Previously, on "Black Lightning"...
As soon as the Markovians are gone,
everything will go back to the way it was before.
What do you want me to do?
In that bag, you'll find a perfect copy of your suit.
Now, let's get you changed.
There's a Markovian data farm. We need to take it out.
*BLACK LIGHTNING*
Season 03 Episode 09
Episode Title :"The Book of Resistance: Chapter Four: Earth Crisis"
Synchronized by srjanapala
All right, so this is the third night in a row
I've woken up at exactly 3:33.
- I looked it up and... -33 is
equilibrium between your mind, body and spirit.
And it's no surprise that my equilibrium is off.
Considering what this occupation is doing to my family,
what it's doing to Freeland.
You know what I wish,
I really wish that I could go back in time.
Like, way back.
Before I knew what a metagene was-back.
Because I think the thing that's really tripping me out, -
Is I don't know who to believe anymore.
I really don't. And also,
I think I've killed people.
Anissa, not regular people, Markovians, but still,
still people.
And I know you're not gonna be happy about this either, but,
I've also been working with Odell.
I know...
But I'm just trying to do what's right, and I'm confused.
I'm confused, cause I got Odell...
Look, it's like this,
I got Odell in this hand,
saying that the ASA and their perimeter
is the only thing stopping Freeland from being annihilated by the Markovians.
That's what I have over here.
And in this hand, I've got Dad
Mr. Black Lightning, "the protector of all that is Freeland,"
joining a resistance against the ASA.
And it's the resistance co-founded by you, Harriet.
And my heart tells me that y'all are right.
That's what my heart is telling me.
But my head is telling me something totally different.
It's telling me that Odell and what he's doing is necessary.
Because why else would Mom be working with those two?
Right after they beat Dad down outside of Garfield.
Why would she still be working with him?
She has to believe in what they're doing.
I know I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy.
When both sides are right, and both sides are wrong,
what do I do? Like... Who do I follow?
Whatever, I was gonna send you this, but,
there's no point. I think, it's time I just come over and actually talk to you.
♪ Last night I saw a superhero He was black ♪
♪ He said "This is for the street Black Lightning's back" ♪
I'm Rebecca Larsen and this is the Larsen Line.
Once again, we have been lied to.
There is no SARS epidemic in Freeland.
It's something much, much worse.
They're feeding us fake news to hide the truth.
There's even talk of a daily resistance,
by liberal anti-vaxxers
fighting the government's attempts to control whatever this is.
If you have been in or near the city of Freeland
in the last three months and feel that you may
have been exposed,
please, call the number on the bottom of the screen,
and an operator will direct you
to a CDC approved testing facility.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the citizens of Freeland
as the government mandated quarantine continues.
Liberal anti-vaxxers.
"Thoughts and prayers," my ass!
I want to know what happened to all those interviews
and all that information Jamillah put together
about what it's really like right here in Freeland.
The ASA must have intercepted the feed after the footage.
We really should have seen this coming.
Yeah.
So much for getting the truth out to the masses.
No, no, wait. We can't lose hope.
Hope is not a strategy. What we need is a plan.
Blackbird is right.
After the resistance coming out party at Franklin Terrace,
the ASA is gonna be gunning for us in a big way.
You're damn right. You're damn right.
Ms. Pierce, a word.
Agent Odell, what the hell are you doing?
I had to speak to you and this felt like the most
expedient manner possible, considering you're not
answering the phone I gave you.
- What if my family had been home? - But they're not, correct?
I heard the Markovians almost killed you.
I have a mission to fulfill, Ms. Pierce,
and I'm not going anywhere until it's completed.
A mission that is getting more complicated,
due to the rather public stance your father and sister took
against the ASA.
Look, my dad doesn't normally overreact,
so there had to be a reason why he went all
"You shall not pass" on your commandos.
This resistance is quickly moving from an annoyance to a nuisance.
It is making it difficult for us to defend the city
in the best manner possible.
Defend or control?
Do I hear a hint of hostility?
Yeah, Odell, the ASA is at war with my family,
what do you expect?
I expect you to do what's right,
for you, your family and Freeland.
