REVIEW: BLACK LIGHTNING - SEASON 3, EP. 10: "The Book of Markovia - Chapter One: Blessings And Curses Reborn"
Welcome back to Freeland! It seems that it has not taken long for Jefferson Pierce to get back into the thick of things since his absence with CRISIS. Since he is about the only one who truly knows what's happened, he's now going to have to adapt to changes that have occurred while he was gone. The other issue is Jennifer, who had vanished herself prior to the antimatter wave sweeping through their universe. But now, we're on Earth Prime, and Jefferson is making his way back from the Hall of Justice in Central City (yeah, it's not called that...YET, but I'm calling it NOW), and looking to resolve the mess that has torn his family apart.
Jefferson is flying home to Freeland as we pick this episode up. He's trying to contact Gambi, but it's a no-go. He keeps trying to contact him, and let him know what went on in regards to Crisis. Meanwhile, Jennifer is trapped in some alternate dimension, shouting out for help, with no one answering. Jefferson finally gives up on contacting Gambi, and flies through the ASA shield to get home and find out what's going on. Jen, at this time, tells anyone who may be able to hear that Odell is rotten, and has been using her and her family for his own nefarious means. She also says that she wants them to know that she loves her family, especially Anissa.
Jennifer then, somehow, rematerizlies at home, safe and sound. Just a heartbeat later, her father arrives. They reconcile, and she tells her dad that he was right about Odell, and that she wants to go and kill him. Jefferson wants her to slow her roll, and figure out what happened to her sister and her mother. They go inside, and can't find them. Jen then wants to go after Odell immediately, but Jefferson reminds her that she has Odell's version of her suit on, and who's to say he hasn't rigged it. She agrees to go and find her own suit, and Jefferson says they can go after Odell AFTER they have found Lynn and Anissa. She needs to learn patience.
They finally head to Gambi's, and Jefferson tries to explain that he was in a Crisis, and the multiverse was destroyed and replaced by a new universe. He said that Jennifer was trapped in an alternate dimension. Gambi, of course, doesn't believe this, until he scans their outfits, and discovers pieces of antimatter. However, the conversation gets tabled because an alert comes onto Gambi's coms, and it's Anissa. She's in the tunnels, and the ASA is closing in on her. Jefferson opts to go and help her, and tells Jen to go and find her mother, then they'll worry about Odell.
Speaking of Odell, he's back at the ASA Compound, extremely upset with Major Gray, as to WHY the process of chipping the pod kids in the Pit is going slow. He inquires about Major Williams, and she said he's almost healed from his battle with Black Lightning. She says they're having trouble adapting the kids to the chip, and he's also ticked off about Jennifer's whereabouts. He wants her found immediately, and wants Gray to speed up the process. He wants NO excuses.
At the lab Lynn is at, she is trying desperately to synthesize more Green Light to feed her out of control addiction. She has one final sample in her hand, when Jen walks in. Startled, Lynn drops the sample, and it shatters on the floor, the sample now lost. Lynn immediatley rips into Jennifer for causing her to lose the sample. Jen is obviously concerned.
Blackbird is in the tunnels when she is met by a squad of ASA troops. She manages to handle most of them, with some blows taken, but she's alright. Just as she gets up, she has two more guards with her in their laser sights, ready to kill, when they get blasted by lightning. Black Lightning has arrived to save the day, and he's happy to see her. When she asks where he's been at, he says it's a long story for later. She says they need to head to Garfield, because the Resistance is rallying.
Major Gray goes to see Doctor Blair, Lynn's former assitant until she went missing. Gray is pressing him to get the serum ready for the pod kids, but he says that Lynn left no notes on how to get them ready, and it wasn't as simple as getting the marrow out of Tobias and synthesizing a serum. And that they're only able to stabalize at about 60 or so percent. Gray tells him to if he can get it up to 80%, that will be fine. He says that's 20% that could die---for which Major Gray considers acceptable losses.
TC is in town, trying to find Gambi. He manages to use his powers to find they key to get into Gambi's shop, and then his powers tell him--since he has control and can "talk" to technology, to where Gambi's hideout is once he gets into the shop. He manages to find the secret passage, hacks the code, and heads down into the bunker. There, he sees Gambi's set up. He's also looking over Gambi's files, to see what he's up to.
