BLACK LIGHTNING - SEASON 3.12

REVIEW:  BLACK LIGHTNING - SEASON 3, EP. 12:  "The Book of Markovia - Chapter 3:  Motherless ID"


It looks like we're hitting critical mass on this show, and the stakes are about to get higher!  With Lynn and Tobias now captured by the Markovians, Jefferson and his family must find a way to rescue her, and take down the Markovians once and for all.  But that may mean working with somebody they'd rather not:  the ASA.  Major Grey is now in change, as Odell is gone.  And will Lynn survive her ordeal with the Markovians?  And we also can't forget about what the team is going to do with Khalil...


We get to see Dr. Jace recording a video diary, talking about herself in Markovian captivity.  She knows they have captured Lynn, and that if they know Lynn has the answers to the stabilization process for the metas, than her usefulness will be at an end.  But, she plans on playing on Lynn's sympathies to gain her trust.  We see that doesn't work out too well, because Lynn starts kicking her ass all over the lab, and yet, she still tries to play the nice card.  It isn't until Col. Molsen comes in and zaps Lynn with a shock, which is fed to some inhibitor around her neck, that she relents in the attack.  Moslen tells her that he knows she's addicted to Green Light, and that Odell manipulated her, and got her hooked on it.  She refuses to believe it, but Molsen says it's true, because he had a mole in the ASA when it happened.  Odell is the true evil, he says.  He gives her a tablet of Green Light, and says that he wants her at optimal condidtion to create the stabilizer for him.

At the Sanctum, Jen is still very upset about everyone keeping Khalil's status of being alive from her.  She goes after TC, but Gambi says that he's trying to help.  TC tells her that he is part machine because of the chip Odell put inside him.  It's like an operating system.  She still believes that he's still in there somewhere, and still lashes out at everyone who knew he was alive, and didn't tell her.  She then apologizes to TC, and allows him to dig more into Khalil's mind, and find out what he knows.  Meanwhile, Jeff pulls Gambi aside to talk about the newbies in the Sanctum---TC and Brandon---and Gambi says they're okay.  They're here to help.  Jeff then gets a text from Lynn, and he grabs Anissa, and they bail.

When they get to the room she was staying at, they find out that Sgt. Grayle is there instead, and it was HE who sent the text.  He informs them about how Lynn was kidnapped and how she was using what's in Tobias to use as a stabilizer for the metas in the Pit.  They're not sure about trusting him, but he informs them that he knows who they are, and he knows they could kill him where he stands.  But he's there to rescue Lynn, the kids, and Freeland.  He iforms them that Major Grey will be the one who will be leading the team to go and get Lynn from the Markovians.  Jeff tells him to set up a meet, but on HIS terms.  Grayle takes off, and Anissa admits to her adverse feelings, and that there will be a set up.  He then begins to tell Anissa about Lynn and her addiction.

Tobias is strapped down, ready to be poked and injected again, but not before harrassing a black man who's Jace's assitant.  He injects Tobias with no mercy, and Lynn is shaking behind the wall, going through withdrawls.  Jace says if she gives her the formula, they can BOTH get out of there, because she says she's a captive too.  So, Lynn begins to give her the recipe to her hommemade cookies.  Jace isn't amused.  Lynn says she would rather die, than make weapons for Molsen.

Jen is still with Khalil, trying to reach him, and Brandon is there, standing by her.  TC has been researching Khalil's chip, and may have found a way to access it.  It's very complex, but he manages to get inside, and finds himself in a hallway.  He looks around, and sees a door with the #8 on it.  He then sees Painkiller in the hallway, who then lunges at him and attacks.  TC panics, and breaks the connection, running off into another part of the Sanctum, obviously in fear.  Gambi says that Painkiller treated TC like a virus and kicked him out.  Jen asks what it is they can do, and TC says that a firewall might help, which Gambi says is a good idea.

Jeff informs Anissa that her mother is addicted to Green Light.  Anissa is upset that her dad took off to join the Resistance, instead of helping her.  He said that Henderson called him, and said the kids were in trouble, and by the time he got off the phone, Lynn had bolted.  He said he'd known for a little while, but Anissa says that he can't solve this problem by himself.  He feels awful, but she says it's not his fault.  But she says that when they find her mom, they need to help her...together, as a family.  

