Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 16 - The Book of War: Chapter Three: Liberation

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 


Plot

The final battle for Freeland begins, but the ASA is cutting and running, covering their tracks as they flee the city and prepare to drop a nuclear bomb as the Markovians and Gravedigger invade. The city's only hope lies in the unlikely alliance of its superheroes, its criminals and the Freeland Resistance. A new day may dawn for Freeland's metahumans, but not everyone will survive the war.


Influences

Various Outsiders and X-Men comics.


Goofs

It is said that the commission investigating Freeland was created by the US Congress, yet the people overseeing the commission are all judges. This would imply a judicial proceeding rather than a legislative one. (It is possible that judges were brought in to access the legality of the situation, much in the same way that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is brought in to supervise Impeachment proceedings.)

As awesome as the final shot of the episode is, one would think the Pierce Family would be more paranoid than to have Lynn walk away from the hearing with Lightning, Thunder and Black Lightning lest someone put 2 and 2 together.


Performances

There's some good moments all around, but the best is the scene between Wayne Brady and China Anne McClain where Jennifer manages to reveal the flaws of Gravedigger's philosophy and the lie behind it with one simple observation and her own sheer stubbornness.


Artistry

The effects work for the various powers is top-notch, with different takes on Arrowverse standards like sonic screams and heat-vision.


Trivia

Tony Isabella, the creator of Black Lightning, has a cameo as Judge Isabella; one of the officials overseeing the Congressional investigation into Freeland.


Technobabble

The Markovian invasion strategy is built around a shock-and-awe strike to disrupt the city and secure an exit route, while the elite Markovian Rangers scout the city to locate the metahumans.

Gambi locates Jennifer after she's abducted by searching for her unique energy signature.


Dialogue Triumphs

Gravedigger: (as he's cooking Black Lightning alive with his microwave powers) Nothing to be ashamed of. You fought well.

(Lightning has just woken up in a cell in the Markovian camp.)
Gravedigger: My name is Tyson Sykes. I'm in command here. And the first thing you need to understand is I'm not your enemy.
Lightning: You could've fooled me with the whole kidnapping and invasion thing.
Gravedigger: (laughs, taking on a light, friendly tone) Actions made necessary by the continuing treachery of the US Government. I have been empowered by the nation of Markovia to eastablish an independent metahuman state inside their borders, where metahumans can be free. Live normal lives.
Lightning:  Mmm-hmm. You need to sell that trash somewhere else.
Gravedigger: (still in the light tone) Trash? Little girl... you don't know a damn thing about this country. This country was built by and for rich white men. That's never gonna change.
Lightning: There's been plenty of change. Not enough, sure, but it's disrespectful to the sacrifices of our ancestors to say there's been none.
Gravedigger: Change? (sarcastic, growing harsher as he speaks) Oh, you mean Obama? And Martin Luther King? Well, it seems to me, that Obama was bought and paid for by rich liberals and multinational corporations. And Martin Luther King? Well, he was a coward who lacked the courage to fight for his own freedom!
Lightning: Are you insane? MLK was one of the most courageous people to walk the face of this Earth. Not by fighting, but by purposely putting himself in harm's way. The moral authority of his cause could not be debated.
Gravedigger: (growling) Yeah, they debated that plenty.
Lightning: But he was on the right side of history. "Metas are with you or else?" That's not independence or peace.
Gravedigger: (suddenly angry) Who are you to judge me, huh?! You have been on this planet for the blink of an eye! I am 100 years old!
Lightning: Maybe that's why you're so negative and grouchy.
Gravedigger: I ought to kill you where you stand.
Lightning: So why don't you let me out of here? Try it.
Gravedigger: (scoffs) Maybe later.
Lightning: (sarcastic) Is this moment in Black History over?

(Tobias sits in a chair wearing a Russian-style fur hat, watching Nurse Allen sleep. Nurse Allen wakes up and sees Tobias.)
Tobias: Good morning, Nurse Judas.
(Nurse Allen goes for the drawer in his bed-side table and grabs at a pistol. He starts shooting at Tobias but the chamber is empty. Tobias chuckles and raises one hand, allowing the bullets to fall into his other hand.)
Tobias: Of course a loser like you is still living at home with his parents in his 40s.
Nurse Allen: Oh my God! What did you do with them?!
Tobias: Your mom will be just fine. As long as you take me to where they're keeping the Markovian metas.
Nurse Allen: What about my father?
Tobias:  Ah yes. The Blackovian. I assure you he died well.

Black Lighting: (as he's shocking Gravedigger and knocking him out.) You have nothing to be ashamed of. You fought well.

(Agent Odell gets in the passenger side of his SUV and sighs. Suddenly, his driver pitches forward, clearly dead. Odell's eyes widen for a moment as he hears a voice from behind him.)
Khalil: Now, you didn't really think I was going to let you get away? Not after making me kill my own mother, did you?
Odell: Caveat emptor.
(There is a long pause. Whatever Odell expected to happen... doesn't.)
Khalil: That shutdown only works on Painkiller. I'm Khalil. (undoes the safety on the pistol) We haven't officially met.
(Black Lightning flies down and lands in front of the SUV. He walks around the side and waves a hand at the car. The power windows lower and he regards Khalil.)
Khalil: Don't try to stop me.
Black Lightning: No. You're going to stop yourself. Becuase you're smart enough to realize that a bullet to the head is too good for him. He needs to be shackled. Caged. Humiliated. And then die alone.
(Khalil raises the pistol and fires three shots into Odell's back through the car seat. Odelll gasps but doesn't fall forward.)
Black Lightning: Khalil!
(Cooly, Khalil gets out of the car and holsters his pistol.)
Khalil: (matter of factly) I shot him through the spleen. Don't need it anyway. He'll be alright. Well, unless he has internal bleeding or gets an infection. And if that's the case, it's God's will.  He's all yours.
(Khalil turns around and walks off. Black Lighting does nothing to stop him.) 


Continuity

Gravedigger figures out that Lightning is Black Lightning's daughter based on the fact that Jefferson is fighting angrier than he was in their encounter in 313.

Black Lightning tells Gravedigger that they're related and that he knows his half-brother Ben Pierce was his grandfather. This doesn't matter to Gravedigger, who offers Black Lightning only one more chance to surrender.

Gravedigger's new powers include a sonic scream and the ability to emit microwaves.

Jamillah Olsen and her cameraman are killed by Markovian soldiers.

Markovian soldiers abduct Lightning while Black Lightning is distracted.

Sgt. Grayle oversees the transfer of the metahuman teens taking shelter at Garfield High to The Pit, along with Erica Moran.

Agent Odell gives the order for the ASA to evacuate Freeland. He sends Commander Williams to remove all the classified information still within the city and anyone who has classified knowledge. He also sends Major Grey to acquire or destroy Martin Proctor's briefcase.

Gambi begins searching for Jennifer.

TC starts talking to the cameras around Freeland trying to locate Agent Odell.

Gravedigger tries to win Jennifer over by telling her about his plan to develop an independent metahuman state within Markovia. She doesn't believe him.

Gravedigger is 100 years old.

Painkiller fights his way through a Markovian checkpoint and steals an energy weapon sniper rifle.

Lady Eve meets with Major Grey. She tells her that Gambi has the Briefcase in exchange for having her seat back on the Shadow Board.

When Major Grey tells Lady Eve to prepare to relocate to Gotham City, she figures out that means the ASA is planning to destroy Freeland.

Lady Eve is wounded in the fire-fight which follows, but survives long enough to tell Lala and the 100 to go aid the Freeland Resistance in fighting the Markovians.

Tobias Whale is revealed to be alive in Markovia.

Tobias tracked down Michael Allen - the nurse who was a Markovian spy in the ASA - and killed his father.

The ASA has some kind of counter measures which exhaust TC as he tries to work past their computers to look for Odell.

Gambi calls Brandon in to help Black Lightning rescue Jennifer. Since it involves rescuing a friend, Brandon is agreeable to help, regardless of what he said before about sitting out the invasion fight.

Command Williams finds Dr. Jace in Brandon's apartment and kills her.

Lala and a group of 100 members save Chief Henderson, Two-Bits and a group of Freeland Resistance members from being overwhelmed by Markovian soldiers.

Commander Williams tracks Lynn to the lab at The Pit, where she is working on an anti-booster that can remove the extra powers Gravedigger absorbed.

Lynn kills Commander Williams by throwing him into a wall with the super-strength she gave herself by copying Erica Moran's power.

Gravedigger is revealed to have given himself the power to fly.

Gravedigger is addressed as First Citizen by the Markovian forces.

Khalil fights Gravedigger to assert control of his body as he's about to shoot Lightning with the energy weapon he stole. He takes control back.

Gravedigger is able to get past the Resistance forces guarding The Pit, including Erica Moran and Sgt. Grayle, by putting them to sleep with his command power.

Thunder and Grace seal the metahuman kids in a safe room within The Pit.

Gravedigger gets past Grace and Thunder by ordering Grace to kill Thunder with his command power.

A group of Markovian Rangers with weapons that can kill Black Lightning and Lightning are left behind to ambush them.

Chief Henderson attacks the Rangers, being fatally wounded in the process.

Chief Henderson dies with Jeff by his side, with Jeff saying he was his best friend and promising to save Freeland.

Grace is knocked into a coma by Thunder.

TC recovers from being injured by the ASA counter-measures and figures out how to work around it.

Lynn finishes her anti-booster formula and works it into a tranquilizer dart, planning to shoot Gravedigger while Black Lightning distracts him.

Brandon and Lightning combine their powers to create "volcanic lightning" - a lava-like mixture that cuts through the magnetic force-field Gravedigger was using to protect himself.

Gravedigger is able to use his some kind of concussive force-beam vision to beat back Lightning and Brandon.

The self-destruct command word for The Pit is "Rosebud".

Black Lightning is able to knock out Gravedigger once his powers are neutralized.

Black Lightning leaves Gravedigger behind after Gambi alerts him that The Pit is going to explode. He carries Lynn out and they barely fly away in time to escape.

Khalil stops Agent Odell from fleeing Freeland and shoots him in the spleen as revenge for being forced to kill his mother.

Major Grey leads what few ASA troops remain in Freeland in a raid on Gambi's Tailor Shop. They find the Sanctum but are repelled by TC and Gambi. This apparently kills every ASA member who knew that Jefferson Pierce and his children were Black Lightning, Thunder and Lightning.

