Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 13 - The Book of Resurrection: Chapter Two: Closure

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

Plot

With Jefferson Pierce apparently dead, his family make one last strike against Tobias Whale, as Freeland's Chief of Police goes mad with power... literally. There's also an unexpected enemy within, but before the night is done Black Lightning will strike one last time.

Influences

Daredevil: Born Again (hero returns after almost being killed and having his life ruined by his crime boss archenemy) and Batman and The Outsiders (The new Jennifer's background is somewhat reminiscent of the origin of Halo.)


Goofs

There's no resolution regarding Gambi's romance with Lauren.


Performances

Marvin "Krondon" Jones III absolutely slays during his death scene.


Artistry

Even by the standards of this show, this episode has some fantastic music and it is well used throughout the episode.

The switching between young and current Jefferson as he speaks to his father is a nice touch.

The scene of Jefferson emerging from his grave is pure comic book magic made real.


Trivia

On the day this episode was originally aired, The CW formally announced that it was not picking up the Painkiller spin-off.

As he dies, Tobias quotes Moby Dick and Ahab's last words- "To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell's heart, I stab at thee; For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."

Also on the same day this episode originally aired, Cress Williams revealed that he was in talks with the showrunners on The Flash to appear as Jefferson Pierce in a few episodes of The Flash Season 8.

Will Catlett improvised the final line of the episode and the series, with the approval of director Salim Akil.

The new Jennifer is revealed to be an energy being who replicated Jennifer's body and replaced her. This seems remarkably similar to the background of Halo, a member of the Outsides in the comics, who was revealed to be an energy being that took over the body of a young woman named Violet Harper. The key difference is that Violet Harper was not a good person and Halo's spirit was good, whereas here we have a malevolent spirit taking over Jennifer Pierce's life.


Technobabble

With the Promethium energy, Jefferson's electrical blasts can overcome Tobias' grounding, at least enough to throw him around though he doesn't seem to suffer any heat damage from the electricity.


Dialogue Triumphs

Gambi: You don't worry about this. Forget it ever happened.
Young Jefferson: I'm as bad as Tobias.
Gambi: Don't say that. Don't even think it. Put it out of your mind.
Young Jefferson: I still see his face when he died. I'm a monster.
Gambi: Stop. That guy was a known killer, and a One Hundred gang member. He pulled a gun on you, and he was gonna kill you in cold blood. You reacted instinctively, Jeff. It was self-defense. Nothing more.
Young Jefferson: Never again. I don't want these powers.
Gambi: I'll teach you. You'll learn how to use them, how to control them for good.
Young Jefferson: No.
Gambi: You're hurting right now, son. But don't give up. Learn from this. Your powers properly used can give hope. Hope to your city and its people. All you need is a code, Jeff. Together, we'll find you one. 

(Alvin Pierce and Jefferson Pierce sit on the steps of Jefferson's boyhood home. As they talk, Jefferson shifts between his adult self and his tween self.)
Jefferson: Even with powers, I suffered the same fate.
Alvin: No, you've made your fate, son. Starting with a code to keep you from losing your way and becoming like him.
Jefferson: You know?
Alvin: About the One Hundred boy you killed?
(Jefferson makes a face remembering it.)
Alvin: See, that there, what you're feeling? That's shame. Tobias doesn't feel shame. And that's why you'll never be like him, and why you're the one to stop him.
Jefferson: I tried, Pop. I tried for years. He won. He killed me. I don't have what it takes to stop him.
Alvin: No, you have everything you need. No more hiding under the bed, son. In order to accomplish what you've never done, you have to use what you never have. So go get it, and get it done. 

(Tobias and Black Lightning are fighting, but neither is doing much damage. Finally, Tobias is able to knock Jefferson Pierce down.)
Tobias: You need somethin' that hurts your nappy-headed neon ass. Let me introduce you to my favorite word.
(Tobias picks Black Lightning up and lifts him over his head, carrying him towards the window.)
Tobias: It's called "defenestration".
(Black Lightning shocks Tobias, forcing him to drop him. He then focuses a blast and sends Tobias flying out the window as he is moving in on the fallen Black Lightning. Once he's standing he moves to the window, only to find Tobias, impaled on a decorative spike, and slowly sliding down it as it comes through his chest.)
Black Lightning: Tobias, hold on!
(Choking on blood, Tobias struggles but the spike is too far down for him to grab it for leverage. His struggling is only accelerating how quickly his own weight is pulling him down the spike.)
Tobias: "To the end, I grapple with thee. From the bottom of hell's heart, I stab at thee". 
Black Lightning: Tobias, don't.

(Tobias reaches for both his guns and draws them.)
Black Lightning: Stop! We don't have to do this! There's another way!

Tobias: (breathing heavily) "For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee".
(Tobias begins firing wildly at Black Lightning, but Jefferson easily puts up a shield to block the bullets. He then aims the electrical wave at Tobias, but there is no anger or malice in it. It is mercy, as the lighting quickly kills Tobias and ends his suffering in this world. Jefferson looks at Tobias corps in disgust, as it begins to rapidly age to his true age.)

(TC sits down at his computer and activates his power. He's suddenly in the psychic headspace dojo that Khalil and Painkiller share.)
Painkiller: Oh, you must be crazy bringin' your ass here.
Khalil: I invited him.
Painkiller: (To Khalil) Don't think I won't kick your ass, too.
TC: What if I come with good and great news?
Painkiller: Speak.
TC: Tobias Whale is dead.
Painkiller: Damn. I wanted to kill him. (To TC) That's not good news. (To Khalil) Let me kick his ass just a little.
Khalil: TC, what is your other news?
TC: I've isolated the system code for the kill order. I can free you.
Painkiller: Good. Let's do it.
TC: Well, there's a catch. It's linked to everything you know and love about the whole Pierce family. If you break the kill order, you won't remember the Pierces at all.
Painkiller: So what? Pains in the ass anyway.
Khalil: (To Painkiller) Shut up, and sit your Black ass down.
(Khalil pauses and looks back to TC.)
Khalil:  TC, there's gotta be another way around.
TC: Well, there's not. I've checked and I've double-checked.
Khalil: Damn. (To Painkiller) You won't stop, will you? Sooner or later, you're going to kill Jen and all of the Pierces.
Painkiller: Best believe. But I'm not nobody's puppet. Cut the damn cord.
(Khalil gets up and turns away from them both, looking troubled.)
TC: If you need more time, I can...
(Khalil raises his hand, cutting him off.)
Khalil: Always known I'd give my life for that girl. Never thought I'd have to forget her. Do it. 

(Lala sees Tobias' corpse, still impaled on the spike. He laughs.)
Lala: Somebody finally stuck it to your ass.


Continuity

Jennifer shows everyone the photo of Jefferson that Tobias sent her. Gambi determines it is not a fake.

Gambi is unable to trace Jefferson's phone.

Gambi is still working on locating the energy emitter, but thinks he should have it traced soon.

Gambi apparently spoke with Detective Shakur and he's getting the Meta Task Force to stand down on pursuing Blackbird, Thunder and Grace, so they should be able to move on Tobias without police interference.

Gambi also confirmed that Looker is in the process of clearing Jefferson and Lynn's names.

Detective Shakur goes into Chief Lopez's office and finds the used meta booster. He also determines that the power she gave herself was energy absorption.

Detective Shakur tries to call Jefferson to warn him and leaves a message on his voice mail.

It is revealed that Jefferson has been buried alive somewhere in the woods outside Freeland.

Gambi finds the emitter in an industrial park in West Freeland, which holds Tori Whale's tomb and the headquarters of Drakestone Security - a Blackwater-style firm that Tobias owns, only they use more high-tech weapons, like the new brand of DEG.

Jennifer goes back into the ionosphere to absorb more power. As she's there, something in the mass of particles tries to grab at her. She just barely gets away from it. A face also forms with the energy, along with hands.

Lynn insists on running some tests on Jennifer since she's a little dizzy after her trip.

A flashback to 30 years in the past shows Gambi and Jefferson burying a dead gang member in the woods - one whom Jefferson accidentally killed with his powers in self-defense. This leads Jefferson to make his vow against killing.

The particles in the ionosphere form into a second Jennifer - the original Jennifer.

Grace, Anissa and Gambi raid Tori Whale's tomb.

Gambi disables the emitter, restoring Grace and Anissa's powers just in time for them to save him from the Drakestone soldiers.

Jennifer confronts the new Jennifer, who reveals herself to be an energy being who lives in the ionosphere.

The fake Jennifer refers to the Ionosphere as The Glaze and says there are many intangible beings there who long to have physical forms.

