This week on Black Lightning, Jefferson clashed with both the ASA, and the Freeland resistance, who deemed his tactics insufficiently violent. Meanwhile, Anissa decided to get Grace out of the city; Lynn and Gambi confirmed the truth about Khalil; and Jen continued getting to know Brandon.
1. “Eddie Munster”
With Odell in hospital after being shot last week, Major Gray takes charge of the ASA’s operations in Freeland this week, and introduces herself to Jennifer while wearing a black suit with slicked back hair, causing the youngest Pierce to quip she resembles the boy Munster. What’s more interesting is how Jen compliments Gray for being a woman, quipping maybe she can get some stuff done: the episode as a whole reflects on how a woman may not necessarily be better than a man at their job, as Gray’s abrasive personality alienates Lynn and Jefferson, in contrast to Odell’s more cautious manipulation.
2. “Skinfolk ain’t always kinfolk”
Henderson brings Black Lightning into the resistance, but not after clashing over his decision to defuse a bomb they had planted at an ASA checkpoint. Jefferson explains he was worried about collateral damage, and the two’s argument becomes a fascinating reflection of the real conflict in the civil rights struggle, between those who preached nonviolent resistance like (the namedropped) Dr. King, and the more militant likes of the Nation of Islam or the Black Liberation Army. Reverend Holt, who says the line above, no longer trusts Black Lightning, which hurts to say the least.
Speaking of Holt, there’s a really fun moment when the ASA violates his church’s sanctuary status and goes in guns blazing to find the metas he’s hiding. We see them hiding with Holt, who’s packing heat, and then the door opens: and it turns out they were in Two-Bits’s bar and just got spooked. I enjoyed the subsequent banter and came away wishing these characters had had their own spotlight episodes.
3. The Good Soldier
While taking out Markovian safehouses in the city, the ASA start harassing civilians while demanding the enemy’s location from them. We see one soldier reprimand another for pinning an old man, and later see him feeling ashamed after Black Lightning reprimands Gray and her men for executing the captured Markovians. I imagine that soldier will either start supplying intelligence to the resistance, or turn whistleblower (which would be appropriately topical).
4. Heavy Sleeper
Gambi and Lynn confirm Khalil’s revival, discovering his bedroom in the Pit. It’s a weird scene for a couple of reasons: one is that Khalil is asleep for most of it, and somehow not overhearing these two getting flustered over his reappearance – I get he’s part robot now, but it’s awkward. (The other reason is that when Lynn accesses Khalil’s blocked memories, they’re presented in third person, which is understandable for budgetary reasons, but still.) In any case, we now know people murmuring about his past life or someone playing his memories has no affect on him, so it’s going to be trickier than expected to revive the redeemed version of him.
5. Secret(s) Out
Anissa’s feeling a lot better after Gambi’s intervention last week, but still hasn’t regained her powers, and so decides to send Grace to the Perdi farm in case the ASA come looking for her. What’s strange is this week is that we mostly see Grace in her reverted child state: I get she’s feeling vulnerable, but it started to feel like Grace is actually a child. In any case, Grace is accompanied to safety by Black Lightning, and they’re ambushed by the ASA, but he and Grace’s leopard form manage to take them down – leading the two to learn each other’s secrets. Guess you’re unofficially Jefferson’s daughter-in-law now Grace – congratulations!
Bonus thoughts:
– We’re introduced to Lynn’s colleague Dr. Blair, who seems nice and is really complimentary towards her (I don’t trust him yet, naturally).
– The Markovian attack drill at the school is too close to comfort with the actual shooter drills happening in the US, but that’s what happens when your politicians are being bribed with Russian money.
See you all next, as we witness Painkiller being deployed to kill Black Lightning – fight!