The Markovians are at the gates, Ms. Pierce, and we have to push back.
Why should I believe you?
Your father's outdated strategy for Freeland doesn't work.
It hasn't for years and you know it's true.
Look what happened to your friend, Khalil.
Do you know how many lives were saved when you destroyed that data farm?
More than Black Lightning has in his entire existence.
Yeah, but how many lives were lost, though?
Huh? How many people did I kill?
The Markovians were trying to breech our systems
and find a way through the perimeter.
If they had succeeded,
Freeland would be the definition of biblical hell right now.
We did what had to be done.
I'm asking you to do it again.
Asking what, exactly?
We intercepted a credible threat from Markovian base camp,
they're planning another move on our perimeter.
I need you to do air patrols at staggered intervals.
If you spot hostiles,
neutralize with extreme prejudice.
Oh, and Ms. Pierce, the time for you to pick a side,
is rapidly approaching.
Choose wisely.
Now, ya'll be careful. Hit me.
You know Henderson is right.
The ASA is gonna hit back and they're gonna hit back hard.
Maybe we hit first this time.
What do you have in mind?
I don't know, but I'm really tired of reacting.
This is kill or be killed.
We don't kill.
What if we don't have a choice?
Do you have something you want to say?
Listen to me, Dad,
when me and Tavon were attacked,
it was Khalil.
- Khalil? - Yes.
No, no, we buried Khalil.
Dad, I'm telling you, he's still alive.
He killed Tavon and if it was not for Uncle Gambi,
he would have killed my ass too.
So what I'm saying to you, is that I tried reasoning with him.
I called his name, he was like a robot.
Things have changed, Dad,
and honestly, if you are not willing to kill, then you are gonna die.
Shonda, play Travis Scott.
Of course.
And when did Anissa say she'd be home?
She should be arriving in 15 minutes.
Just remind her I really need to talk to her.
Of course.
Shonda, call Anissa.
Calling Anissa.
Apologies, Anissa cannot be reached at the moment.
Ms. Pierce.
Yeah, Odell, are you seeing this?
Ms. Pierce, don't go out there.
- What the... - Wait, who the hell are you two?
What is this place?
Look, at us, we're all the same.
- Yeah, clearly different. - Definitely different.
All I remember is riding through the red storm
on my way back to the Pit with Odell.
- Hold up, the Pit? - Yeah.
Why?
I changed the water in Freeland, like in Flint.
So anybody who had the meta gene,
when they drank the water, it would take their powers away.
Including my sister and my dad.
So, Odell got so pissed about it, he threw me in the Pit,
and put this collar around my neck.
Well, it seems like we're from different worlds to me
because Odell ain't putting a damn thing around my neck.
It sounds like parallels from different dimensions to me.
Anissa, have you seen it outside tonight?
The sky is all red and all the lightning, did you see that?
Girl, forget the weather, I can't believe you almost outed me.
I can't believe you still need to be outed.
I haven't found the right time to tell them, okay?
Look, I get it, okay?
Mr. Conservative Secretary of Education already has a daughter locked up.
We don't need the other one making the news for being a lesbian, I get it.
You do know that Dad, he only took that job
to make it look like he didn't agree with what you did.
Otherwise, we all would be locked up right now, and you know it.
Yeah, I know that, Anissa, but it still hurts.
'Cause the truth is, he knew about the whole thing.
He supported me. He said, "It's your decision."
And then, he didn't defend me.
- Not publicly, anyway. - Yeah.
Well, I'll tell them soon, okay?
Low-key have to, because... If that makes any sense...
Oh, it doesn't. What you talking about?
All right, well, I may, or may not have met a girl.
Wait, wait! Give me the tea, give me the tea.
All right, be quiet. Her name is Shaquandalyn.
- Uh, Shaquandalyn? - Yeah.
So she's black.
I'm just saying, you usually go for...
Okay, calm down. I'm just saying.
Never mind, I don't want to be offensive. Go on.
- She is a medical student, just like me. - Okay.
Oh, my God, and she's so beautiful.
- She makes me feel like... - Like a natural woman?
You laughing, but yes, she does.
