Happy St. Patrick’s Day to those who celebrate.
While the holiday is traditionally meant to honor Irish heritage, it took on a whole new meaning for fans of the Power universe when Power Book II: Ghost Season 3 premiered on St. Patrick’s Day in 2023. The marketing made one thing very clear: this wasn’t just St. Patrick’s Day, it was Tariq St. Patrick’s Day. And for a lot of viewers, from that point on, he became the only St. Patrick they were acknowledging, or at the very least, their favorite one.
What makes that so wild is that Tariq St. Patrick was once one of the most hated characters on television.
Viewers remember him as the kid from the original Power who stayed causing chaos and telling his father, James “Ghost” St. Patrick, to “teach him the game.” The frustration around Tariq got so intense that Michael Rainey Jr. was catching backlash in real life, both online and in person, because of the character’s actions. That alone says a lot about just how invested people were, not only in the Power franchise, but in the St. Patrick family as a whole.
But St. Patrick’s Day 2023 was not our first introduction to the St. Patricks. We’ve been tapped into this family since June 7, 2014.
That’s when Power premiered and introduced us to James “Ghost” St. Patrick, a man living a double life as a successful nightclub owner and a major drug kingpin. Ghost quickly became one of the most iconic characters in modern television, not just because of the power he held, but because of his ambition. He wanted out. He wanted legitimacy. He wanted more for himself, even if the life he built made that nearly impossible.
Everything in the Power universe starts with Ghost. His decisions, his relationships, and the way he tried to control every part of his life shaped the entire trajectory of the franchise. Whether it was his brotherhood with Tommy, his complicated love life, or the pressure he put on his family, Ghost created a legacy that was impossible to escape, especially for his son.
And that’s where Tariq’s story takes a turn.
Introduced as Ghost’s son, Tariq started off as this innocent kid and slowly evolved into one of the most frustrating characters to watch. His rebellion, his entitlement, and the choices he made constantly put him at odds with his father. From linking with Kanan to making decisions that contributed to the death of his twin sister, Tariq became the character many viewers loved to hate.
Then came the moment that changed everything: Tariq killing Ghost in the final episode of Power.
That scene alone cemented him as one of the most hated characters on television. But when Power Book II: Ghost premiered, the conversation around him started to shift.
For the first time, we got the story through Tariq’s lens. We watched him navigate college, balance the drug game, and stay one step ahead of law enforcement while carrying the weight of his father’s name. Instead of just being the reckless son, he became a more layered character, someone trying to survive a world he was born into, even as he kept making choices that pulled him deeper into it.
In a lot of ways, Tariq proved he really is his father’s son. Not just in the game, but in how he thinks, how he moves, and how he manages the people and relationships around him.
Power Book II: Ghost positioned Tariq as the face of the next chapter. No longer just living in Ghost’s shadow, he had to build his own name while still being haunted by the one he inherited. That tension, trying to become his own man while being tied to his father’s legacy, is what made his character so compelling.
And even though Power Book II: Ghost has ended, the St. Patrick story is far from over. The St. Patrick name is still the foundation of the Power universe. It represents legacy, family, power, and the consequences that come with all three. That’s why viewers keep coming back.
Honestly, even if you’ve never watched an episode of Power, there’s still a good chance you know who Tariq St. Patrick is. That’s the impact of the character. That’s the reach of this franchise. And that’s the kind of legacy the St. Patrick name holds.
So this St. Patrick’s Day, instead of just wearing green, maybe run back an episode of Power and revisit the family that made the St. Patrick name mean something entirely different for a generation of TV lovers.
Because if the Power universe has proven anything, it’s this: the St. Patrick name still holds power.