Spoilers Black Lightning - Season 2

[TREK_GOD_1]

Superheroes existing in the Black Lightning world does not necessarily mean humans are going to accept them. Its human nature to have the opposite reactions--fear, resentment, avoidance. One of the more realistic character traits of the various filmed Lex Luthors is that despite his high opinion of himself, his resentment of "the alien" actually has him taking a more everyman position, one where people will not react to metahumans in the way...a comic book fan would.

 

[Morpheus 02]

Black Lightning
Season two premiere: "The Book of Consequences - Chapter One: The Rise of the Green Light Babies"

Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning: Realism: the superhero life causes more problems than its worth, but he's right about the hyper vigilance of cities regarding security instead of teaching / taking care of kids. While he's right on so many levels, but his dedication to doing things the right way (in theory, the correct approach) is quickly coming up empty for solutions regarding the pods and Green Light. As Anissa pointed out, letting the "system" play out will not help (as she implied) those it was designed to do anything other than help. I see father and daughter ending up clashing throughout this season, especially when he learns about her Robin Hood-ing.

Gambi: Fowdy trying to drag Gambi back into the program (even through a favor) would have appeared to be a set-up for Gambi & Jefferson to use Fowdy in some way...possibly with some association Lynn in trying to infiltrate the A.S.A...well, until her run-in with Tobias.

Two minor nitpicks -- how did Gambi NOT recognize Fowdy as Jefferson's AP? I mean, Gambi has been keeping tabs on the whole family..surely someone this important he would recognize?

And no one noticing Fowdy is gone form the school too???

Can we name her "Black Black Widow" -- though her surviving a harpoon the gut and jumping out the window seems to imply she ALSO has some kind of superpowers like Syonide…???

Anissa & Jennifer Pierce: Ahh..more realism with Jennifer still not fascinated by having superpowers she cannot control or understand, and challenging Lynn on all of the violence caused by it. If only more superhero productions would have characters resent being altered, and not just flying into it like the cape and cowl life is a party.

Lynn: Government eyes on her (in the form of Agent Odell as the pro-government "coon"), but I imagine no one would be shocked to learn they have an "off the books" working relationship / interest with Tobias, which means Jefferson and Company are pretty much surrounded and have nowhere to turn. Loving the potential drama in that.

​

And Lynn shows herself to have the HEART of a superhero, and well matched for Jefferson.

I forgot that this picks up from last season...so that Lynn is still technically not moved back in. Technically.
​

The "of a certain age" / erectile dysfunction conversation between Lyn & Jefferson was unexpected and funny.

​

Yeah..very funny....but like the fight they had in nearly the same timeframe, both come off as VERY realisitic in terms of tone. I can see people doing that in real life.
​

Henderson: Knowing Jefferson and Anissa's alter egos cannot go anywhere good; he understandably pissed that his longtime friend has been running around as a vigilante with ties to situations that almost cost him his life, but I feel he will have to swallow his sense of betrayal and realize he needs BL and Thunder on the streets. In other words, he needs to become Commissioner Gordon if he's sincere about cleaning up the city.

​

Again, BL shows characters who aren't dumb.... glad he learned it, though sad for the short term. But I wonder if Henderson's plea for BL to take care of his family will be prophecy. Hope not. But like the Lynn/Jefferson and Jefferson/Gambi relationship, I hope it is also complicated (but in a good way).
​

Khalil: Trying to contact Jennifer--on the surface--seems like he's simply Tobias-dropped bait, but Jefferson and Gambi seem to think he's a wild card, and I do agree with that, but as a conflicted, manipulated young man, he should not be at the moment. ..but Jennifer will likely give him the benefit of the doubt and walk into a trap.

NOTES: The new, comic/TPB-styled title page intros. Interesting.

Still benefiting from excellent stuntwork / fight sequences where action and hits look painful, unlike the other DC shows.

GRADE: A. Great start to the season. Mature, as always.

Definitely an A... and I think one of the major reasons is that showrunner Salim Makil both wrote & directed this episode.So I feel like this one has a lot of his heart.

I know a lot of people here seem to NOT want BL to be part of a crossover... I think this episode has made me wonder if they would like Makil be the "showrunner" for that crossover episode, so that they get BL right in that episode...but will still listen to other writers to make the other characters feel true to their TV selves while fitting in with the BL atmosphere.

