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wordsmith30 · 1 year

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Black Lightning 1×05: “And Then the Devil Brought the Plague: The Book of Green Light”

Okay, Jefferson’s stunt double is easily recognizable in the flashbacks. They have completely different head shapes.

A new suit upgrade from Gambi gives Jefferson the ability to fly. He’s certainly having fun. (I also really love the soundtrack for this show.)

And then he sees a Black kid on Green Light getting taken down by the cops. Jefferson’s intervention is absolutely perfect. Stop shooting people when they have mental health breakdowns. They need help, not a body bag!

That’s how you de-escalate a situation without killing. “Next time, try using a taser first!”

Uh oh. Now something’s wrong with his mask. Jefferson shrugs it off and says he wants to keep practicing.

At headquarters, Gambi checks the security footage to see … Tobias. Tobias is in his shop! Gambi, don’t do anything stupid.

What do you mean you had a deal? Gambi, you knew he was still alive?

“Only thing I’m gonna measure you for is a coffin.”

Ooh ... Okay, so maybe you’re not a whole traitor yet.

So apparently Tobias and his sister can’t age because of a serum they took? Well, that’s just wonderful.

Tobias says that Gambi’s working for the ASA, which means he has access to valuable intel. Intel on Black Lightning.

Gambi says he doesn’t know anything, but this raises some new and important questions. What is the ASA and why does Tobias think that Black Lightning would be Gambi’s enemy?

I’ll give Jefferson credit; he’s managed to keep his secret identity under wraps for a long time.

If Tobias is going to be paying Gambi visits, they’ve got even more problems.

Anissa, meanwhile, starts doing some research on metahuman abilities and stumbles across this video about an experiment in Freeland. Actually, how far is Freeland from Central City? Are they on the same Earth?

And then, of course, Jen interrupts her. I love their sister relationship. Two of my younger sisters are the same size, so they’re always trading clothes or stealing from each other.

“I said shut the door!”

MOOD.

Apparently, nine superpowered kids disappeared in Freeland thirty years ago.

At the roller rink, Jen is harassed by two girls from another school who take jabs at both her and Khalil. When one of them shoves her, she puts them both on the ground. Yaas, Jennifer! Once again, don’t mess with Black Lightning’s daughters.

And then her friend just shows up like, “Girl, for real?” 😂 Sorry. She didn’t start this fight, but she finished it!

Later, Jefferson steps in to help this man trying to buy medicine for his daughter. How do you have three-year-old medicine sitting on your shelf? Don’t you restock?

The fact that this cashier automatically goes for a bat when Jefferson shows signs of distress is just a microcosm of how quick people are to label Black men as threats. The other man at least has the decency to ask if he’s okay.

Hold on. Their grandfather, Alvin Pierce, was trying to expose a story about vaccines that gave people superpowers? Maybe Jefferson was one of the nine.

Jefferson goes hunting down another potential Green Light spot only to run into a white man with a shotgun. Time to run.

“Lawn jockey”? Oh, heck no, buddy. You’re about to get it.

The man finally says that he gets the chemicals from a guy named Joey Toledo and Jefferson is ticked. Apparently, Toledo worked for Tobias. Now Jefferson is working the Alvin Pierce story from the other side. Seems like you’ve been keeping a lot of secrets, Gambi. Was Joey Toledo supposed to be dead, too?

Gambi! Why won’t you tell him the truth? Whose side are you on? You know Tobias is the one behind all of this – Jefferson’s arch-nemesis! If he finds out about Tobias on the streets or Tobias catches him by surprise, he’s going to be absolutely livid.

In the middle of his rant, Jefferson keels over like a board, no warning whatsoever. Gambi calls in Lynn to take a look at him and they deduce that the headaches might be due to the suit upgrade.

Jeff wants to go after Toledo, but he’s in no shape. Lynn tells him to rest.

Tori tells Tobias that he shouldn’t have gone to see Gambi because “Lady Eve won’t be happy.” What the heck? Gambi knows her, too?