Grace is said to be in a coma and Lynn is uncertain if she'll ever wake up, as there's no baseline for knowing how fast a shape-shifter can recover from that kind of trauma.

The US Congress launches a special investigation into the ASA and their actions in Freeland.

Tobias watches the Congressional hearings and declares that it is time for him to return home.

The ASA is disbanded thanks to Black Lightning's testimony and the evidence in the ASA briefcase.

Lynn is able to stabilize every Pod Kid and Green Light Baby in Freeland.

Congress approves the funding for a special boarding school devoted to the metahuman kids and helping them adjust.

Agent Odell is said to be detained and will be prosecuted for his actions.

Gravedigger is revealed to have been watching the proceedings, using a digital facial mask similar to the one Gambi uses.


Untelevised Adventures

Most of the fight with Black Lightning and Brandon rescuing Lightning takes place off-camera.

It is unclear how Gravedigger escaped The Pit or if he still has his original superpowers.


The Bottom Line

A solid finale to an excellent season which resolves most of the outstanding storylines and leaves plenty of room to grow into Season 4. While the idea of a metahuman school seems to be taken straight out of X-Men, it will offer a new challenge that fits the theme of the show. Because you know Jefferson Pierce is going to be put in charge of this new Meta Academy. It will be interesting to see where the show goes from here.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 15 - The Book of War: Chapter Two: Freedom Ain't Free

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 


Plot

With Gravedigger and the Markovians moving in on Freeland, everyone begins making plans on how to deal with them. For the ASA and the underworld, this means making bargains and plotting how to weather the storm. For the heroes of Freeland, it means regrouping and reminding themselves of why they fight. But even as Grace and Anissa plan an impromptu wedding, Brandon abandons the team to seek his revenge on Dr. Jace and Khalil tries to escape Freeland and his Painkiller persona.


Influences

Various Outsiders comics and various X-Men comics (the show's take on Gravedigger owes a lot to Chris Claremont's Magneto.)


Goofs

Lynn lists Erica among the kids like TC and Brandon who have nowhere else to go. It was said in the last episode that Erica had been returned to her family after the mission in Markovia.


Performances

If you had told me Wayne Brady could be an effective and sympathetic villain in the same vein as Magneto, I'd never have believed it until I saw his portrayal of Gravedigger.


Artistry

The opening scene with Gravedigger is one of the strongest in the show's history, in terms of the fight choreography, cinematography, music and Wayne Brady's narration.


Trivia

This episode confirms that Grace is developing super-strength to go along with her shape-shifting. In the Outsider series where Grace first appeared, Grace's main super-powers were enhanced strength and durability. She was later revealed to be a rogue Amazon.


Technobabble

The effects of the meta-booster formula vary from person to person. For a baseline human like Lynn Stewart, the effects last for roughly one hour. For an enhanced/altered individual like Tobias Whale, they last for 20 minutes.

Lynn theorizes that Gravedigger will be able to make use of one meta-booster at a time for 2-4 weeks.

Based on the corrected model Dr. Jace develops, Lynn determines that Gravedigger can absorb multiple superpowers and will retain them indefinitely.

Anissa guesses that Grace's newfound super-strength is due to her unique morphology and her body is reinforcing itself as a response to all the shape-shifting she's been doing.

Gambi comes up with a way to disable the Markovian communications.in the middle of dinner.


Dialogue Triumphs

Gravedigger: People are going to wonder why I did what I did. They'll wonder why I brought all this death and destruction to Freeland. They'll wonder why I brought the pain. (sighs) I stopped caring what people think about me a long time ago. But I do still care about the truth. And the truth is this; the US Government experimented on me almost 80 years ago, granting me abilities beyond that of a normal person. I am officially, unofficially, the first meta.

Gravedigger: When I first joined the military, one of the crap jobs I was assigned to was the GRS: Graves Registration Services. Over 70 million people died in World War II. The ones who weren't identified, they could bury. On the US side, they gave that honor to us Negros. The colored troops. It was backbreaking, soul-draining work. But it was an important task. Because every soldier - every person - deserves a proper burial. So when I became a meta, the name Gravedigger fit because of my history and because I don't figuratively bury my enemies. I literally bury each and every one of them. No matter what they've done to incur my wrath. No matter how many of them there are. I make sure that each and every one of my opponents receives a proper burial. That is assuming there's enough of them left to bury. People always thought I was crazy for doing that. But to me it felt like the honorable thing to do. It felt right. What I'm about to do to Freeland feels right too.

Erica: I just got out of the pod. There's still so much stuff I need to do.
TC: Yeah, I've never even kissed a girl.
Erica: (smirking) Really?
TC: What?
Erica: Did you just use the fact that we might die tomorrow to scam a kiss?
TC: Yes. Yes, I did. (pauses) But it's true. I've never kissed a girl. C'mon, you can't be mad at that. (sighs) It was worth a shot.
(Erica leans over and gives TC a quick peck on the lips.)
TC: (surprised) Oh. Okay.
Erica: Now you can die happy.
TC: Wait - does that mean you like me?
Erica: That means I took pity on you.
TC: But does that count, though? I mean, I wasn't ready-
Erica: You're not getting another kiss.


Continuity

Lynn determines that Gravedigger can use her meta-booster formula to copy the powers of any metahuman he can copy a DNA sample from.

Gambi has sources that told him Gravedigger's objective is liberating every metahuman in Freeland and/or capturing the ones who don't want to come with him to Markovia.

Gambi has also learned the ASA plans to order a nuclear strike on Freeland if they fear Gravedigger might take the city.

Khalil is stopped by ASA soldiers trying to leave Freeland. As they are beating him, Painkiller takes over and kills the soldiers.

Brandon quits the team because they are working with Dr. Jace now and he doesn't care about the fight between the ASA and the Markovians.

Gravedigger's goal is to form an independent metahuman nation within the boundaries of Markovia.

Jefferson's plan is to have himself, Thunder and Grace lead the charge, while TC, Jenniffer and Erica hang back to exploit any weaknesses in the Markovian lines.

As Jefferson and Gambi plot a strategy for the fighting, Gambi says he sympathizes with Gravedigger's motives. He also agrees that Jennifer should be on the front-line rather than being held in reserve to guard the retreat.

Lala has a woman inside of Lady Eve's operation who tells him about a doctor of some kind working for her.

Black Lightning and Thunder try to recruit Lala and The 100 to help in the fight against the Markovians. Lala says no, even after Black Lightning tells him the government is going to nuke Freeland if the Markovians take over.

Brandon breaks into Dr. Jace's lab and threatens to kill her if she doesn't tell him all about his family.

Lady Eve meets with Agent Odell. It is confirmed that the "doctor" she has is Lazarus, whom the ASA had lost track of. They were also unaware that Lady Eve was alive.

Lady Eve is informed she is still persona non grata with the ASA.

Lady Eve says she wants back in with the Shadow Board, in he previous position. She also tells Agent Odell that she knows the ASA is about to abandon Freeland.

Lady Eve offers to bring Agent Odell back from the dead if he gets killed in the coming war. Odelll refuses as he has his own conteingencies in place and he already made peace with his mortality.

Lady Eve says that she can give Odell the location of Martin Proctor's briefcase in exchange for a seat on the Shadow Board and her cartel back in the game. Odell is agreeable to this, saying she was always a competent earner and organizer for the ASA's clandestine activities in the past.

Grace's body is changing for some reason and she seems to be acquiring super-strength. She can now lift a solid wooden dinner table by herself.  Anissa guesses her body is just reinforcing itself after all the intense shape-shifting she's been putting herself through recently.

Lynn's analysis of Gravedigger's DNA confirms that he is a blood relative of Jefferson Pierce. This is why Jefferson, Anissa and Jennifer were able to stabilize their metahuman powers on their own.

Jefferson, in-turn, figures out that Gravedigger is his great-uncle - the illegitimate half-brother of his grandfather.

Anissa proposes to Grace. She accepts.

TC has never kissed a girl before.

Erica kisses TC. She denies liking him, however.

Jennifer asks TC if he can use his powers to locate Gravedigger. He says he thinks he can.  She asks him to do so, but to do it quietly.

Painkiller takes over Khalil's body again, locking him behind the same firewall he was trapped behind, and sets out to kill the Pierce family.

Lynn suggests inviting TC, Brandon and Erica to their family dinner at Anissa's. All of them except Brandon attend.

Lynn asks Jeff to be ready to kill Gravedigger if necessary.

Gambi is apparently able to legally officiate weddings.

Lala meets with Lady Eve and tells her he knows she apparently knows who was the last person to see Tobias before he left Freeland. He threatens a war between them if she doesn't tell him.

Lynn questions Anissa wanting to get married this quickly but Anissa is sure Grace is the one.

Brandon is revealed to have taken Dr. Jace captive and is holding her at his apartment.

Grace tells Jennifer and Jefferson that she's grateful to be accepted into their family, as she was never close to her family.

Gravedigger has video footage of the participants in the Markovian raid and watches it to observe the tactics of everyone involved. He has Brandon, Erica Moran and Grace Choi identified by name, but not Thunder, Lightning or Black Lightning.

Brandon's full name is revealed as Brandon Marshall.

TC tells Jennifer that Gravedigger is 30 clicks outside the perimeter of Freeland.

Jennifer intends to kill Gravedigger before the rest of the team risk their lives facing him. She sneaks out of the dinner party to do so.

Before the wedding can take place, Gambi is alerted to Gravedigger's arrival. Jennifer's absence is noted and Jefferson goes after her.

Lala tortures Dr. Blair - the last man to see Tobias before he vanished.

Jennifer throws herself into the Markovian camp fully charged. It doesn't even phase Gravedigger, thanks to a new forcefield power he's developed.

The perimeter fence around Freeland goes down after Jennifer is thrown into it.

Jefferson catches Jennifer after she's sent flying along the fence like the current was carrying her.

Jefferson restarts Jennifer's heart.

The episode ends with Gravedigger and Black Lightning charging each other.


The Bottom Line

A solid, if erratic, episode that tries to do too much with the time it has. Grace and Anissa getting married comes out of nowhere, as does the revelation that Gravedigger is related to Jefferson. Everything involving Lala, Brandon and Khalil could easily have been cut for time or worked into the finale. Honestly, it might have been better if the episode had focused on the wedding rather than trying to set up these small subplots for the finale. There's nothing bad in all of this, but the pacing is all over the place.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 14 - The Book of War: Chapter One: Homecoming

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 


Plot

Jefferson and his team return to Freeland with Lynn and Dr. Jace, but the war in Freeland is only beginning. Still, Jefferson's focus is on rebuilding things with his family, even as the cold war between Lady Eve and Lala heats up and Graverdigger prepares for an all-out invasion.


