We’ve crossed the midpoint of “The Power,” and things are getting more electrifying. In episode 4, we see a lot go down with Roxy; she is stronger than ever and starts to lean into her power so that she can avenge her mother, though her brother Terry dies in the process. We learned about the organ called the skein that conducts this electricity from the body. Tunde, who had been in Riyadh on a protest with the women and recording their activity for CNN, escapes the city, a changed man. Allie figures out her true power and starts going against Veronica, making her more afraid and worried.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happens In ‘The Power’ Episode 5?
In “The Power” Episode 5, we learn a little bit about Tatiana’s childhood. She was a gymnast who was ready to go to the Olympics. The best of the nation, she actually had some potential to win a medal for them. Her younger sister Zoia was neglected by the parents because the family was poor, but that didn’t make them fantastic to Tatiana either. Tatiana was also mistreated by the gym teacher, who was very aggressive in making sure she became a star. Tatiana is quite close to her sister Zoia. She inspires her and encourages her to speak in English so she can escape the house and go somewhere else, just like Tatiana’s Olympic dream. Zoia says she wants to move to Israel. They seemed to have had a great relationship in the past.
When Tatiana’s training session was visited by government officials to check how she was doing, they were probably going to give her a sponsorship. Instead, a then-already-old Viktor asks 15-year-old Tatiana out on a date. The miscreant was always a disgusting man, but Tatiana’s father encourages her to go out with him because then their worries will be sorted as Viktor is the finance minister and will give them money. Tatiana is forced to agree to go on a date and eventually marry the old man. With that, her dream of becoming an Olympic star is also lost because her husband doesn’t want her “distracted.” Her mother, too, was a horrible person who was happy to sell her daughter off to an old brood. In the present day, Tatiana has no idea where Zoia is. She has been married to Viktor for years, and now he is the most hated president of Carpathia.
After an economic collapse, he hasn’t shown his face to the people, who are getting restless. Tatiana, on the other hand, has been keeping an eye on everything related to the skein. She is not allowed to keep any girls with her except one, who everyone thinks doesn’t have the power, but Tatiana knows she does. Tatiana obviously wants the power for herself; she’s been powerless for too long now. Viktor has done an experiment on some of the women with the skein and has had the organ removed and tested, illegally and unethically, of course. The other countries buy these research papers from the Carpathia government for the sake of “saving their girls.” Ironically, Viktor’s reaction to the skein is that it is “ugly.” Additionally, the first six girls who had the power were given capital punishment.
On the other hand, Zoia has been abducted and turned into a sex worker in the human trafficking capital of Europe, Carpathia. She is locked up in a room with many other women and is heavily pregnant too. When the men bring in some younger women one day, the boss gets mad and yells to send them back. The girl says she doesn’t “have it” because they’re pointing guns at her. Zoia finally understands there is some kind of power, and the deaf girl who comes to give them food has this power.
Margot, The Face Of EOD
In the US, Margot, who held a press conference about EOD, became the face of the cause. Vogue wants to do a shoot with her, and even Tunde visits all the way from Nigeria to interview her. She is an advocate for bodily autonomy, but she also uses the interview to take a dig at Dandon. This leads Tunde to ask her if she wants to compete for the Senate seat. Tunde also has a much more positive outlook on this as a black Muslim. He finally understands certain privileges that he gets, and his sisters don’t. Back at home, Maddy watches videos by Urbandox, an anonymous online hater who is against this power and encourages men to take up arms against these women. Rob sees this and tries to convince his son not to fill his head with this crap because if someone was speaking honestly, they wouldn’t have to hide behind a filter.
Rob has had the worst day at work, and now we learn that the Skein research was done unethically. He is offered the position of the creator of a drug that essentially chemically castrates the skein because women have the “right to choose” if they want the power or not. He is told that if he doesn’t work on this drug, there is a fear that women will mutilate themselves to get rid of the power. When Margot returns home, she begins sharing her thoughts on what a hectic day she had. This puts Rob off, and Jos, too, because Jos thinks Margot shouldn’t be the face of something she doesn’t even have herself. Margot thinks Jos hates her and again turns the topic back to herself. In the meantime, Rob is desperate to tell her about the skein research he was handed over. Shockingly for him, Margot already knows about the research and has seen it as well. She thinks Rob should make the drug. Margot promises she would never allow the government to possibly drop it in a body of water so the whole population can consume such a drug by accident. Rob thinks Margot is being a hypocrite for using the Skein research and also keeping this under wraps when she cares about “women’s bodies and what they should know about them.”
What Will Rob Do In Order To Keep This Drug From The World?
Rob decides to call Decclan, his journalist friend and offers him the information that he has been told to create an odorless, tasteless, and highly soluble drug to chemically castrate the skein. Decclan understands what Rob wants him to do, and Rob provides him with highly confidential government documents from the research conducted in Carpathia. This is just before Margot and he are heading out to a party for Dandon. Dandon is obviously mad at Margot for stepping up to the occasion and making herself the person of interest in the EOD scene.
Rob gets drunk at the party just before the skein research is published by Decclan everywhere. When they get home, Margot is furious at Rob for making confidential information public. This could be a cause for concern for both of their jobs. Rob drunkenly assures her that Decclan would never out him. He is mad that she never asked him how his day was. Rob thinks Margot has no time for him and the children. Their teenage daughter is not fine just because she says she is. Rob begins to behave like a baby and goes out for a swim with his clothes on. Margot pretends everything is fine in front of the children, but obviously, it’s not.
Finally, Margot heads to Jos’ room for a heart-to-heart. Jos is understanding of her, and Margot asks if they can smoke weed together. Of course, she says the most common words parents give their children: “I was a teenager once, too, you know.” Jos is surprised but likes the idea of doing something fun with her mother. They head out and have a smoke together, and Jos explains to Margot how this power makes her feel. She finally feels safe and asks the question, “Can you imagine a childhood with that much freedom?” Margot is encouraged by Jos’ words and asks her to transfer the power to her. Margot needs to know how it feels if she has to speak about it.
In Carpathia, Zoia and Tatiana both manage to convince the girls they’re talking to to help them by giving them the power. Born leader Zoia is able to get all the women the freedom to escape, and they all get out, castrating the men and killing them to be free. The episode ends dramatically with all three older women receiving their powers: Zoia, Tatiana, and Margot. Will they be able to do something special with their social positions interfering with their powers? What will the next step be for each of these women?
