BLACK LIGHTNING - SEASON 3.9

REVIEW:  BLACK LIGHTNING - SEASON 3, EP. 9:  "The Book of Resistance - Chapter Four:  Earth Crisis"


What more can be done to the Pierce family that hasn't already been thrown their way?  Jefferson having been poked and prodded by the ASA, Lynn getting addicted to Green Light, and obsessed with finding a cure for the meta kids in the Pit, Anissa running the underground Resistance against the ASA in Freeland, and trying to help her girlfriend Grace, and Jennifer just trying to have some semblance of normal, but realizing she can't...especially when Odell is manipulating her right in her ear.  And now that Black Lightning has jumped the fence to join the Resistance, all bets are off, the Pierce family are targets.  What more could possibly go wrong for our heroic family?

How about red skies and some antimatter?  

We look in on Jennifer, who's apparently been having a lot of sleepless nights, video blogging, and talking about how she's up around 3:30 AM over the last few nights.  She's got a lot on her mind, and feels a bit confused.  She wishes she could go back to a simpler time where there was no metagene, worried about the town, and finding it hard on who to believe these days.  She is recording this blog to her sister, Anissa, and she needs someone to get this off her chest to.  She admits to working with Odell...and how Odell has had her out on a couple of missions.  She admits to destroying a Markovian depot not too long ago, and she believes she might've killed people.  She is trying to do what she believes is right, but she's utterly confused.  Odell is telling her how she's doing the heroic thing, and stopping a huge threat in the Markovians, but on the other hand, you have their dad, who's trying to teach her that there is another way.  She says her heart tells her that her dad is right, but her head tells her that Odell is right---otherwise, why would their mother keep working with the ASA?  She has no idea on who to really follow.  She ends the recording, and had planned on sending it to her sister, but decides instead to talk to her in person.  

We see a newscast from a Rebecca Larson of GBS-TV, discussing the occupation in Freeland, and she says some information they recieved are a lie, and that the city is being quarantined for a virus.  The Resistance is watching the newscast, knowing that the information they sent got intercepted or tampered with in a way that the ASA managed to make sure it came off as false information.  The ASA manages to cover up their real operations to the public once again, and the Resistance needs to formulate a plan to get the truth out or take the ASA down.  

Jennifer is ready to head to her sister's, when Odell appears on one of the TV screens.  He says he needs her help, and she's skeptical about his intentions.  He says the Markovians are making advances, and that he needs her to do air patrols every couple of days, and if she sees anyone suspicious, take down with extreme prejudice.  She's apprehensive about committing murder, and he says that this is a war, and at some point, she's going to have to choose a side.  

The Resistance is trying to figure out their next move, and Blackbird and Black Lightning have a chat themselves about what to do.  She says it's time to hit the ASA hard, but he's not down with taking any extreme measures.  She tells her dad it's either kill or BE killed at this juncture.  She also decides to tell him that when she fought Painkiller, she discovered that it was Khalil, and that they turned him into a killing machine.  He's responsible for killing Tavon, and injuring her.  She reminds him that the situation has gone critical, and the time to do something is now.

Jennifer makes her way to Anissa's apartment, decked out in her Lightning suit, ready to patrol when asked by Odell.  She tells the house AI to tell Anissa that she waited for her, and is about to leave when the skies turn red, and begin to erupt with thunder and lightning themselves.  Odell calls her and tells her NOT to patrol, and then, Jennifer's body begins to react to what's going on outside.  She begins phasing in and out of reality, and eventually collapses.  We find her in this black space, with two other versions of herself:  One with what appears to be a power blocking collar around her neck, and dressed in white, and another version of her, decked out in black, each of them wondering where they are.

The first one, named Gen, says she had spiked the water in Freeland to rid everyone of their metahuman powers, including her family's.  She was captured, and placed in The Pit, with the power dampener on her neck.  Turns out, it was Khalil who had her placed there.  The 2nd doppleganger, named Jinn, says nobody has done a thing for her, and owes nobody anything.  And then there's Jennifer.