Influences

Various Outsiders comics (The interactions of the teen heroes.) and Captain America: The First Avenger (the sequence where Gravedigger gets his powers and fights during WWII.)


Performances

Jill Scott steals the show this week as Lady Eve.


Artistry

The production values on the Gravedigger origin flashback sequence are solid and look more like a cinematic war movie than a flashback scene on a CW drama.


Technobabble

Lady Eve uses the Latin phrase Imperium in Imperio to restore Lala's control after incapacitating him with the code phrase E pluribus unum. "Imperium in Imperio" is a reference to a deep state - that is to say a governing body within another governing body, typically acting in secret. It is also the name of the first novel by Sutton E. Griggs, which discussed a Utopian secret African state hidden within the United States.


Dialogue Triumphs

Jefferson: We came across an American meta in Markovia. Now, my intel says he's heading to Freeland, leading the Markovian invasion. Calls himself Gravedigger?
Agent Odell: I'm not familiar with that name but rest assured, I will perform the due diligence. Am I to assume I can count on you in the coming war?
Jefferson: No. Freeland can.

(Jefferson has just caught Lynn, who stumbled and fell while they were cooking dinner together.)
Jefferson: Baby... baby, you're sweating, but you're cold as ice.
Lynn: It's the withdrawals. I'm surprised it's taken this long to manifest.
Jefferson: Is there anything else I can do for you?
Lynn: Jeff... I'm an addict. I never truly knew, all those years, what it was like for you being Black Lightning. The weight of the world on your shoulders. Knowing you could fix it. I understand that lure and why you couldn't stop. I should've seen that I was forcing you to be something that you weren't, and I am sorry.
Jefferson: No, no, no. I'm sorry. If I'd gone after you instead of helping Henderson, then the Markovians wouldn't have gotten you.
(Lynn suddenly gags and grabs her mouth, before running for the bathroom.)
Lynn: Withdrawals. I'm sorry! I love you.!
Jefferson: I love you, too.

Lady Eve: I understand you have a certain briefcase in your possession. One you can't open.
Lala: I don't know nothin' about no briefcase.
Lady Eve: Oh, Lala you know these streets. They talk. And you know what a good listener I am.
Lala: If I had such a thing why would I hand it over to you?
Lady Eve: Because I can give you what you truly want.
Lala: That briefcase is the only thing that will bring Tobias Whale to me. And when he comes to collect, I'll have my revenge come hell or high water.
Lady Eve: (laughing) Oh. Oh, Lala what will you do when you catch the white whale? Oh, right. You can't harm him. Tobias programmed you.
Lala:  How you know that?
Lady Eve: (purring) E pluribus unum.
(Suddenly, Lala begins to convulse, as he did when Tobias said that phrase during their last fight. Lady Eve, all smiles and softness before now, goes cold as ice and hard as steel.)
Lady Eve: Sit your ass down!
(Lala does so, but it's clear his body is moving against his mind.)
Lady Eve: You never worked for Tobias Whale. You worked for me. I ran the Shadow Board. Tobias used my technology to keep you on his leash. (sweetly) I can undo that for you, baby. Imperium in Imperio.
 (Lala has one more violent convulsion, but suddenly he's breathing normally again. He looks up at Lady Eve and stands, truly shaken.)
Lady Eve: (chuckling) Now, does that sound like something the Godfather of Freeland would be interested in?

(Jennifer is sitting on the ledge outside her bedroom window. Khalil jumps up onto it. A spark is instantly in Jennifer's hand.)
Jennifer: Don't take another step.
Khalil: Yo, it's me, Jen. Khalil.
Jennifer: For how long? (lowers her hand) You know, my sister was right about you. I don't know how I was so blind.
Khalil: I came to apologize. Look, I... I'm not myself anymore. I don't know who I am. But I do know that Painkiller is a part of me and he's not going away. And I have to learn to live with him.
Jennifer: (coldly) I don't. I know you can't see him but when I look into Painkiller's eyes, there's nothin' there but death.
Khalil: Odell made me a weapon, but I know... I know deep down that I still have a soul, Jen. And I need you more than anyone to believe that.
Jennifer: What Odell did to you was evil. But I can't love a weapon that's pointed at my family. Even if it does have a soul.
(There is a long pause. Khalil nods, clearly heartbroken but understanding. He turns around and starts walking away.)
Jennifer: See you around, Khalil.
(Khalil stops. He doesn't turn around when he finally speaks.)
Khalil: No. You won't.

(Lady Eve enters into Gambi's shop, gun drawn. He is waiting for her with his own gun ready.) 
Lady Eve: I received your message. You know, Gambi, an e-mail would've sufficed.
Gambi: An old friend like you deserves a personal touch.
Lady Eve: "An eye for an eye. " You're getting literal in your old age. Well, at least I can tell my twins apart now.
Gambi: Speak your piece, Evelyn. One way or another, our feud ends now.
Lady Eve: Okay. I did set a contract for your life, true. But after you took out Joey Toledo, Tobias had me killed. I got better, so bygones?
Gambi: What do you want?
Lady Eve: Same old Gambi. Don't fret. I come bearing gifts.
(Lady Eve raises her other hand and puts The Briefcase on the counter.)
Lady Eve: We both worked for the ASA, so I don't need to tell you what this is, do I?
Gambi: (stunned) Where did you get it?
Lady Eve: Let's say it fell off a truck. I can't open it. You always were more capable when it came to things like this.
Gambi: I taught you better than that, Evelyn. "Never give something for nothing."
Lady Eve: I was gonna get to that part. In my absence, the ASA shattered Freeland. Take this peace offering. Use it to burn down the ASA for what they did to my city. Or not. Either way, my quarrel with the Tailor is over.


Dialogue Disasters

Most of Anissa's dialogue in this episode sounds like it was lifted from various after-school specials. Particularly...

Annisa: You have nothing to be ashamed of. Addiction is a disease and it can happen to anybody. We're here to support you and we will get through this. You'll see.


Continuity

40 years earlier, Gambi had an assignment to rescue or kill Dr. Jace from Markovia. He thinks now that had he killed her the war with Markovia might have been avoided.

Dr. Jace reveals that Gravedigger is the real power in Markovia and that he is out to get every metahuman the ASA have in custody.

Jefferson insists that Dr. Jace be granted her freedom along with all the members of his team.

Tobias Whale is said to have escaped the custody of the ASA and the Markovians.

Erica Moran is said to have been returned to her family.

Despite everything, Agent Odell agrees to honor the ASA agreement with Jefferson.

Agent Odell claims to have never heard of Gravedigger.

Anissa still doesn't trust Khalil. Jennifer believes he is in control of his Painkiller persona.

Lala is currently collecting 30% of Lady Eve's earnings.

Lady Eve offers Devonte his choice of her girls so he can report to Lala that she's delivering a quality product. This is a ploy to slip him a drugged drink and grill him for information. He chooses a girl named Shalon.

TC says that the firewall holding Painkiller in check in Khalil's head is holding up.

Gambi gets Khalil a sketchbook, saying Jennifer told him that Khalil was a good artist and that therapy would help him with his PTSD.

Gambi said that he took up tailoring to help him with his personal trauma.

Gambi also says that he'll contact Perenna, the telepathic therapist who helped Jennifer, once the war in Freeland is over.

Lynn is still fighting the withdrawal symptoms of Green Light addiction.

Jennifer tries to talk Brandon out of killing Dr. Jace. She is not successful.

Through Devonte's chat with Shalon, Lady Eve learns that Lala has the briefcase.

Grace is still resting after the mission in Markovia.

Lynn has a stash of Glimmer hidden in her bathroom.

Jefferson agrees to lead the defense of Freeland against the Markovians on behalf of the ASA and asks Jennifer and Anissa to help, saying they need to keep an eye the ASA.

Jefferson and Lynn agree to a clean slate and total honesty with the rest of the family from now on.

Lynn reveals the last of her drug stash. Jennifer destroys it with her powers.

Anissa tells the family she thinks Grace is the one.

Jennifer tells the family she thinks she killed some Markovian soldiers while working for the ASA in 303.

Jefferson tells his family about the Crisis on Infinite Earths and his role in saving all reality.

Lady Eve knows the code phrase to shut down Lala - E pluribus unum - which was revealed in 216.

Lady Eve knows another code phrase that restores Lala to normal- Imperium in Imperio.

Lady Eve offers to free Lala from the control phrases that were programmed into him forever in exchange for the briefcase.

The Perdi in South Freeland are overun by the Markovians and call Blackbird for help.

Brandon's mother's name was Helen.

Brandon crystallized his mother's ashes and uses the crystals as a weapon to try and kill Dr. Jace.

Dr. Jace reveals that she helped Brandon's mother to escape from Markovia. She also claims to have known Brandon's father and that he had earth-bending powers like Brandon.

The Markovians are said to have kidnapped Anaya and Thierry, though Jefferson and Anissa do manage to save most of The Perdi.

Gambi cuts the eye out of one of Lady Eve's twin bodyguards to send her a message.

Khalil draws Jennifer in her costume.

TC agrees to help Brandon find information on his dad and determine if Dr. Jace was telling the truth.

Painkiller is still determined to complete his last mission before being captured: kill the entire Pierce family.

Painkiller is able to take control of Khalil briefly and poisons Jennifer in the process.

Jennifer is able to burn Painkiller's poison out of her system.

Khalil visits Jennifer and tries to apologize for losing control.

Khalil leaves Jennifer, intending to put as much distance between them as possible.

Lady Eve offers Gambi the briefcase, on the off chance that he'll be able to hurt the ASA with it.

Lady Eve says her grudge with Gambi is settled.

TC is able to open the briefcase for Gambi.

Gambi discovers that the briefcase contains the genome for every metahuman the ASA ever encountered, as well as the secret history of the ASA.

The United States government secretly funded Markovia's metahuman development project

The only successful product of the first experiments to create metahumans during WWII was an African American soldier named Tyson Sykes. Sykes opted to become a test subject rather than face a dishonorable discharge for getting into a fight with some racist soldiers. The experiments triggered his metagene and he became history's first recorded metahuman.