This week felt kind of disjointed, like they were more concerned with transitioning from last season and setting the board for this one than telling a focused story within the episode itself. Still, some of the pieces were fascinating and promising, especially developments with Jennifer. I also really liked Henderson figuring out the truth; the character's a favorite of mine, anyway, especially since his great showing in that episode last season where Jefferson got arrested. Was sorry Syonide got killed, and in fact surprised she evidently didn't survive -- I would have thought that implanted body armor would have protected her. Black Lightning remains objectively the best of the CW's DC shows (though subjectively, my heart still belongs to Supergirl).

Definitely agree on 2 points - shock on Syonide being dead, and that BL is indeed objectively the best. (My heart also belongs to the FLash)

I wonder if the use of the term "Green Light Babies" is an homage on the writers' part to the "Bang Babies" from the Milestone Comics "Dakotaverse" (as seen in the Static Shock TV series), wherein the superpowered characters were created by an event called the "Big Bang," in which the police quelled a gang brawl with an experimental tear gas that turned out to have mutagenic properties. There was a similar element there of powers coming from government experimentation on minority/poor communities, so I wouldn't be surprised if the resonance was intentional.

Umm...or MAYBE it is a blatant "homage" to crack babies...especially since they have OFTEN compared Green Light to crack. (And that it has been a problem in the black community)

[Place Weird Al's "White and Nerdy" video here]

And could someone reply back to Christopher about Green Light/Crack babies...I suspect he has me on block, and I REALLY think someone should share crack babies reference with him.

 

[The Realist]

^ Can't help you -- pretty sure he's got me blocked too. Wonder how many folks are in that club?

 

[dahj]

Issa's power seems to be compelling people to speak the truth, so I wonder who's turn is it next to get truthful at an inopportune moment.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Two minor nitpicks -- how did Gambi NOT recognize Fowdy as Jefferson's AP? I mean, Gambi has been keeping tabs on the whole family..surely someone this important he would recognize?

I think his not recognizing her meant the same undercover skills she used to work undetected at the high school was of a level that slipped by Gambi's monitoring as well. Considering her behavior/actions in this episode, it would make sense.

And no one noticing Fowdy is gone form the school too???

How long has she been absent? With the closing of the school, someone might bring her up, especially if staff are reassigned or free to move on to other schools.

Can we name her "Black Black Widow" -- though her surviving a harpoon the gut and jumping out the window seems to imply she ALSO has some kind of superpowers like Syonide…???

Possibly. As pointed out about Tobias in season one, many on his side seemed to have been enhanced. Even the once "dead" teen had the same glow under the skin seen with Tobias in season one. Its pretty much at epidemic levels in that city.

I know a lot of people here seem to NOT want BL to be part of a crossover... I think this episode has made me wonder if they would like Makil be the "showrunner" for that crossover episode, so that they get BL right in that episode...but will still listen to other writers to make the other characters feel true to their TV selves while fitting in with the BL atmosphere.

The problem is that Salim and Mara Brock Akil have crafted a series that is so mature and has a very tailored voice of its own (style, cultural, etc.), that even their presence/participation in a crossover would only reinforce how incredibly different BL is from the other Berlanti shows. It would just seem shoehorned in with one side or the other having their feel or approach compromised, or just looking like two unrelated shows edited together.​

Umm...or MAYBE it is a blatant "homage" to crack babies...especially since they have OFTEN compared Green Light to crack. (And that it has been a problem in the black community)

Crack is a part of the inspiration for the way Green Light is destroying the community, but the method of how it was introduced and desired effect (controlling and/or eliminating test subjects) seems to be inspired by real world government acts of corruption, such as the infamous Tuskegee Experiment.

 

[DarKush]

I thought this was a solid premiere. I do agree with the poster who felt like this episode was setting the board. That's the sense I got as well. I watched it a week ago and from I recall

Spoiler

Black Lightning didn't fight anyone in it, and suited up once. Anissa didn't suit up at all, though she did don another uniform of sorts to take out a drug house to get money for the Church, in order to release the people taken into custody. The Robin Hood parallel is there, but I was also thinking of the recent Kick-Ass series where the new Kick-Ass, a young black woman named Patience Lee-enacts a similar plan, robbing criminals and using the money to help others.