Jennifer absorbs the fake Jennifer as they fight.

Jefferson seems to have a vision of his father as he is on the verge of death, praying to God that his family will be protected and that he will be allowed to go to Heaven.

Alvin Pierce apologizes to Jefferson for not being there to raise him, but tells him he can still beat Tobias by using what he never has before.

Detective Shakur gets a call about Chief Lopez drawing power out of an alley behind the power plant, which is starting to effect the city grid. He gathers every cop he can from the station and takes them to confront her.

Jefferson feels the energy from all of the newly-created Promethium under Freeland and uses it to recharge, emerging from his grave in costume.

Anissa was hit by several DEG blasts and requires medical attention after the fight at Tori Whale's tomb but is still conscious when Jefferson calls in.

Tobias' office is located in Tori Towers.

Lightning helps the police to bring down Chief Lopez.

Jefferson accidentally kills Tobias after reflexively shocking him and knocking him out a window, causing Tobias to be impaled on a decorative spike outside his office. He does try to save Tobias, but, defiant to the end, Tobias tries to shoot Black Lightning to keep him from saving him.

When Tobias dies, his corpse ages in an instant, his de-aging serum apparently wearing off.

TC tells Khalil and Painkiller about Tobias' death. Painkiller isn't happy, as he wanted to be the one to kill Tobias.

TC also tells Khalil and Painkiller that he found way to turn off Painkiller's kill order, but it will require him to erase all of Khalil's memories of the Pierce family, as the order is too firmly embedded in those memories to remove by itself.

Khalil and Painkiller both agree to this and TC removes all their memories of the Pierce family.

Sometime later, the family organizes an official wedding ceremony for Grace and Anissa.

Grace officially adopts Wylde as her superhero name.

Lynn apologizes to Gambi for blaming him for Jefferson being a superhero.

Neither TC or Jennifer drink any of the champagne at the party.

TC decides to wait on telling Jennifer about Khalil.

Jennifer says she's disturbed that nobody but her father seemed to have any idea she'd been repalaced by the fake Jennifer.

Jefferson and Lynn announce that they are getting remarried.

Jefferson announces that he is retiring from being a superhero and will leave protecting the city to Jennifer, Grace and Anissa.

Gambi announces that he is retiring too and that TC will be taking over his role on the team.

In Tobias' office, Lala, last seen in 406, finally frees himself from the concrete Ishmael trapped him in. 


Location

Akashic Valley


The Bottom Line

A largely satisfying conclusion that resolves most of the storylines of the season, though the return of Jennifer comes out of nowhere and the Painkiller resolution is bittersweet in the wake of the revelation that - baring his jumping to another series or some other network picking up the show - this is it for Khalil. Still, it could have been far worse, and at least Lala got the literal last laugh.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 6 - The Book of Ruin: Chapter Two: Theseus’s Ship

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

Plot

Jennifer's life has been saved, but her appearance is completely different after her body solidifies! As Jefferson struggles to cope with another change he blames himself for and Tobias Whale's announcement that he's running for mayor, the rest of the family rally to support Jen as she copes with her own identity crisis. Meanwhile, a new assassin is in town and Lala is in his crosshairs.


Influences

The 1942 film Cat People (Jennifer and Anissa watch it), Big,13 Going on 30, Freaky Friday, Being John Malkovich,  Face/Off (all movies involving being in a strange body), Star Wars (Ishmael is essentially Boba Fett even before we see the "frozen" Lala) and the March 13, 2020 shooting of Breonna Taylor.


Goofs

While the title-card for the episode gives its name as Theseus's Ship, it would be more grammatically correct  for it to be Theseus' Ship, without the extra s.

Why does Gambi tell Jennifer not to tell her parents who made her temporary costume for them when she's specifically going to save Jefferson, who is smart enough to figure it out when his daughter suddenly has a new costume.


Performances

Laura Kariuki has a fantastic first turn as the new Jennifer, getting a scene with each character to show that she's the same Jen but in a new body. It's frightening how well she's replicated some of China McClaine's mannerisms.


Artistry

The Breona Taylor flashforward scene is a powerful moment.


Trivia

The episode title comes from a classic thought problem from Ancient Greece, regarding the ship of the hero Theseus and the nature of identity. The idea behind the riddle of Theseus' ship is whether a thing is defined by physicality or thought. If you replace all the rotten wood in the ship of Theseus, is it still the ship of Theseus once all the wood has been replaced? If you take that rotten wood and could somehow cure it and used it to build another ship identical to the first, would that also be the Ship of Theseus? 

Coincidentally, a few weeks before this episode of Black Lightning aired, the question of Theseus' Ship achieved prominence on-line due to it figuring into the season finale of Wandavision, when two versions of the robotic hero Vision contemplated which of them was the true Vision - a copy born of the memories of the original Vision or the one born of his body, which had no memories belonging to the original?

This episode contained the first Post-Crisis reference to the League of Assassins on Earth-Prime. It was suggested, in the final episodes of Arrow, that Thea Queen and Talia Al Ghul were reforming what remained of the League into a heroic organization. It's possible the League of Assassins group Ishmael mentions is a new group evoking the name of the original League.

Ishmael is a relatively new introduction to the DC Comics Universe, who first appeared in Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 3 #1, in July 2019. Ishmael was a member of the League of Assassins who gained metahuman powers and immortality as a result of experiments Ra's Al Ghul conducted with the waters of the Lazarus Pits. In addition to being immortal and having a heightened healing factor, Ishmael had the power to neutralize the powers of any metahumans he came in contact with. He also had superhuman strength and durability and could amplify the powers of other metahumans. This made him an ideal assassin for superhero targets.

The Arrowverse version of Ishmael does not seem to be a metahuman, but is incredibly skilled in combat. He is currently auditioning for the League of Assassins and must kill 100 metahumans to earn a place among them.


Technobabble

Something in the transmutation process caused the genes responsible for determining Jennifer's appearance to express themselves in a new way. Gambi explains that Jennifer's new looks obey the same logic as identical twins; she has the same genes, but the genes are presenting themselves in a new sequence.

Before looking at the ballistic reports for Mayor Black's death, Gambi determines that he was shot from an elevated position, given that he grabbed the top of his head when he was shot. The problem is that the only building tall enough to match the angle of the shot was 4 miles away - nearly twice the distance of the longest sniper shot ever recorded. 

Lauren still cannot get her energy field emitter to cover an area larger than 500 feet.

Gambi theorizes the problem with the energy emitter is that they are using the wrong power source, which would explain the problems with the voltage regulator. He suggests Promethium might be able to solve the problem, but they'd need a lot more than is known to exist.

The pieces inside the Go board that Gambi gives Lauren conceal a retina scanner, which lets him get the pattern of her eyes.

Lynn modified the meta-booster formula so it will only work on ordinary humans, so as to prevent another super-meta like Gravediggger.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Grace finds Jennifer in the corner of the Sanctum, looking at her costume mannequin.) 
Grace: It's strange, isn't it? I remember the first time I shifted. It's not easy changing faces.
Jennifer: Perenna warned me this might happen. She said if I wasn't careful, I'd explode. Grace, what am I gonna do? What about my friends? What about school?
Grace: Hey, don't worry about that right now. We'll figure it out.
Jennifer: Yeah, well, you're lucky. You can change back whenever you want.
Grace: Okay, sure. I mean, now. But there's been plenty of times when I couldn't.
Jennifer: So what did you do? How did you get through it?
Grace: I focused on what was important. Not this. (gesturing at Jen's reflection in the glass case) This. (poking her arm) It's not who you are on the outside that matters. It's who you are inside. And deep down, you are still the same strong Jen we know and love. Nothing's gonna change that.
Jennifer: I certainly don't feel like it.
Grace: You will, trust me. Now, come on, your family's waiting.