I mean, we only been on a couple of dates,
but we're already planning a trip to Jamaica,
and I just never, I never felt anything like this.
My fault. I'm just filling up the whole room with all this air.
No.
What's good with you and Khalil? Ya'll straight?
Yeah. Um, everything's great, actually.
I told him that the ASA let me out for Christmas, so...
- He's supposed to stop by. - Hmm.
But he actually just got a full ride to UCLA.
I know, I was so proud of him.
It's a little bittersweet though, because he leaves next August.
And... I'm gonna miss his visits.
You think you'll gonna do the long distance thing?
I don't really see the point.
I still have a couple of years left in the Pit.
But it's fine. Whatever.
I never really understood love anyways, so it's probably best
he just... leaves.
I mean, look at our own parents, they can't stand to be together...
Girl, can't stand to be apart.
Exactly, it's like an endless romcom.
Like a nightmare.
What was that?
On your knees!
Yeah, we got him in custody.
What are you doing?
Get off of me.
- Stop resisting! - What do you want?
Get off me!
Why are you doing this to Dad?
Agent Odell. Why? Are you...
Mr. Pierce, Mr. Pierce, Mr. Pierce.
You made me travel all the way here on Christmas,
because you can't follow instructions?
No. No, Agent Odell, I've done everything the High Council asked of me.
I... I've taught ASA history their way.
I-I-I told everyone to turn in
meta so they could be cured, or cultivated.
- Is that so? - Yes.
Hmm.
I have to say, that your friend, the good Reverend...
Well, um...
Okay, okay, Jefferson Pierce and I have been running an underground railroad
for the metas for the last month.
We were just trying to give the last kids the chance
to have the same kind of freedom we got.
No!
Can you please just let my dad go?
Yeah. He didn't even do anything.
That's where you're wrong, young lady,
I'm afraid your father did
- No, no, no. - Too much.
- Disobedience must... - Dad!
..run in the family, Ms. Pierce.
No, no, no! Please!
No! Let go of me!
- Anissa! - Come on.
Anissa, help me!
Anissa, what's going on? What happened?
Jen called about an hour ago,
and she said she needed to talk.
I didn't know what she needed to talk about,
so I told her to meet me at my place.
And I came, and I found her like this.
Where did she get this suit?
'Cause it's not the one I made her.
- I don't know. - Dad, no!
Jen, Jen! Jen.
Anissa, Dad is dead.
- What? - Dad is dead.
What is she talking about?
Enter.
Hey.
Mom wanted me to let you know
that she's headed back from the funeral home.
Crazy traffic due to that weird thunderstorm.
I really wish they'd let me go.
I can't believe Odell even let me visit you.
Oh, I can. It's his sick way of saying he's sorry.
Yeah, maybe.
No, not maybe. He said it. That's what he said.
Look, Mom really wanted time alone with Dad for a while.
Well, it's a little late for that, don't you think?
Come on, don't be hard on her, Jen.
Anissa, I'm surprised she even had time to help at all.
She loves Dad. They loved each other.
They just couldn't find a way to make it work.
Because it's hard to figure it out
when you're obsessed with work like she is.
She's busy all the time.
She never even visits me in here. Her own daughter.
- Jennifer! - Look at this!
She can't even come visit me!
- Damn, I'm sorry. - You're sorry.
But, Jen, it's really hard for her to see you like this in here.
It's hard being in here like this!
If it weren't for you and Dad, I wouldn't get a visitor.
And he's dead now.
He's gone.
This is my fault.
It's all my fault.
All I had to do, was sit my ass down somewhere and listen to him.
All I had to do, was listen to his instructions.
Do what he said. He would still be alive.
Jen, stop it, okay! Stop it!
We all made choices,
during and after the war.
He died the way he lived, with and without powers,
fighting for Freeland.
Her vitals are disappearing.
Disappearing like she's dying?
Uh, disappearing like, I can't explain it.
All I know, is that this all started
once the sky turned red.
Have you called your mom and dad?
Dad's on his way, but I still haven't been able to reach Mom.
Can you try her? Maybe she's at the Pit.
No, your Mom's not in the Pit anymore.