Spoiler

I thought Jennifer dealing with the ramifications of having powers she doesn't want was well done. Granted, being a superhero geek I want her to put on a suit and join the family business sooner rather than later, but from an organic storytelling point, her reluctance if not fear and revulsion of her powers is more realistic, more fitting the character, and can lead to more exploration of the cost of being a superhero, something this show has been doing well since the very first episode. And they've set up some nice family dynamics, with Annisa being more gung-ho, while Jennifer isn't, and Jefferson is in the middle. He likes being a hero, knows its necessary as well, but at the same time he also has his doubts. I see Lynn coming at it from the opposite direction, of being opposed to it initially but slowly coming around to seeing the necessity of Black Lightning. They've really set up some nice family dynamics for the show.

I was surprised that Syonide was killed off. I didn't think she was until it was said in the dialogue. I thought she had some kind of regenerative abilities or something. I am glad that Miss Fowdy survived, I liked her in season one and had hoped to see more of her character. I thought they were setting her up then as a love interest for Jefferson, but they surprised me in where they took the character. And they surprised me again-twice more-in the season premiere, with her killing Syonide and taking a harpoon to the stomach and likely surviving that as well. If they wanted to kill her off they wouldn't have her go out the window.

I really enjoyed the cameos in the episode. Robert Townsend, being Meteor Man, also a super-powered teacher named Jefferson, it was such a nice tip of the hat to forerunner of live-action superheroes, while Meteor Man himself might have been inspired by the Black Lightning comics. Bill Duke was also a great addition. The original movie Bolivar Trask, his iconic role in Menace II Society came to mind when he was questioning Lynn. I was hoping for the line, or a variation of it, that he said in that film. I would've preferred that questionable language over the use of the n-word in this episode. I didn't think it was needed. I do find that Black Lightning pushes boundaries in its quest for "realism" and sometimes the contortions they have to make being on network television are unsatisfying but I didn't see the need to go there at all. It felt more like a shock value move, an attempt to be 'real' while forgetting that this is a show that is about people with superpowers, plus a show that has often striven to various more of the African-American experience, and black Americans as multifaceted human beings. That word is reductive. It's one of my hang-ups with Luke Cage as well, which overdoes it. Sometimes, there might be a need to use the word, if it fits a character, but I think it's best to not use it. Speaking of realism, I thought it was neat that the show placed real-world people like Benjamin Crump and Angela Rye in the episode, adding to the verisimilitude.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Black Lightning
Season two / episode 2--"The Book of Consequences: Chapter Two: Black Jesus Blues "

Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning: "I don't play politics when it comes to Garfield..." in taking funding from the government, yet in an instant, his balanced position cracks as the school board forced him to play "whitewash" with his replacement. Once again, this series speaks to real world situations (school board takeovers in the interest of "control" and "progress") that has troubled predominantly black cities (on a large scale) since the 1960s, and still plagues those cities.

Anissa & Jennifer Pierce: So, they have not had cramps since the arrival of their powers. Interesting in what it suggests about a hormonal change, but that demands a greater explanation.

Anissa enjoying the spotlight...well, you knew that's going to go south with her desire for fame, too much confidence and a personal life.

Jennifer's habit. Not a good look, and just part of her increasingly secretive, rebellious nature.

Lynn: Lynn's smart, but she knows her A.S.A. watchdog is watching her every move, making her taking Issa home not the brightest of decisions.

The A.S.A. escapee (Wendy Hernandez) from the lab--just waking up after decades--I'd like to see more culture shock from her, since 1988 is the stone age compared to 2018. Despite her power, she seemed so vulnerable.

Issa's power seems to be forcing the hidden thoughts out of anyone near him after making eye contact. Fascinating. That should play a big role in episodes to come as he's suffering. He's such a sympathetic character that it would be nice if he survives, instead of sacrificing himself in some way.

Tobias: Still tearing down his own with the "negroes" slur, and abusing Khalil. Yes, we're meant to think Khalil has a little glow of a changing heart inside (making him the wild card discussed by Jefferson and Gambi), but the jury is still out on how much he's tethered to his old life.

Tobias dealing in metahumans as living weapons to sell promises to set up a rather large conflict (with more free "specimens") on the back end of the season, with the potential for the "war" only fought on Freeland's streets.