Markovia is said to be close to Russia,which made it an ideal testing ground during the Cold War.

The ASA was established to recreate the formula that produced Painkiller, before they realized it was something in him that created the powers - not the formula itself.

Gambi reveals to Jefferson and Lynn that he had been sent to rescue or kill Dr. Jace, who had been the head doctor of the Markovian project. It was shortly after that the ASA was established.

Gravedigger was said to have led the coup against the Markovian government and kicked out the Americans while operating in secret.

Lynn reveals that she left her meta-booster research in Markovia. This means that, potentially, Gravedigger could be using it to give himself the powers of other metahumans.

The final scene of the episode confirms that Gravedigger has just given himself telekinesis and killed Colonel Mosin.


Location

Markovia


Untelevised Adventures

The Markovian government have surrounded Freeland while Jefferson and his team were away.


The Bottom Line

An enjoyable episode, despite being all over the place in terms of its story. Still, there were a lot of little subplots that did need addressing after all the action last week and this has the odd side-effect of pushing Jefferson into the background for most of the episode. Virtually the only subplot that isn't addressed, ironically enough, is the fate of the Freeland resistance even as we're told that the fighting is getting worse with the Markovians surrounding the city. Still, all the scenes are enjoyable, apart from Anissa being on her high-horse about everything.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 13 - The Book of Markovia: Chapter Four: Grab The Strap

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 




Plot

Jefferson and his hand-picked team head into Markovia to rescue Lynn and recover Tobias. But can this powerful yet conflicted team overcome their own traumas to strike at the heart of a hostile nation and overcome everything they have protecting their own metahuman creation program? Not if the man known as Gravedigger has anything to say about it!


Influences

The Outsiders, Men of War (character of Gravedigger) and Checkmate comics (character of Gravedigger II)


Performances

Cress Williams nails the opening monologue where a drunken Jefferson looks back on his past and talks about it, seemingly to the audience, but eventually it is revealed he is speaking to Gambi.

After just one appearance, Wayne Brady makes Gravedigger into one of the best villains in the show's history. In fact, he may be one of the best villains in the history of the Arrowverse.


Artistry

The opening scene with Jefferson's monologue looking back on his past is a great one, in terms of the music balance and direction of Cress Williams' performance.

This episode has the single-best fight choreography and effects work of any Black Lightning episode to date.


Trivia

The codename Gravedigger has been given to two soldier heroes in DC Comics.

The first Gravedigger was Ulysses Hazard and first appeared in Men Of War #1 in 1977. A victim of polio as a child, Ulysses was able to overcome the disease with a specialized exercise regiment and enlisted in the Army at the first opportunity. However, even at the height of WWII, the Army was segregated and Ulysses was assigned to work detail alongside other black soldiers rather than combat duty. Frustrated, Ulysses stormed the Pentagon single-handed to prove that he was being wasted . Rather than being drummed out of the service and spending the rest of his life in a military prison, Ulysses was given a special designation as a one-man-unit. Since he was currently assigned to dig graves in a military cemetery, he was given the codename Gravedigger.

 Later, he would earn the rank of Captain and became the only man apart from Sgt. Frank Rock to lead the Easy Company. He received a cross-shaped scar across his face while fighting a Nazi soldier. One story revealed that Ulysses survived to see the end of WWII. He had a son, Achilles,Hazard, who followed in his father's footsteps, though he joined the Marines rather than the Army. Ulysses' grandson, Perseus Hazard, also joined the military and became head of Project K - a special government unit designed to bring down Superman should he ever go rogue.

The second Gravedigger was Tyson Sykes, who first appeared in Checkmate #24 in 2008. An agent of the spy organization Checkmate, with the rank of Rook Alpha, Tyson gained telepathic abilities after being injected with Apocritic - a drug made from the DNA of the alien Starro the Conqueror.

The Arrowverse version of Gravedigger seems to be a combination of both versions of Gravedigger from the comics. He is said to have been around since WWII, unaging thanks to the same serum that stopped Tobias Whale from growing older and has the same cross-shaped scar on his face. Like the second Gravedigger, he is a metahuman with a telepathic ability to "push" people into doing what he tells them to do. He also has enhanced strength and reflexes.

Gravedigger is played by Wayne Brady, best known for his work on the improv comedy show Who's Line Is It Anyway?


Technobabble

Gravedigger's mind-control power works through auditory stimulation and effects the front lobe of those he targets.

The hyperactivity that is a side-effect of Glimmer use can override Graverider's mind-control power.

In covert operations, it is generally a no-no to exit through the same means one uses for entry in a rescue or retrieval mission.

The door to Lab A is grounded against energy attacks and resists 100 million volts. It cannot, however, resist Erica Moran charging it after being repeatedly hit by Thunder.

Erica's power is organic in nature and follows the Fibonacci sequence, with her power growing exponentially every time she is hit and holds the kinetic energy.

Due to his brain functions being run almost entirely through the Painkiller chip, Khalil is immune to Gravedigger's mind control powers.


Dialogue Triumphs

Jefferson: Black Lightning. (chuckles) Black Lightning! Never particularly cared for that name. The news... News called me that, twenty-two years ago and it stuck. Twenty-two years. Feels like a thousand and then some. (sighs) All the blood, broken bones, (laughs softly) broken hearts and death. All the death. There was Lynn, witness to it all.  We, we...we tried to balance a normal life, you know, kids, career. (chuckles) But nothing... Nothing mixes well with Black Lightning. So, we fought. We made up. Got divorced. Got back together. Just couldn't stop loving each other. I grew up around drug dealers and drug addicts. You know all that.... Man, I've seen drugs devastate people. Families. I know the depth of addiction. I also know that Black Lightning's powers are useless in that fight. (determined)  But they are not useless in the fight in front of me right now. This war for Freeland....This war for Freeland took her from me. If I have to break bones, burn skin, draw blood ...If I have to kill, I will. I'm getting her back.

(Gravedigger asks Lynn politely to make the metahuman stabelization cure so that the people Makovia has in pods can be free.)
Lynn: You think I'm stupid? You're weaponizing them!
Gravedigger: Freedom ain't free.
Lynn: Spare me the rationalization. I'm not open to persuasion.
Gravedigger:  (chuckles) It's... It's interesting that you'd say that. (Gravedigger looks at Lynn seriously, his voice deepening as he speaks next.) Make the cure as fast as you can.
(To Lynn's horror, her body begins moving despite her face showing she doesn't want to be moving, going to a different work station and starting to pour one chemical into a dish. Dr. Jace looks at this with a mixture of fascination and horror.)

Jennifer: I know the timing's really bad, but our rescue team ain't looking so good. I need to ask you a favor.
Khalil: No. No. No, the last thing I need to do is go on another kill mission again.
Jennifer: Khalil, you know I'm not asking you to kill anybody. This is to get my mom back. Please. You have more training than all of us put together.
Khalil: J, I want you to get your mother back. Really, I do. But I am more of a liability than I am an asset.
Jennifer: What are you talking about?
Khalil: He's still in my head, Jen. I can't be trusted.
Jennifer: We've both killed for the ASA. But I lied to my family about it. They've lied to me, Odell lied to you. At least you've been honest. So, as far as I'm concerned, I trust you.
Khalil: I killed my own mother, Jen.
(There is a long pause as Jen sees... truly sees...how pained Khalil is. About what happened to him but also feeling like he is failing her.)
Jennifer: Then help me save mine. Please.
Khalil: No.

(Jefferson finds Khalil in the Sanctuary, packing a bag.)
Jefferson: Really? Does Jen know you're leaving?
Khalil: No. I'm not too good with goodbyes.
Jefferson: I think you owe her more than that.
Khalil: Yeah. I do, too.
Jefferson: Where are you gonna go?
Khalil: I don't know, but I gotta get out of Freeland, for good this time.
Jefferson: Why?
Khalil: Why would I stay?
(There's a pause as Jefferson considers his next few words.)
Jefferson: I wanna apologize to you.
Khalil: You wanna apologize to me?
Jefferson: Yeah. I feel like I didn't do enough for you.
Khalil: Look, it's like I said at the hospital the night I died. You did what you could. So, apology not accepted.
Jefferson: You won't be hunted. I had your name removed from the ASA register. You'll have a chance at somewhat of a normal life, free from them.
Khalil: Thanks. That means a lot. But I'll never actually be free and clear from Painkiller. I can't even trust myself. What good would I be to anybody?
Jefferson: Well, you You'd be a lot of good to us in Markovia.
Khalil: There is enough blood on my hands, Mr. P.
Jefferson: Look, Khalil. We can't We can't undo our past mistakes. All we can do is just move forward and try to do better. Look, I just want you to know that you would be a big help. But I respect your desire to.. To take off. If you ever find yourself this way again, you'll find our door open.

Gambi: I'm proud of you, you know that?
Jefferson: I haven't done anything for you to be proud of.
Gambi: But you have. Over, and over, and over again, ever since you were 12 years old. And now you're not only a hero, you have the stature to lead other heroes. I am proud of you, and Alvin would be, too.
Jefferson: What is a hero these days?
Gambi: You are.
Jefferson: Thanks, old man.

Gravedigger: Stand down, son.
Khalil: Yeah, I'm not your son.
(Gravedigger just stands there and looks at Khalil, assessing him slowly.) 
Gravedigger: By the way you're standing, your respiration... you're not all there. Bionics, lots of them. Not enough nervous system for me to push. Not enough sense to run. Clearly, you're what they call a "millennial."
Khalil: You talk too much.
(Khalil goes for his guns but Gravdigger charges forward and knocks them out of Khalil's hands.  The two begin fighting hand-to-hand. Khalil does okay at first but Gravedigger is able to get a good hit in and knocks Khalil into the wall.)
Gravedigger: Not bad. You don't wanna do this.
Khalil: (pulling himself up and raising his fists) Like I said - you talk too much.




Continuity

Jefferson first appeared as Black Lightning in 1998 - 22 years ago.

Jefferson didn't choose the name Black Lightning for himself. It was given to him by the media.

TC is running all the members of Jefferson's team through VR simulations to get them ready for the invasion.

Major Grey gives Jefferson the ASA's file on Painkiller. She also asks him to reconsider taking a team of ASA commandos with him, but Jefferson insists on sticking with his team of chosen agents.