We learn a lot about Tobias’ character this episode, from his rant about needing to be respected, his offensive use of the word “Negroes”, and the way he was treated by his father growing up because of his albinism. I’m not going to lie. I was a bit on the fence about the show having a villain with albinism as it’s so rare to see that condition represented at all, but in the context of this story, it opens up so many conversations about colourism and internalized prejudice. Tobias was never “Black enough” for his father and so he’s spent his life fighting for acceptance and respect. But in the process, he’s distanced himself from other Black people, positioned himself as being above them. As a result, he’s a very self-hating Black man with nothing but contempt for the Black community.

Still, tossing the word “Negroes” around in front of his dark-skinned sister is very tone-deaf.

Tori says that the only way he can move forward is by dealing with his first enemy: their father.

Finally, a talk between Anissa and Jefferson! Seems these girls don’t know much about their family history. Why did I want him to say, “Your grandfather ... was Black Lightning”? No, but that would’ve been cool! 😆

I was hoping that would be a longer conversation, but Jefferson doesn’t seem to like talking about his dad too much. Anissa, however, is not letting this go. She’s following the trail.

She finds the old editor of the Freeland Gazette, David Poe. Bro, that look on his face when she brings up the missing kids … 😨 Nobody wants to talk about this!

Anissa leaves when he kicks her out, but not without telling him that he was supposed to be “a champion for the common people.”

Black Lightning pays Henderson a visit. We’re going old school Quentin-and-the-Hood! Jefferson even gives him a burner phone and everything.

He tells Henderson that Joey Toledo is back and that he’s prepared to go get him.

“The Black signal.”

Stop this! 😆😂

And then he disappears just like Batman. Typical.

Lynn is not happy about Jefferson resuming his Black Lightning duties again, but they’re interrupted by …

Aw, great. It’s the girl from the roller rink and her moms.

If she didn’t want her behind handed to her, then she should have kept her mouth shut! She attacked Jennifer first!

One of them looks like she’s got a bone to pick with Jefferson, too.

Wait, you’re leaving already? I thought you were waiting for Jen so that you could do the disciplinary talk.

Not all three of them side-eyeing her on their way out the door. Keep walking!

Jefferson’s anger fades when he learns there were two girls (that’s why you hear both sides of the story), but Lynn’s not having it. “Not everybody solves their problems with their fists!” she says, looking pointedly at Jefferson. 😂

Editor Poe seems to like Anissa better today. He knows she’s not going to stop, so he gives her everything he has. But that information also got Alvin killed, so she needs to be careful.

Oh, the Whale siblings are going to resolve some daddy issues tonight!

While going through Alvin’s articles about Tobias and the vaccines, Anissa finds a key to an old storage unit. Oh, please don’t go there by yourself!

“Jennifer, do you have my black hoodie?”

Jennifer, fully wearing the hoodie: “No, I’ve got my own hoodies!” 😆😂

Anissa chooses her catsuit instead.

Jefferson’s with Jen now! Finally, we’re actually getting some father-daughter talks for once.

“Sin of omission. Our family doesn’t communicate that way.”

Oh, really? So you’re going to tell her that you’re Black Lightning?

Jen tells him that it’s not exactly easy being the principal’s daughter. Yeah, I definitely get that: loads of pressure, perpetual teacher’s pet, everyone thinking you’re a brat or being afraid of you, this huge reputation to uphold …

Her dad tells her that the best thing she can do is put the fire out.

And Anissa ripped her catsuit. Time to go shopping!

Brighter? Isn’t the idea not to be seen? You don’t want to stand out.

“Red would be great.” Nope. She wants her Beyoncé blonde! 😆

Um, he said “superhero.” He does think it’s a costume party, right? 😳

Henderson gives Jeff a tip-off about a girlfriend of Joey Toledo’s.

Jefferson, don’t be dumb. Let Gambi fix the suit.

Tobias, meanwhile opens a letter from Lady Eve filled with white dust. Oh, that’s cruel. What does it say?

Anissa shows up to the storage facility in her new gear. Alright, girl, I see you! That’s not bad for a first-time suit. Although, the emblem on the chest does look a bit like Batwoman’s.

“If you wanna be a superhero, you can’t be afraid of dead rats.”

Oh, honey, there could be so much worse in there.

She breaks into an old safe to find a vial full of chalky white crystals. Tell me that’s not the vaccine.