(Black Lightning emerges from the shadows out behind the FPD building. He regards Detective Hasan cautiously.)
Detective Hasan: Black Lightning.
Black Lightning: Detective. Or should I say... Head of the New Meta Task Force? I don't know what side you're on, man. 
Detective Hasan: (chuckles) Don't get your drawers in a bunch. It wasn't my decision.
Black Lightning: Oh? Sounds like something a traitor would say.
Detective Hasan: Oh, yeah? Would a traitor get you the ballistics from the mayor's killing, like you asked?
(Detective Hasan passes Black Lightning a plastic evidence bag containing an unspent bullet.)
Detective Hasan: Notice anything unusual?
Black Lightning: Yeah, it's still in the casing.
Detective Hasan: That's right. It was never fired.
Black Lightning: If it was never fired, then how...
Detective Hasan: Let go.
Black Lightning: What?
Detective Hasan: Trust me. Just let go.
(Black Lightning does so. The bag suddenly goes flying and sticks to a nearby metal container.)
Black Lightning: What the hell?! It's been magnetized.
Detective Hasan: How do you fire a bullet without a gun? Magnetic powers.
Black Lightning: (nodding as the pieces click together) So a meta did it? Yeah, that would explain the distance of the shot... (shaking his head) You need to know, Lightning had nothing to do with this. And she's not to blame for Lydell Jackson either.
Detective Hasan: I know. Not that it's going to matter much. The chief is on a warpath. After what happened with Lala gettin' away, she's planning raids on half the damn Eastside. She's already approved a dozen affidavits for no-knock warrants.
Black Lightning: No-knock warrants? She lost her damn mind? Most people in this city are packing.
Detective Hasan: That's right. Which is why I'm telling you... Freeland needs Black Lightning. Or are you gonna disappear on us again?
Black Lightning: No, I'm back... for good this time.

(Anissa and Jennifer are watching an old movie together. It's the 1942 version of Cat People.)
Actor Tom Conway: Women, who, in jealousy or anger, or out of their own corrupt passions, can change into great cats, like panthers!
Jennifer: Really, Anissa?
Anissa: Wait, what?
Jennifer: All the movies you could've picked, and you just had to choose one that reminds me of being trapped in this body?
Anissa: You right, my bad. What would you like to watch instead? (laughing a bit as Jennifer starts to laugh too) Let's see, we got 13 Going on 30. Big. Let's see, Being John Malkovich. Ooh... Freaky Friday.
Jennifer: Oh, my God, Freaky Friday? Can you imagine?
Anissa: No.
Jennifer: What if I switched places with Mom? I'd be all like (impersonating Lynn) "Go get our baby."
Anissa: (laughing) Ooh, that was good. That's good, but it could be worse. You could be Nicolas Cage in Face/Off.
Both: (in unison, mimicking Nicholas Cage) "I'd like to take his face... off."
Anissa: Oh, man. It's really not all that bad, though. I promise. Now, I wasn't gonna say anything, but, girl, your skin... Jen, your skin, it looks amazing now.
Jennifer: Really?
Anissa: Yeah.
Jennifer: You think so? I do kinda like the dark chocolate look.
Anissa: I ain't worried about you. You be fine. You just gotta... just make sure you look at all the positives. Okay? (pauses) Like the fact that you could be playin' in the WNBA.
Jennifer: Shut up.
Anissa: Okay, I'm just sayin'! I'm sayin'

(TC and Jennifer hear on the coms that Black Lightning is going to stop the police's random raids.)
TC: You should go. He may need backup.
Jennifer: No, I shouldn't. My mom told me not use my powers.
(TC stares at Jennifer in disbelief.)
TC: Don't get mad when I say this, but, uh... who the hell are you?!

(Jennifer enters the Sanctum and approaches the case with her costume. Gambi comes from around the corner.)
Gambi: You're late.
Jennifer: Uncle Gambi, you scared me!
Gambi: (calmly) That suit's not gonna fit you anymore. You're a lot taller now. I am working on a new nanotech model for you. But in the meantime... I've got something that should do the trick. Just don't tell your parents.
Jennifer: I won't. Thank you.
Gambi: I'll go grab it for you.
Jennifer: Wait, Uncle Gambi? How did you know I'd be here?
Gambi: (smiling softly) Because that's what Jen would do.


Continuity

The new Jennifer has the same DNA as she did before, despite her changed appearance. 

According to Grace, Jen smells exactly the same as she did before, despite her changed appearance.

Grace claims that it took her time to master her shape-shifting powers and that she eventually learned control by focusing on her inner self.

Jefferson leaves the Sanctum before he can talk to Jennifer.

Jennifer claims to feel fine, but is told not to use her powers.

Jennifer starts using JJ as an alias and claims to be Lynn's niece.

The full name of Tobias Whale's lawyer Val is Val Seong. She is also revealed to be the ALS patient he wanted Lynn to help. 

Val notices how strange Lynn and JJ act around her, having not thought of a cover story before then.

The police are publicly blaming Lala and The 100 for Mayor Black's death.

Lala is still on the run following the events of 405.

Jeff says he's uncomfortable with Jennifer's new appearance because her energy feels different. Gambi insists that it's impossible for her to be an alternate dimension doppelganger when Jefferson points out he's traveled to other dimensions and fought with Superman, in reference to the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Gambi is unable to hack the Freeland PD computers to get the ballistic reports regarding Mayor Black's death. He is able to figure out that Lala wasn't involved, as he and his men were on the ground and whoever shot Mayor Black did some from an elevated position, four miles away from the scene of the crime.

Gambi is able to get a shot of a hooded man from a security camera placing him on the roof at that moment. 

Tobias personally purchases a next-gen DEG for every cop in Freeland and announces that he is running for mayor in the new election to replace Mayor Black.

Detective Hasan is able to give Black Lightning the ballistic tests report on Mayor Black's death, as well as the bullet. Jefferson notices the bullet is still in the case and hadn't been fired. Detective Hasan points out another oddity: the bullets appear to be magnetically charged, suggesting the bullets were thrown by a metahuman with magnetic powers.

Black Lightning tells Detevtive Hasan that Lightning had nothing to do with Mayor Black's death or the death of Lydell Jackson. Detective Hasan says he knows, but it doesn't matter because the chief is on the warpath. 

Detective Hasan warns Black Lighting that Chief Lopez is planning a series of no-knock raids across the East Side of Freeland in an effort to smoke out Lala.

Lauren reveals that Promethium the rare metal that is the power source of the DEGs and that Monovista International has a sizeable stockpile of it.

Anissa and Jennifer watch the movie Cat People together.

Anissa tells Jennifer about her and Grace's secret wedding.

Jennifer tells Anissa to take Grace on a honeymoon ASAP.

Lala tries to attack Destiny as she's picking up protection money, but she's protected by a masked man wielding two swords who calls himself Ishmael. 

Ishmael kills Lala and then drops him in a freshly poured bed of concrete before pouring more wet cement over him.

Gambi gives Lauren a gift: the Go board that she beat him with, with the pieces glued in her winning configuration. He can still recall it from memory. 

Lauren was the only non-Japanese player who could beat Gambi at Go. 

Lauren offers to thank Gambi privately in the secret room of their lab when they're meant to be working.

Gambi does seem to feel guilty about this, given he was trying to steal Lauren's eye-pattern.

Lynn confirms that Val has ALS and also has the metagene, but she has no idea what her power is.

Jefferson asks Lynn to make a meta-booster serum of Val's DNA so they can determine her power and see if she is Tobias' magnetic assassin. Lynn refuses. 

Val tells Tobias about JJ and how strange she and Lynn were acting. She reveals that she took a picture of JJ on her phone.

Tobias asks his AI to scan for pictures of JJ. It does not find any.

TC offers to use his powers to set Jennifer up with a new identity, complete with DL and passport.

TC was a fan of the show Good Times and says Jennifer's alias reminds him of the character of JJ Evans.

Jefferson goes to stop a no-knock warrant for Apartment 4 at 717 Garner Drive.

TC shows Jennifer several videos of people on Lightning's social media thanking her for saving them, to inspire her to go help her father.

One fan on TikTok made a Lightning Dance, which she does with her friends.

Gambi hasn't had time to build a new costume for Jennifer, but he did put together something like the Blackbird costume that should work for a night.

The police attack the wrong apartment. As predicted, the man inside the raided apartment draws his gun and tries to defend himself, thinking he's been robbed and not thinking about the police. A flash-forward shows his girlfriend dying in the crossfire, her funeral, and a string of fights breaking out across Freeland as the police and protesters clash. This then rewinds back to before the police can fire a shot as Black Lightning shows in to protect the people and knocks out the cops.

Lightning saves Black Lighting from being overpowered by police armed with the new DEGs. 

Jefferson apologies to Jennifer for being so weirded out by her new appearance and thanks her for coming to help him. She, in turn, thanks him for saving her life.

Anissa models several outfits for Grace, asking if she'd rather travel to Vail for a ski trip, New Orleans during Mardi Gras or the Akashic Valley.

Ishmael presents Destiny with a concrete-encased Lala and declares that he is his 94th Metahuman kill. He must kill 100 metahumans to earn a place in the League of Assassins.

