Powers Review: Chasing Ghosts (Season 2 Episode 8)

As long as we’re bringing people back from the dead, can I suggest a candidate for the next act of necromancy?

I want to address the HUGE death that happens on this week’s jaw-dropping episode of Powers, “Chasing Ghosts.”

However, there are a few other things that need to be hashed out first. Also, I want to make sure that I type actual coherent thoughts before I get all blubbery over that ending.

I first want to talk about Calista, who has come such a long way over the course of the series, but especially in this season.

After her first reunion with her father, I was glad that she didn’t kill him when she had the chance. I stand by that.

Calista was acting out of rage and revenge at that time. There was no bigger force to motivate her actions, other than her own desire to avenge the abuse that she and her mother went through by her father’s hand. I’m by no means belittling what they went through, at all — I’m highlighting the high moral ground that Calista took in giving her father mercy that he didn’t deserve.

This time, Calista is a little more mature. She’s had a few more experiences that have made her wiser. She’s not an angry kid, ready to show her dad what she can do with her new powers.

Calista has grown into a young woman who chooses to embrace her powers to bring positive change to the world. She’s no different than Janis was, in her own early days as a Power. It’s no wonder she looks to Janis for inspiration.

The most positive choice Calista can make, when deciding between his life and the lives of the 23 others that he is holding hostage, is to let him die.

To be perfectly blunt, Calista’s dad is an asshole. She probably SHOULD have killed him then — but the story playing out this way maintains Calista’s integrity. Will she be affected by his death moving forward? Probably. But will she feel guilt over it? I hope not. Again — her dad is an asshole.

Speaking of Janis (or Janice? Because I’m truly confused regarding the spelling of her name.), I feel it necessary to have more detail into what the letter says. It flashes very quickly as Walker reads it. So, for all of you eagle-eyed Powers fans, I’ve taken the liberty of isolating it so that we can read it together, more carefully.

There are two things about this letter that are very concerning to me, moving forward.

Obviously, I’ve been worried about Supershock. He doesn’t appear to be completely in his right mind. He’s called Calista ‘Janis,’ he’s kidnapped Walker for no clear reason, and he paid a strange (final) visit to Senator Brown.

If this letter is truly from Janis, and I say truly because there’s no way to know for sure that this is from her, then how exactly did he end up with it? Is this the letter that Brown had in his safe? What will Supershock do if he isn’t subdued? Is he actually a bad guy?

The other line in the letter that concerns me is, “Morrison does not exist.”

Sadly, we know Morrison exists. It’s real. (More on that in a moment.)

So, again, if this letter truly is from Janis, then there may be some information that she didn’t have…or, the more likely scenario, there is more information behind this letter that we don’t yet have.

Krispin is back from the dead. Why? Well, he’s a Power.

I’m glad to see Krispin and Marigold return for this episode, if only for the closure it brings to their storyline together. Their departures both felt very quick and unprocessed.

It’s also nice to see that Krispin takes the reigns of his own destiny, and separates himself from Marigold. He’s right. He doesn’t need her. I can’t help but think of how differently his story may have played out had he and Calista not parted ways. (Though, at the time, it made total sense.)

What will Krispin’s power be? Right now, it’s nothing more than the ability to come back from the dead, but surely it will be more than just that. I’m excited about the possibilities for Krispin’s re-emergence, especially based on Cross’ reaction to seeing him again.

I really can’t wait for his reunion with Walker.

I also can’t wait for Walker and Pilgrim to take down Morrison, because that guy is an even bigger asshole than Calista’s dad.

While Pilgrim is defining boundaries with Kutter, he’s ready to define their relationship status. For Kutter, their out of the office dalliances are fun, but he’s ready to carpool to work. It’s sweet.

Pilgrim is still trying to figure things out, so it’s no surprise that deciding whether or not she’s someone’s girlfriend is not at the top of her to-do list.

But it should be. 

Considering everything that Kutter has done this season for Pilgrim, from saving her ass to bringing her coffee, he deserves a slot at the top of that to-do list, and not just in the literal ‘to-do’ sense.

Theirs is a romance I root for, not just because of the chemistry between those two characters, but because I root for Kutter. I mentioned Calista’s growth this season, but Kutter’s growth has been even more apparent. He’s gone from a one-note jerk to someone with dimension and heart.

Which is why the second he tells Pilgrim he’s backing off, I have a bad feeling. That feeling only gets worse while he’s in the record store.

Suddenly, this episode is a nightmare — I see exactly where it’s going and I can’t stop it.

According to Janis’ letter, Morrison does not exist. If that’s truly the case, then who the heck guts Kutter?

Morrison exists, alright, and there needs to be some vengeance. If I can’t see Kutter live happily ever after with Pilgrim, then I better get to see Pilgrim and Walker taking down his killer.

Tears.

There are real tears. They taste salty and full of sadness.

So, as I said earlier, I’d like to nominate Kutter for necromancy next, please and thank you.

Unless of course, there’s some miracle of the TV gods and he’s not dead at all, and you know, getting gutted doesn’t actually kill him, and just puts him in the hospital for an episode or two. I can dream, right?

Right?

*crickets*

What did you think of this episode of this week’s Powers? Are you as devastated as I am about Kutter? Is that letter really from Janis?  Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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New episodes of Powers stream Tuesdays on the PlayStation Network.

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