Jefferson finds the girlfriend without a hitch and confiscates her phone. Now we’re catfishing Joey Toledo. 😆 Sorry, Joey. Your girl’s not coming.

Oh, wow. No hello or anything. Jefferson’s just throwing hands.

Just like Gambi warned, the headaches start up again. This is why you don’t go out with a faulty suit!

Lynn’s going to be ticked.

#Black Lightning #Black Lightning 1x05 #Jefferson Pierce #Tobias Whale #Anissa Pierce #Gambi #tw: police brutality #internalized racism #colourism #Batman #The Flash #Batwoman #Quentin Lance #The Hood #Oliver Queen #Green Light #Quentin and Batman gifs are mine

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wordsmith30 · 1 year

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Black Lightning 1×07: “Equinox: The Book of Fate”

Down in the bunker, Anissa is already getting into it with her mom as Lynn checks her injuries. Lynn doesn’t want her being a superhero, saying that it is a life of pain and sacrifice, and that she knows what Anissa is going through.

“Do you have powers?” Anissa shoots back.

Um, excuse you. Don’t be rude.

This is not your mother’s first rodeo. She’s seen firsthand what this life looks like and she’s concerned for you.

Gambi is back on the lying train again, trying to paint Lynn’s attack as an isolated incident when he knows full well it was Lady Eve’s people. This time, however, Jefferson’s not buying it.

“Why didn’t you tell me Tobias was back in Freeland?”

Oooh, you’re in trouble!

Gambi says that he’s trying to protect him from himself by going after Tobias. He doesn’t want Jefferson doing something he’ll regret. That might’ve carried a bit more weight had he not proceeded to take out Joey Toledo himself. I don’t know what kind of business operation Gambi has going with Lady Eve, but they clearly have a lot of history. He speaks as if they’re partners, saying that Tobias is going to ruin the “ecosystem we’ve worked so hard to build.”

Jefferson says he doesn’t trust him anymore and I can’t really blame him. (But then he still entrusts him with Lynn’s safety anyway.)

Henderson asks Lynn if her research may be the target of third-party organizations and she’s like, “No, I just look at the effects of addiction on the brain. Where’s the money in that?”

Um … Green Light?

If you’re trying to market a really powerful drug and get kids hooked on substances like Green Light, then your research would be really interesting.

I’ve also got to give sketch artists credit in general. Trying to recreate the likeness of a person you’ve never seen before is quite a skill, especially because it’s based on hearsay and you have to keep modifying it until it’s right. And even then, witnesses’ memories are faulty. The picture may be only as accurate as you can remember. What if it’s not right?

Lady Eve got her hands on that picture real fast! And Gambi is listed as “The Tailor” in her phone. She tells him that “[t]he cleaners are on their way.”

After easily defeating a guy hopped up on Green Light in the ring, Tobias becomes suddenly bothered about the drug when he realizes that “dead customers don’t pay.” We’re so touched by your concern.

He says that Green Light is too volatile a substance and requests a meeting with Lady Eve.

I still cannot believe that neither Lynn nor Jefferson even considered the possibility of the girls inheriting his powers. This should’ve been on your radar from time! Like, it wasn’t even a passing thought? I mean, we still don’t know how Jefferson got his powers because this isn’t exactly a superhero origin story, but maybe since the girls got this far without any signs, they thought they were in the clear? That Jefferson was just a one-off genetic mutation and that it couldn’t happen again?

How do you plan to keep this child off the streets now? She was getting arrested long before she had powers! 😆😂

They don’t want to rule out Jen either. They say that both Jen and Anissa will have to be tested.

“Is this the electrician?”

Henderson’s got jokes. At least he seems better about working with Black Lightning now. He asks if there’s anyone else in Freeland like Black Lightning with special abilities and mentions the destruction of the Confederate statue.

And now Jefferson knows that it was Anissa.

She really shouldn’t have done that with so many witnesses around. Now she’s going to be on everybody’s radar!

At least Jefferson’s warned him that Tobias is back.

Aww, Anissa’s all gung-ho about being a superhero. She’s like, “We can do this and this, and this and that, and you can train me!” And Dad’s like, “Hold up!”

“No, Dad. You’re not ready.”

