Power Book IV: Force season 3 episode 2 ending explained: Why was Chavo gunned down?

In the world of Power Book IV: Force season 3, every decision Tommy Egan makes sends shockwaves through Chicago’s already fragile criminal ecosystem. Serving as the final chapter of Tommy’s standalone saga, the series created by Robert Munic and spun from Courtney A. Kemp’s Power universe, continues to elevate the stakes with each episode.

This season reunites viewers with Joseph Sikora, Isaac Keys, Lili Simmons, Shane Harper, Kris D. Lofton, and Lucien Cambric, while also introducing Michael Rainey Jr. in a crossover moment fans have waited years to see. 

Episode 2 closes with a devastating hit that pushes the entire coalition into crisis. As the conflict with the Marquez cartel intensifies, one member pays the price, shifting the direction of the season in a single, brutal moment.

Why the deadly ambush hits harder than expected

Chavo’s shocking death at the end of Power Book IV: Force season 3 episode 2 isn’t random, it’s the direct repercussion of Tommy’s violent escalation against the Marquez cartel. Tommy’s brutal display, killing Mateo and presenting his severed head at the coalition meeting, is meant to signal dominance. Instead, it exposes a dangerous flaw in Tommy’s approach: control through fear works only if you can protect the people standing behind you. The coalition sees his move not as strategy but as recklessness, and Diamond, in particular, recognizes that Tommy’s ego is starting to outrun logic.

Chavo becomes the first target because he is both visible and vulnerable, a representative of the coalition and an easier mark than Tommy or Diamond. The hit on him is the cartel’s marker, a clear retaliation meant to demonstrate that Tommy’s power plays have consequences. Chavo warned Tommy that Ortega and the Marquez cartel wouldn’t sit quietly after Mateo’s death. His assassination is the cartel answering that warning with force: 

“You started this war. We decide how far it goes.”

For Tommy, this is a wake-up call wrapped in blood. Chicago isn’t New York, and he doesn’t have Ghost protecting his blind spots. His enemies are multiplying, and his allies are losing confidence. Chavo’s death threatens to fracture the coalition, leaving Tommy isolated at the worst possible moment. And with Ortega striking first, episode 3 will force Tommy to either double down or rethink his entire plan, something Tommy rarely does.

Recap of Power Book IV: Force season 3 episode 2

Episode 2 of Power Book IV: Force season 3 digs into shifting loyalties, hidden agendas, and rising paranoia across Chicago. Tommy remains locked in a dangerous dance with the Marquez cartel, and though Diamond tries to keep CBI stable, Tommy’s aggressive choices keep dragging them deeper into conflict. Their uneasy alliance with Vic becomes increasingly layered: Vic is pretending to feed reliable intel to Stacy Marks while secretly giving Tommy and Diamond enough information to maneuver politically. Stacy’s growing ambition, and her precarious relationship with Bobby, makes every lie Vic tells even riskier.

Diamond’s frustrations with Tommy continue to build, especially after Tommy burns Miguel Garcia’s product and launches retaliation against Ortega without warning. Jenard uses this tension to manipulate Diamond further, even as he battles his own demons. His relationship with Shanti adds complexity, as she pushes him toward greater power while questioning whether he can ever truly step out from Diamond’s shadow. Meanwhile, D-Mac’s reckless behavior forces Diamond into a difficult decision, one Jenard pretends to carry out but ultimately avoids, a choice guaranteed to explode later.

Claudia, still in prison, remains sidelined longer than expected for a Power series, while Elise tries to keep Shanti’s club operation running, exposing cracks in her abilities. Mireya Garcia finds herself pulled deeper into Tommy’s world when she’s forced to patch him up, even as she desperately tries to separate herself from her brother’s criminal empire.

Tommy’s dramatic presentation of Mateo’s head at the coalition meeting sets the stage for the ending. Instead of inspiring unity, it leaves the coalition shaken and fearful of the cartel’s inevitable retaliation. Their fears are realized in the final minutes when Chavo is ambushed outside the warehouse and executed, the first clear strike in what will become a full-scale war.

The ending of Power Book IV: Force season 3 episode 2 marks a turning point for the entire season. Chavo’s death is both a warning and a declaration, a signal that Tommy’s actions have ignited a cartel conflict capable of destroying every alliance he depends on. As the fallout spreads, episode 3 will push Tommy deeper into the war he unleashed, leaving no room for mistakes, second chances, or weak links.