Black Lightning – The Resurrection And The Light: The Book Of Pain

By starrymag | April 16, 2018

By: Jessica Wolff

 

Tobias Whale (Marvin ‘Krondon’ Jones III) and Syonide (Charlbi Dean) visit the ASA, where Martin Proctor (Gregg Henry) welcomes Tobias back. Tobias tells him that he appreciates the medical care, and Proctor declares that he’s important to them, especially now that Lady Eve is dead. Proctor explains the ASA’s operation, and tells him to find Black Lightning (Cress Williams).

 

Proctor explains that he wants to experiment on Black Lightning, as he theorizes that he is a product of the vaccine that killed so many other subjects. Proctor asks him to bring Black Lightning in alive, and tells him he will give him help. Khalil Payne (Jordan Calloway) walks with no issues, and is sporting dreadlocks. They greet each other, and Proctor emphasizes that he needs Black Lightning alive.

 

Lynn Pierce (Christine Adams) calls Jefferson and tells him that she needs help. He arrives to find her in a seductive dress, and claiming that there was a spider in the shower. Lightning envelops Lynn’s body as Jefferson kisses her and wraps his arms around her. Lynn comments that she likes when he does that, and they resume kissing.

 

In bed, Lynn tells Jefferson that all of the recent events they’ve been through brought her closer to him. Jefferson jokes that all he had to do to get her back was to make things worse, and Lynn tells him she loves him. He tells her he loves her too, but Lynn suggests that they delay telling their daughters that they’re back together as they’re going through a lot and she wants their reunion to be a sure thing if they tell them. Jefferson agrees and they resume kissing.

 

Tobias meets with Dwayne (Richard Marerro), and thanks him for saving his life. However, Tobias reminds him that he left his sister to die. Dwayne argues that going back for her would have put Tobias in danger, but Tobias grabs his neck and throws him across the room. Syonide shoots Dwayne, and Tobias declares that it’s good to be back.

 

Jefferson is surprised to see Khalil walking by his car, and gets out to talk to him. He asks Khalil if he plans to come back to school now that he’s walking, but Khalil refuses and says that students treated him like dirt when he was in a wheelchair. Jefferson urges him not to abandon his education, and Khalil tells him he won’t change his mind.

 

Jefferson asks about the procedure, questioning if Khalil was taken advantage of. Khalil tells him to drop the surrogate dad act, as he doesn’t actually care about him. Jefferson denies this, but Khalil accuses him of abandoning him and forbidding Jennifer Pierce (China Anne McClain) from seeing him.

 

Jefferson tells Peter Gambi (James Remar) about seeing Khalil, and he’s surprised to hear that Khalil is walking. They agree that the surgery was done by Proctor and the ASA and Anissa Pierce (Nafessa Williams) finds that forty-two kids have disappeared in Freeland since the start of the ASA’s operation. Jefferson does the math to determine that seven of them died, and Anissa argues that it’s hard to keep them alive with the constant moving of the pods.

 

Jefferson declares that they have to find the remaining kids before they’re moved again, and Gambi argues that catching Proctor is their best option. Jefferson suggests that Khalil could lead him to Proctor, and Gambi tells them he has another potential lead to investigate. Gambi warns Jefferson that Proctor might still think that he knows who Black Lightning is and come after him. Jefferson warns Gambi that Proctor will come after him too, but Gambi replies that it doesn’t matter since he won’t be the one saving the world.

 

Lynn tells Jennifer that having enhanced abilities won’t change anything, but Jennifer isn’t convinced. She tells Jennifer that learning to control her powers is the first step, and believes she’s isolated the gene that gives her the powers. Lynn suggests that she can suppress the gene, and Jennifer comments how smart she is. She says that most parents would just make her a cake, and Lynn confirms that Jennifer also wants her to bake her a cake.

 

Jefferson visits Nichelle Payne (Yolanda T. Ross) and asks to see Khalil. She tells him that Khalil is in California, but Jefferson tells her he saw him this morning. She asks how he was, and he replies that Khalil was walking. Jefferson asks how Khalil got the surgery, and she explains that a hospital administrator told them that Khalil was chosen. She can’t believe that he’s back in Freeland without telling her, but Jefferson assures her that Khalil wouldn’t have gotten through it without her. He asks for the administrator’s number, and she gives it to him.

 

Thomas Hidalgo (Morgan Brown) finds an armed Gambi waiting for him in his workroom. Gambi tells him that he didn’t tell him what he needed to know, and Thomas asks him to just kill him. Gambi assures him that he won’t kill him, but will make it so everyone he’s ever double-crossed will be able to find him. Thomas tells him he doesn’t know what weapon killed Lady Eve, but Gambi tells him he wants Proctor and that he has forty-eight hours to help him.

 

Jefferson checks on Jennifer as she is studying, and tells her that he saw Khalil. Jennifer wants to talk to him, but Jefferson warns her that he’s changed and that he’s involved with people who want to capture her. She asks why he thinks that, and he explains his reasoning. Jennifer insists that Khalil wouldn’t hurt her, but Jefferson warns her to stay away. She comments that she can’t wait for Lynn to fix her, and clarifies that she plans to suppress the gene that gives her powers.

