Hello all.  My apologies for the delay in getting this out but, life and work have gotten in the way of plenty lately.  Therefore, this takes in the last 2 episodes of the first season of Black Lightning.  Please excuse the shorter write-up but, again, time issues.  


THE BOOK OF PAIN

The penultimate episode of the series, a show that has gone from strength to strength the more it has gone on.

In this episode, Tobias was back.  After not seeing him for a couple of episode, we see him tending to his injuries after taking a stray shot a few episodes back.  He is meeting ASA man, Proctor, who was going to give Tobias the job previously held by Lady Eve.  Tobias is also told that Green Light was discovered by accident during his attempts to find a way to control the people of Freeland.  Proctor was Black Lighting alive as he needs a blood sample from him.  Before Tobias leaves, we finally see what happened to Khalil.  He’s bigger, stronger and, how long has he been away as he now how luscious long locks of hair?

Lynne is calling Jefferson, asking him to get home.  When Jefferson arrives back he finds Lynne dressed in sexy lingerie (lucky sod) and they do what consenting adults do.  Looks like they are finally back together but they decide to say nothing to their children just yet as they need to be sure it’s the right thing.

Jefferson is heading to school when he sees the all new Khalil on the street.  He can’t believe that he sees him walking and questions what has happened, while Khalil talks of how Jefferson didn’t want him near Jennifer etc.  Jeff heads to Gambi to tell him what’s happened; Gambi goes to see an acquaintance in Tommy and demands he gets back to him within 48 hours with information.  While Gambi is doing that, Jefferson pays a visit to Khalils mum to see if she knew of his return.  She didn’t, thinking he was elsewhere.  Jefferson gets a name of the doctor who was treating Kahlil before he leaves.

Jefferson tells Jennifer to stay away from him; she gets upset and blurts out that her mum is working on something to block the powers that she has.  Jeff is furious and he and Lynne get in to a row Jeff tells her it was a good thing that they didn’t tell the kids they were getting back together.

Jennifer and Khalil do meet and while it starts off well enough, it becomes clear that Jennifer asking him about procedures unsettles him and he runs back to Tobias, who is plotting to draw out Black Lightning.  To do this, he decides that an attack on Garfield High is the answer.  The school is attacked with Khalil ripping doors off, shooting darts etc.  (With things that have happened recently this is quite a powerful, and no doubt emotional scene).  Black Lightning and Thunder arrive, Thunder taking on Syonide in a cracking looking fight, with Khalil running riot, Black Lightning takes on Tobias.  The lightning strikes from BL have no effect on Tobias thanks to his clothes so they get in to hand to hand combat.  Again, a cracking and well choreographed fight.  Khalil arrives, throws a dart at BL before punching him with such power that puts him out.  Tobias is pissed that he has killed Black Lightning as he was wanted alive and they leave.  Anissa and Jennifer (who is at school during the day anyway) arrive and see their father.  Jennifer, with her own new powers, uses them to help electricity surge through his body; it works.  The family, including Gambi, make their way to a safe house to regroup.

THE BOOK OF WAR

Doing this a little differently again from the one above.

This is where it all comes to a head.  We find a lot out about various characters in this episode and we have a great final fight scene to get our teeth in to.

The episode starts with a nice, long flashback to when Jefferson was a child, with his father.  Jefferson is still unconscious and these flashbacks are a great way to show us his journey to becoming BL, as well as his journey back to life in the present.

We also find out the details on Lala’s resurrection.  Tobias, as we know, killed him and then took him away to remodel him on what he wanted for his own gains, including the ability to control him with one little saying that appeared to paralyze him.  Tobias also comes up with his “name” as it were, the Tattooed Man – he will be haunted by all those who he killed and they will all appear as a tattoo on his skin.  Further on Lala, he is sent to Proctor by Tobias, to kill him with a bomb hi has swallowed.  Proctor escaped, but the bomb did go off and we are none the wiser on whether this has killed Lala or not – something for Season 2.

We also find out more about Syonide – who Tobias found as a youngster, being raised by him and turning her in to an assassin, a very effective one at that.  We are also told of the experiments undertaken on her, giving her bulletproof skin.  The same can be said for Khalil and the procedures he has gone through – we also find out that he is now “Painkiller”.

Away from these, Jefferson spends a good bit of this episode unconscious and the flashbacks are a wonderful way to see more of how and why Jefferson is as he is, as well as seeing Gambi finding him, ultimately, bringing him up to be the man he is today.  One powerful scene is, as Jefferson is fading away, we see his father in what we think is a flashback, but we see the Jefferson of today sit with him and talk.  At the end of this, Jeff’s father tells him to take care of business and Jefferson wakes up, to the relief of his family.  However, he has woken without his powers and Proctors men have found where they are despite Gambi cloaking the safe house.  Thankfully, as they plan their attack and escape, Jennifer’s powers manifest and she hugs her father, with the effect that his own powers return and the war is on.

Tobias makes an attack on Proctor and his cronies and it looks like it was all to get hold of a briefcase that is holding “something” that will no doubt become more apparent in Season 2.

The fight at the safe house is excellent, very different to what we see in other CW shows (my opinion anyway) and there is some cracking stuff in there.  With help from Gambi, Lynne and Jennifer, they get away without hurt and make their way to the building where Proctor is holding young bodies in pods.  Gambi tries to make a deal with the Pierce family but it is Gambi who finishes Proctor’s story shooting him dead.

Loved the news report scenes of locals thanking Black Lightning for what he has done, shame we didn’t see more of Detective Henderson in this episode as I have grown to enjoy the character.

I think that is all covered.  I think that, while it can be slow going at times, Black Lightning is a great show and this season has one that has gone from strength to strength.  This can only be good for season 2 and we have plenty to keep us interested.

Khalil could become more dangerous, Foxy Ms Fowdy is still going to be around, Jennifer’s powers she is getting under control so will she become the next superhero on the streets, Tobias in the king of Freeland and wants nothing more than to finish off Black Lightning and what is in that briefcase.  Plus, will Lala return?

So much to look forward to next season.


Well, thanks for reading, I do hope this all makes some sort of sense.  Any comments then please do so below or on our social media pages.

Cheers, John