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.