Spoilers Black Lightning - Season 3

[Mr. Adventure]

Shorting us on episodes in February of all months?

So we have Legends name checking "Z Nation" (even if it's for Zari's fan club) and casting Ramona Young and we have Black Lightning with Katy O'Brien, I would love to see Z Nation's Kellita Smith get a role on BL.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Black Lightning
SEASON THREE / Episode 14 - "The Book of War: Chapter One: Homecoming" "

Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning: Odell had to know on what side Jefferson's loyalties will always fall, but the expression on his face said he's expecting a knife inn the back. He's back to being the strong anchor of the family again with next to none of the self-doubt has was struggling with throughout most of this season.

Lynn: I wondered if the showrunners would not let her addiction arc go. Technically its over, but the withdrawal phase--including her emotional highs and lows was palpable. Well played by actress Christine Adams.

Odell / Major Sara Grey: Ehhh, the rift between them feels legitimate, but it could be theatrics to con Jefferson into thinking the ASA is not the threat it used to be.

Gravedigger: AKA Tyson Sykes--essentially this world's equivalent of a Super Soldier (except he is a natural meta--the world's first identified case), and the U.S. has been responsible for all of it. According to Gambi, every U.S. president since FDR was aware of the program, so in typical American fashion, so many of their programs ultimately work to destroy some part of the black community.
One can understand his choice to live in Markovia, with a government that seemed to have treated him like a human, unlike the United States (similar to real world black people who moved to various "safe" countries in Europe during World War One and Two, when America--the home they built an fought for-- was aggressively enforcing its own version of apartheid). His thirst for revenge is at least partially rooted in justified pain.

Gambi: Damn. He was ready to kill Jace, but she managed to talk herself out of it. I do see the possibility of someone else on Team Black Lightning eventually killing her, since I find it hard to think she's reformed in any way.
Well, he tried Khalil, or at least empathize regarding PSTD.
Ever a great mix of practical action and exposition, we get the former ruthless agent, and his wealth of backstories about the ASA, Markovians--just about everything.

Jennifer / Khalil: So Painkiller is actively fighting to take control again. Fascinating that he has this internal war going on, and with no way of controlling it, he could be forced to seek Gambi's solution for a permanent "shut down". Jennifer was uncharacteristically cold to him, and yeah, she cannot trust having him around with this war going on in his head, but pushing him away with no support system makes him a perfect candidate to be used again...

Brandon: Still out of control, he's so easily played by Jace. Allegedly, his father shares the same powers, but Jace saying he was I Markovia makes one wonder who his father might be...

Lala / Devonte Jones: I guess Lala will learn not to hire a guy so horny that he would sell out the boss for prostitutes. What a loser.
With Lady Eve's control over Lala, and general hatred of Tobias, I imagine Lala and Tobias will be pitted against each other with the hope both die, leaving her as the crime lord of Freeland. That could be an interesting development, since she comes off as one who enjoys sadism mixed with her crime. Even Tobias does not go that far.

NOTES: Jefferson mentioned the crisis, but its still treated like an early Silver Age "Imaginary Story" since no one mentions a single thing about events and most telling--other superheroes as if they live and operate in the Black Lightning reality.

I'm glad the showrunners are still showing the Pierce family being one of real faith. That's uncommon in many superhero productions.

GRADE: A+

 

[Kirk Prime]

I don't think this episode was as strong as the one before, but it was still pretty good, especially the second half.

Khalil has become a very sympathetic character, and it was actually out of character the way Jen reacted. This guy was essentially mind raped. He is a victim. The real Khalil is good and he's engaging in this battle for his mind against a dangerous and powerful villainous version of himself. It's not his fault.

The one thing I don't get is why the toxic/poison skin is something Painkiller can do but Khalil can't.

Gravedigger has the potential to be a great villain, but they need to come up with a way to counter his mental abilities. He's formidable enough physically but he may be too strong if he can just order our main heroes around. If Gambi can't counter it, logically speaking, only aliens should be able to counter his mental abilities, or perhaps a meta with some natural resistance, like Khalil.

Again, the main storyline is very hard to swallow on this Earth. America has been invaded by a foreign power and is ignoring it?

Black Lightning would be too proud to give Barry, J'onn, Clark or Kara a call?

Seems a little odd.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

More good stuff, looks like the Book of War is going to rock.

I'll just hit a few random notes:

- Jordan Calloway continues to be really compelling on screen as Khalil

- Lady Eve and Lala is a really over-the-top way to get the improbable Macguffin suitcase to Gambi. It's hard to imagine that Odell and the ASA have zero idea about Gravedigger over the last what 70 years.

- I still find the scope of the Markovian incursion on the city of Freeland a bit odd but I get the appeal of Jeff and fam fighting for their home. I'm wondering if the final fight won't involve one of our recurring bad guys to join the final fight on BL's side just because no one messes with Freeland but us kind of deal.