Destiny hires Ishmael to stay in Freeland a while and kill the rest of the city's metahuman vigilantes. She gives him photos of Black Lightning, Grace (in her masked costume) Blackbird and Lynn (with her mask)


The Bottom Line

A fantastic episode that manages the near impossible trick of referencing current events and effectively introducing a new character without becoming hokey or forced.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 5 - The Book of Ruin: Chapter One: Picking Up The Pieces

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

Plot

Chief Lopez declares war on Freeland's vigilantes and gangs, but the Pierce family have bigger concerns. Tensions run high and tempers flare as all the family secrets come out into the open and the life of Jennifer Pierce hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Destiny proposes a truce between The 100 and the Kobra Cartel.


Influences

Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Machiavelli's The Prince (Both are cited by Lala in discussing strategy.)


Performances

It's hard to say who delivers the stronger performance here with the most limited screentime; Marvin Jones III as Tobias Whale or William Catlett as Lala.


Artistry

The effects work of Jefferson in orbit is good.

The script for this episode is one of the smartest in quite some time, with lots of witty banter.


Trivia

This marks the first episode where Laura Kariyki, credited as JJ, played Jennifer Pierce.


Technobabble

Gambi guesses that Jefferson's affinity for electrons allow him to sense Jennifer's presence in the energy her physical body disintegrated into. 

TC is able to talk to satellites from ground-level.

Gambi says they need a Hadron Particle Condenser to change the energy that was Jennifer's body back into solid matter.

Gambi is able to wake Jefferson up while he's in freefall by playing a series of high frequency sounds through his earpiece. 

With a particle condenser, there's a chance of creating miniature black holes. These could disappear almost instantly or destroy everything around them.

According to Gambi, once the energy is fully rendered and the DNA sequences have been decoded by the particle condenser, it will transmute the energy into matter. TC says the process is similar to how an object is 3D printed, only using organic material.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Jefferson flies up, blasting energy from his hands to carry him higher and higher. He doesn't look down until he starts breathing heavier from how thin the air is. Only then does he see the curve of the Earth and the fantastic view below him.)
Jefferson: Wow. I could see how someone could get used to this.

(Red quizzes Tobias on what a falling object over the city was, not knowing it was Black Lighting.)
Red: What do you think that was? Maybe a meteor or a shooting star?
Tobias: Do I look like Neil deGrasse Tyson to you?
Red: I'm not even really sure who that is, but I'm going to guess no.
Tobias: (chuckles) That's the problem with white privilidge. You get to be ignorant and still command respect. 

(Tobias chuckles at the video footage of Jefferson in costume again.)
Tobias: You know, Red, you may actually have to earn your money.

Red: (levitating his oversize coin in his hands) Just say the word, boss.
(Suddenly, the coin flies across the room, burying itself in the wall. Tobias' smile fades.)

Tobias: Boy, I've got two words for you. Spackle. And paint. Now fix my damn wall!

(Destiny proposes a truce between The 100 and the Kobra Cartel.)
Lala: So the enemy of my enemy is my friend. That's what you're saying?
Destiny: Seems like a truce makes sense, given the circumstances. You can even pick the place. Bring some people that you trust and we can hash out the details.
Lala: Nah. I think I'm good. I'm not really looking to do a peace summit right now. And the way I see it, the enemy of my enemy doesn't make you a friend. It just means I've got more enemies to deal with.

Devonte: So you really want this truce?
Lala: Nah. It's time that we flip the script. Like they say, "There's no avoiding war. It can only be postponed to the advantage of others."

Devonte: What you saying?

Lala: Destiny came at me with that Sun Tzu, so I went straight Machiavelli.

(Devonte looks confused)

Lala: That means that that bitch gots to die!

Tobias: In chess the most dangerous pieces are the ones that your opponent keeps on reserve. You must make your opponent commit. And once committed, you have yourself a game. (chuckles) And whenever I have a game, I always win.

Tobias: If one would have power, one must recognize the hierarchies in all things.

Val: Who said that?
Tobias: Me.

Val: May I be candid?
Tobias: At your own peril.

Black Lightning: You know, I'd hoped you'd turned the corner when we fought the Markovians. How much death do you need, man? Killing the mayor wasn't enough for you?
Lala: Man, I didn't kill that fool! And none of my boys did neither.
Black Lightning: That's not what Chief Lopez thinks.
Lala: There's only one person I wanted dead that night. Tobias Whale. And you should want him dead your damn self! Because no matter what that negro's playing at, know this! He's coming for all of us.
(Sirens start to be heard in the near distance.)
Black Lightning: We've got to stop killing each other, bro.
Lala: Tell that to the police. Freeland's my house. I don't kill nobody in it. Unless they've got it coming.
(Black Lightning drops the charge on his hands. Lala lowers his DEG and nods.)
Lala: Glad to see you back. Freeland's been needing someone to look up to.


Continuity

Jefferson claims to be able to sense that Jennifer is still alive. Anissa believes him.

Lynn and Gambi don't believe it's possible.

TC says that the Starlink satellite says something weird is going on in the area where Jennifer exploded and is able to get it to give him a visual view of it.

Jefferson is able to borrow the equipment Gambi needs to save Jennifer from a "fast friend" at STAR Labs in Central City (i.e. Barry Allen from The Flash) 

Jefferson dons his Black Lightning suit in order to fly into the ionosphere and try to absorb Jennifer's energy.

Jefferson absorbs Jen's energy but passes out in the process.

Gambi is able to wake up Jefferson before he crashes to Earth.

Tobias' new bodyguard is named Red. He's confirmed to be a telekinetic metahuman, powerful enough to throw a gold coin with enough force to penetrate a wall.

Tobias' AI Katie is able to access security cameras showing Jefferson's landing.

TC blames himself for not being able to stop Jennifer from going into the ionosphere. 

Lydell Green's body is found by the police. The coroner discovers that despite the electrical burns on his body (delivered by Jefferson in 403) he was killed by blunt force trauma - the blows administered by Lala in 404.

Despite Detective Hassan Shakar's belief that Green was probably killed by the Kobra Cartel, Chief Lopez decides to pin his death on Lightning and use his death as an excuse to crack down on the vigilantes of Freeland.

Chief Lopez also appoints Detective Shakar to lead a special Meta Task Force and refuses to accept no for an answer when he tries to shrug out of the job.

Detective Shakar served in the USMC for four years and spent two years in special operations. He turned down a chance to work in SWAT because he wanted to be a real detective - not busting down doors at 2 AM.

Lynn knew about Jennifer taking trips into the ionosphere to get charged up.

Lynn blames Jefferson not being there for Jennifer in the last year for her getting hooked on the "charge." He, in turn, blames Lynn for not doing anything to stop Jennifer's addiction because of her own struggles.

The 100 is blamed for the murder of Mayor Billy Black in 404, despite his being killed with police rounds.

Lightning is named as the primary suspect in the death of Lydell Green and is publicly declared Public Enemy #1 in Freeland.

Jefferson tells the rest of the family that he did beat up Lydell Green, but says he did not kill him.

Anissa ignores a phone call from Grace so that she can stay with Lynn, who is drinking heavily and pigging out on junk food.

Anissa still hasn't told Grace about what happened to Jennifer.

Gambi guesses it will take at least another day before Jennifer's body is reconstituted.

Jennifer was a fussy eater as a child when it came to fruit. She had no trouble with broccoli, but wouldn't eat grapes that were too squishy or apples that were bruised.

Jefferson lost Jennifer at the supermarket while picking out apples once. He found her five minutes later reading in the magazine section, looking at pictures of football star Colin Kaepernick. It was the only time he ever lost one of his kids and until Jennifer's near-death experience it was the worst moment of his life.

Gambi says that he doesn't agree with Lynn about what happened to Jennifer being Jefferson's fault. He does, however, agree with her that Jefferson should never have stopped being Black Lightning. 

Destiny calls Lala and suggests The 100 and Kobra Cartel call a truce to work against the police together. He reluctantly agrees, but immediately begins planning how to turn the tables against her.

Anissa still hasn't told her family that she and Grace were married in 403.

Anissa tells Grace about what happened to Jennifer.

Red does not play chess.

Red's father was killed by his mother. As a result, he doesn't trust any woman getting close to him or to Tobias.

Val went to Yale.

According to Tobias, Yale's law school producers a larger number of law professors than any other college.

Jefferson attacks The 100's underground fight club as Black Lightning, before calling the police and tipping them off as to its location.

Lala denies killing Mayor Black, telling Black Lightning he only wanted to kill Tobias Whale and he was the only one he and his men shot at.

Lala and Black Lighting seem to come to an understanding. Lala even says it's good to see him back.