Khalil: " I'm caught up!" There it is--his complaint about owing Tobias is taken right from real life, with many an unfortunate young black male who is forced--through desperation & criminal "charity"--to become the America's favorite statistic. Someone might argue that he has choices, but that's easier said than done--or understood.

NOTES: .Unlike many fantasy TV series, this show continues to avoid running away from characters expressing their faith in God. Incredibly refreshing in this era.

Excellent series.

GRADE: A+.

 

[JD]

The new season is off the a great start.
I like that Lynn is working with the A.S.A. and the kids in the tubes, that's a nice way to keep her easily involved in the bigger story.
Definitely very curious to see where they are going to go with Jennifer's increasing powers. I'm thinking something drastic is going happen that's going to force her to either accept them and learn to control them or Lynn will be forced to take them away. Either way, I think we're building to a pretty big moment where they go completely out of control.
I definitely don't see Anissa's Robin Hood act ending well. I was surprised to see her ex-girlfriend pop back up last night, I had completely forgotten about her.
I wonder if last night was the last we'll see of Issa? The scene with him and the Pierces at the dinner table was pretty good.
It will be interesting to see where things go with the new white principle taking over Garfield.

 

[DarKush]

I thought this was a solid episode, though one that felt like they are still setting the stage for the remainder of the season. I got a Smallville vibe when it comes to the pod children. Seems like they go could with a pod-child a week kind of set up, which could be a nice way to have super powered antagonists, opponents, or obstacles each week without bringing in known DC characters to avoid having to get the company approval.

I hope that Grace isn't gone for good and that we do see that she is a metahuman, really an Amazon, at some point. I liked the chess scene with Khalil and Tobias and how menacing it was, and I like that Khalil is conflicted and I do think he does care for Jennifer. I thought he already knew that Jefferson was Black Lightning, so I was surprised that he didn't know when he was talking to Jennifer on the rooftop. It was nice seeing Robert Townsend and Bill Duke again, I hope they are around for a while longer on the show.

It seems like this season Anissa is going to be going down an uncertain path. I like how some of her more admirable traits might also get her into trouble if she applies them the wrong way or at the wrong time. It makes me think back to season one where Lynn felt that metahuman powers were addictive. And perhaps Anissa is succumbing to the power and thrill as well as the notoriety of being a superhero. I also think there's got to be more to Anissa's new love interest. I wouldn't be surprised if she's connected to Tobias somehow, though I would love it if they had her be part of a DC organization like Kobra,The 100,The 1000, Basilisk. I think it was a missed opportunity last season to not tie Lady Eve to Kobra,

 

[JD]

After Khalil was first given the nickname "Painkiller" by Tobias, I looked it up on the DC wiki and it turns out he is a character from the comics. The new look he has now, with the dreds and the gauntlets, is the character's look in the comics.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I thought this was a solid episode, though one that felt like they are still setting the stage for the remainder of the season. I got a Smallville vibe when it comes to the pod children. Seems like they go could with a pod-child a week kind of set up, which could be a nice way to have super powered antagonists, opponents, or obstacles each week without bringing in known DC characters to avoid having to get the company approval.

I agree up to a point, in that the series having its own set of TV-created superpowered characters builds on this TV world, but DC has enough comic characters not in the unrelated DC-TV shows that a few can be used, even its limited to one appearance.

and I like that Khalil is conflicted and I do think he does care for Jennifer. I thought he already knew that Jefferson was Black Lightning, so I was surprised that he didn't know when he was talking to Jennifer on the rooftop.

Khalil is conflicted, but in the face of the abuse he receives at the hands of Tobias, he's still being groomed by the criminal, and I'm almost sure his forcing / convincing Khalil to use Jennifer in some way is around the corner.

It was nice seeing Robert Townsend and Bill Duke again, I hope they are around for a while longer on the show.

Yes--Townsend has been around long enough that he can play serious and not remind anyone of his comedic side, while Duke will always give a great performance. His career roles are a playlist of an actor who can play almost any kind of character, and he's hitting it out of the park on BL.

And perhaps Anissa is succumbing to the power and thrill as well as the notoriety of being a superhero.