EDIT: well after seeing the next ep promo, this might be less of an issue as it seems the government is definitely responding to the threat

 

[JD]

This was another good one.
I'm very curious where they are going to go with Khalil and Painkiller. The way he was talking at the end made me wonder if they might end Khalil might end up finding a way to merge them into one personality. The fight between him and Painkiller in the mindspace was pretty cool.
I'm still a little confused when it comes to how this fits into the wider Arrowverse. I'm really starting to wish they would give some kind of explanation for why the Markovians aren't interesting in any of the metas, aliens, or other beings with super powers outside of Freeland. I'm also not sure how well Gravdiggers backstory fits in since we've seen the Justice Society of America operating during WWII, and we got Vandal Savage and the Hawks existing thousands of ago. I could see the ASA possibly not knowing about Savage and the Hawks, but I would think they would be familiar with the JSA, and I find it hard to believe all of the metas on the team developed powers after the war started. I appreciate that they are telling their story the way they want to tell it, but it would be nice if they made at least some attempt to make it fit with the other shows in it's universe.
The farther we get away from Crisis on Infinite Earths, the more I think merging Black Lightning's Earth with the others was a mistake.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

The fight between him and Painkiller in the mindspace was pretty cool.

It's a nice way to demonstrate the conflict visually.

The farther we get away from Crisis on Infinite Earths, the more I think merging Black Lightning's Earth with the others was a mistake.

The other series haven't exactly been consistent in the rules of how it's all worked out either. In my head, I figure the ASA and the Markovians want metas they can create and control so maybe that's why they aren't as interested in the other metas and aliens. Perhaps that's part of the incentive to push these programs forward, so they have an answer to these overpowered threats. It's the ability to reproduce the conditions that they want. I'm sure the showrunner's intent with Gravedigger's story is to connect with things like the Tuskegee syphilis experiments which is relevant enough to cut some slack on how well it fits in with the others.

 

[JD]

Oh yeah, I get what they were going for with Gravedigger there, but these are still things that bug me. I could see merging Supergirl since it's been pretty closely tied to the other shows for a while now, but Black Lightning really should have been left on it's own.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

As has been said before it does feel like BL was dragged into the whole post-crisis merging. What’s awkward when Jefferson was telling of his adventures that not only are metas and aliens part of Freeland and beyond now but that they always were. When Jen and Anissa first discover their powers they knew of a whole worldful of powered costumed heroes which doesn’t mesh well with what we see.

 

[Kirk Prime]

Bottom line is that they did it. They need to make it work. I would like to see this storyline end by the end of the season, and do a better job next year to come up with a story that is more plausible in the post Crisis world.

 

[JD]

I saw an article shortly after Crisis where one of the showrunners said the showrunners were all working together to try to make sure things lined up and fit together. I have not been very impressed with the job they're doing, at least when it comes to BL.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Is there a difference between Green Light and Glimmer?

 

[JD]

I think they're just different names for the same thing.

 

[The Realist]

Is there a difference between Green Light and Glimmer?

I was confused by that as well. I feel like they just upped and started talking about "glimmer" one week like we were supposed to know what that was and how it related to green light. I ultimately decided it's Lynn's green light derivative that was supposed to be non-addictive (though we know how well that worked out).

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

The farther we get away from Crisis on Infinite Earths, the more I think merging Black Lightning's Earth with the others was a mistake.

Bottom line is that they did it. They need to make it work.

No, they do not. You insist on arguing in favor of a show that was created and aired with no connection to the other CW shows It should not lose its intended identity with a merger based on a poorly executed adaptation-in-name-only. There's no thrill in crossovers with inferior shows.

I would like to see this storyline end by the end of the season, and do a better job next year to come up with a story that is more plausible in the post Crisis world.

Human experimentation / augmentation / government lockdown of a city is the most plausible storyline of any CW-DC series. With the exception of Batwoman, the rest have a habit of using more implausible plots/fake science that would make the characters from Universal's Flash Gordon serials point and laugh. Black Lightning has its own set of messages, that is not shared--or would be understood by the in-universe nonsense of the other shows.

 

[Kirk Prime]

No, they do not. You insist on arguing in favor of a show that was created and aired with no connection to the other CW shows It should not lose its intended identity with a merger based on a poorly executed adaptation-in-name-only. There's no thrill in crossovers with inferior shows.

The show is a part of a bigger universe, on the same Earth as the other heroes. With good writing, it doesn't need to lose its identity at all, but it needs to be mindful of their sandbox.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Pretty kick ass, definitely a solid end to the buildup this season, something we don’t always see in these shows. I like what they’ve done with Gravedigger’s motivation making him a somewhat sympathetic character. Looking forward to the finale.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Black Lightning
SEASON THREE / Episode 15 - "The Book of War: Chapter Two: Freedom Ain't Free"

Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning / Lynn: Related to Gravedigger? Jefferson's great-uncle? That was an unexpected development, but it threatens to compromise his own mission...unless he concludes that Sykes is not some misty memory, but the killer he's always been. Knowing that he (Gravedigger) is related, it should be fascinating to see Jefferson--the soul trying to lift Freeland out of its racial/political woes counter Gravedigger's argument that he's trying to address / end the same problems.