TC is going to try to get into Khalil's mind again, only this time using Jen's powers as a way to keep him at bay, and force him behind the firewall.  TC goes in, and Painkiller is there to greet him, but Jen uses her powers, and it begins to push Painkiller back behind a door in the very same hallway.  TC locks it, and Painkiller is locked behind the firewall.  

Jeff and Anissa meet with Major Grey, and they share info on Lynn.  She says she has a team assembled and ready to go, but Jeff isn't happy about trusting her.  Anissa says that maybe they should listen to her---since she has insights into the Markovians more than they do.  Jeff reluctantly agrees, but says the team he's bringing in---they get pardons from the ASA, and their records wiped clean.  She reluctantly agrees, and they shake hands on the deal.  

Jen and Brandon are keeping tabs on Khalil, wondering why he hasn't woken up yet, and Gambi says that TC informed him that Khalil needs to "reboot".  Jeff then arrives, and pulls Jen aside, saying that the Markovians have her mother.  Jen says she's going with him, and he feels it's too dangerous.  She insists on going, and she says Brandon is going with her.  Jeff says no, but she then blasts Brandon with her lightning powers, and he's fine.  She says Brandon can handle is own.  He informs Jeff that Dr. Jace killed his mother, so, with all due respect, he's going.  Jeff wants Gambi to hold the fort down, and run recon on this end, but Gambi refuses, says he's coming along for the ride.  Anissa is also discussing the mission with Grace, and Grace insists on going.  Anissa is afraid Grace can't handle it, and Grace says she begs to differ.  Anissa still refuses, and they fight, but neither gets the upper hand.  Anissa says that she's afraid Grace would get killed, and she can't handle losing her again.  She insists that it's HER fight, and not Grace's.  Grace tells her that Anissa's fight IS her fight.  

Jace and Tobias come face to face for the first time in awhile, and is loooking to extract marrow from him. Tobias does what he does best---get under her skin.  He tells her how useless she'll be once Lynn gets the stabilizer working.  He knows that he's the golden goose for Col. Molsen.  Jace informs Tobias that once Molsen is done with him, he's going to lobotomize him.  That doesn't sit well with Tobias.

Major Grey is looking over some of the meta kids still in the Pit.  One, in particular, has been given exceptional fighting skills, since she's been chipped.  She informs the good doctor there to make sure she's ready.  She then has the order given to the girl's programming that she is to kill Lynn.  

Jace sees Lynn struggling to make the stabilizer, because her withdrawls are causing her to be weak.  When Jace sees what she's working on, she tells Lynn that a methadone cure will not help her.  It's either the Green Light or death.  Lynn eventually gives in, and takes it.  We then see Jace pay a visit to the Colonel, and he asks if he has stabilized metas yet, and she says no.  He's not pleased, but she says that any stabiliaztion output will be anywhere up to 50-60%, they will die.  He says he wants that serum, and Jace informs him he'll have it soon.  He says he better...or she will suffer the consequences.  We also see the shock clip on the back of her neck as well.

Jeff and Grey arrive to plan their attack.  Jeff has the team assembled, and he says that EVERYONE on this team will get immunity after this mission.  Grey says they need to work together, and the team just isn't into it.  They're not doing it for her or them.  Jeff informs them that, whether they like it or not, Major Grey is the best chance they have to rescuse Lynn.  So, they need to park the differences, and go to work.  Behind them, we see an electronic map of Markovia.  

