Original subtitles

[Jefferson] Previously on Black Lightning...

[Agent Odell] The Markovians are on the outskirts of Freeland

and they're marshalling their forces.

[speaking Russian]

[Agent Odell] The Markovians want to capture

or kill as many metas as possible.

Markovians breached the compound.

-Put Freeland on lock down. -Copy.

Me, Reverend Holt, and a handful of other people,

we started up our own underground railroad.

We've been sneaking metas and suspected metas

outside the perimeter.

[grunts]

[Black Lightning] What happened?

We got ambushed.

They hit us with some kind of poison.

It can't be.

[beeps]

This poison is...

breaking down your cells faster than anything I have ever seen.

What're you doing in my apartment?

Don't dash it, perv. Why do you have photos of my mom?

It's not even like that.

[grunts]

[gasps]

What the hell was that?

[helicopter whirring]

Why is my life always so messed up?

The medicine isn't working anymore.

So I'm shapeshifting left and right.

I thought getting my feelings out in this video

would help me stabilize, but...

I'm so scared.

[door opens]

Grace. Hey, hey, what happened?

I keep shifting all day.

I can't control it, I don't know what's happening.

Okay, [shushing]

I've got you, Grace.

Now your emotional state, it causes you to shift,

so you've gotta calm down.

You wanna do our routine together?

Okay?

-Shonda. -[Shonda] Yes, Anissa.

Play relaxation program.

[relaxing music playing]

Come on.

Breathe in and out, okay?

You're safe here.

Just listen to the sound of nature.

Smell the trees

and flowers.

-As you sink your feet... -[exhales]

...to firm, green earth.

-All those fears that you have bundled up inside... -[sighing]

...let 'em go.

Breathe, let them all out.

See? It works every time.

Shonda.

End relaxation program.

[Shonda] Program ended.

[sighs] You're not always gonna be around

to talk me down like that.

Where am I gonna be?

Oh, snap.

So you plannin' on breaking up with me?

You so cold, but you so fine, come here.

Look, I'm serious, Anissa.

I heard the ASA's going door to door now.

-If they come here... -They won't come here.

And that creepy Odell, I mean, he already paid us a social call.

He could pop back in any minute

and if I can't control my shifts--

-Grace, Grace, Grace. -No.

I won't let the ASA take you.

Did your powers come back yet?

Not yet.

But we'll keep you out of sight

until I figure something out.

All right?

[cell phone chimes]

[sighs]

[beeps]

I don't appreciate being summoned, Gambi.

You obviously have no more respect

for my work than Jefferson does.

Did something happened with the girls?

No, they're fine.

So what's so urgent?

Ever since the ASA had that fire fight with the Markovians,

the ASA has gone into overdrive with Jeff

and Anissa smack in the line of fire.

Now I can't protect them unless I stay ahead of the ASA's plans.

So I need to access the ASA's mainframe.

Well, the only way to do that would be...

Gambi.

The ASA picks me up in a sedan,

I'm blindfolded for the entire journey

to and from the Pit, I have no idea where it is.

I do, that's not what I need you for.

I need you...

[beeps]

...to sneak in with this.

[sighs]

This Markovian attack has got the ASA so riled up,

they're going door to door in Freeland looking for safe houses.

Which will eventually lead them here.

I know for a fact churches have protected status

during any military operation.

The ASA is legally prohibited from stepping one foot inside of this church.

Revered, the ASA don't give a damn about international law,

and this new chick in charge, this Major Grey,

she's got ice in her veins.

Look, they've already begun on the outside edges of the city.

Jamillah's getting word out on the radio.

How soon before they reach here?

Not long.

Well, I got something in the works to breach the reinforced perimeter,

but it's not ready yet.

Well, then, the good Reverend and I will have to improvise.

♪ Last night I saw a superhero He was black ♪

♪ He said "This is for the street Black Lightning's back" ♪

[grunts]

Uh, my bad, wrong car.

Jennifer, sorry to meet like this.

