REVIEW: BLACK LIGHTNING - SEASON 3, EP. 3: "“The Book of Occupation: Chapter Three – Agent Odell’s Pipe Dream”
I gotta say----this show is GOOOOOD! We get a bit of twists and turns, and just when you think you've got a handle on the situation---something else drops. The way the show runners handle the characters and give everything a nice balance is wonderful to see. We get drama, we get action, and we get some humor as well. Either way, this season of Black Lightning is off to a DAMN good start.
To start off---Painkiller. Khalil was just a jock when we met him....but he got the metahuman treatment courtesy of Tobias Whale when his back got snapped like a twig. We thought he was gone last season---dying to save Jennifer. But here he is---back in the flesh...and TWICE as nasty. Thanks to the implant by Agent Odell of the ASA...Painkiller has now become the perfect soldier---an unemotional killing machine. As we witnessed last episode, he had no problem killing his mother. We see him learning every style of martial art, perfecting his repertoire...all the while quoting terrorists like Pol Pot (read your history books, kids---the man was responsible for the murder of THOUSANDS of Cambodians), and telling Odell ways to quickly kill a man...much to Odell's delight.
Jennifer is now dealing with being the go-to kid for everything that goes down at Garfield. The new kid gets the Jennifer Pierce grand tour, which includes her filling him in on what happened at the school last year regarding her and Khalil. I think it's safe to say he's got the lowdown now. When she gets home...guess who's there to check in...Odell. I'll say this about the man--he keeps his cards close to the vest, and has an amazing way of manipulating EVERYBODY, despite the fact they don't trust him...but are willing to work WITH him for what THEY believe is the better cause. He asks Jennifer to head out to a meta human data center that the Markovians set up, and lay waste to it.,..which she later does. Unbeknownst to her, however, was that Khalil was sent to their hideout, and finished them off by killing the whole lot. So far, Odell's plans are working in his favor.
Jefferson and Lynn are also getting pulled by the strings...although Lynn puts Odell in his place reminding him that she does not work for him,. There is a virus that's rampant in the detention center, and it's killing metahumans. It had already claimed one casualty---the cop that was arrested by Williams. She asked Inspector Henderson to give some money to her husband that she had pilfered off some criminals. Henderson reluctantly agrees, and she dies. Because of this virus, Odell needs Lynn's help in finding a cure. She deduces that the virus was made by Dr. Jace, who is all to willing to kill in the name of science--and injected into Cyclotronic when he invaded the center last week. She goes to find a cure as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, Jefferson is offered a watch by Odell...that only works when Jefferson uses his powers. Turns out, it gives him a new Black Lightning suit. Odell requests that Jefferson help him by rescuing ASA agents who're captured by the Markovian Army. He completes the mission, only to realize that the agents WILLINGLY got caught, so that they could eventually get Dr. Jace, but she's long gone by the time the "rescue" occurs.
While the rest of the Pierce family are occupied, Anissa's got her own problems: running from the ASA as they track Blackbird, and looking for her ex girlfriend Grace, who's been shapeshifting and hiding to avoid the ASA and whatever other trouble she's in. Anissa does finally meet with her gal, and offers to help her, letting her know she loves her, and wants her back. Grace accepts, and hopefully we can finally see this relationship blossom. However, Anissa had to tie up a loose end with Jamillah Olsen. She captured Blackbird in action earlier, but when she meets up with Anissa...all is good. It was a one night stand---fun, but no commitment. Anissa returns home at the end of the episode...glad to be with Grace.
I feel for Inspector Henderson in this episode. For a man that wanted to initiate change in Freeland, and have a better police department...he's failed at it. Not really his fault, considering the ASA wields immense power, and he's helpless against it. A woman accosts him in public when she asks if this is what he meant by "better". He said no, and she said that figures---get a black cop in charge, and nothing changes. On top of that, losing his officer to a metahuman virus, find out she stole money from criminals...but he ended up granting her last wish, as he delivered the money she set aside to her husband. A hard time all the way around for him.
Odell also has a finger in one more pie...another puppet on a string...though this one wants to clip his strings: Tobais. Because he's off Green Light, Tobias has regressed to his natural age, and is sick. He refuses the medication, and works through his pain. He knows what Odell wants---the briefcase. But Tobias wants what HE wants---control of Freeland, his youth back, and a pile of cash. Odell offers him another deal, but Tobias tells Odell to blow smoke up his backside. Odell gets downright nasty with him, and opens up the ceiling in his cell, exposing Tobias to intense sunlight. And, as an albino, Tobias' body isn't adept for it, and he starts to blister. But he holds his ground and continues to resist Odell.
After Jefferson completed his mission, him and Lynn are released from the ASA's custody, and head home. The family reunited, the ladies either head upstairs or leave...leaving Jefferson alone to click off the light.
Tobias is the last thing we see...as he's having a nightmare about Black Lightning, mocking him.
This episode was really focused on Odell, and his many manipulations to get what he wants. He's using the Markovian threat to lure Jefferson into his war. But to be honest---we gotta ask ourselves something: aside from what Dr. Jace can and HAS done---how did this war with Markovia get started? How much has Odell pulled strings to initiate this. We know from last week, they have an agenda, and Odell reiterates THIS week that they want all the metahumans, and control of the world. But how much of that is truth, and how much of it is a lie that Odell is using to gain an advantage. And the fact that he killed Issa last week, because he was too powerful to keep around, what with being able to compel people to tell the truth---NOT something Odell wanted, so he had to go.
Odell has gotten to Jefferson in a way...even though Jefferson still doesn't trust him (nor should he). The watch with the new super suit was great, and operates only on Jeff's power---but there's gotta be a catch. With Odell, it's ALWAYS a catch. Who's to say he hasn't put a tracker or rigged the damn thing to disable Jeff should he "go off the reservation" so to speak. Someone brought that up @ Den Of Geeks, and it's an interesting thought. Odell isn't against getting downright dirty to get what he wants---as we saw with Tobias. But he tends to keep an even keel, and an almost unemotional detatchment from these people. They're pawns in his little game. Khalil, whom he's turned into a living Terminator, and even pulling on Jennifer's strings, as we finally see her take flight in HER super suit to destroy the Markovian data center. I wonder what will happen when she eventually finds out Khalil is alive---but NOT what she remembers of him.
The only one who's been able to avoid the ASA radar and manipulations from Odell is Anissa. As Blackbird, she's busted up ASA detention centers, managed to get metas to safety, and work on her own personal life in the process. I like how Jennifer felt like the grown up this episode, as she wanted Anissa to check in. I love the sisterly bond between the two. Anissa finally getting Grace back in her life has an upside---she's got her gal. But what about Grace herself? She still seems skittish, and we'll have to see whether or not their relationship can weather the current storm.
Lynn is a badass. Very take charge, no BS kind of woman. She knows something is up with Odell, and won't let him toy with her. But she's also in disagreement with Jefferson about a couple of issues, and wondering if their re-connection will suffer because of Odell's mind games.
Either way, another awesome episode. What did YOU think? Lemme know by leaving a comment. And HEY! Subscribe and pass it along---let's make the blog GROW, gang!
Until next week...The Power is OUT!
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