Jen and her mother are catching up in the lab, where Lynn apologizes for snapping at her. Jen is about to tell her what's going on, when they feel and earthquake. Lynn wonders where it comes from, and Jen reminds here that there are no fault lines where they're at. So, Lynn wonders who it is, and Jen figures out that it's Brandon, and tells her mother that her friend is causing it. Lynn gives her a serum to calm his powers down, and wants her mom to deliver it, but Lynn says she must stay behind to work on this serum. Jen takes off to go help Brandon.
Jefferson and Anissa are in the tunnels when they feel the earthquake. Both are confused as to what's going on, and think it's either the ASA or the Markovians, and agree to split up to find out, wanting each to be careful and safe. Jen calls in to her dad, and says she's going to stop the earthquake, Jefferson worries about her, but she tells him she'll be fine, he needs to go and check on Lynn, because she's acting weird.
Jennifer arrives at Brandon's apartment, as the town is shaking, and is tryting to get into the door, when she gets yet another call from Odell on her cell phone. She ignores it, and manages to get inside. We then see an unconscious Brandon, his powers going off. Jen manages to administer the serum her mother had for her, and he mellows out, thus the situation is averted. Meanwhile, Jeff checks in on Lynn at the lab she was at, and she's not there, but he DOES notice the broken bottle that had Green Light in it, and his visor's scans verify it as such. Jefferson then calls Gambi to locate Lynn, and he says she's at the house.
Gambi and TC talk about how he managed to find him, and TC said that Gambi left some mechanical devices there, and they led him here. He also says that the ASA was closing in, and he didn't want to go back into the pod again. It's here that TC starts to have an anxiety attack, for which Gambi calms him down through a breathing exercise. Gambi tells him he's got an apartment upstairs that he can use, that the ASA can't find him. TC is grateful for the generosity.
Lynn is back at home, ransacking the room, desperately trying to find any trace of Green Light left that she can take and/or synthesize and make more. Jefferson arrives home, and wonders what's going on, and sees that she's going through withdrawls. She tries to play it off, but he knows better, He wants to know what she's on, and she says that it's nothing. She then flips it around as to what HE is supposedly addicted to ...his life as Black Lightning. He knows a drug addict when he sees one, and wants to get her help but she pushes him away, and locks herself in the bathroom. He manages to see what she's doing beyond the door with his new vision powers, and breaks the door open, steals what Green Light she has left, and flushes it down the toilet. She then slaps him. He stands there, and does not retaliate. Just then, Henderson calls, and wants him, because they're about to plan the attack on the Pit tonight. He says he's on his way, but Lynn then darts out. He tries to go after her, but Henderson calls again and wants him there NOW.
At the ASA, Major Gray is prepping her team to move the pod kids from the Pit, and tells Sgt. Grayle to go and locate Jennifer. He says he needs more men, and she says his subordinate, Travis, will go with him. Grayle is curious as to how he has healed so quickly, and Major Gray tells him it doesn't matter. They take off, and Major Gray chastises Dr. Blair for admiring his handiwork, because he put a chip in Travis' neck. She also wants Travis programmed to kill Jennifer in case she resists.
We meet up with the Resistance, who is formulating their battle plan to rescue the pod kids, when Henderson asks Black Lightning for advice, thus undermining Blackbird's plan. Blackbird and Black Lightning have a private sidebar, and Anissa goes off on her dad for undermining her leadership. He merely states that Henderson ASKED for his advice, and then she goes off on a feminist diatribe about him not believing in her because she's a woman. He comments that he questions some of the decisions she's made lately, like taking gang money and upgrading her apartment into a secret hideout. She feels this is HER thing, and that she CAN lead, and he says he's not looking to stand her way. She wants his support, and he'll give it, though he may question her motives. But he reminds her that everyone is counting on her.