Darn straight. She’s already been using these powers. Ultimately, it’s better to help her control them than try and put them away.

On her way out, Jefferson asks her where she got the box with Alvin’s research. She confesses that she was just trying to figure out what had happened to her, but he reminds her that that research got Alvin killed. After what happened with Lynn at the lab, he says she has to warn David Poe.

So, it looks like Lady Eve is a mortician.

Gambi tells Lady Eve that Tobias is out of control and she agrees to remind him of his place by sending Gambi to take out Toledo.

Jennifer is already becoming suspicious of the tension between Anissa and Jefferson. Yeah, you won’t be able to keep Jen out of the loop forever!

Anissa goes to visit Lynn back at the bunker to apologize and she learns the real reason for her parents’ split: Jefferson’s continued activities as Black Lightning. Lynn says that in the superhero life, everyone gets a happy ending except you.

Anissa, however, says she’s willing to sacrifice her happiness if it means freeing Freeland from the 100 and the crooked police.

Watching Gambi kill off Toledo and his men was not a fun time. You’re supposed to be better than this!

Also, the question I always have in scenes like these: why is it that when the bad guys know they’re being attacked, they never have any kind of getaway plan? They just wait for their assailant to find them!

Seeing Anissa come home in tears after she learned that David Poe was killed was so sad. She’s starting to see the consequences of living the superhero life: that anyone close to or associated with you is a target, and that you can’t always save them.

Lynn finally tells Jefferson that he should train Anissa because they both know she’s not going to stop.

Henderson tells Black Lightning about Toledo’s murder and says it looks like was about to open a jazz club the next day. Chances are that’s where they’ll find Tobias.

Again, we’re shown the flashback of Alvin Pierce being murdered while Jefferson hides under the bed and I don’t know about everyone else, but something about Kid Jefferson’s acting just feels off. Obviously, I know that he’s supposed to stay quiet so that these men don’t find him, but he whispers “Dad” like he’s trying to wake him up in the middle of the night. I’d anticipated a lot more fear: crying, shaking, maybe covering his eyes because it’s too horrible to watch. But instead, there’s just this sense of distance, as if he’s watching this all happen from far away. Like his father’s murder is on a TV screen.

Lynn has asked Gambi to design Anissa a suit and Anissa is just in awe. Lynn tells her that she does get it and knows that Anissa can’t sit idly by while other people are being pushed around.

Jefferson gets the jump on Tobias for the first time and the ensuing fight goes south pretty fast. Tori is shot in the back and Tobias is dragged out by his men, still calling her name. I actually felt so bad for them. She was clearly Tobias’ closest family and his men just left her for dead.

But their plan to get Lady Eve was so devious! Knowing that they couldn’t make a direct move on her without permission, Tori and Tobias sent a bunch of hit men after her with electric guns, frying her and her minions. Because of the burns, the police think it was Black Lightning. Well, there goes his alliance with Henderson!

And because of what happened to Tori, now Jefferson’s going to have Tobias and the police on his back. They’ll be after him with a vengeance!

Jefferson agrees to train Anissa, but says that they’re both going to make mistakes. His eagerness to get Tobias ended with Tori’s death and he wants Anissa to be better than him.

Nothing could have prepared me for that ending. When Lala came back, I screamed. Did Lady Eve bring him back? He just sat up in that motel room like nothing happened!

And Lawanda appearing and becoming a tattoo on his chest … that’s really dark. I don’t know how I feel about that. On the one hand, it’s a reminder of the people that he’s killed. If every person you kill shows up as a mark on your body, then you’re haunted by them forever. You’re not allowed to forget them or what you did to them. But at the same time, it almost looks like a trophy, like what Killmonger did in Black Panther. It’s a kill log on your body.

So now Lady Eve is dead, Jefferson’s got a new hit on him, Henderson’s no longer willing to work with him, and Anissa’s trying to become her dad’s new protégée, all while being a target of the police as herself. They’re going to have to figure out how to clear Jefferson’s name! And if Lala’s back, they’re in some deep doo-doo.

#Black Lightning #Anissa Pierce #Tobias Whale #Lala #Gambi #Jefferson Pierce #David Poe #Lady Eve #Inspector Henderson #Lynn Pierce #black lightning 1x07

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