the trash, and reveals that she plans to move him back to his grandmother's residence, admitting that she should have sent him there from the beginning. Kanan heads outside to dispose the garbage, then is ambushed by a couple of men who drive by and shoot at Kanan. Hearing the shots, Raq grabs her gun, exits the place, and shoots at the attackers. Raq then frantically checks on her son, and discovers he is okay. Subsequently, the police arrive at the scene, and Detective Malcolm Howard questions Raq. Raq fabricates a story about the shooting, which Howard disbelieves. Lou and Marvin then arrive and warn Raq about the danger that surrounds Kanan, and a distraught Raq realizes what she needs to do to protect him.[3]
The next day, Raq meets Unique and hands him money to give to Buck's family. Unique discusses the violation of their truce by Kanan and D-Wiz, and Raq points out his attack on her son the prior night. Unique replies that they will keep coming until they arrive at a negotiation, and demands all the corners they had discussed earlier. Raq insists that the attacks on Kanan stop, and Unique agrees on revoking the bounty on him, but warns Raq that he cannot control Buck's people.[3]
Raq inducts Kanan to the business.
At night, Raq takes Kanan to a beach, and teaches him how to hold and shoot a gun. She then tells Kanan he is now part of the family business.[3]
[More to be added.]
Season 2[]
[To be added.]
Season 3[]
[To be added.]
Murders[]
Committed by Raq[]
- Gabriel: Shot 3 times for abusing Juliana.
- Scrappy: Shot in the head for supposedly snitching according to Howard.
- Cartier Fareed: Shot to death to decrease competition. (w/Lou)
- Italian Mob Member: Shot to death.
- Juliana: Shot to death for betraying her.
- Malcolm Howard: Shot in the head to prevent him from turning Marvin in.
Connected to Raq[]
- Toni Deep's dog: Asked Scrappy to burn the dog to death in the microwave.
- Buck Twenty: Indirectly caused when she had a deal with Unique to split the territory in half without saying it to her family. She then helped cover up the crime after Buck was killed by Kanan or D-Wiz.
- D-Wiz: Ordered Lou Lou to take out D-Wiz in order to protect her son. This was also done to tie up loose ends because he was bragging about doing the killing. Plus, to get the target off Kanan's back for Buck's Murder.
- Frank The Inspector: Told Marvin to make a meal out of him after, she knocked him out with a hammer after he tried to rape her. Marvin planted him in the wall, shooting a nail gun in his head killing him.
- Crown Camacho: Told Lou that Crown visited in an attempt to getting rid of him off the Bulletproof Record label. Manipulating him to kill Crown. Leading Lou to beat and strangle him to death.
- Kenya Pierce: Shot and killed by the Italians while trying to kill Raq.
- Dario: Shot by Unique to save her.
- Sal Boselli: Ordered Marvin Thomas to assassinate him.
- Shantel(Scrappy Mamma): Telling Marvin to deal with Lou, ordered him to kill her.
- Ronnie Mathis: Shot in the back of the head by Kanan for trying to kill Raq.
Goals[]
- Protect Kanan (Ongoing)
- Work with Joaquin (Succeeded)
- Defeat Nique and take the role of the biggest drug dealer for Southside Jamaica (Succeeded)
- Have Kanan kill Howard in order to protect Kanan, and to hide the truth about who he really was. Showing a sign of manipulation. (Failed, as Howard survived)
- Kill Sal Boselli (Succeeded)
- Reconnect with Kanan (Ongoing)
- Kill Detective Howard (Succeeded)
- Kill Ronnie Mathis (Succeeded) Through Kanan
Trivia[]
- Raq shows an interest in constellations.
- She mentioned that she had Kanan when she was 16, he was born in 1975 which makes her year of birth in 1959.[citation needed]
- Raq's fate after Raising Kanan is unknown, however, Kanan mentions having to see his mother in Power.
- He could refer to either Raq's actual living presence or Raq's grave.
- He could also have been lying.
- It is unknown whether she knew of her grandson Shawn Stark's existence.
- As mentioned by Kanan, Post got her into the drug business.
- Raq is the second person to learn that Jukebox is a lesbian.
- Raq possibly unknowingly gave Jukebox the motivation to become a cop when she tells her "Sometimes, cops are good friends to have".
Quotes[]
Power Book III: Raising Kanan[]
- "That's me right there. It's the only shit I ever liked in school. My girl Cassiopeia, she got put up there as punishment. Rolled up on Poseidon and said she was finer than his mermaids, so he threw her up in the sky. Spins around the North Pole for eternity. Old girl's just holdin' on, always about to fall off the throne. That's real right there. ...Look, I got a plan for you, Kanan. And this new school, it figures in just right. So you gonna take that test, you're gonna get into that school downtown, you're gonna go to college, and you're gonna become... a CEO or some shit. Okay, you about to live a life that people 'round here only dream about." —Raq
- "But I'd be away from you, Ma." —Kanan
- "Your life is my life. You fly, I fly." —Raq[3]
- "This bitch doesn't know who she's fucking with." —Raq
- "Who are you calling a bitch?" —Toni
- "You. Bitch." —Raq[3]
- "Post used to say, 'Once you're on your knees, it's damn near impossible to get back on your feet.' I ain't gettin' on my knees, 'Nique. Not for you, or no man."
- —Raq to Unique[3]
- "You wanna start your own shit? Make your own calls? Have at it, n****. But if the past taught us anything, it's that you not made to sit in this seat, to walk in these fuckin' shoes. So how 'bout you shut the fuck up and let me speak to my son?"
- —Raq to Marvin[3]
- "That your blood?" —Raq
- "No, it's the other kid." —Kanan
- "Yeah. The dead kid. So just so we clear, you and your friends killed that boy for a corner I already gave up." —Raq
- "I didn't know you gave it up." —Kanan
- "Exactly. You don't know, but you think you do. You all do." —Raq[3]
- "You see those four stars? Right there. That rectangle. With those diagonal stars right in the middle of them. That's Orion the Hunter. That's us, Kanan. Orion. Always the hunter, never the hunted."
- —Raq to Kanan[3]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
| Seasons | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Season 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Season 3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Season 4 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Season 5 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
References[]
- ↑ Lawrence, Derek (July 14, 2021). Raising Kanan star Patina Miller on bringing to life the franchise's new powerhouse character. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on November 21, 2024.
- ↑ Rocque, Anslem Samuel. Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Complex.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 "BACK IN THE DAY". Sascha Penn (writer), Rob Hardy (director). Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Starz. July 18, 2021. 1x1.