Odell / Major Sara Grey / Lady Eve: I thought Even was setting up Gambi, but she must be smoking something to think Odell will just bring her back into the Shadow Board, no questions asked, no consequences. Still, Eve's must know everything about Gambi's connection to Pierce family, and hoping the ASA will eliminate the one thing standing in her way.

Gravedigger: "Every soldier--every person deserves decent burial..." He uses that (and trying to "liberate" Freeland's metas) as a justification of his actions--that he has some remaining humanity in the face of his decades of mass murder, but he's quite delusional. The freedom he lost 80 years ago has no bearing on the plight of the people (black people in particular, as you will note he thinks he will face "Uncle Toms" trying to oppose him). He definitely has the advantage with all of his intel on Team Black Lightning, which explains how he knew how to counter Jennifer's attacks.

Helga Jace: I almost want to see her escape, only to rub Brandon's arrogance in his face.

Gambi: The weight of it all--the government considering nuking Freeland as a last ditch option, not thinking Jefferson can handle Gravedigger...and possibly being a target of Odell (thanks to Lady Eve)….
His stress was definitely getting to him (as observed by Jefferson), and considering his age, I would hope that does not lead to a potentially dangerous health issue--that would be too predictable a dramatic card to play.

Jennifer: ARRGH. She continues to walk the border of growing up and being a fool; her asking TC to track Gravedigger was foolish in the extreme. Her recklessness cannot continue into season 4 without major consequences for everyone close to her.

Khalil: His "opening the door" to Painkiller, yet still resisting him is a new development. Its suggesting he can "let it out" on command, but whether it was a conscious decision not, Khalil could not cage Painkiller for the long haul. Horrible that Painkiller tried to convince Khalil that his good self--and his achievements--were due to tapping into some nonexistent "rage" as if he inherently an animal personality. One can only imagine how he will play into the coming war...or show up to kill the Pierce family when they assume the real Khalil has returned.

Anissa / Thunder: Dropping her marriage plans on everyone could not have been more ill-conceived; the audience knows she will live on, but in-universe, she's in a cloud, believing she would even survive the war. I suspect Grace's time on she show might becoming to an end.

Brandon: About his father--yeah, he might be in Markovia, but his utter lack of ethics is disgusting. He's just a self-interested ass at this point.

Lala / Devonte Jones: Despite Eve still thinking she's has mind control over him, Lala comes off like that rogue element who should not be underestimated (as he was by Eve and Thunder).

NOTES: I love the pacing of this show--the battle is not just going to break out like a bad 80s action movie, but it takes time. Meanwhile, there's so many connected angles to this story--Lady Eve to Odell, Gambi and Lala, Lala to Tobias, who in turn has his own ASA history... A clash greater than a physical fight is coming, and it will not be resolved this season. Great!

Oh, and TC & Erica--cute teenage romance on the horizon, assuming both survive the war.

Next week--the season finale.

GRADE: A+

 

[Kirk Prime]

I like the idea of Khalil being able to control Painkiller rather than one side fighting the other. With Painkiller's power and Khalil's morals, that has the potential to be a very formidable hero. Would love to see Gravedigger and Painkiller go at it in a better fight. Yet in fairness, this is Black Lightning, and seeing Jefferson go all out against Gravedigger could be incredible.

 

[JD]

The government threatening to nuke Freeland was definitely an unexpected development. I also realized that despite what I had been thinking before, we had seen an earlier response from the government, the ASA's actions were the response. I had been thinking they were an independent group, but then I remembered this week that they are a government organization, so what we saw them doing is what the government was doing.
Now that Grace and Anissa are married, I'm pretty sure one of them is doomed. This is the kind of show were resolving your issues, and getting to be happy is pretty much a death sentence, or at least means that something really bad is going to happen.
Gravedigger being Jefferson's great-uncle was definitely a bit surprise. It will be interesting to see if that has any impact on how all of this ends.
I'm thinking we've reached the point where they're going to need to come up with some kind permanent solution for Painkiller. He's gotten out twice in just the short time he's been locked away, so that's pretty clearly not going to keep him contained.
I think the whole opening narrated by Gravedigger was probably some of the most in depth the Arrowverse has ever gone on a villain's history and motivation. In his own sick and twisted way he's actually trying to help the the metas in Freeland.

 

[The Realist]

Now that Grace and Anissa are married, I'm pretty sure one of them is doomed.

I thought of that, but I hope they don't go there. It would actually be the opposite of shocking, but rather the most obvious cliche. (Not to mention having a nasty taint of "kill your gays.") It would be beneath this show's standard.