She's feeling justified in her every action--from her primary role (in costume) to her Robin Hood-ing--it all makes her feel she's firmly on the side of right. Part of this confidence / ego going off the rails stems from her ability to control her powers, instead of it being a long-running problem as seen with her sister. Anissa thinks "she's got this under control" and yeah, that's a recipe for disaster--possibly for her father, if her ego leads to a direct move against him.

 

[Kirk Prime]

I actually like that Anissa is embracing the superhero side. Thunder, and Black Lightning for that matter, SHOULD be regarded as heroes, because they are.

Another poster mentioned how people would be naturally scared of powered beings, and that is logical. However, that can be combated with good PR. Perception and good PR will help their approval ratings and make the people see them for what they are, not to be feared for no reason.

I'm hoping that the Anissa plotline doesn't turn against her, though it wouldn't surprise me if the writers do just that.

 

[dahj]

Anyone else expected Will Smith to be the new principal when they said his name was Mike Lowrey?

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Black Lightning
Season two / episode 3--"The Book of Consequences: Chapter Three: Master Lowry"

Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning: Jefferson's position is familiar: as much as he fought to change the fortunes of his communities' children, he's the one who suffers for his efforts at the hands of those who think they know what's best for people they have no social or identity connection to. His silent packing and the look in his eyes as he considers what used to be was effective--sad.

Superman t-shirt in the family photo. Cute.

Gambi: Fowdy at his door...the plot thickens...

Anissa & Jennifer Pierce: Although Anissa is reckless beyond belief with the Robin-Hooding, and I enjoy her teaming up with Gambi, I hate to see the fall the show is setting up for her.

The "containment box" commentary about hair salons was spot on--from the importance of that kind of community in is effect on real world issues important to black life, to the contradictory, ultimately demeaning adoption of tools and appearances to look like anyone apart from themselves.

Lynn: Dr. Gates was playing "I don't give a damn" for all its worth, including her casual way of describing her horrible experiments, but her son will be her undoing--meaning there's no way he wont be used against her, will Lynn taking the blame for whatever happens, thanks to her employers. That makes Lynn a target from both sides, unless the A.S.A already has a hidden arrangement with Gates for some kind of end-game based on their suspicions of Lynn's connections.

Henderson: Really enjoying his still resistant cop's posture with Jefferson, though he knows he's a valuable asset. Just like early Commissioner Gordon with you-know-who.

Tobias: "..the negroes have another baby they're not going to take care of." As always, Tobias' statements are disgusting, but he peppers his self-hating critiques with little, bitter truths regarding the syndrome of the illegitimacy of black births in some parts of the black community. Though he believes he has the "number" of both the black people he disrespects and the white people he does not trust, his self-hating commentary sounds like scripts ripped from the Right Wing radio host playbook--a planet-sized level of irony he misses.

I was surprised he was arrested, but his being willing to surrender points to his "cleaning house" in the near future, probably starting with...

Khalil: As he pointed out to Jennifer last week, he's "caught up." No matter how much he tried to convince her he's not what she thinks, his relationship to Tobias is setting in, taking Khalil from a state of confusion / feeling he has no choice, to slowly embracing criminal ways. The face off with Black Lightning---Khalil does have a heart left for his mother, but he knows he cannot just leave Tobias sans as easily as BL suggested, and now that his boss ha been arrested, he's suspect #1 on the lest of traitors. Fearing death, Khalil might take another deep dive of violence to prove his loyalty to Tobias, but I feel he will always have a target on his back.

NOTES: Powerful episode, with so many "chapters" going on, yet each is as compelling as the next. Some TV series cannot even manage that with one plot.

GRADE: A

 

[The Realist]

Outstanding episode, with a lot of development packed into an hour that still feels well paced and balanced. The writing for this show is definitely a healthy notch above what the other CW DC shows manage to muster.

I think Tobias may have gotten himself arrested on purpose, as part of some unrevealed scheme. I had wondered last week why, after all these years, he was suddenly going around and systematically eliminating all the witnesses and evidence linking him to Alvin Pierce's murder.

 

[dahj]

I think Tobias may have gotten himself arrested on purpose, as part of some unrevealed scheme.

I agree. I think he wants to step out of the shadows. The arrest warrant was for the murder of Alvin Pierce, so after he eliminated every shred of evidence linking him to that murder he ratted himself out. He'll stand trial(if it even comes to that), be acquitted, and walk a free man.