I'm Major Sara Grey.

-ASA. -Great.

Stranger danger, bye.

Agent Odell was shot during a Markovian attack,

I'm acting director of operations.

Thought you'd wanna know since you two were so closely together.

He always spoke very highly of you.

[sighs]

-Is he dead? -Far from it.

He's in the hospital and expected to make a full recovery.

[sighs] Getting shot at his age,

he needs to go ahead and retire,

start that rideshare business like I told him.

You know there's an ancient warrior saying,

"Beware an old man in a profession where men usually die young."

Odell's as tough as they come, he'll be back straight away.

Maybe with a woman in charge,

we'll finally get some stuff done around here.

Let me just go light up the fools that shot Odell, okay?

-I'll be down with it. -Absolutely not.

Why the hell not?

Odell said himself that I'm the best the ASA has, so...

That's exactly why we can't risk you falling into enemy hands.

So no more using your powers.

And no more flying.

[scoffs] Are you serious? Y'all are grounding me?

Like I don't get enough of that from my parents already.

The Markovian threat is far greater than we thought, Jennifer.

We have good reason to believe the Markovians have safe houses

throughout Freeland,

we've already encountered several of their embedded mercenaries.

You need to leave this to the pros.

Trust me.

[sighs] Okay.

Trust is earned, right?

There's anything I can do to make this transition easier?

Yeah, actually, there is something.

Everything the ASA has on Dr. Jace.

Jace? Why?

Well, if Odell didn't tell you what he and I were working on regarding Jace,

it's not really my place to say, right?

I see.

Look, Eddie Munster, you wanna be besties,

I'm gonna need the full dossier on Jace, okay?

[car door closes]

Package has been delivered.

You sure this damn thing will work?

Look, I put a diuretic in the sports drink that Two-Bits gave him.

It won't be long.

Who's over here squishing me?

-Natalie. -Settle down, y'all.

Don't make me have to come back there.

Everybody, say a quiet prayer, you buckle up.

All right, get ready.

All clear.

Damn it!

Let this be a lesson, my children.

Skin folk ain't always kin folk.

This negro just messed us up.

Hey.

Yeah, okay, nice to see you too.

What's up, man? What's wrong with you?

Black Lightning is what's wrong with me.

And yesterday, he defused a bomb

and screwed up a diversion

we have for our underground railroad.

What? Wait.

Our underground railroad?

Plan?

So you're involved with planting that bomb?

I'm more than involved, Jeff, and I want to bring you in to the fold

but I don't know exactly where you stand.

Now, one minute, Black Lightning is roughing up the ASA

over some damn graffiti, and the next minute,

he's saving the ASA from a bomb.

Whose side are you on, man?

Wait, you planted a bomb, man, you could've hurt innocent people.

I controlled the detonator and made sure no one was in the vicinity.

No, no, you know bombs misfire all the time.

The shrapnel could've hit the guard or you.

Or one of the children.

It was a calculated risk, Jeff, what am I supposed to do.

Let the ASA capture more metas?

No, of course not, I'm talking innocent people,

you're talking a calculated risk?

Are you hearing yourself right now?

Hate begets hate, violence begets violence.

And toughness begets a greater toughness, yeah, man,

I know, you ain't the only one

who can quote Dr. King from memory.

Now, look, the ASA, ever since they came to Freeland,

they have forced me to push their agenda through press conferences,

they have taken over my police station.

They got one of my officers killed.

Yeah, the ASA locked me up.

Poked me like a lab rat, took me away from my family.

Beat me down in the street.

So I understand you frustrated,

you're pissed off, so am I.

But I cannot get down with your methods, man.

Duly noted for the record.

I'm only trying to do what I can to protect this city.

Yeah. By living a double life.

Chief of Police.

Member of the resistance.

Now you remember how pissed off you were

when I didn't tell you I was Black Lightning.

Who got the secret now?

Are you seriously trying to compare me keeping a secret for 30 days

to you keeping a secret for 30 years?