Gravedigger is put in charge of the project to stabilize Markovia's metahumans due to the project not moving quickly enough under Mosin's command for the liking of their bosses.

Gravedigger was one of Dr. Jace's patients at one time.

Gravedigger is on the same formula as Tobias that stops him from aging.

There are 94 metahumans in cryogenic suspension in Markovia.

Jennifer asks Khalil to join the team, but he refuses, saying he's still coping with the idea that he killed his own mother. Jennifer says he can use what he was given to help her save her mother.

Jennifer is still holding a grudge against Anissa for not telling her that Khalil was alive.

Anissa, in turn, is holding a grudge against Khalil, believing he'll snap and become Painkiller again, sooner or later.

Sgt. Grayle attacks Brandon verbally, calling him the weak link of the team.

Jefferson asks Khalil to join the team, but discovers him packing up to go somewhere outside of Freeland.

Jefferson apologizes for not having done more to help Khalil and tells him he'll always have a place in Freeland if he ever decides to come back.

Lynn lies and tells Gravedigger they need a simple of his blood to speed up production on the stabilization formula. In truth, she's planning to give herself his mind-control power.

When planning their mission, Major Grey says they have to rescue Tobias as well as Lynn.

TC begins flirting with Erica Moran, eventually giving her a pair of boots to increase her speed.

Khalil joins the team at the last minute.

Gambi tells Anissa he has a way to shut Painkiller down in order to get her to stop complaining about Khalil being a danger to the mission.

Grayle tells Jefferson about the kill order he was given and Erica being programmed to kill Lynn should they prove unable to rescue her.

TC reveals that he already knew all this and that his flirting with Erica was a cover for him to get close enough to shut down the chip controlling her thoughts.

Brandon has a fear of flying. Gambi says this is a psychological side-effect of his power, which requires he be connected to the earth.

Khalil is able to knock Brandon out with a Kyushu Jitsu touch; part of his martial training rather than his superpowers.

Khalil reveals that he discovered that with the Painkiller program locked away in his mind, he can no longer use his poison-generation powers.

The final plan is that TC and Gambi will handle comms and monitor the computers at the Markovian base as two teams move in, once Grace takes over the security center by disguising herself as one of the Markovian leaders. Team 1, consisting of Jefferson, Anissa and Erica, go after Tobias. Team 2, consisting of Jennifer, Brandon, Sgt. Grayle and Khalil, go after Lynn.

Brandon runs off on his own, with Sgt. Grayle chasing after him, after he learns that Dr. Jace is in Lab B along with Tobias.

Tobias reveals that he knows Jefferson is Black Lightning.

Khalil stays behind to hold of Gravedigger, leaving Jennifer to go find her mother on her own. This happens to coincide with Lynn making her own escape attempt using her temporary mind-control power.

Sgt. Grayle stops Brandon from killing Dr. Jace.

Gravedigger fights Jefferson with an energy weapon that seems to negate his powers.

Grace retrieves Erica

Gravedigger is immune to his own power, as Lynn discovers when she tries to order him to leave her alone.

Lynn agrees to return with Gravedigger if he'll let her family go.

Jefferson shocks Gravedigger into submission and rescues Lynn.


Location

A military base in Markovia


Untelevised Adventures

How an American soldier came to be working for the Makorvian government is unexplained and hints at one hell of a story to be told eventually.


The Bottom Line

Possibly the single-best episode of the series to date. Easily the best episode of the season.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 12 - The Book of Markovia: Chapter Three: Motherless ID

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 




Plot

With Lynn captured by the Markovians and press-ganged into stabilizing their metahumans, Jefferson forms an unlikely alliance with Major Grey and the ASA to rescue her. Meanwhile, Brandon and TC turn their talents towards helping Jennifer save what is left of Khalil's mind from the Painkiller program.


Influences

The Outsiders comics and the novel Neuromancer (the process through which TC virtually enters the Painkiller chip resembles William Gibson's descriptions of cyberspace.)



Goofs

Why did the Markovians leave Sgt. Grayle behind and/or alive when they took Lynn and Tobias?



Performances

Jordan Calloway does a fantastic job playing both the tired and broken Khalil and the assertive Painkiller in this episode. You almost forget they are the same actor at times.

Christopher Ammanuel also has a fantastic turn as TC, slowly finding confidence in dealing with other people as he comes out of his shell with Gambi, Jen, Khalil and Brendan.


Artistry

The final sequence, in which TC and Jen try to get Khalil to assert control of his own mind while Painkiler throws every bad memory it can at Khalil to break him, is one of the best in the show's history.


Trivia

Jefferson refers to TC and Brandon as "two outsiders in the Sanctum." This seems to be a nod to Jefferson eventually building the young metahumans under him into a team akin to The Outsiders, which he was a frequent member of in the comics.


Technobabble

TC says that the chip inside Khalil is the most complex piece of machinery he's ever seen and the processing power is quite fast, due to it being a hybrid of carbon nanotubes and organic material.

Khalil's brain is a computer and the Painkiller program the operating system that enables the computer to function. Shutting down the Painkiller program would destroy the CPU (i.e. Khalil's cerebrum.) and leave Khalil brain-dead.

Glimmer is a Green Light-based drug created by the Markovians. It is not as powerful, but is far less addictive. The Markovians give it to Lynn Stewart in a bid to break her withdrawal while still leaving her dependent on them.

Methadone cannot be used to treat a Green Light addiction.

Of the metahumans the Markovians have apart from Gravedigger, the best they can do regarding energy output on their powers without risking death is 50-60%.


Dialogue Triumphs

Dr. Jace (to her video blog): I am very confident that Dr. St- Oh, correction - Lynn and I are destined to be besties!
(Cut to Lynn in the lab. She is crazed from withdrawal and unable to control herself.)
Lynn: Bitch! I'm going to kill you this time!

Jefferson: And why should we trust you? You seem to be playing both sides.
Sgt. Grayle: I know who you both are. You're two powerful meta-humans that could squash me like a bug without breaking a sweat. It's a huge risk for me to be here. But that's how far I'm willing to go to set things right for Lynn, for all those kids, and for Freeland.
Jefferson: Well, lucky for you, Sergeant Grayle, I've always believed in second chances.

(Jennifer is insisting she's coming on the rescue mission but Jefferson is reluctant.)
Jefferson: Jen, we have no idea what we could be walking into.
Jennifer: Which is why you need me. So I'm coming with you. And so is he.
Jefferson: What?
Brandon:Coming where?
Jennifer: Markovia. They kidnapped my mom and that's where Jace is.
Jefferson: Jen, I might be okay with you coming, but I-
(Jennifer turns around and zaps Brandon with her lighting. Brandon is unphased.)
Jennifer: Trust me, Dad, Brandon can take care of himself. And he's got my back.
Brandon: (nervously) Look, Mr. Pierce, no disrespect, but I'm either going with you or by myself. Dr. Jace killed my mom. So, if that's where she is, then that's where I need to be.

Gambi: After everything that's happened, how could you possibly work with them?
Jefferson: Because it's Lynn, Gambi! Because getting her back is the only thing that matters!
Gambi: (nods) So, when do we leave?
Jefferson: Well, actually, I thought you could just monitor things from here.
Gambi: You're joking, right? You don't know Markovia. I've had business there. Believe me, you're going to want me there.
Jefferson: What business?
(Gambi says something in Markovian. Jefferson looks at him dumbfounded.)
Gambi: I have many stories, my friend. Most of which I'd rather forget.

(Dr. Jace enters Tobias' cell.)
Tobias: Dr. Jace. Why am I not surprised?
Dr. Jace: I assure you, I'm every bit the prisoner that you are. I'm merely doing Dr. Stewart a favor and extracting your bone marrow.
Tobias: Bitch, you've never done anyone a favor in your life. You're merely a cockroach, doing whatever it takes to survive.
Dr. Jace: Well, I'd suggest you do the same.
Tobias: What are they gonna do? If they want stable metas around here, the Markovians aren't going to touch a hair on my chinny, chin, chin.
Dr. Jace: This isn't Agent Odell and the ASA.
Tobias: No, but they do know my value. But you, on the other hand, now that Dr. Stewart is here, you're beginning to look awfully expendable.
Dr. Jace: Your arrogance is off the charts as usual, Tobias. How safe you think you are. But because we're old friends, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Colonel Mosin is making plans to lobotomize you.
(For once, Tobias doesn't have a witty response.) 

(TC has found Khalil in what appears to be his old room.)
TC: I know this looks weird, but I kind of, sort of need you to come with me.
Khalil: How did you-? It doesn't matter. I...I can't. I've tried.
TC: You...you actually can. Um, If you want. Leave, that is.
Khalil: Look, man, I don't know who you are, or how you got into my bedroom, but if he finds us...
TC: This actually isn't your... I mean, it's sort of, kind of is. But it's sort of, kind of not your bedroom.
Khalil: Then what is it? Tell me.
TC: It's a figurative construct of your imagination, some type of projected memory from your subconscious.
Khalil: Or more likely, I'm just dead.

Khalil: So, you're dead, too, huh?
Jennifer: I'm not dead, Khalil. And neither are you. Not yet.
Khalil: But Tobias, he ripped my spine out.
Jennifer: Yeah, I thought that killed you, too, but apparently, the ASA saved you.
Khalil: Like they did with my legs, huh?
Jennifer: That's right. Except this time they put a chip in your brain with some sort of operating system.
Khalil: So... None of this is real.
Jennifer: Look, Khalil... Khalil, look at me. All of this is real. Thing is It may not seem like it, but this place is a prison. If you don't come with me right now, you will die.
Khalil: Maybe I'm supposed to. Did you ever think of that?
Jennifer: I thought you had. Now that I know you're still alive, I'm not sure my heart could take losing you again. So, please. Take my hand.


Continuity

As this episode opens, Dr. Jace has been held captive by the Markovians for 97 days.

Dr. Jace is revealed to honestly have trouble relating to people on a basic level, suggesting she suffers from a psychopathic disorder rather than merely being apathetic to suffering.

Colonel Yuri Mosin confirms that Agent Odell used hypnotic suggestion and Green Light sprayed into her wine glasses to get Lynn hooked on Green Light.

Nurse Allen is revealed to be a Markovian plant within the ASA.

Jennifer discovers that Lynn knew Khalil was alive and didn't tell her, on top of Jefferson, Gambi and Anissa knowing that the ASA had resurrected him as a brainwashed Painkiller.