We peek in at Gen's story, who happens to be from Earth 1.  She's at home with her sister, discussing Anissa's private life, while Jefferson is preparing a big holiday meal.  Gen has gotten a reprieve from the Pit to spend the holidays with her family.  They talk about their father taking a job with the government in order to protect the girls.  As they continue their girltalk, Anissa talks about her date with a new woman, and Jennifer reveals that while her and Khalil are okay, she doesn't see the relationship going too much farther.  Then, they hear a noise downstairs, and head down to see the ASA storming the Pierce home, looking to arrest their father.  Odell talks to Jefferson, and tells him that he didn't think he knew what was going on.  Jefferson pleads his case that he followed every protocol necessary, presumable in reference to Gen spending time with her family.  But Odell talks about betrayal.  How he's really been helping the Underground and the metahumans escape.  Jefferson denies it, but Odell shows video proof of the Reverend Holt betraying him.  The ASA soldiers then take ahold of Gen, as Odell shoots Jefferson dead at point blank range.  Jennifer...who bears witness to this only in spiritual form, cannot stop it.  Anissa drops to her knees as Gen is escorted out.  

Back on her Earth, Jennifer is phasing in and out constantly, and she's convulsing.  Anissa arrived home and had called Gambi, explaining to him she found her this way when she got home, and that she has no idea what's going on.  Gambi comes to check on her, and notices that the uniform she's wearing ISN'T the one HE gave her.

We go back to Earth 1's Gen, where she's back in her cell in The Pit, as Anissa had been granted access to see her by Odell.  They discuss the funeral, and Gen is mad that her Mom wasn't there, and that she felt abandoned by her.  Anissa says that as much as they loved each other, they just couldn't make it work.  Gen blames herself for everything that's transpired, and Anissa doesn't want her to blame herself, but Gen will not be consoled.  Anissa says everyone in life makes their own choices...and their dad made his.  

Back at Anissa's on their Earth, she and Gambi are trying to figure out what's wrong with Jennifer.  Gambi says her vitals are fading, and Anissa remarks that this all happened when the red skies appeared.  She got ahold of her dad, but couldn't reach her Mom at the Pit.  Gambi says that he had to get Lynn out of there, but she's in a secret location where she can't be found.  Anissa then calls her mom, who is in  some discreet location doing something along the lines of trying to make new Green Light for herself.  The message is muffled with static a bit, but Anissa manages to tell her mom that Jennifer's in trouble, and she's freaked out, and doesn't know what to do. Lynn looks outside to see the red skies.

On Earth 1, Lynn goes to see Gen in the Pit, who reluctantly lets her in her cell.  Lynn tries to offer words of comfort, but they fall on deaf ears to Gen.  Lynn says she wishes she could make it better but it takes time.  She goes on to say that she loved Jefferson, and how he was very proud of her.  Gen asks how would she know.  Lynn says that Gen brought peace to Freeland.  Gen wonders at what price.  Lynn says it may not be the peace she had wanted, but it was peace nonetheless.  Gen wonders if it was worth her father's life to be locked up like she is.  Lynn tells her yes.  

Once more to Anissa's , and Jennifer is getting worse.  Jefferson finally arrives, and wonders what they can do to fix her.  Gambi says that because her body is energy based, the antimatter is playing havoc with it, thus making her be in literally two places at once.  Gambi goes on to say it's like she's in a parallel universe, which Jefferson finds a bit hard to believe.  

Just then, Lynn arrives, assessing the situation, and wondering what Gambi is trying to do.  He reiterates what he said to Jefferson, and she's heard about the theory of a parallel universe.  Before more can be said, however, Henderson contacts Anissa, and says that they're taking heavy losses in their fight with the ASA.  They need Blackbird and Black Lightning, but Jefferson says they're a bit busy at the moment.  Lynn then steps in and tells him to go clean up his mess---this is all his fault, anyway, so go fix it.  Anissa says she'll stay behind to keep and eye on Jennifer.  He tries to protest, but Lynn says that he made this bed, now he gets to lie in it.  As much as he wants to argue back, Gambi interrupts to say they have bigger things to worry about.  Jefferson tells Henderson he's on his way, and informs him they need to hit the ASA where it hurts, and Gambi has an idea.

We then get to see the story of JINN, who resides on Earth 2.  She is strolling through the halls of the school to meet up with her dad, who's just finished teaching class.  She wonders why she's there, and he says that Odell is using her for her powers, and she says she's working with the ASA, but no one controls her.  He tells her that the more she uses her powers, the more she becomes addicted to it, like a drug.  She says she's saved the city, and she has brought peace to Freeland, and this situation wouldn't have happened had it not been for him.  She plans on cleaning up HIS messes, so that she can go and live her life in peace and normalcy.  We see Jennifer spying on her doppleganger, as she strolls through the halls, helpless to talk to the young woman.  

