TV Underdogs: What will ‘Power’ season 4 bring for Tommy Egan?

Is Tommy Egan of “Power” an underdog? In many of these TV Underdog stories that we’ve been composing at CarterMatt over the course of the past couple of weeks, we’ve asked this question of many people. What’s especially interesting about Tommy, though, is debating between the meaning and the spirit of the word.

Technically, an underdog is someone who rises from the ashes, and finds a way to deliver something tremendous an unexpected when few imagine that they are capable of anything. This is a guy who’s come up from humble beginnings and, thanks to his own intuition and collaborations with Ghost, developed an empire. He was passionate, he was driven, and while flawed and loyal to a fault, he was always about finding a way forward. Nobody at the start of the season expected him to be where he is now, with more power than ever before (fitting given the title of the show) and dissociated somewhat from Ghost, his one-time best friend and ally. Their allegiance crumbled over the course of time, when Ghost let his own self-preservation supersede any level of concern for his friend.

Now, we come to the flip side: Can you label a killer an underdog? Can you really root for someone like Tommy? In a world where so much of the mantra seems to be “kill or be killed,” is he the lesser of all evils? These are fitting questions, but ones with answers free to some interpretation. Tommy may be a champion to some and a villain to others. From our vantage point, we don’t root for him to be vicious or violent; our vested interest is about him realizing that there is a better way to live and to find redemption. The pain of Holly’s death and Ghost’s betrayal will fade, and he can find a way to press on without these emotions as a driving factor. Find some inner peace, and once Ghost is out of jail (provided that he does get out), maybe offer opportunities for healing and growth. We know that Tommy does have a good heart underneath all the pain

What we’d like to see for Tommy moving forward this season is rather clear: Him reaching a tipping point, one where he realizes that all of these deals and being in his particular line of work just makes him empty inside. There are people in his life who need to be forgiven, and we hope that he is able to accept that and find new ways to move forward. We’ve seen now that Tommy should not be perceived as an underdog anymore in one sense: Being a tough guy willing to get stuff done. Moving away from that could be the beginning of the comeback story. Without an anchor like Ghost, he could suffer; meanwhile, Ghost could end up on his own or even dead without Tommy’s support. They make each other better, and with the threat of Kanan looming underneath the surface, their friendship and survival could be the key to prosperity.

What’s your take on Tommy: Is he an underdog in your eyes, and what do you want to see from him in season 4? Share below!