 

[Christopher]

It's surprising that an episode called "Master Lowry" had only one scene with Principal Lowry in it. Meanwhile, it's a pleasant surprise that Lowry is played by P.J. Byrne, the voice of Bolin from The Legend of Korra and Firestorm from Justice League Action.

It's weird to see Anissa doing so much action as Anonymous Mask and Hoodie Lady instead of Thunder. Of course it's because she's stealing rather than crimefighting, but I'd rather see her doing more crimefighting. Also, that mask does little to conceal her identity, because her eyes are so striking. (Honestly, I have more trouble recognizing her when she gets a new hairstyle half a dozen times per episode. Hairstyle is a major part of how my brain processes faces, and too major a hairstyle change can confuse me and make someone hard to recognize.)

The new character, Dr. Helga Jace, is a foe of the Outsiders in the comics. It's weird that they chose to go with "made people lose their feet" as her evil deed. That just sounds weird. Why their feet?

 

[dahj]

Why their feet?

♪♪ They'll never gonna dance again... ♪♪

 

[DarKush]

Episode 3 felt more like another setup episode for me. More characters were introduced, more pieces added to the chess board, and it will be interesting to see how Tobias's arrest, which I do think he engineered, will play a role in how things are done. It does take away the chief motivator for Black Lightning, so I hope the show moves him into other challenges while Tobias is in jail, while his job at Garfield High provides him with professional/employment challenges. And then when you add the familial issues, it looks like Jefferson will have a lot on his plate this season.

I'm iffy on Khalil killing-accidentally or not-the flaky gangster. He didn't show any remorse or shock at that; before that I was thinking they were aiming for a redemption arc for him, now I'm not so sure.

I don't know anything about Dr. Jace from the comics, but I am glad that they have added another villain to the show, an Outsider villain, at that. I'm hoping we will get to see some version of the Outsiders on this show later this season or in Season 3. I also like how they've introduced her as a nemesis for Lynn. The only one so-far that doesn't have a personal, or potential, nemesis is Anissa, and she has her hands full with her Robin Hood job. I like her costume though I wish she had a voice changer and perhaps wore goggles or shades to cover more of her face.

I am glad that Grace is on the show, however I don't get what's up with Zoe. It felt like they were building up something more that with the character. Perhaps she will return or this will be a love triangle.

Overall I thought this was a solid episode from a character building standpoint, but I would like to see more superheroics and more super villains.

Reading over Trek_God's latest review, and while his (I'm assuming here when it comes to gender) reviews are often insightful, I did take issue with some of what was said regarding the 'syndrome' of 'illegitimate births' in the black community as if there is some credence to Tobias's disparaging comments. I think the show has done a good job showing Tobias's tragic past and his self-loathing that developed as a result of it. I do wonder if the writers put those kind of statements in his mouth-to reinforce how repugnant they are. I think the media often demonizes the black community and out-of-wedlock births is one of those issues. This is not viewed in context, nuance, or through the lens of history, sociology, politics, or economics, or even placed within the overall context of marriages and relationships in the US. Instead it's used as 'evidence' of the inferiority of African-Americans. And when other groups also have out-of-wedlock births that's not scandalized or as scandalized as it has been when it comes the black community. In fact, some might get reality shows like "Teen Mom", just like the opioid scourge is being depicted far more sympathetically than the crack-cocaine epidemic was 20-30 years ago. There are no meth/opioid films like New Jack City, Menace II Society, South Central, and now meth/opioid shows like The Wire. Certainly there is Breaking Bad, but Walter White became a widely celebrated anti-hero in a way a Nino Brown (New Jack City) did not.

There are social issues out (but also reasons for those besides supposed racial/genetic/cultural deficiencies spouted by Tobias), but also I think it's notable what conclusions are drawn from a situation and the how and why of that, and Tobias's warped views are likely the result of his abusive upbringing and how he's found a way to cope with that. One thing I do think Black Lightning is attempting to do, with varying degrees of success, is show different black experiences, including Tobias's, but not justifying what Tobias is saying, and even more so-IMO-the conclusions he's drawn from his personal experience, or that of others, compared to the Pierces or Detective Henderson, etc.

 

[The Realist]

^ FWIW, I thought Khalil did show shock at what he'd done, but that he quickly masked it with stoicism for the benefit of his "audience" of onlookers, and for himself.