The next morning, when Gambi wakes up, Jennifer is 92% reconstituted. 

TC did not sleep at all the previous night. 

According to TC, the particle condenser is pretty sure it can put Jennifer's body back together, but they aren't sure if she'll still be alive when they do it.  The computer processers think there's only a 24% chance she'll be alive.

Lynn apologies to Jefferson for blaming him for Jennifer flying off.

Jefferson, in turn, apologies for blaming Lynn's addiction for Jennifer getting addicted to flying in the ionosphere. 

Lynn says that Jefferson was a far better parent than she was.

The police ambush the site Lala chose for The 100 to talk peace with the Kobra Cartel.

Lala is shot to death but resurrects, kills several cops, and flees the scene.

All the other 100 members, including Devonte, are arrested.

Destiny watches the whole raid from a distance, and, seeing Lala escape, makes a phone call saying they need to bring in an assassin who specializes in metahumans. 

Anissa takes Grace into the new Sanctum, which is hidden behind a secret door in the tunnels under Freeland.

Anissa tells the rest of the family about Grace and she's formally welcomed into the family.

As Jennifer's body reforms, Jefferson suddenly loses touch with her essence and can't sense her energy anymore. Gambi has no explanation for this.

The episode ends with Jennifer emerging from the pod, but she looks completely different than she did before, even as she clearly recognizes her family.


Untelevised Adventures

While Barry Allen is said to have run the equipment Gambi needed to Freeland, he does not appear on camera.


The Bottom Line

A solid, stunning episode, even before the cliffhanger ending with a new actress playing Jennifer. The opening scenes give us a high-water mark for the special effects and it's good to see Jefferson back in the suit again. More, it's good to see Lala back to being the ethical but not idiotic street tough he was back in Season One and Tobias being his usual erudite self.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 4 - The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter Four: A Light In The Darkness

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

Plot

Angrier than ever, Jefferson turns to Lala's fight club to work out his issues in the wake of Tobias' openly working to rebuild Freeland and earning acclaim in the process. As Grace and Anissa try to settle into sharing a living space together, Gambi continues to undermine Monovista International from within as The 100 plan to take down Tobias once and for all.


Influences

The Outsiders comics (Anissa gives Grace a copy of the book.)


Artistry

Again, the use of music throughout this episode is one of its best features.


Technobabble

The new DEGs are estimated to be likely to explode 37% of the time, even without TC introducing an intentional flaw.

In addition to the new stun setting, the second generation DEGs can have their range and intensity adjusted on the fly. 

The maximum range on the new DEGs is 1000 meters. 

The flaw TC and Gambi introduce into the DEGs will cause them to misfire more often than they hit their target, due to the capacitor bank position.

Terrestrial resonance is a theory proposed by Nicola Tesla that electricity could be safely transmitted without wires. He attempted to construct a model at Wardenclyffe Tower, but it was never completed.

Dialogue Triumphs

Tobias: Have a seat, Jefferson.

Jefferson: No. No. I think I'll stand.
Tobias: Let me rephrase; sit your weak monkey-ass down before all the people of Freeland learn that the Pierce family is the chocolate-covered Incredibles.

(Jennifer walks in on TC watching her father fight in The 100's underground club.)
Jennifer: What are you watching?
TC: It's an underground fight club.
Jennifer: Wait - Fight Club? Like the movie?
TC: What movie?  (looks back to the screen) I was waiting on you to get here so we can fix your IG problem, but I got bored and started scrolling. Somebody posted it on their live feed and... it's crazy! It's like Mike Tyson's Punch-Out in real life! 
Jennifer: Mike Tyson's punch what?
TC: ... never mind.

Jefferson: Not now.
Lynn: No. You talk to me.
Jefferson: That's really funny coming from you.
Lynn: What? What's that supposed to mean?
Jefferson: It means I saw you, Lynn. You and your little cozy dinner with Tobias, which was three days ago. No word from you. Now, why is that? Is he your new type now?
Lynn: You son of a bitch! You hid things from me our entire marriage, and I don't tell you one thing-
Jefferson: Oh, one thing?! You're a drug addict. You hid that from us for months! You know, you could be on something right now, and you tell me that you weren't? I wouldn't believe you. I don't trust you!
Lynn: Right. Because the only person you truly trusted is gone now, right?  Henderson? What would Henderson say if he was here right now, Jeff? Huh? What would Henderson say if he could see you right now, Jeff?

Jefferson: I can't do this. 
(Jefferson goes out the front door, leaving Lynn gasping in anger.)


Continuity

Jefferson has another nightmare: this time that he's been poisoned and can't move. Lynn is there but she injects herself with the same poison, leaving her helpless as Tobias comes and kicks in Jefferson's head.

TC is a big fan of Kid N' Play.

Gambi is more of an Otis Redding fan.

Gambi's current plan to stop the new wave of DEGs is to have TC introduce a design flaw into the blueprint that will delay their roll-out long enough for him to figure out a way to protect Jennifer, Anissa and Jefferson from them.

TC is apparently living with Gambi and has his own room in the same place as Gambi's new lab.

It has been three days since Jefferson saw Tobias and Lynn having dinner in 403.

Lynn has not told Jefferson about her dinner with Tobias, leaving Jefferson wondering if he can trust her anymore.

Gambi says he trusts Lynn to tell him in her time and asks Jefferson to leave it alone for now.

Gambi says he has been watching Tobias Whale since he returned to Freeland, but he hasn't done anything illegal yet.  All of his land dealings have been above-board and openly made.

Jefferson confronts Tobias at a local restaurant. 

All of Grace's belongings are still in storage.

Anissa and Grace have a fight after Grace asks about moving her things into Anissa's loft and Anissa says her comic collection and favorite chair wouldn't fit the aesthetic.

Tobias finances an $83 million proposal to rebuild the south side of Freeland.

The city is also financing a gun buyback program.

Tobias suggests they announce the new second-generation DEGs at an event at the Blackbird Homeless safe zone. Mayor Black agrees.

Jennifer is continuing to feel burned out following her recharge trips into the ionosphere.

TC says he's been reading up on the ionosphere and doesn't think it is safe for Jennifer to charge up there.

Lightning now has 2 million followers on Instagram, some 65 hours, 22 minutes and 22 seconds after TC set up her private account.

The 100 Gang acquire some what they were told were next-gen DEGs, but they aren't as powerful as advertised.

Lala consults with an ex-soldier he killed on why the guns aren't working. He has no idea as he isn't a scientist.

The deputy police chief of Freeland is working for The 100, to pay off his gambling debts. He tells Lala about the shipment of 2nd Generation DEGs that are being shipped to the police in two days. He is in charge of logistics for the shipment.

Lauren elects to release the flawed DEGs anyway, even after Gambi points out the flaw.

Jefferson is still fighting in Lala's underground club.

Lala tells Jefferson that he needs to quit while he's ahead, because it will lead to trouble if Jefferson dies in his arena.

The Deputy Police Chief advises Chief Lopez that trusting Tobias Whale is not a smart thing.

TC discovered Lala's underground fight club steam.

TC has not seen the movie Fight Club.

Jennifer has never heard of the video game Mike Tyson's Punch-Out.

Jennifer recognizes her father even before TC is able to remove the electric distortion hiding his face.

Lynn reads Jefferson the riot act about his taking part in the fight club.

Jefferson tells Lynn he knows about her dinner with Tobias.

Lauren shows up at Gambi's apartment. She admits he was right about the DEG alignment being off by 2.5 millimeters.

The 2nd Generation DEG release is delayed for a few days.

Lauren says she has another project Gambi can help her with.

Rebecca Larsen is now claiming the real footage of Lightning saving people is fake.

Jefferson overhears people in a bar wishing Black Lightning would come back. When he asks what Black Lightning ever did to help Freeland,one man talks about how Black Lightning talked to him and got him to quit a gang and go back to school.

Anissa gives Grace a pristine copy of The Outsiders: Volume 2, Issue 16 - the comic that was in her back pocket when they met in 103 - as a house warming present, which they can hang on the wall.

Anissa's smart house, Shonda, informs her that Mayor Black doesn't have adequate security for his event at the Homeless Safe Zone. She and Grace go to protect the people.

Lightning goes out with them at first, but the decides to patrol the rest of the city.

Grace shape-shifts herself a masked costume and decides to give herself the code name Wylde, as an effort to reclaim her original last name.

Jefferson apologizes to Lynn for getting lost in his grief. She also apologizes for not telling him about Tobias right away. 