Sgt. Grayle contacts Jefferson and Anissa and informs them that Lynn was kidnapped by the Markovians. He also tells them about Tobias and how his body is the key to the meta-stabilization formula.

Sgt. Grayle convinces Jefferson and Anissa of his good intentions by revealing he knows their secret identities and had done nothing with that information. He also points out that it would be easy for them to kill him for what he knows.

Jefferson agrees to meet with Major Grey to discuss working with her to rescue Lynn. Sgt. Grayle agrees to act as the go-between and set the meeting up at a place of Jefferson's choosing.

Jefferson tells Anissa that Lynn is addicted to Green Light.

Lynn refuses to take the Glimmer provided by Col. Mosin.

TC can use his powers to enter into machines by creating a virtual avatar or himself,

The VR realm inside the Painkiller chip resembles Khalil's old apartment. Khalil's true self is hiding in his old bedroom, trying to avoid Painkiller.

The Painkiller program treats TC like a virus when he enters into it. This gives him the idea to seal the Painkiller program behind a literal firewall while he tries to bring Khalil's real self in to run things in place of the Painkiller program.

Jennifer can use her powers to interact with the Painkiller chip - first by using electrical blasts directed by TC to contain the Painkiller program then by transforming herself into pure energy and joining TC as an avatar in Khalil's head. Unlike TC, Jennifer is quite vulnerable and could die forever if she were killed in Khalil's mind.

Jefferson agrees to work with the ASA on two conditions; he gets to build his own team for the rescue mission to Markovia and everyone he brings with him on the team becomes off-limits to the ASA forever. This includes both metahumans they wanted to recruit for their program and people wanted for fighting against the ASA. Major Grey agrees to those conditions.

Jennifer insists that both she and Brandon need to come on the mission.

Gambi also says he needs to come on the mission.

Gambi has been to Markovia before and can speak the language.

Grace also volunteers to go on the mission, despite Anissa's protests that she can't really fight.

Erica Moran is implanted with a control chip and given orders to kill Lynn Stewart if she cannot be rescued.

Lynn is so far gone that she lacks the hand-eye coordination to handle chemicals on her own. She persuades Dr. Jace to help her mix up the drugs she needs to truly beat her addiction.

The only stable Markovian metahuman is said to be a man called Gravedigger.

Gambi's codename with the ASA was The Tailor.

TC proves unable to convince Khalil that he can leave his safe space within the virtual realm.

Brandon suggests that Jennifer might be able to go inside Khalil's head with TC in the virtual realm, relating how she was able to become pure energy when they fought the ASA.

Gambi says it's possible that Jen could change herself into electronic information and interact with Khalil's mind through the chip, but that she'd be vulnerable, unlike TC's avatar. He also points out that the knowledge of what he's done (including killing his own mother) could drive Khalil insane.

Jennifer convinces Khalil to take control of his own head, but the knowledge of what he did as Painkiller makes him swear off ever wanting to continue his relationship with Jennifer.


Location

A lab in Markovia.


Untelevised Adventures

Gambi has been to Markovia before and did many things he'd rather not discuss, even with Jefferson.


The Bottom Line

A solid episode, despite largely being a place-holder to get all the characters caught up on what they should know after keeping secrets from one another for the better part of the season. The structure of the script is a little odd, with the final scene being devoted to saving Khalil after Jefferson gets his inspiring speech about the rescue mission to everyone in the ASA HQ in the penultimate segment. Still, the final scene as the young Outsiders rally against Painkiller is an amazing one.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 11 - The Book of Markovia: Chapter Two: Lynn's Addiction

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 




Plot

With all their bargains broken, the ASA officially goes on the hunt for the entire Pierce family. As Anissa and Jefferson target Agent Odell, Lynn turns to an unexpected ally to enact her own plan to stop the ASA from turning her young patients into mind-controlled super-soldiers.



Influences

Various Outsiders comics. (Characters of TC, Gardner Grayle and Brandon are based on Technocrat, Atomic Knight and Geo- Force)


Performances

There's a lot of great character scenes here, but if asked to single out one performance, it has to be China Anne McClain as Jennifer Pierce for the scenes where she finally opens up to Jefferson and her reactions to Painkiller being alive.


Artistry

The effects work for TC's powers is nice and subtle.


Trivia

Sgt. Gardner Grayle, the ASA soldier who helps Lynn, is based on a comic book superhero called the Atomic Knight. First appearing in Strange Adventures #117, the Atomic Knights were a team of heroes who protected a post-apocalyptic wasteland from a tyrant known as the Black Baron. The leader of the Atomic Knights was a man named Gardner Grayle.

Gardner Grayle was later brought into the mainstream DC Universe as one of The Forgotten Heroes and joined the Outsiders for a time following Crisis on Infinite Earths. He had precognitive powers thanks to a connection to the Greek prophetess/goddess Cassandra.

The Arrowverse version of Gardner Grayle is a soldier with a conscience who has begun to question the activities of the ASA. There is no indication of him having natural metahuman abilities and he almost certainly would have been tested for them as an ASA employee.

With this episode, it becomes clear that Brandon is meant to be the Arrowverse version of Prince Brion Markov aka Geo-Force - the earth-bending Markovian prince who was one of the founding members of the Outsiders in the comics.  When discussing potential codenames, Brandon suggests "Quakeboy" "Earth Force" and "Geo" to a disinterested Jennifer before dropping the subject.



Technobabble

Using her meta-booster formula, Lynn can temporarily augment normal human cells to transfer to a particular meta-human profile. In short, Lynn can temporarily give an ordinary person superpowers for one hour.

 Painkiller is revealed to have the ability to track unique energy signatures once he has seen them once through his goggles. He uses this  to locate Black Lightning.

Gambi is able to create a digital simulation of Agent Odell using the biometrics and keywords he recorded during the faked torture session.



Dialogue Triumphs

Jefferson: So, Brendan-
Brandon: Uh, actually, it's Brandon.
Jefferson: Yeah, whatever. Stay away from my daughter. Understand?
Jennifer: Dad, I told you, we're just friends.
Jefferson: Your mother and I were just friends, too. Brandon? You know what a eunuch is?
Brandon: Yes, sir.
Jefferson: Keep that in mind.

TC: Why are you doing all of this for me? Most white people would've seen me and had a problem, and called the ASA.
Gambi: We all need someone sometime. Nobody gets through this life alone. Right now, I'm just a guy who could help you.

Agent Odell: There's good in the worst of us, and evil in the best of us. When we know this, we're less able to hate our enemies.
Thunder: Did this coward just quote Dr. King to get off the hook?!
Agent Odell: I'm not a coward. I knew the man.

Lynn: You can't run. We have to stick together.
Tobias: Run? Now, why would I do that? I have Black Lightning's wife. I'm not running anywhere. You thought I was your golden goose, Dr. Stewart, but in reality you're mine.

(We see TC in the room with a strapped-down Painkiller. He looks at him curiously and his eyes flash blue as he looks at where the implant in Painkiller's neck is. Cut to outside in the main room of the Sanctum.)
Brandon: Hey, is that your ex in there?
Jennifer: Yeah. (quietly) He was actually gonna kill me.
Anissa: That's because he's not your ex.
Gambi: The ASA rebuilt him. They put a chip in his head so they could control his mind.
Brendan: They can do that?!
Jennifer: You knew Khalil was alive and you didn't tell me. How could you keep something like that from me?
Anissa: Jen, so you can go after somebody who looks like they're your ex-boyfriend, get heartbroken, maybe even killed?
Jennifer: I'll never forgive you for this.
Jefferson: Whoa, wait a minute, let's calm down before we say something we don't mean.
Gambi: Your sister was only trying to protect you.
Jennifer: Why does everyone think I need their protection? I don't, I'm not helpless. If I had known, maybe I could've gotten through to him.
Gambi: Jen. It's not that simple.
Jennifer: So we're not even gonna try?
(TC enters the room from where Painkiller is strapped down.)
TC: Hey. Who's Jen?
Jennifer: That's me.
TC: He loves you.
Jennifer: How do you know that?!
TC: He told me.


Continuity

The soldier tasked with tracking Jennifer Pierce down in 310 is identified in this episode as Sgt. Gardner Grayle. He was also the soldier who called off the hunt for Lynn when she escaped The Pit in 308. The episode opens with him recording a video about the crimes of the ASA and what to do if he should disappear.

Gardner Grayle was recruited to the ASA from the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Jennifer tells Jefferson about her working with Odell and the ASA and how she blew up a Markovian data farm. She is uncertain that she's killed people, but she thinks it is possible.

Grace is back in Freeland and living in Anissa's apartment. She has better control of her shape-shifting now and thinks her problems stemmed from her abandonment issues and her losing control when her emotions went out of control.

Gambi visits Lynn and notes that she does not look good. If he suspects this is because of Green Light abuse, he says nothing.

Gambi asks Lynn for a dose of her meta stabilization cure for TC. Lynn agrees to give it to him in exchange for his accessing the computers in The Pit.

Agent Odell is revealed to be from Gotham City and has a home there. He dislikes travel and has been greatly annoyed that the ASA's work in Freeland is keeping him away from it.

It is confirmed that the Freeland Resistance is occupying 25% of the city.

Major Grey suggests they begin installing control chips in every stabilized metahuman in The Pit, until they can manufacture more of the stabilization formula. Odell approves of the plan.

Sgt. Grayle returns Lynn's bag to her and informs her that Dr. Blair, the scientist put in charge after she escaped The Pit, has killed 3 children trying to replicate her work. He then offers to help Lynn break Tobias Whale out of The Pit so that they can't make any more of the stabilization formula.

Lala is revealed to still be running The 100's operations in Tobias' absence.

Lala claims to love Freeland and to hate the ASA, but that won't stop him from trying to turn a profit. He warns his henchman Devonte against mixing business with pleasure and taking things personally.

The 100 sells weapons to the Freeland Resistance at double the price.

Devonte says he's found a hacker who can work on The Briefcase, but Lala tells him to hold off on that for now.

Lala sends Devonte to check out a new business on the East Side of Freeland that isn't paying them protection money.

Gambi uses the meta stabilization formula on TC.

Lynn theorizes that she can temporarily give a person metahuman abilities for one hour at a time and tests the process on Sgt. Grayle. It works.

Anissa doesn't like puzzles.

Jefferson asks Anissa to help him with attacking an ASA convoy.