Major Grace is called in by Odell, and has been informed that Black Lightning and the Resistance are attacking the compound.  She offers to put more troops to secure all other areas, but Odell says that Pierce is going for the metahumans at The Pit.  He won't hurt the detainees, but try to set them free.  Odell says that they need to be weaponized, and plans on turning them against Black Lightning and the Resistance.  Major Grace goes to ensure the operation is put into place.  

We then head back to Earth 2, where we see Jinn in a lab or facility, where she's killed off everyone there.  Odell arrives, and says that she didn't need to kill these metahumans.  Jinn says that with no Markovians, there's no war, thus no need for metahumans.  Odell felt they still had a purpose, but she calls him out, and says that needs change with people, and he was no different.  He informs her that her family will try to stop her.  She seems to have absolutely no problem with that.

Once more to Anissa's, and Gambi says he's doing all he can try and find a way to stabilize Jennifer, and Anissa is quick to point out that this could be the work of the ASA.  Gambi highly doubts that they can manipulate antimatter.  Anissa then brings up how the weaponized Khalil, and Lynn now knows that Anissa knows.  She brings it up to her mother, and says that he's no longer Khalil, and he needs to be put down immediately.  Just then, Gambi intercepts an ASA coded transmission, where they find out that Odell plans on weaponizing all the metas at The Pit.  Anissa then informs her dad of the transmission.  She then goes to suit up, saying she has a plan.  

Jinn arrives at her family's home, knowing there's a fight coming.  She confronts her father again, and says that SHE is the one who ended the war, by making the tough decisions HE wouldn't.  Jefferson replies that all she's done is become a cold hearted killer.  That she never listened to him, and has contempt for him.  She replies that no one controls her, and she does what she wants.  Lynn and Anissa show up, and there's a united family front.  Her family wants her to turn herself into the authorities.  Jinn says that she IS the authority.  They ask one last time, but she remarks to them to make her.  Jinn and Anissa face off, but the battle is short, as Jinn levels her sister with her powers.  In the process, she also blasts her mother, killing her.  That leaves her and her father.  As her and Jefferson prepare to square off, Jennifer phases in to witness the showdown, as Jinn finally gets the upperhand in battle against her father, and kills him as well.  Her family dead, she says she's going to live her life by any means necessary, and walks out.  Jennifer, again, helpless to do anything but witness.

Jennifer, Gen, and Jinn are all back in the neutral space, where Jennifer goes off on Jinn, asking her how she could attack her family.  She goes to attack Jinn, but Jinn strikes back.  They start fighting one another and Gen wonders what in the world is going on.  She then realizes that they are 3 separate people from 3 different worlds, and the worlds are colliding on each other.  Jen and Jinn stop fighting, and Jen lays it down for the both of them.  She turns to Jinn, and tells her that she has too much power, and that with her actions, she'll live a lonely existence because NO ONE will want to love her.  Jennifer goes on to say that while her dad's ideals may be antiquated a little bit, it helped keep his soul pure and honest.  Jinn has nothing to show for what she's done.  She looks to Gen, and tells her to NEVER be ashamed of her powers.  That, despite what her dad said, that they were a gift.  Her dad KNEW she would use them anyway, so take them as a blessing.  As Jinn is about to argue with Jennifer, a white light comes sweeping through the space, eliminating Gen and Jinn...leaving only Jennifer left.  

We get back to reality, where Jennifer's body is now a mass of energy.  Anissa is helpless to stop it, and Lynn tries to get Jennifer to reassemble herself.  As Jefferson asks her to fight and hang on, he's suddenly teleported away from them, as the antimatter wave sweeps through their Earth...eliminating them all.  

Claimed in the Crisis by the Anti-Monitor.




Well...I certainly did NOT expect a new Black Lightning episode before the holiday break, but this episode helped explain away Jefferson's disappearance from his Earth, and to Earth 1.  A nice tie-in to CRISIS, which did a MUCH better job than Supergirl or Batwoman did.  And having Jennifer as the focal point was even better.