Lynn says she has no intention of working with Tobias, but Jefferson thinks she should so that she can spy on him and figure out his plans.

The 100 attempt to kill Tobias, but Thunder takes the DEG shot meant for him fired by Lala.

Grace throws down all the officials on the stage where Tobias and Mayor Black were delivering their speeches.

Mayor Black is shot and killed in the crossfire.

Chief Lopez blames the metahumans for getting in her way before she could protect the mayor.

Tobias arranged for his security to use police issued rounds, so the coroner will believe Mayor Black was killed by the police.

Lauren reveals that she is working on an energy field emitter, similar to the one proposed by Nicola Tesla, built around terrestrial resonance. She's managed to get the field to work, but it will only cover a few blocks.

Gambi agrees to help her work on it.

Tobias calls a press conference where he announces he is personally doubling the number of DEGs going to the Freeland Police.

Jefferson tries to talk to Jennifer and apologize to her for how he's acted. She leaves out her bedroom window when he's done talking.

TC notes Jennifer's energy levels spiking through her costume as she flies into the ionosphere again. As he calls her to check on her, 

Jennifer's power levels overload and she's left unable to move. 

The episode ends with Jennifer seeming to explode.

Untelevised Adventures

Jennifer tells Lynn about Jefferson taking part in the fight club off-camera.


The Winick Factor

Granting that Jennifer doesn't always think things through, it's unbelievable she'd never consider that her parents might hear about Lightning having an Instagram account.

The Bottom Line

An explosive episode, no pun intended, which escalates the stakes even as we start to see the Jefferson Pierce we know and love once more.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 3 - The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter Three: Despite All My Rage...

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

Plot

Jefferson steps in to stop Lala's latest business venture when he discoveres one of his teachers has started a side-gig in an underground fight club, as Anissa continues to care for the comatose Grace. Meanwhile, Gambi starts seeking a way to fight against the next generation of anti-metahuman weaponry, as Jennifer seeks TC's help in establishing a presence for Lightning on social media after she's made to look bad by a conservative news pundit. 

Influences

Rebecca Larsen is a pretty clear parody of Tomi Lahren.


Trivia

The episode subtitle seems to be inspired by a lyric from the Smashing Pumpkins song "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" - "Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage." This is a nod to both the cage fighting that is a major part of the story and Jefferson's feelings. (The song's chorus, "And I still believe that I cannot be saved," is a fair assessment of Jefferson's attitude as well.)

Lynn makes mention of a brother named John who served in the Army. Some theorize this is a nod to John Diggle from the show Arrow. However, there is no real evidence to support this theory.

It seems more likely the reference to Lynn's brother is a knowing nod to John Stewart. It is a common misconception among comic fans that Lynn Stewart is the sister of the Green Lantern John Stewart. While Tony Isabella did give Lynn the last name "Stewart" with the intention of  maybe connecting her to the Green Lantern, he never had the chance to do so during his run on Black Lightning and no other comic book writer ever made the connection either. The only reality where John Stewart and Lynn Stewart are related is in the world of the animated series Young Justice.

The network that employs Rebecca Larsen is GBS. This could be Galaxy Broadcasting System - the same company run by Morgan Edge, which owns The Daily Planet in Superman and Lois.

Grace is reading a Thunder comic in her hospital room in her final scene.

In Georgia, witnesses are not required for a wedding ceremony if the marriage license is filled out by the officiating figure.


Technobabble

The new generation of DEG have a stun setting, so they can be used on regular humans as well as metahumans.. At the highest setting, the new DEGs can knock a hole in the side of a tank.

TC discovers that the new make of DEGS are mostly mechanical and do not have a computer he can talk to. They also have an odd energy signature which Gambi believes is the power source.

The lowest non-stun setting on the new DEG is powerful enough to burn a hole through the original Black Lightning costume. Gambi suspects it might even be able to hurt the costume the ASA made for Jefferson.

The 100 Fight Club uses special filters to hide the identities of its fighters.

While Jennifer can supercharge her powers and heal quickly by entering the ionsphere, she suffers a "crash" several hours later.


Dialogue Triumphs

Jefferson: I can't be the man that I was. He thought he could... change the world. I can't live with the... decisions that I made being him. 

Jefferson: (To Lynn) Ten years ago you asked me to stop being Black Lightning. I did. Hypocrisy looks good on you.

(Jennifer is complaining about Rebeca Larsen making her look bad.)
Anissa: Jen, you are a little OC with your powers. I keep telling you, if you trained a little more, you'd have more control. Less property damage. No nicknames.
Jennifer: Says the woman who leaves giant cracks in the street just by landing dramatically. You can just walk, Anissa.

(Jefferson walks into Gambi's lab and sees him dissecting the new DEG. His face is bruised.)
Jefferson: Do I want to know how you go tthat?
Gambi: Same way you got this. (points to his face indicating Jefferson's bruises) Doing things we shouldn't'.

(Lynn has walked into a restaurant to find Tobias Whale waiting for her instead of Jefferson.)
Tobias: Forgive my ruse. But I knew you wouldn't attend on my account alone, so I kept my not vague. But please, feel free to order whatever your heart desires.
Lynn: I'd rather break bread with Judas.
Tobias: Fair enough. Though I'd be remiss if I didn't recommend the cognac shrimp. 


Continuity

Jefferson has a reoccurring dream of Tobias Whale breaking into his house and threatening him and Jefferson being powerless to fight him.

The 100 are now sponsoring an underground fighting arena that is almost entirely virtual, with people placing their bets on-line and no live audience watching the fights.

Lala kills Lydell Green, the child killer from 402, and his face becomes a tattoo on the back of Lala's right hand.

Lynn tests Jennifer's regeneration abilities by giving herself her powers while taking a bath. 

Rebecca Larsen, a conservative media pundit with a show called The Larsen Line, runs a segment showing highly edited footage of Jennifer, calling her Lethal Lightning, suggesting she was responsible for causing the property damage that put one local man out of business.

The scroll on GBS news notes that one missing girl in Freeland hasn't been seen for three days and that 13 girls have gone missing within the past month.

A sign in the hall at Garfield High promotess a vigil for George Floyd.

Jefferson sees Marcel Payton, the teacher who lost his son in 402, and notes that he is bruised. Payton claims he's got a night job as a bounder.  Jefferson follows him and discovers that he is fighting in Lala's fights.

Grace awakens from her coma.

TC is now going to Garfield High.

Jennifer asks TC to help her find who filmed her fight in 402.so she can get the unaltered footage on-line. He reluctantly agrees and points her to Terry Andrews.

Lynn is currently teaching night school classes at Garfield High School.

Lynn's parents served in the military, as did her brother. She was discouraged from following them because her grades were good enough she could get into college on a science scholarship.

Lynn has always felt like an outside even in her own family. She concludes that her issues with Jefferson and her daughters come from the same feeling of trying to fit in where she doesn'tbelong.

Lynn's therapist advises her to just be herself and not worry about fitting in and own her own gifts.

Devonte knows Jefferson by sight.

Mayor Black has a meeting with Tobias. He makes it clear that while he will play nice in public, he has no delusions as to who Whale is.

Mayor Black refuses to go along with Tobias' offer to finance a new hospital with the condition that it be built where Garfield High School is.

Jennifer discovers that Terry Andrews is just a kid.

Terry is a Lightning fan boy and apologizes for selling his footage to Rebecca Larsen, saying he wouldn't have if he'd known she was going to tear Lightning down. 

Terry agrees to upload the full footage on-line in exchange for a selfie with Lightning and her following him on his social media. (He originally asks for a photo of her kissing him, but agrees that's too much.)

Jefferson challenges the ringer Lala brings in to beat Marcel and wins.

Jefferson offers his childhood home to Marcel along with his winnings from the fight. Marcel takes most of the money, but offers part of it back to Jefferson as "the first month's rent" on the house.

Lynn receives flowers and an invitation to dinner. She assumes it is from Jefferson, but it's actually from Tobias Whale.

Gambi and Jefferson talk about the new DEGs. Gambi reveals that he stole one from Monovista and has been taking it apart trying to figure out how to defend against it.

Tobias tells Lynn that his sister had ALS and that while it was cured by the same people who experimented on him, it had some nasty side effects. To that end, he's willing to finance her clinic for the next 10 years if she devotes herself to curing ALS. 

Curiously, Tobias' pitch to Lynn uses the same phraseology as her therapist, saying that she should just be herself.

TC uses his powers to create unhackable verified accounts for Lightning on all the major social media platforms. 

Anissa and Grace's marriage license from a year earlier is still good.