TC shows Gambi the photo of the woman who put out the hit on him. He recognizes her as Lady Eve and thinks it must have taken her hitmen a year to find him since she died two years earlier.

Black Lightning and Thunder ambush Odell's convoy and abduct him.

Gambi's real name is revealed to be Peter Esposito.

Agent Odell was Gambi's mentor when he first joined the ASA. He golfs with the President and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Agent Odell is able to quote the 23rd Psalm from memory.

Jennifer takes Brandon to the Sanctum.  He learns that Jefferson, Anissa and Jennifer are Black Lightning, Thunder and Lighting respectively.

Brandon speculates on a codename, suggesting"Geo" or "Earth Force" or "Quakeboy."

Devonte discovers the hot new business on the East Side is a brothel called the Ultimate O. As he is walking around after hiring two girls, pretending to look for a restroom, he films the activities inside on his phone... and stumbles across Lady Eve's office, revealing her as the Madame.

Lady Eve's second in command is a woman named Destiny.

Devonte doesn't recognize Lady Eve but Lala does when Devonte shows him the video later.  Lala confirms that Lady Eve was dead but was apparently brought back by Lazarus, as he was.

Jennifer learns that Painkiller is still alive.

The ASA is able to recover Agent Odell. He is apparently sent home to Gotham City.

Black Lightning and Lightning are able to shock Painkiller into submission.

Lynn is able to break Tobias out of The Pit by giving him temporary chameleon powers.

Lala meets with Lady Eve and gives her 48 hours to accept his protection before he kills her and takes her operation anyway.

Lady Eve tells Destiny that they have to play along with Lala for now.

TC talks to Painkiller through his implant and determines that Khalil Payne is still in there somewhere and he loves Jennifer.

Lynn gives herself super-strength to prevent Tobias from being able to attack her and knocks Tobias out.

Markovian soldiers knock out Lynn and Sgt. Grayle at the end of the episode.



Untelevised Adventures

Grace was able to gain firmer control of her shape-shifting powers with the help of healers among the Perdi in South Freeland.


The Bottom Line

A solid episode where none of the subplots feel tacked on, even the sudden return of Lala and resurrection of Lady Eve. Virtually all of the ensemble get at least one good moment.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 10 - The Book of Markovia: Chapter One: Blessings and Curses Reborn

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 




Plot

With the Crisis averted, Jefferson returns home to Freeland to find nobody but Jennifer remembers the anti-matter storms that destroyed their world. They both have bigger concerns, however, as Anissa runs afoul of an ASA ambush as Blackbird, Brandon's earth-bending powers trigger an earthquake and the depths of Lynn's drug use finally become apparent. Throw in a desperate Agent Odell readying to weaponize all of the captive Green Light Babies and Pod Kids and Freeland needs its heroes more than ever.


Performances

The scene in which Jefferson confronts Lynn and discovers her drug use is a career high for both Cress Williams and Christine Adams. The former perfectly captures Jefferson's anguish as he's torn between his responsiblity to the community and his pain over the woman he loves destroying herself and Adams plays a credible addict.


Artistry

The episodes use of music to establish mood is fantastic.


Technobabble

Gambi says that both Jennifer and Jefferson have anti-matter particles on them, which should be impossible according to everything he knows about science. He suggests that the nature of their powers and how they react to energy are what allowed them to experience whatever they experienced during the Crisis. This is probably why Jennifer remembers the old reality, despite not having her memories restored by Martian Manhunter, like her father did.

The side-effects of Green Light addiction include hallucinations, agitation, sweats and dry mouth.


Dialogue Triumphs

Jefferson: (into his comms) Gambi? Gambi, I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, you're not gonna believe what happened. I traveled to an alternate dimension. I met other metahumans... a kid named Flash. Gambi, Superman is real! We saved humanity. Multiple humanities, actually. (sighs) A lot happened. But I just kept thinking about you and Lynn and the girls and... and Freeland.

Jefferson:  Don't you think it would be better to help the Resistance as Thunder?
Anissa: No, I don't.
Jefferson: Thunder is a clear symbol of justice. She's selfless, saves people. Blackbird steals money from drug dealers and does other questionable things.
Anissa: Oh, come on, Dad, stop. I need to lead this. Black Lightning is not the face of this Resistance.
Jefferson: Whoever said he was?
Anissa: You did. The moment you came in and just took over. Now, I know you have done this a million times, but I'm running this.
Jefferson: Anissa, I didn't take over. Henderson asked for my advice. And I gave it.
Anissa: No, I had everything under control until you came in with your male privilege, and you just pushed me aside.
Jefferson: Male privilege? What are you talking about? I'm your father. And this isn't about you.
Anissa: Yes, this is about me.
Jefferson: No. If we get this wrong, people die.
Anissa: Yes, Dad, I know that. And I also know that this is hard for you. But I'm so much more than just your daughter and Thunder, and you need to see that. I am a leader, and I can handle myself.
Jefferson: I know you can handle yourself, I know that. But you haven't always made the best choices, and I haven't said a lot about it, but you have done some very questionable things.
Anissa: Okay, okay, I've made some mistakes, and so have you. But so what?
Jefferson: Mistakes? You use money you stole from drug dealers for yourself. That is not a mistake, that's just wrong.
Anissa: Now is not the time for us to focus on that. We have a mission to take care of, and what I need from you is support. I need you to trust that I'm gonna make better decisions after the bad ones that I made. That's what I need from you, Dad. Can you do that?
Anissa: A lot of people are counting on you.
Jefferson: Yeah, I know that. And I need you to be one of those people

(Brandon and Jennifer are hiding behind some crates by the docks.  A black SUV moves past them.)
Brandon: Hey, can we go now?
Jennifer: Almost. I'm about to end this, once and for all.
(The SUV stops and Jennifer approaches it. The window in the back passenger side of the vehicle rolls down. Agent Odell is seated inside.)
Agent Odell: Happy you finally called, Ms. Pierce.
Jennifer: I'm not working with you anymore. And I'm not your weapon.
Agent Odell: You don't have a choice.
Jennifer: Wrong answer.
(Jennifer's eyes flash orange and she lifts her hand, sending a bolt of lighting into the car. The energy passes through Odell, who regards her unblinking as his image begins to blink like an unstable television signal.)
Brandon: Whoa. That's a hologram!
Agent Odell: (mock cheerful) This isn't over, young lady.
(The window rolls up as we see the SUV doesn't have a driver. It moves off on its own. Jennifer is too stunned to do anything to try and stop it.)
Brandon: Who's that?
Jennifer: The devil.


Continuity

Jefferson flies back to Freeland under his own power, using his abilities to create an opening through the forcefield into Freeland.

Jennifer falls through an unidentified void she thinks is the safe-space inside her head she was trained to go when she was mastering her powers.

Jennifer has had a revelation, after her visions of the other Earths, that Agent Odell was using her and he has to be stopped.

Jennifer materializes on the patio at Anissa's apartment, just as Jefferson arrives there.

Jefferson persuades Jennifer to come with him to Gambi's first before going after Agent Odell, pointing out that the suit he made her probably has safeguards that can be turned against her.

Gambi has no memory of the Crisis or Jefferson or Jennifer disappearing. He also claims to have never seen the ASA-made costume that Jennifer is wearing before. This confirms that the events of 309 didn't take place from his perspective.

The ASA have begun searching the tunnels Blackbird had been using to get around Freeland undetected. Jefferson goes to save her from an ambush while Jennifer goes to check on Lynn.

Gambi suggests that until they have a chance to deal with current events, Jefferson and Jennifer shouldn't say anything about reality being rewritten since they have no way of knowing how the universe might have changed from what they know.

Lynn is at a chemistry lab at Bowman College, trying to make more Green Light.

The Freeland Resistance in the new reality seem to be better organized than they were Pre-Crisis, with more ordinary citizens being part of the movement rather than it being made up of cops, criminals and a few of Reverend Holt's followers.

The Freeland Resistance is said to be occupying several blocks of the city, including the area around Garfield High School.

Agent Odell is back in active command of the ASA forces in Freeland.

The ASA scientists have proven unable to stabilize the metahumans in their custody without Lynn's supervision. At the best guess of the scientist running things at present, no more than 60% of the metahumans would survive the conversion process into soldiers.  Major Grey tells him to start converting them once they get the process to 80% stability.

According to Major Grey, the Freeland Resistance has managed to disable 15% of their vehicles and 25% of their soldiers.

Commander Williams, whom Jefferson defeated in 308, is said to still be recovering.

The Resistance has successfully prevented the materials needed to turn the detained metahumans into super-soldiers under the ASA's control from being delivered from The Pit. This makes Odell give the order for the Pod Kids and Green Light Babies to be transported to The Pit.

Jefferson saves Anissa from the ambush.

Jennifer startles Lynn as she's mixing her Green Light, making her drop the flask. Lynn loses control and shouts at Jennifer.

TC is able to use his powers to locate Gambi and talk his way into his secret room behind his tailor shop.

An earthquake shakes Freeland, which Jennifer realizes is the result of Brandon losing control of his powers.

Lynn give Jennifer some drugs that can stabilize Brendan, refusing to come with her to administer them herself and all but pushing Jennifer out the door so she can return to making more Green Light.

Jennifer calls Jefferson and tells him he should check on Lynn because something is wrong, but she's got to stop the earthquake.

Jefferson agrees to catch up with Anissa later as he checks on Lynn, as she just got work from the Resistance that the ASA is about to try moving the captive metahumans.

Gambi agrees to take TC in and offers him a place to stay, as his usual hiding place was being searched by the ASA.

Jefferson finds Lynn at their home, tearing everything apart trying to find more of the Green Light drug she might have left behind.

Henderson calls Jefferson as he's in the middle of trying to reason with Lynn. She escapes into the night as Jefferson is trying to balance both discussions.

One of the ASA soldiers, Travis, is fitted with the same chips used to control Painkiller. This make him "fighting fit" despite his doctors not being sure he's mentally fit to return to duty. Travis is assigned to be second in command on a mission to capture Jennifer Pierce.

Jefferson and Anissa have a talk about him stepping on her toes and leading the Resisance movement she built. Jefferson says he can't help people looking to Black Lightning for leadership, but agrees to scale back and follow Anissa's lead and lack Blackbird call the shots openly.

TC discovers the secret room holding all of Black Lighting and thunders' gear in Gambi's backroom.  He says that Gambi's computer wanted to show it to him.  He promises to keep the secret.