 

As Jennifer sneaks out upon getting a text from Khalil, Jefferson calls out Lynn for trying to fix Jennifer. Lynn argues that Jennifer is conflicted about her powers, and Jefferson argues that her powers are part of her. He gets angry that Lynn is treating Jennifer like she’s sick, and asks if he and Anissa are also sick. Lynn insists that isn’t the case, but Jefferson tells her it’s a good idea that they waited to tell Jennifer and Anissa that they’re back together.

 

Jennifer finds Khalil waiting for her on the roof of the old house. She lies that they moved to another house due to a rodent problem. Khalil shows her that he’s walking and she embraces him. He admits that he feels bad about the way things ended between them, and she agrees. Khalil shows her his metal spine, and she asks him about the procedure. She asks him about the dreadlocks, and he explains that the medicine made his hair grow abnormally fast.

 

Khalil tries to kiss her, but she pulls away and asks how he was chosen for the procedure. He assesses that the question is because of Jefferson, and tells her that he was hoping they could get back together now that he’s back on track. Khalil declares that he’s better without her and jumps off the roof.

 

Khalil questions Tobias’ order to return to school, and Tobias explains that they are trying to capture Black Lightning and that creating a crisis will draw him out. Tobias tells him that he knows he tried to get his old life back, but that their deal was legs for loyalty. He tells Khalil to use the pain of the past to help him, and promises that he’ll rip his new spine out if he screws up.

 

LaLa (William Catlett) discusses one of his dealers with Lieutenant (Alphonso A’Quen-Aten Jackson), and declares that they can’t use him. He decides to move the dealer to a less lucrative spot and tells Lieutenant that only he can beat people up. LaLa gets a call and trails off in mid-sentence in fear of the caller. He then approaches Thomas’ workroom with a gun. Lynn finishes her cake for Jennifer, as she shuts her textbook in frustration. She asks about the procedure, and confirms that Jennifer told Jefferson that she was trying to fix her. Lynn explains that there’s nothing wrong with her, and that a potential treatment is just a theory.

 

Anissa tells Jefferson and Gambi that she asked someone she knows at the FGE for information on the potential electrical spikes when the pods were moved. She shows them that there have been no spikes for the past three years, and Gambi hypothesizes that the ASA realized they needed to pull their operation off the Freeland power grid. Jefferson hears a report of an attack at the school, and insists he needs to help the students despite Gambi’s reminder that Black Lightning hasn’t been fully cleared of Lady Eve’s murder yet.

 

After turning over a school bus, Khalil bursts in and starts shooting tranquilizer darts at students from gauntlets on his wrists. A teacher puts his hand on his shoulder, but Khalil throws him across the hall. Jennifer tries to stop him, but Khalil insists that this is who he is now. Khalil tells her he has to do this and urges her to leave.  As Kara Fowdy (Skye P. Marshall) tries to calm the students, Black Lightning and Thunder arrive. Black Lightning tells Jennifer to go with the other students, but she turns around and stays behind.

 

Thunder finds Syonide holding a group of students hostage in a classroom, but Syonide orders the students to leave before she starts shooting at Thunder. When she runs out of bullets, Thunder throws her backwards with her powers. Syonide grabs metal weapons, but Thunder breaks them in the fight. They start fighting with their fists as Jennifer watches from outside the room.

 

Black Lightning finds himself face to face with Tobias, who tells him that it’ll take more than a clown in a shiny suit to take him down. Black Lightning shoots lightning at Tobias, but his undersuit absorbs the lightning. Tobias taunts Black Lightning, and he charges at Tobias despite Gambi’s warnings.

 

Black Lightning fights Tobias as Thunder knocks Syonide to the ground. Syonide surprises Thunder by lunging at her and getting a couple of hits in. Thunder gets back up and throws Syonide through the door with her powers. Gambi informs her that Black Lightning needs her help.

 

As Black Lightning and Tobias continue their fight, Khalil throws a locker that Black Lightning dodges. Gambi urges Black Lightning to zap Khalil, even though it will re-paralyze him. His hesitation allows Khalil to shoot him with a tranquilizer dart that he pulls out. However, his powers stop working and Tobias grabs him.

 

Khalil punches Black Lightning, and knocks him out. Tobias can’t find a pulse and yells at Khalil for killing him. As Tobias is about to unmask Black Lightning, Thunder throws them backwards and shields Black Lightning’s body from Syonide’s bullets. Tobias, Khalil, and Syonide run away, and Thunder tells Black Lightning to get up.

 

Jennifer runs to them as Thunder realizes that Black Lightning is dead. They try to shake him awake, and Jennifer’s hands spark like defibrillators. Thunder urges Jennifer to try again at Gambi’s request and she is able to revive Jefferson with her powers.

 

Anissa carries Jefferson inside a secluded cabin in the woods and Gambi tells Jennifer to destroy their phones to prevent the ASA from tracking them. Lynn tends to Jefferson as Gambi cloaks the cabin from being discovered. Fowdy reports Black Lightning’s death to Proctor, and tells him there are reports of Thunder carrying him out of the school. Proctor becomes frustrated, and demands that Black Lightning’s body be brought to him. He declares that the experiment cannot fail.

 

Syonide brings LaLa to Tobias, who asks him if he believes in the resurrection now. LaLa points a gun at him and Syonide points a gun at LaLa. Tobias reminds LaLa of the cause and orders him to sit down.  He thanks LaLa for taking care of Thomas, and tells him that they need to get rid of Proctor in order to full control of everything. Tobias asks if they should begin, and LaLa confirms.