Anissa paid $20 for Dr. Darius Morgan to become ordained to do weddings in the stage of Georgia.

Anissa and Grace are married.

The episode ends with Jefferson arriving at the restaurant and seeing Lynn having dinner with Tobias.


The Bottom Line

A welcome return to form after last week. After treading water and not much seeming to change for the span of an episode, all the storylines jump forward and we get to see everyone being active instead of passive, including Jefferson proving he can do good without putting on a costume; something it didn't seem he believed was possible anymore. 

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 2 - The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter Two: Unacceptable Losses

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

Plot

Lynn grows more concerned for Jefferson and his inaction, as the war between The 100 and the Kobra Cartel rages on. Meanwhile, Anissa grows closer to a new co-worker, Lynn becomes bolder in her own vigilantism watching Jennifer's back and Tobias throws down the gauntlet.


Goofs

The summary for this episode made mention of a subplot where Jennifer became interested in a new boy at Garfield High. No such subplot appears in this episode. In fact, Jennifer is never seen at school in the episode and it's suggested she's skipping classes completely. 

The cliffhanger at the end of last week's episode where Jennifer seemed to be falling to her death is not referenced in this episode and apparently amounted to nothing.

Anissa is oddly nonplussed by Grace shape-shifting into an apparently awake leopard after having been in a coma for a year. Has this been happening often? Is she only awake in the leopard form? Does she lapse back into a coma when she changes back to her human form? This really needed to be better explained.

How do Jennifer and Lynn, who are at home, get to the scene of the shooting before Anissa, who was just around the corner from it? They can fly fast, but not THAT fast.


Artistry

The show's use of music continues to be one of its best features, with this episode opening ironically with War's "Why Can't We Be Friends" as we see Freeland being torn apart by gang violence. 


Technobabble

DEGs or Directed Energy Guns are special weapons that can negate most metahuman abilities. The Freeland Police have just been outfitted with the latest DEGs for use against metahuman vigilantes.

The new wave of DEG are 600% more lethal than the last generation. 

Tobias has a new longevity serum which also grounds him, making him immune to Black Lightning's powers. Presumably it also would protect him from Lighting. 

Jennifer can accelerate her healing by flying into the upper atmosphere and taping the electrical energy in the air around her.

The principle of entanglement is a physics principle which notes that particles which are connected remain linked, regardless of distance when separated.. 

According to Lynn's research, the metagenes respond to different environmental influences, including other genes, which could be a variable in determining what powers a person may develop.


Dialogue Triumphs

Tobias: Chaos has always been my friend.

(Jefferson is leaving the school. It is late. Tobias is waiting in the parking lot.)
Tobias: Finally.
(Jefferson throws lightning at Tobias reflexively. It does nothing.)
Tobias: (deadpan but smiling) Ouch. Are you finished? I had my serum tweaked to insulate my skin, so that was like doo-doo off a duck's back. If I was you, I'd calm down, Jefferson. It's dark outside, but anyone could see us right now. Don't blow your cover, big dummy. I just stopped by to say I haven't forgotten.
Jefferson: What?
Tobias: I haven't forgotten all the stress and strife you've caused me over the years. I also haven't forgotten that you cost me my sister's life.
Jefferson: No. No, that was all you. I haven't forgotten that you murdered my father. So, no matter what everybody else thinks, I know who you are.
Tobias: Hmm. I know who and what you are, too. And I have to wonder why I haven't seen your blistering Black ass playing dress-up lately.
Jefferson: I don't need a suit to kick your ass, so let's go.
Tobias: (chuckling) I'm a captain of industry now, Jefferson. A philanthropist, for God's sake. I can't be out here tussling in a parking lot with some thug. But that's the spirit. See, I'm gonna take away each and every thing you love. But it's no fun if you don't fight back.
(Tobias walks away laughing.)

Jefferson: Everywhere I look lately, it seems like I see things I shouldn't. People dead who shouldn't be. Bad people just getting away with whatever they want. I can't do anything about it/


Dialogue Disasters

Lynn's reaction to finding Jefferson passed out on the porch and calmly asking if he is alright. This is even stupider when you consider that she's a medical doctor.


Continuity

Lady Eve is confirmed to be the leader of the Kobra Cartel, but nobody has seen her in a year. Destiny is her underboss and seems to be running the day-to-day operations of the gang.

Lala is officially recognized as the leader of The 100, with Devonte Jones as his right-hand man.

Monovista International is the company which has the contract to produce DEGs for the Freeland police.

Lala sends a group of men to disrupt one of Lady Eve's VIP poker games. Only the driver mades it back alive.

Lala orders Devonte to acquire some of the new next-gen DEGs the police are buying.

Jefferson passes out on the porch after venting his electricity in the middle of the night in a fit of rage. Lynn doesn't find him until the next morning.

The Pierce Family address is given as 7 Floyd Lane, Freeland, GA 30317

Going through the mail, Lynn finds a final notice for registration for the SAT's addressed to Jennifer.

Jennifer admits that she hasn't registered for the SAT or ACT yet.

Darius is a new doctor working with Anissa who flirts with her until she tells him she's a lesbian. She is not offended by the flirting, however, and does agree to go out for a drink as friends since he's still getting to know people in Freeland, having just moved there.

Tobias Whale has a new bodyguard and a new AI named Katie who oversees his smart office.

Tobias works with a realtor named Val, who helps him acquire 18 blocks in the Browning neighborhood. He does not plan to develop this land, saying the chaos of the region suits his purposes.

The hospital Lynn and Anissa are working at now is identified as the Center for Gene Therapy and Genetic Research.

Tobias is easily able to hack the computers at the Center for Gene Therapy and Genetic Research.

Lynn and Jefferson start seeing their therapist separately instead of together.

Lynn realizes she doesn't have any friends or hobbies outside of her work. 

Tobias confronts Jefferson in the parking lot at Garfield High and tells him that he will be coming after him eventually, but first he intends to destroy everything Jefferson loves.

Grace shapeshifted into her leopard form in her sleep.

Anissa has not been going out as much as she used to.

Darius had a dog named Rusty he had to put down recently. He was 14 years old and been with Darius since he was 8 weeks old.

Anissa gets a notification of a shoot-out around the corner from the bar, on 3rd and Harper. She tries to go to change into Thunder but is stunned when Darius wants to come with her, thinking she meant doctors might be needed to treat the wounded.

Jennifer tells Lynn she's thinking of not going to college, seeing the work she does as Lightning as far more important.

Gambi is not on the radio as Jennifer approaches the shoot out.

Lynn gives herself wind powers to watch Jennifer's back when she goes into a fight. 

Jennifer is able to get most of the 100 and Kobra gang members to drop their guns and run.

Lynn sneaks up on the one gang member who tries to sneak up on lightning and knocks him down. Lightning, in turn, shocks him after he nearly shoots Lynn.  In the process, Jennifer is impaled on a piece of broken glass.

Lynn tries to call Gambi for help, but he still isn't answering the radio.

Gambi is revealed to be at dinner with Laura, who admits she had a crush on him when they were younger. She offers him another job with Monovista. He once again turns it down, saying he was only going out with her because of his interest in her - not the job.

Anissa and Darius run into Marcel Payton - a teacher at Garfield High. His van was caught in the crossfire of the shootout and his son shot.

Jefferson is at home with Lynn returns. She lies about a head injury she acquired during the firefight.

Lynn admits to Jefferson that she's been using her metaboosters to go out and watch their children when they were fighting crime because he isn't Black Lightning anymore. 

Jefferson accuses Lynn of trading one addiction for another after accusing him of being addicted to his powers.

Darius and Anissa are unable to save the wounded boy.

The next day at work, Darius is deeply disturbed by the boy's death

Jefferson meets with Marcel Payton and learns that he's been homeless for a year, since his home was destroyed after the War for Freeland. He was unable to find a new home since rent shot up after the War for anyone on a teacher's salary. Worse yet, CPS took the rest of his kids.

Jefferson confronts Gambi over his absence. Gambi explains that he was investigating the next generation of DEGs being made by Monovista and working on a defense against them.

Gambi refuses to research which 100 gang member is responsible for shooting Marcel Payton's son.

Gambi breaks into Monovista and hacks their computers in person. 

Anissa and Jennifer confront Lynn on her playing hero and tell her to stop. 

Gambi meets with Laura again and agrees to take a job in the R&D wing of Monovista.

Anissa, as Blackbird, calls a meeting of The 100 and Kobra Cartel leadership. She calls for them to recognize a certain park as a safe space for homeless people and keep their people out of it.  They both agree. The area becomes known as the Blackbird Zone.