During the battle of Franklin Terrace, the ASA tried to lock
your mom down and I managed to get her out of there just in time.
Oaky, but where is she right now?
Mom, it's Anissa,
I really need you to meet me in my place now.
Mom, get over here.
It's something with Jen. I don't know what to do.
Jennifer, can you let me in, please?
Jen, please let me in.
Enter.
I was gonna ask how you're doing, but I think I know.
Oh, so you think you know me now.
- That's a bit harsh, don't you think? - No.
What's harsh, is watching Dad getting shot down like a dog.
Mom, that's harsh.
I understand you're angry with me.
I should have visited more. I'm sorry.
I wish there was something I could say to make it all better.
But this isn't something words can heal.
Just... Time.
I can tell you this. Your father was so very proud of you.
How would you know?
Jennifer, your father and I loved each other very much.
We spoke almost every day.
He was my best friend.
He always talked about how proud he was of you.
About how many lives you'd saved.
Except his.
No, Jennifer, he was proud because you did something he couldn't.
You brought peace to Freeland.
Yeah, but, but what kind of peace is it,
when Odell can just walk into our house and
kill Dad like that.
What kind of peace is it?
It's a different kind of peace, honey.
And if you hadn't made the choice to use your powers
to turn Freeland's water supply into something that would stop
meta powers, thousands of children
would be fighting the ASA's wars.
They were going to turn everyone in Freeland into a meta.
You, you stopped that.
Yeah, but was it worth it, Mom?
Was it worth it?
Was it worth me being locked in here?
Was it worth Dad's life?
Yes.
I'm sorry.
- What the hell? - Jeff.
It's like nothing I've ever seen before.
But you can figure it out, right?
You can help her.
We're gonna do everything we can.
It's complicated, Jeff.
Simplify it for me.
Those weird red skies are kicking off massive amounts of anti-matter,
and since Jen's powers convert her cells into pure energy...
She's more susceptible to the effects.
So you're saying, she's literally at two places at once.
At least, that's the theory I'm working with.
I can't prove it,
but... Jen woke up convinced you were dead.
And it didn't come from a dream.
It was a real memory.
I think that we're dealing with parallel universes.
Oh, come on, Gambi, parallel universe?
That's the best you got. That is a big leap.
Parallel universe, it's been a staple theory of modern physics.
Like I said, I can't prove it.
There is an incoming call from Chief Henderson,
- shall I put in through? - Yes.
You're connected.
Blackbird, I've been calling you and calling you.
Henderson, I'm dealing with an emergency.
- - So am I. I'm getting killed out here. Literally killed.
I don't know what you're dealing with, but either you or Black Lightning
need to come out here by the end of the night
there ain't gonna be no resistance.
Sorry, Henderson, I gotta be here.
No, Jeff, you don't.
What? Excuse me?
- This escalation with the ASA, it's your fault. -
You decided to take a stand at Franklin Terrace, you.
So now, you made your bed, you go lie in it.
My fault? Lie in it?
Come on, Lynn, you think this is all on me now?
- Whose fault is it? - Guys, please.
We can argue about fault later.
Right now, we all have a lot of work to do, if Jen's gonna survive the night.
Yes. And I'll stay here in case trouble reaches these doors.
Okay.
Are we doing this or what?
Yeah, I'm on my way. Look, we can't just hit some random target.
We gotta take something else, that's gonna swing things in our direction.
I think I may have found just the thing.
Where's the future?
Right here.
- Whose life is this? - Mine.
What are you gonna do with it?
Live it by any means necessary.
Ah, okay.
Okay, that's it for today. Thank you.
So that's still working for you, huh?
Thank you for coming.
Hmm, it's no problem.
But if you called me here to talk about Odell and my work with the ASA,
I'm telling you now, it's gonna be a short conversation.
Well, in that case, I'll get right to the point.
Odell is using you, Jen.
I mean, you're like a gun,
and he's pulling the trigger.
And you're like that little thing,
that symbol on the computer,
the one that just goes round and round,
while you wait for it to load something new.
Jen.
Jen, how do I get you to see that your powers are a drug?
And you are addicted. The more you use them, the more I lose you.
