The “Book of Blood” came to a close this week as Thunder and Black Lightning clashed with Looker over Anaya’s newborn children. With Lynn busy helping the Perdi too, no one was around to keep an eye on Jennifer, who took her bond with Khalil to new heights after his relationship with Whale finally, irreparably broke down.
1. With Fans Like These
Black Lightning got himself captured looking for the baby kidnapped in last week’s chapter, and was strung up in the Sange’s basement for Looker to give her “we’re not so different, you and I” speech. Looker describes herself as a fan, admiring how Black Lightning stands up for the African-American community, and wanting to be that for white Americans in Freeland: yeah she’s pretty much the sort you’d expect to complain about “reverse racism” and to waste the police’s time with unnecessary phone calls (if she didn’t have her powers, of course).
She’s so dim, she assumes Black Lightning gets his powers from the suit and that she’ll electrocute Black Lightning to death: that’s not ironic, that’s just poor planning. It’s strange, last week I found the character really creepy but now I can’t take her seriously at all. After the episode’s surprisingly early climax, I not bothered at all with the character, and whether she returns or not, much like Pierce, who just shrugs at the prospect at the ASA experimenting on her in custody.
2. The Magic Suit
Speaking of Jefferson’s escape from the Sange’s house, that camera pan back and forth as he puts his suit back on was hilarious, it resembled the ridiculously quick costume changes in a video game. I suppose he probably uses his powers to attach the armor, but still, it was the most amusing part of the episode (well, that and Henderson getting woken up in the middle of the night to play babysitter).
3. Runaways
Khalil decided to leave Freeland last week, but he loiters a bit here, choosing to warn Reverend Holt one last time about Whale plotting to kill him. But Holt’s packing heat this time, scaring off the confused and frightened young man, and then Whale pulls up, well aware now that Khalil has turned traitor. Khalil flees and hides in an alleyway, but Jennifer uses her powers to turn off the lights, rendering Whale’s men unable to find him. (Jennifer has also apparently learned from Perenna how to communicate with Khalil psychically.) The two resolve to flee together, apparently deciding not to warn Jefferson what Whale is planning – kids.
Lynn discovers Jennifer has snuck out, and she and Jefferson try to get Perenna to help them figure out where she’s gone: Perenna, bound by her vow of confidentiality, can’t say much, though she admits she’s been going out to see a boy. She also warns them not to keep pushing Jennifer, as she may well be the most powerful metahuman to date, and that’ll they pay if they’re not careful. The idea of superpowered offspring dwarfing their parents’ abilities is an old idea idea in comics (see: Franklin and Valeria Richards, Nate Gray), and it’s echoed by Khalil joking that he and Jennifer would have one powerful kid. Gosh, imagine if Jen got pregnant – that’d be dramatic.
4. Grace’s Eyes
The episode’s lengthy dénouement sees Anissa cuddling up with Grace to watch Girlfriends (judging from Tracee Ellis Ross’s appearance on the screen), and Grace once again having to go to the bathroom to monitor her deteriorating control of her powers. We’re still no closer to understanding what’s going on with her, but her glowing eyes confirm she’s an ASA vaccine victim like Jefferson and Looker, so we got that morsel of information at least.
5. Who Shot (at) Gambi?
Jefferson spots a damaged drone on the ground while carrying Anaya’s kidnapped child to safety, and realizes Gambi is still alive. Finding his hiding place, the two have an emotionally fraught reunion where Jefferson confesses he doesn’t know whether to hug or hit Gambi (he chooses the right option of course). Gambi explains he needs to stay dead to protect Jefferson’s family, but Jefferson touchingly retorts, “You gotta know by now, you are my family.” Gambi also states he doesn’t know who tried to kill him, which is fascinating – if not Whale, then who? Hopefully we’ll get some answers soon.