Gamti says that he might make TC a costume one day.

TC offers to help Gambi track down whoever put the hit out on him, using his power to talk to machines to work through the BitCoin protections

Jennifer and Brandon are tranquilized by a sniper rile while hiding in Brandon's apartment.

The Resistance rescues all of the Pod Kids and Green Light Babies that were being transported.

Jennifer is able to short-circuit the power-repression collars she and Brandon are wearing. They make their escape from the ASA transport, but Jennifer seems to kill Travis, due to her powers interacting badly with the chip controlling his mind.

TC passes out while hacking the last round of encryption. As he goes under, he pulls up a picture of the person who paid for the hit on Gambi - it is Lady Eve, who was originally killed off in the pre-Crisis timeline in 107.

Jennifer calls Agent Odell in a bid to get him where she can kill him. Instead, she attacks a robot car with a hologram of Odell inside it.


The Bottom Line

A solid episode which neatly establishes the new status quo in Freeland. Not much has changed, apart from the Resistance seeming more together, but the idea that Lady Eve is back (or at least someone is manipulating her organization) suggests things are about to get interesting in Freland's underworld very shortly. If this means we get more of Tobias Whale and finally get back to whatever Lala started doing at the start of the season, I'm all for it. As it is, this is a good start and a solid jumping on point for new viewers.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 9 - The Book of Resistance: Chapter Four: Earth Crisis

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 



Plot

As strange energy storms turn the skies red, Jennifer finds herself losing control of her powers and winding up somewhere else. As she sees two different versions of herself in two drastically different worlds, her family struggles to save her ever-phasing body, as the ASA move to destroy Freeland's Resistance once and for all.



Influences

Crisis on Infinite Earths


Goofs

The alternate Earths shown in this episode are labeled as Earth-1 or Earth-2, but they are not the Earth-1 or Earth-2 of the Arrowverse. While this is not a goof as such, it is a confusing point for those regular Arrowverse viewers who tuned into this episode thinking it was a direct tie-in to Crisis on Infinite Earths.


Performances

China Anne McClain owns this episode, from her wonderful performance with the opening monologue to all the scenes of her playing three different versions of Jennifer Pierce.


Artistry

The subtle light washes used to denote Earth-1 and Earth-2 are nicely executed.


Trivia

The number 333 is a reference to balance between mind, body and spirit.

A news report from Galaxy Broadcasting System is shown at one point. In the DC Comics Universe, Galaxy Broadcasting System was a major television news station based out of Metropolis. Owned by Morgan Edge, it was part of his Galaxy Communications empire.


Technobabble

Gambi detects massive amounts of anti-matter in the skies over Freeland, because of the strange storms. Since Jennifer's powers convert her cells into pure energy, she's been effected by the strange energy fluctuations. This has somehow allowed her to be in two places at once, letting her see the events in alternate realities.

Gambi determines that the surges in anti-matter correspond to Jennifer phasing away to another universe.

Gambi says the ASA lacks the ability to generate anti-matter, much less fill the sky with it.


Dialogue Triumphs

Jennifer: When both sides are right, and both sides are wrong, what do I do? Like... who do I follow?

Earth-1 Lynn: He always talked about how proud he was of you. About how many lives you'd saved.
Good Jennifer: Except his.
Earth-1 Lynn: No, Jennifer, he was proud because you did something he couldn't. You brought peace to Freeland.
Good Jennifer: Yeah, but, but what kind of peace is it, when Odell can just walk into our house and kill Dad like that? What kind of peace is it?

Earth-2 Jefferson: Jen, how do I get you to see that your powers are a drug? And you are addicted. The more you use them, the more I lose you. The more you lose yourself.
Bad Jennifer: The people of Freeland need me. And you could have stopped this years ago, but your philosophy and your code? It stopped you and now look where we are. So I tell you what, I'm gonna clean up this mess you made, so that I can finally lead a normal life. Something that you could never provide for me or anyone else, for that matter. A life of peace.

Jennifer: You know, I used to wish that my powers would just go away. 'Cause I thought everything would do back to normal if I didn't have 'em, if nobody had 'em. But then I realized, there is no such thing as normal.


Continuity

For three nights in a row, Jennifer has woken up at 3:33 am.

Jennifer is feeling conflicted about working with Odell, while knowing most of her family is with the Freeland Resistance. She decides to tell Anissa about this in person, rather than venting her feelings in a video message she doesn't plan to send.

Rebecca Larsen is a conservative news pundit with a show called The Larsen Line on a news network called GBS (Global Broadcasting System). She reports that the government is lying about a SARS outbreak in Freeland but says the Resistance fighting against them is made up of liberal anti-vaxxers.

It is revealed that the ASA somehow intercepted the broadcast Gambi sent out in 308, with only part of the message regarding what was really going on in Freeland making it to the major news networks.

Agent Odell contacts Jennifer through her TV at the Pierce home and asks her to patrol the perimeter around Freeland and pick off any Markovian soldiers she sees.

Anissa tells Jefferson that she was attacked by Painkiller in 305 and that he's somehow still alive.

The skies turn red as Jennifer is waiting for Anissa at her apartment.

Jennifer passes out as the odd lightning storms start after the skies turn red, as the energy around her goes crazy.

Jennifer winds up in a mindscape with two other Jennifer Pierces. One of them, identified in the closed captioning as Good Jennifer, wears a white uniform and a power control collar identical to the ones worn by the prisoners in The Pit.  The other one, identified as Bad Jennifer, wears a black costume.

Good Jennifer goes by the nickname Gen and her world is labeled as Earth-1.

Bad Jennifer goes by the nickname Jinn and her world is labeled as Earth-2.

Good Jennifer somehow used her powers to alter the water in Freeland so that anyone who had the metagene who drank it would lose their powers. This angered Agent Odell, who had her arrested, collared and locked in The Pit.

Bad Jennifer is loyal to the ASA and Agent Odell.

The Earth-1 versions of Jefferson and Anissa are now regular humans.

The Earth-1 version of Jefferson Pierce is the Secretary of Education. He apparently took the job to distance himself from his "terrorist" daughter, even though he knew what Jennifer was planning to do and supported her actions privately.

The Earth-1 version of Anissa Pierce is still in the closet regarding her sexuality and hasn't come out to anyone but Jennifer yet.

The Earth-1 version of Anissa Pierce is planning to tell her parents that she's a lesbian, as she must met a woman - another medical student named Shaquandalyn and things are getting serious.

The Earth-1 version of Khalil Payne is still alive and never became Painkiller. He just earned a full athletic scholarship to UCLA and is still waiting for Jennifer, despite her being largely locked up in The Pit. Jennifer expects they'll finally break-up when he has to leave for California next August.

Jennifer has been released from The Pit for the holidays, but still has several years left on her sentence.

The government of the USA on Earth-1 is apparently run by some kind of High Council. They required that Jefferson ensure that only the ASA approved version of history was taught in the schools and that all suspected metahumans in the schools were turned over to the ASA.

Earth-1 Jefferson is executed by Agent Odell, after it is revealed that he and Reverend Holt were running an underground railroad for metahuman kids.

Good Jennifer is taken back into custody, as Anissa is left to cry over Jefferson's body.

Earth-1's version of Lynn Stewart never visits Jennifer in The Pit and is usually busy with work. This drove a wedge between her and Jefferson, making their romance even more of an on-again/off-again affair than in the main universe.

Anissa finds Jennifer passed out in her apartment and calls Gambi.

Gambi learns about the new costume the ASA made for Jennifer.

Jennifer is fading in and out of existence, as she sees the events in Good Jennifer and Bad Jennifer's worlds occur.

Gambi tells Anissa about how he broke Lynn out of The Pit and how they tried to lock her in it during the events of 308. 

Lynn is in a make-shift lab, attempting to make more Green Light for herself.

Earth-1 Lynn visits Jennifer in The Pit and tries to comfort her by telling her Jefferson was proud of her and how she did what he couldn't; bring peace to Freeland. Jennifer notes bitterly that it wasn't much of a peace if Jefferson could still be gunned down and she really wondered if it was worth it, even if her actions did stop Freeland from being turned into a breeding ground for super-soldiers.

Chief Henderson calls Blackbird's phone and tells her that the Resistance is going to need her or Black Lightning if they are going to survive the night.

Jefferson agrees to back-up the resistance.

Earth-2 Jefferson Pierce is still teaching classes at Garfield High.

Earth-2 Jefferson Piece tries to tell Jennifer that her powers are a drug and she's become addicted and Odell is exploiting her. Jennifer responds that she and the ASA have done what he never could with his morality and code; bring peace to Freeland.

Black Lightning destroys the ASA HQ in Freeland, leaving The Pit as the only operational base they have. The perimeter is still intact, but this action causes Agent Odell to order that every detainee in the meta camp be given a brain control implant and be put into the field.

Bad Jennifer destroys the metahuman refugee camp in Freeland and kills all the metahumans, saying there's no need for them anymore now that the war with Markovia is over.

Anissa tells Gambi and Lynn that Painkiller is alive.

Lynn admits that she already knew Painkiller was alive and in the employ of the ASA.

Anissa wants to put Painkiller down but Lynn wants to try and save him.

Gambi intercepts an ASA message outlining Agent Odell's plan to weaponize the Green Light Babies. Anissa says she has a plan to stop them.

Bad Jennifer kills Earth-2 Jefferson, Lynn and Anissa after they try to convince her to turn herself in for murdering all the innocent people in the metahuman camp.

Jennifer dissipates into a cloud of particles.

Jefferson vanishes just before the anti-matter wave destroys Freeland.

Gambi, Anissa and Lynn are erased by the wave.


Untelevised Adventures

Black Lightning destroys the ASA HQ in Freeland off-camera.

It is unclear if Anissa did anything to stop the Green Light and mind-control modules from getting to the ASA camp.


The Bottom Line

A bit all over the place. The story on Earth-1 is interesting and far more developed than the Earth-2 subplot. Jennifer's conflict is well-handled, but everything involving the Freeland Resistance is almost an after-thought compared to a forced tie-in to Crisis on Infinite Earths that really has nothing to do with the event.  Hopefully we'll get to see the actual battle between Black Lightning and Thunder and the ASA next time, because it's really anti-climactic to have Jefferson destroy the ASA HQ off-camera and for nothing to come of last week's big cliffhanger, with the truth about Freeland being broadcast to the outside world.