The more you lose yourself.
The people of Freeland need me.
And you could have stopped this years ago,
but your philosophy and your code,
it stopped you and now look where we are.
So I tell you what, I'm gonna clean up this mess you made,
so that I can finally lead a normal life.
Something that you could never provide for me
or anyone else, for that matter.
A life of peace.
- Jen. - It was good seeing you.
Dad.
Still nothing on what's turning the skies red, sir.
We have worse problems than air quality.
Black Lightning just destroyed the ASA headquarters,
and everything that's in it.
Which leaves the Pit as the only operational base in Freeland.
- The perimeter? - It's still intact.
But I'm gonna make the assumption that he knows where the Pit is located.
He won't attack us because he's weak-minded,
and won't want to fight metas that we've trained for fear of killing them.
So his next move is to find the camp,
and release the detainees.
I'll triple the amount of ASA commandos and make sure the camp is secure.
That won't suffice.
Send a shipment of Green Light and brain implants to the camp.
We'll get there before he does, and weaponize the detainees.
Fight fire with fire.
- The detainees? - Yeah.
They haven't been trained for active duty, sir.
They're just kids, fresh off the street.
Not for long. Dismissed.
So much for restraint.
Hmm. They served their purpose.
Killing all of the metas was not part of your mission.
These metas helped you win the war against Markovia.
No Markovians, no need for war.
No war, no need for metas.
Except for you, of course.
"Thank you" would be a better response, Odell.
Thank you.
Your loyalty will be rewarded.
I read somewhere...
Some people are not loyal to you.
They are loyal to their need of you.
And once their needs change,
so does their loyalty.
That's true.
You know, your family's gonna come for you.
That's what family's for.
It's getting worse.
Uncle Gambi!
I think I may have found something.
I've piggy backed on the ASA's satellite network.
Whenever there's a marked rise in anti-matter particles in the atmosphere,
Jen phases away to God knows where.
Okay. But can you stop her from phasing?
I'm gonna keep looking. Hopefully, I can get her to just stay here.
And if you can't?
Look, you know what, it's the ASA.
I'll go and make them stop turning the sky red.
Anissa, the ASA has lots of capabilities,
but generating anti-matter isn't one of them.
Yeh, well, I wouldn't be so quick to put it past them,
considering everything they're capable of.
- What do you mean? - Like bringing people back from the dead.
Guys, I saw Khalil last week, or should I say, Painkiller.
And he was alive and they had to be the ones who brought him back.
Hello? Mom!
Did you hear me? Khalil is still alive.
I know.
I saw him when I was at the Pit, a couple of weeks ago.
So you know what we have to do.
Khalil has to be put down.
Khalil is not an animal.
He's a boy and he needs our help.
As much as you disagree with Dad,
you sound just like him right now.
Trust me when I tell you, he is not Khalil anymore.
He is something else.
Something cruel and just plain dangerous.
Hey, guys, look, Khalil... Painkiller is the least of our worries right now.
I've just intercepted an encrypted message
from the ASA servers in the Pit.
Odell has just dispatched a truckload of Green Light
to the detainees of the camp.
He's gonna weaponize those kids.
The ASA is desperate.
Desperate enough to make and unleash unstable now metas on Freeland.
That's it.
- Shonda? - Yes, Anissa.
Call Black Lightning.
- You're connected. - What's going on?
Jennifer okay?
Look, it's getting worse.
Whatever you and Henderson are doing to piss off the ASA, it's working.
Listen to me, the ASA is sending a shipment of Green Light
to the detainment facility
to weaponize the kids to use against the resistance.
I-I have the route that they're traveling to the facility.
Good. And I have a plan to stop it.
Tell me you didn't do it.
All those innocent people.
Ugh, don't be naive, Dad. No one's innocent.
What...
It's like I don't even know who you are anymore.
Well, why don't I remind you.
I'm the girl that just ended a war,
by doing what you wouldn't because of your personal morality.
I'm the girl that didn't just stand by and watch Freeland die,
because of some rules no one lives by,
- but you. - No.
No. You're the girl who's standing in her father's house,
with nothing but disrespect and contempt in her mouth.