TC is still in the bunker, when Gambi's system begins speaking with him again. He follows the system's advice to search the bunker more, when he discovers Gambi's arsenal, as well as the suits for Black Lightning, Lightning and Thunder. Gambi comes upon him, and tells him he shouldn't see this. TC says that the system wanted him to find it, for which Gambi states that it likes TC more than it does HIM. TC would like a suit of his own, and Gambi says maybe one day, when he's ready. TC also promises to keep the secret, He asks Gambi who tried to kill him, and Gambi has had trouble finding out, because all of the information is encrypted andthe money paid off was done through bitcoin, and he can't get a trace. TC says he can do that all day, so Gambi takes him up on it.
Back at Brandon's, Jennifer gets yet another call from Odell, and she tosses her phone as Brandon wakes up. He asks what's wrong, and she just says she's dealing with some issues. He presses her for more information, and she is about to tell him about everything going on, when they are both tranqued by the ASA and taken into custody.
Blackbird is giving a very fiery speech to the Resistance about it being the time to take back Freeland, to stop the ASA once and for all, and to rescue the pod kids. She says that NO ONE will be left behind. Everyone's into it and ready, and it's time to head into action. Jefferson looks on approvingly.
Jennifer and Brandon are in the back of a security van, with power dampeners on, being taken to the ASA. Jen wakes up, and tries to get the binders off. Meanwhile, we see that Sgt. Grayle and his soldier Travis are riding up front. Grayle inquires about why Travis is so quiet. Travis just stares ahead. In the back, Jen manages to use her powers enough to break the dampener off, and frees Brandon as well. Grayle notices that Travis has a control chip in his head, and immediately slams the breaks, stopping the vehicle, and tossing Jen and Brandon around. They break out of the back, just as an ASA vehicle pulls up and agents get out with weapons drawn. Jen and Brandon use thier powers to beat them back. Travis, now in kill mode, tries to take down Jen, but Sgt. Grayle knocks him out, and ends the threat.
At the Pit, we see the ASA moving the pod kids out, ready to transport them elsewhere. One of the Resistance members is disguised as an electrician, and alerts the group that the time is now to move. He hops into the truck, and busts through the gate, causing a distraction, and allowing the team access to the Pit. The agents quickly start ushering the pod kids back inside, and Blackbird arrives on the scene, punching a hole in the wall, and beginning to take down agents, as the team outside does battle with the rest of the guards on site. Black Lightning shows up to provide backup, and they manage to disable the guards. Blackbird and Black Lightning begin ushering the kids out in a hurry. They come to a fork in the hallway, where it's either left or right. Black Lightning suggests left, Blackbird suggests right. He takes her lead, and they end up confronted by more guards. Black Lightning provides cover long enough for her to get the kids out, and then they shut the power down, ending the threat.
TC is continuing to find out who ordered Gambi killed, when he starts to fade a little. He's getting weaker and exerting himself. Gambi advises him that he needs a break from technology. To be more interactive with humans. To tap into the humanity part of being human. That inclues eating. Gambi goes to make him a sandwich, as TC continues to work.
We check back in with Black Lightning and Blackbird, and she admits her mistake. But Jefferson reminds her that a good leader admits to their mistake. They make up, and Henderson jokes with them about it.
TC has finally gotten traction, and seems to have found out who wanted Gambi dead, but before he can inform Gambi, he passes out. Gambi comes in and sees him on the floor. Gambi says for him to rest, and he knows who to call for help. We also see the end result of TC's search as to who hired the hit on Gambi---Lady Eve!
Jefferson returns home, and there's no Lynn there. He sees the entire room just tossed to pieces. Knowing she has an issue, but she's nowhere to be found.
We get to Jennifer and Brandon again, who are hiding out near the ASA. Jennifer is looking to end this whole situation tonight. She comes across a car, and the window rolls down, where we see Odell. She says she isn't working for him anymore, and he warns her that's a bad idea. She goes to blast him, but it's nothing more than a hologram. He says they'll meet again, and the car speeds off. When Brandon asks who that was, Jennifer replies "The Devil" as the episode ends.
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Well...as I stated at the top synopsis, it did NOT take us long to get right back into the thick of things once Jefferson got back from Central City. While there are STILL some questions in regard to CRISIS that have happened that were not addressed, we KNOW there will be some effects that are shown down the road. But for the most part, Jefferson is right back into the thick of his mess with the ASA, the Markovians, and even his own family...mostly Lynn.