Having Jennifer's doubts, questions, and confusion as triggers to introduce us to the dopplegangers was a nice touch.  Earth 1 Gen had doubts as to the use of her powers, almost a fear OF them.  Jinn was from Earth 2, where we already know from experience that most of the heroes we know on Earth 1 are villains of a sort on Earth 2.  Gen was torn up about the consequences of ending the metahuman presence in Freeland on Earth 1, but it came at a price:  her imprisonment, and the eventual death of her father.  She is wracked with guilt in her part of the story over having done what she did, thinking it was for a noble cause.   But knowing her father would continue to help those who needed it, put him in the crosshairs, even though he took public office in order to protect his girls.  In the end, she wonders if what she did was really worth it.  While Lynn tells her 'yes', she's still unusure.  But, I give her credit in discovering that they came from parallel Earths.  

Jinn, on the other hand, is the polar opposite.  Drunk on her power, high on her pedestal, and full of herself.  Arrogant, cocky, uncaring, unfeeling, and self righteous.  She feels she IS the true hero, but she's become nothing more than a murderer...as sociopath.  She makes the rules, she IS the authority, and anyone that stands in her way gets destroyed.  However, as Jennifer pointed out to her...she is a person without love, compassion, and will suffer loneliness.  Who would want to be or love that kind of person.  She is cold hearted to the core, and the ends DO justify the means.  A person that is willing to end the life of her own family is purely evil.  There was no moral code for Jinn.

Then we have Jennifer herself---who was no wrestling with those actual personal feelings about her situation and of herself.  She knows her dad is right in what he does...but at the same time, Odell has brainwashed her into believing that HE is in the right, and the cause he has is justified.  Jennifer wasn't just watching her dopplegangers all episode, these were also aspects of her own personality wrestling with themselves, trying to find the actual RIGHT answer.  Out of all the characters on this show right now, Jennifer is the one with the hard time trying to see what's right, and being pulled into two directions:  Her father, who wants to protect her, and show her what doing right means.  Then there's Odell..who's manipulative and cunning at pulling on her heartstrings, to get her to do HIS bidding.  It's a classic tug of war, and it's going to be interesting to see who wins.  

Anissa has shown more and more this season as a take charge kind of gal.  More of a leader.  While Jefferson was in the Pit, getting poked and prodded, she was out on the streets as Blackbird, trying to save the town.  As much as she's led the charge, she's still vulnerable.  Worrying about Grace, worrying about Jennifer, it weighs on you.  But she's holding her own well.  

I KNEW Odell would be back---bastard is one slippery little shit, isn't he?  He's still got a few cards in his hand to play.

Lynn has begun to really piss me off.  I am liking her less and less.  And ever since she's become a Green Light addict, she's only gotten worse.  From someone who had come to terms with Jefferson being Black Lightning, and helping the cause some, she's now back to being that bitter bitch who barks at Jefferson and blames him for everything that's going down in Freeland right now.  She resents being dragged into a world she has no control over, and now fights her own addiction on top of it.  Even though her own children are a part of this fight..VOLUNTARILY, mind you---she still lays it all at Jefferson's feet.  I'm honestly beginning to wonder just what in the hell he saw in her to begin with.  

And Jefferson himself---he has been a human punching bag all year long.  Being made a lab rat by the ASA, getting beat down in front of his students, wanting to do the right thing for not only his girls, but for the town, to having to watch the ASA's continued manipulation of the people, its disregard for basic human rights, and cruelty, to finally joining the side of The Resistance.  It seems we're starting to get our hero back again, but has to deal with the fallout of his relationship with Lynn.  That may very well be the love of his life, but I can't see it at this juncture.  After all this falls through, and he finds out she's a Green Light addict...she needs to go away for awhile.  And he needs to realize he can do better than his EX wife, who seems to want to lay ALL of the world's woes----well, okay---FREELAND's woes, all upon his feet.  I just feel for the guy.  And I wouldn't tolerate that.  But that's just me.  I just hope that with his experience in CRISIS, he comes out of it better than ever (at least I HOPE so).

And for those who're curious, while I have NO idea who Rebecca Larson is, I do know the network she works for. GBS is the Galaxy Broadcast System that used to be run by a guy named Morgan Edge, who had his run ins with Superman back in the day.  GBS had also owned The Daily Planet, and both Clark Kent AND Lana Lang were newscasters on the station in Metropolis.  

Alighty kids---that's the midseason finale, and everyone will be back after the holiday break.  I'm stoked to have seen this episode, which was quite emotional, tie in to CRISIS.  Looking forward to seeing our hero and his family return.  But while they're gone, why don't YOU subscribe to this blog, tell ALLL your friends about it, and leave some comments below on what YOUR thoughts and feelings are about the show.

Until next time...the power is OFF!