Lynn gives herself telekinesis to respond to an incident in Blackstone Square.

Jefferson calls TC, who helps him find the 100 shooter.

TC identifies the shooter as a man named Lydell Green, who lives on East 23rd Street.

The episode ends with Jefferson breaking into the home of the shooter and beating him up.


The Bottom Line

Another lackluster episode which addresses some things that should have been explained in the premiere last week. The most maddening aspect of it all is how out of character it seems for Jefferson to be sitting on the sidelines in both his roles as things get progressively worse in Freeland. It's almost as if the writes couldn't think of any storyline for him other than a sudden crisis of faith, which, while well acted by Cress Williams, isn't all that exciting to watch and seems outright confusing given all the other subplots.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 1 - The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter One: Collateral Damage

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

Plot

It's been one year since the battle to save Freeland and the American government shutting down the ASA. It's also been one year since Jefferson Pierce donned his Black Lightning costume. With The 100 waging war on a new gang, police corruption running rampant and Tobias Whale playing philanthropist, the time is ripe for Freeland's hometown hero to return. Unfortunately, there's a new metahuman-hating police chief taking over the department and Jeff's entire hero playing vigilante without him.


Influences

Batman and the Outsiders (Jefferson Pierce retiring from heroism only to be dragged back into action.)


Goofs

How could Freeland go a whole year without a Chief of Police? (This is why they're trying to get the Mayor to quit.)

What happened to TC, Brandon and all the other teen heroes?

What happened to all the talk in last season's finale about starting a school for metahuman teens?


Performances

Cress Williams does some wonderful silent acting staring at bottles thoughtfully at this episode goes on.


Artistry

The episode's use of music is fantastic.

The opening shot as we start off upside down and slowly spiral around to face Jefferson is an effective way of establishing the world is topsy-turvy.


Trivia

This is the first episode in which Grace Choi's actress Chantal Thuy was credited as a regular member of the ensemble.

The new chief rival of The 100 gang is a new group called The Kobra Cabal. This seems to be a nod to the Kobra cult from DC Comics, of which the original Lady Eve villain was a member. While Lady Eve is not seen in this episode, it seems likely this is the gang she's formed to fight with Lala over control of Freeland's underworld.

Technobabble

Jefferson has such fine control of his powers he can erase a person's short-term memory with a focused electric shock

The anti-metahuman guns capable of disabling Lightning's powers are called DEGs.

Lynn notes that the Gravedigger serum she took should have worn off after 12 hours, yet it lasted for 2 days. However, the power proved ineffective on one human trafficker she attempted to control for reasons she cannot explain.


Dialogue Triumphs

Alvin Pierce: Son, from the moment we come out of the womb, the clock starts ticking. So it ain't about the dying. It's about the living. Now... how are we going to live this life to make our dying something to celebrate and not mourn?  

Jefferson: Black Lightning was trying to save the world. I'm just trying to save my family.
Gambi: And the kid?
Jefferson: ...reflex.


Continuity

As the episode opens, it has been one year since the events of 316.

Jefferson has a conversation with the ghost of his father (presumed imaginary) as he visits the grave of Chief Bill Henderson.

It is established that Jeff quit being Black Lightning after testifying before Congress.

Violence in Freeland is still an issue, thanks to The 100 Gang and a new rival group called The Kobra Cartel.

The current mayor of Freeland is a man named Billy Block. He is being pressured to resign, despite an election being months away.

Jefferson attacks two white cops he sees harassing an unarmed black teenager in a hoodie. He blows up their car and electrocutes them to erase their short-term memories.

Grace is still in a coma, but Lynn is trying a new treatment she thinks will work around her shape-shifting powers.

Jennifer is encouraging Anissa to forget about Grace and move on with her life.

Jennifer has started cutting her hair short.

Jefferson and Lynn are in couples' therapy together. They have not been intimate in some time.

Gambi is approached by a woman named Lauren about a job with a private company called Monovista International that is investing in Freeland (i.e. fleecing it.)  Gambi turns down the job.

Lauren and Gambi were apparently involved at one point and she expresses her happiness he is not dead, saying she cried when she heard the news before kissing him.

Jefferson speaks at a televised memorial for Bill Henderson. His speech echoes the words his father said about Henderson earlier.

The new police chief is a woman named Lopez. 

Lopez is quick to blame undocumented metahumans for Bill Henderson's death and promises to put an end to the threat they pose.

The President of the United States is said to have the last name Shaw. A scroll during the news indicates they are meeting with top Democrats in the hope of avoiding a government shut down.

The Vice President of the United States is named Cori Hannette. They just had a meeting with the Vice President of Markovia. 

Congress has just launched another investigation into the ASA.

A Senator Muhammed filibustered the Senate to prevent a bill regarding immigration and metahuman reform from reaching the Senate floor.

Tobisa Whale gives an interview in which he discusses his donating money to reopen basic social services shut down during the war in Freeland.

Anissa and Lynn both want to kill Tobias, but Jefferson is still committed to his oath to never take a life.

Jennifer has apparently begun joyriding with her powers, flying in full costume even when she's not patrolling.

Gambi meets with Jefferson in Two-Bits' bar.

Gambi tells Jefferson that the Freeland PD got a partial plate number from a street cam he didn't destroy after he attacked the cops. He was, however, able to hack the footage identifying Jefferson.

Lala is still running The 100 and is not pleased to see Tobias on TV playing the happy king.

Lala instructs his right-hand, Devante, to make sure the next shipment of their product has anti-metahuman weapons guarding it.

Lynn has apparently become a vigilante and is giving herself temporary metahuman powers in order to try and isolate the metagene and find a way to use it against Gravedigger or anyone else.

Lynn stops a woman from being trafficked off the street.

Someone using the phone Jefferson gave Henderson as Black Lightning calls him and tells him to meet him by the docks at 11 PM that night.

Anissa and Jennifer attack The 100's latest drug shipment in Thunder's custom truck.

A police officer named Hassan Shakar is the cop who has Henderson's phone. He left a letter, written by Henderson before his death, for Black Lightning to find. He claims that Henderson gave him the phone and told him that Black Lightning was a good man.

Hassan Shakar admits he may have a problem with metahumans, but he freely admits to having a problem with Black Lightning, believing he abandoned Freeland.

Lala does not kill his men, instead arming them with anti-metahuman guns and telling them to set an ambush for Thunder and Lightning. He also notes Lightning is the most dangerous of the two.

Jefferson reads the letter from Henderson. It identifies Hassan Shakar s a good man.

Officer Shakar and Chief Lopez confront Jefferson at his office at Garfield High School. They tell him his license plate matches a partial connected to two police officers being beaten. Jefferson says he was driving past the area where the attack happened (15th and Magnolia) but denies any more information.

There are six cars in Freeland ending with the same number as Jefferson Pierce's car and all of those drivers have alibis for where they were at the time the cops were attacked.

Jennifer is shot with an DEG. However, she begins to heal almost immediately.

Anissa says this is the third 100 shipment they've hit this week, but she felt this one was a trap.

Gambi has a new base of operations, much larger than his old basement lair. (Based on the background, i could be set up in what was The Pit.)

After Gambi identifies the man who shot Jennifer, Jefferson confronts him in his home and electrocutes him so badly he'll be crippled for life. This gets the attention of Chief Lopez and Officer Shakar, who reach the same conclusion: Black Lightning is back. It seems to go without saying that they think he's Jefferson Pierce.

Tobias Whale joins the Board of Directors at Lynn's hosptital.

In the final scene, Jennifer blacks out while flying too high and begins to fall to Earth.


Untelevised Adventures

The last year's of events in Freeland are largely unaccounted for beyond the fact that Jefferson quit being Black Lighting, Thunder and Lighting are picking up his slack (with Gambi's help) and Lynn has become a vigilante to further test her meta-human power formulas.

Nothing is said about what happened to TC, Painkiller, or any of the other teen metahumans who operated out of Gambi's basement last year.


The Bottom Line

A lackluster throwback of an episode in which all the promise of the Season 3 finale is abandoned in favor of repeats of the most repetitive character beats of the past three seasons. Jefferson's daughters keep defying him and he's depressed. He and his ex-wife are drifting apart and he's depressed. The only reason change is that now Lynn has shifted her addiction from Green Light to vigilantism. Most of the new supporting cast has vanished without explanation and the only new villain is another cop who hates metahumans. This does not bode well for the coming season and if this is the best they could come up with after a year's hiatus, maybe it's for the best this show is ending after four seasons.

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.