You are the girl who chose not to listen to her father,
instead, listen to Odell.
And became a cold-blooded murderer.
That's where you're wrong.
I listen to me, because no one controls me.
No one can. Not you, not Odell, nobody.
This has gone too far, Jen.
We can't just look the other way anymore.
Jen, this is wrong.
What is this?
Huh? An intervention, or something?
You have to stop this, Jen.
You have to turn yourself in.
- To who? - To the authorities.
You still don't get it, do you?
I am the authority.
Jennifer.
Turn yourself in.
Make me.
Jen, come on,
it does not have to be this way.
We are still a family.
Let's all just sit down and talk about this.
Nah, you all are weak.
He has to wear a suit.
You have to hold your breath and Mom...
Honestly, I don't need to talk about a damn thing.
Come on, Jen, listen to me...
It's hard to hold your breath
when you're distracted, huh?
No!
Lynn!
It's just you and me, Dad.
It's just you and me.
Where's the future?
Oh, it's right here.
And whose life is this?
It's mine!
Look at me, Dad! This is the best part, look at me!
Jennifer, no!
And how you gonna live it?
Oh, you won't.
But I will.
By any means necessary.
No!
Gambi, what's happening?
- I don't know. - Do something.
How could you do it?
How could you do that to your own family?
Bitch, you have lost your mind.
Whoa, stop.
Hey, hey, stop, stop.
Guys, stop, stop it!
Please, stop.
I need to know what's going on, and this is not helping.
Something happened in my Freeland.
It was like a red storm, like you said,
and it changed me.
And I'm sorry, I tried to help our father, but I couldn't do or say anything.
- I was just gotten there. - Okay, yada, yada, yada.
This don't mean anything to me because I don't believe any of it.
This is obviously a Markovian trick, ladies.
But here you are, though.
And I'm sure you saw the storm too.
Can the Markovians control the weather?
Okay, so what you're saying is,
- we're from different worlds? - Yeah.
And this storm is pulling them together somehow.
It's pulling all of us together and collapsing them all into one.
Or destroying 'em.
Until only one of us survives.
You know, I'm just now realizing something.
You... have way too much power.
Thank you so much. And how much is too much?
Too much when you think it's okay to kill your entire family.
Look at yourself, you let Odell take your powers
and turn them into his weapon,
and he almost did the same thing to me in my world.
Well, my father,
look, I know that his code may be flawed,
but at least, it's kept him alive,
at least it kept his conscience and his spirit clean.
Because he warned me about vengeance.
He warned me about what violence can do to a person's soul.
And I don't know if I can come back from that,
but I can dam sure avoid being you.
You know, I used to wish that my powers would just go away.
'Cause I thought everything would do back to normal
if I didn't have 'em, if nobody had 'em.
But then I realized,
there is no such thing as normal.
And none of us can be part of it.
You know, that's real cute, it is, but what works for you,
doesn't work in my world, because I don't know about y'all,
but I brought peace to my Freeland.
- That's what I did. - Listen to me.
I don't know if you can change what you've done,
but you don't have anyone left in your world that loves you anymore.
Do you not get that? That sounds like hell to me.
And a far cry from peace.
And you, don't you ever give up your powers,
because they're a gift from God and if he didn't want you to have 'em,
I'm telling you he wouldn't have given them to you.
And he wouldn't have given them to your father and your sister.
My dad told me that it was okay.
He said it was okay, because he knew
that you were gonna do it anyway.
Okay, I get it. So, you the woke one out of all of us here.
Right? We sleep and you woke.
What are you, Glinda the Good Witch from The Wiz?
Let me clap for you.
You gonna break out in song next? You got a dance to go with it?
Come on, let's see. You got this suit, you're looking cute,
you just know what you talking about, huh?
What is that?
What is what, bitch? You know you always interrupting somebody?
Y'all don't see that?
- That white wave. - White wave of what?
There's nothing we can do?
I have tried everything I know.
Jennifer, if you can hear me, fight.
Fight your way back, please.
Oh, my God.
Jefferson!
Where'd he go?
Synchronized by srjanapala