We DO know the usual things about post-Crisis: The world at large as NO IDEA there was a multiverse, and even Gambi found it hard to believe until he discovered the particles of antimatter on both Jefferson AND Jennifer. Outside of that, it seems like nothing has really changed. The war between the ASA and the Markovians for the pod kids is still an issue, Freeland is under martial law, and Odell is running everything. What we DO know is that Jennifer was trapped in an alternate dimension while Crisis was happening, so while she seemed "destroyed" by the antimatter, she wasn't. She seemed outside the realm of the Anti-Monitor's reach. She just managed to pop back onto Earth. So, it only looks like Jennifer and Jefferson are the only ones who knew of any alternate Earths. Though I DO admit it was kind of funny how Jefferson was trying to talk to Gambi, and he said the "whole Superman thing is real". Having met the actual Man of Steel himself.
Jennifer finally found some direction, and understood after her nightmare scenario with the alternate Jens, that Odell had been corrupting her. She is now on a hellbent mission to destroy him. And while Jefferson preached patience to her, she ended up having to fend off his goons anyway when they captured her and Brandon. She has now made her mission to end Odell personal. And I feel Brandon's going to be part of the fight...whether he likes it or not.
Sgt. Grayle from the episode where they had the showdown at the apartment building, returned, and found out that his own soldier was given Green Light and a chip modifier, thus making him a threat. Not something he signed on board for. So, kudos to him for stopping his own soldier before he killed Jen. I feel that Sgt. Grayle himself has now switched sides in this conflict. He'll come in handy, seeing as he knows ASA protocol.
Anissa and Jefferson's conflicts continued this episode, with her feeling like he's undermining her ability to lead the Resistance. He just questions the various methods she's used to win over the city. But, he steps aside to let her inspire and lead the Resistance. She appreciates the support, and she shows he's proud of her at the end. Which allows the healing bond to happen. They need to be a united front. Jefferson now has his daughters back on his side...he just needs to save Lynn.
As we see, Lynn is now in the grips of Green Light, and her actions are a reflection of it. While it has enhanced her intelligence, it's made her a full blown addict. And she acts as any addict would...especially while going through withdrawls. Desperation, anxiety, anger, nervousness...and they all come out to play this episode. She's fidgety and desperate to get the serum made, she shows anger at Jen when Jen surprises her, and she drops the bottle with the serum in it. She shows even MORE anger and deflects her addiction back into Jefferson's face, calling him out on his "addiction" to play superhero. She's got anxiety because she craves more, and she's desperate when she can't seem to find more of the pills. She took off before Jefferson could get her help, and now we have NO idea where she is.
I think that, despite his calm demeanor at the end of the episode towads Jen...the cracks in Odell's armor is showing. For someone with little to no emotional stake, he's visibly upset because his plan is beginning to fall apart. Major Gray (whom I've called Grace a couple of times, my bad), has been the recipient of that anger. I am VERY curious to see what Odell's breaking point will be. But the facade is coming down, and he's none too happy.
One question that DOES get me, though: TC found out that Lady Eve put the hit out on Gambi. Now...last I checked, Lady Eve was dead. Has CRISIS reset things, and she's alive, or was this a hit on him some time ago, and was only recently carried out? I'm very curious to have them answer this one. I wouldn't mind Lady Eve back...she's a good villain to have for the show outside of Odell and Tobias.
Lots of action in this one, lots of plot movement forward. I feel this story is beginning to pick up pace, and we haven't even seen a Tattoo Man sighting in awhile, and Tobias was noticably absent from this episode. Guess he wasn't needed at this time. Either way, it was a nice balance, and this show continues to deliver on the goods. I'm really impressed with the pacing and storytelling. Everyone's hitting it out of the park in their roles. Now...I wonder how long before we get another superhero from the League (yeah, I'm calling it the League, sue me!), to show up in Freeland? Jefferson's got teammates now...so it's only a matter of time.
And welcome to the Arrowverse, Black Lightning! It's about damn time!
That's it for this week. Remember to subscribe and pass the word along about my little home on the web here. And feel free to leave comments...DYING to hear from you all!
Until next week...the power is OUT!
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