Khalil hasn't woken up yet, and it's worrying Jen.  TC goes back into his mind, and finds Khalil behind the door, in what used to be his old home.  He finds him in what he percives to be his room.  He tries to convince Khalil to leave with him but Khalil refuses.  He says he can't leave...Painkiller won't let him.  TC comes back out, and says that Khalil refuses to leave, because he feels he shouldn't.  Jen wants to find a way, and that's when Brandon says that Jen can become pure energy.  Gambi asks if Jen's been able to use her powers that way, and she says yes.  But, he warns her that if she goes into his mind as pure energy, and gets trapped...she'll die just like Khalil.  She's willing to take the risk, so with TC's help again, she goes into his mind, and finds him.  At first he thinks she isn't real, but she says she is.  She tries to convince him that he needs to come with her, and that he can reclaim his mind.  If he doesn't, he will die.  She says he can't stay in his self imposed prison.  They move out of the hallway slowly, but Khalil sees Painkiller behind the firewall, and Painkiller tells him he can't leave...that he'll be nothing without him.  Khalil then sees all things he did while programmed as Painkiller.  Jen and TC are desperate to get him out before the mind meld breaks.  TC is weakening and urging them to hurry up.  Khalil says he did terrible things, and Jen tries to tell him that it wasn't HIM, but Painkiller.  Khalil says he IS Painkiller.  Jen tells him it's time to make a choice---be the cold blooded killer, or reclaim his humanity.  She says she can't stand to watch him die again.  He makes his choice,and comes with her and TC.

Khalil wakes up, and Jen goes to touch him, but Gambi warns her not to.  His body is a living toxin.  Any skin contact can result in death.  Khalil repeats what he understood from his programming about knowing about his poison powers.  He wonders how he knows, and TC says it's from the chip the ASA planeted in his head.  That they instilled knowledge and skills within him, to turn him into a killing machine.  So, he knows that he can cause illness, to a virus, to absolute death with his touch.  He gets up, and goes to leave, but not before telling Jen that they could never be together.  He says he's literally poison.  


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This was a pretty powerful episode, and we're finally seeing the apex of this arc take shape.  There are some wheels spinning,and we'll see which one stops first.

Khalil is finally himself again...but he knows that he is a danger to anyone around him.  Credit to Jen for not giving up, and for TC the assist.  She found the man she loved, but it came at a price:  he literally cannot touch her.  Any skin-to-skin contact with him is deadly.  And considering the HUMAN half of him is now in control--he knows they cannot be together.  So, once again, Khalil is sacrificing himself for Jen.  I know for a fact that he will continue to wrestle with the Painkiller part of his personality...fight the programming.  But I also feel this is NOT the last time we see Khalil---I have a feeling he'll be a major part of this story as it reaches it's end.  

Dr. Jace is someone we've not seen for awhile, and she's still doing what she does best:  manipulate all the players around her to gain an edge.  She knows that she's not needed by the Colonel once Lynn starts working on the stabilizer serum.  But she's going to find a way to BE useful...and work her own side to gain her freedom.  Col. Molsen knows he's got the power over the ASA now, and he's ready to have his own meta army ready to attack America.  The Markovian War is just about to start.  And Tobias...despite his usual charming self, he just realized that he's only a means to an end---and will be easily discarded once the Colonel gets what he wants---and he'll promptly turn Tobias into a vegetable.  Lynn is the one in real danger, though.  Not only having to fight for her life by creating the sabilizer serum for the Colonel, but also fighting her addiction to Green Light.  She again tried to go cold turkey, but they forced her back on it.  It's a struggle she's going to have to deal with.  

The uneasy---and, let's face it---untrustworthy allice between Major Grey of the ASA, and Jefferson and his team...is going to be interesting.  Both sides expect to be played, and Major Grace has already played one card.  By having the one meta kid she had chipped and programmed to kill Lynn when they find her.  I have a feeling this kid will be a major pain to the team once she's exposed, and Major Grey's plot is discovered.  But we see the team now finally assmbled:  Black Lightning, Lightning, Thunder, Brandon, Gambi, and Grace.  Whether or not TC is involved I don't remember.  But that's the team to begin.  I also have a feeling Sgt. Grayle will be working from the shadows to help Team Lightning win the fight, but also still take down the ASA.  But I am hoping that Jefferson AND Anissa are being constantly aware of a double cross---they should KNOW it's coming.  

Again...a quality episode, and I enjoyed it a lot.  We're going to Markovia, it seems, and the battle will be joined there.  What happens next is going to be VERY interesting, and I expect the action to pick up.  We now know that there ARE members of Team Lightning more than capable of holding themselves well in a fight---but Brandon.  Not sure what he can do besides his powers.  Grace showed she can work well in a scrap, PLUS her powers, makes her dangerous.  So, she'll prove to be an asset.  Either way, it's getting pretty damn exciting in Freeland.  

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Until next week...the Power is OUT!