No, look, the point is, we gotta get on the same page.

And by same page, you mean doing things the way you would do them.

Now, look, this "my way or the highway" mess you run on your daughters,

you can't run on me, I know what I'm doing.

All I'm saying is that

we gotta communicate our plans with each other.

Oh, okay, great, so then next time,

Black Lightning goes out on the street,

he'll give me a call, right?

Huh?

Didn't think so.

Since we can't get on the same page,

how about you handle the ASA your way, I'll handle it my way.

No, Henny, Bill!

[door closes]

Guess who showed up in the nick of time

to short out the bomb.

-Who? -Black Lightning.

Coincidence? Hell no. I don't think so.

He's a ASA sell-out.

They are closing in on us, Blackbird.

I still don't have a way through the upgraded perimeter.

Well, I pray you get it, post haste.

The children will stay here with me hidden until you do.

Gambi, what's the status on the updated perimeter?

I need a way out now.

[grunts]

That's enough.

[panting]

Expel your energy.

Mmm-hmm.

[Dr. Blair] Erica's holding stable at 100%.

[Lynn] Good.

That's great, Dr. Blair thank you.

Dr. Stewart, I just wanna say...

what an honor it is for me to be working alongside you.

-Oh. -I followed your career for several years.

Your writings published in the Journal of Neurosurgery

-are... -Sleep inducing?

-[chuckles] -Brilliant.

Ground breaking.

You don't strike me as the type of woman who's interested in accolades

but in my humble opinion,

you deserve it.

All of them.

Uh, well, I'm grateful to have someone with your credentials

working on my team,

even if you're a shameless suck up

on your first day.

Can't really help that, Dr. Stewart.

I was born with a brown nose.

[laughs]

[sighing]

[Major Grey] Stable at 100%.

Excellent.

Is that one of the Green Light metas?

[Lynn sighs] Yes. Erica Moran.

Absorbed kinetic converted into raw strength.

Hoo-freakin'-rah.

[grunts]

Are you all right, Erica?

[Dr. Blair] Her output has dropped to 50%.

-40%. -Why? What happened?

I think a meta power like a muscle,

-if you don't train that muscle-- -It becomes weak.

Exactly.

Metas can't maintain output

at 80% for long without exhaustion.

Build her stamina, Dr. Stewart.

Sustained 100% output is required.

Hold on, Major.

If you want the metas to be stable for longer,

Dr. Blair and I will need clearance to all the sectors in this facility

and access to all meta related files.

You white coats

are the most high maintenance, annoying...

Fine.

Granted.

On one condition,

you'll have additional access,

but only to the Green Light metas.

Wait, why only the Green Light kids?

Because I said so.

[sighs]

I hope people are swiping left on her Tinder profile.

I can't believe I'm saying this,

but she actually makes me miss Odell.

[sighs] Would you mind charting all the vitals from today's testing?

Not at all.

Thank you.

[beeps]

[indistinct chatter]

Brandon, I've been looking everywhere for you.

You mean after you ghosted me for days?

Okay, look, my bad, I just needed some time, all right?

This is a lot.

But we need to talk about what happened at your place.

[loudly] Which part of what happened at my place

do you want to talk about, Jennifer Pierce?

[chuckles]

That's really cute, but that's not gonna raise your cred around here.

My goal was to lower your cred.

Okay, one, you wish, and two, why?

Payback.

For what?

I don't know,

you breaking into my place.

And trying to electrocute me?

All right, I'm sorry for all of that,

but you know I'm trying to talk about the other thing.

I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about,

like I don't even know, to be honest.

[man on PA] Attention.

This is a Markovian attack drill.

I repeat, this is a Markovian attack drill.

Find a buddy, take cover and shelter in place

until the "all clear."

[exhales]

All right. Might as well just...

read.

Seriously, dude?

Dead ass.

We're literally in the middle of an "In case your worst enemy attacks" drill

in the middle of an occupation.

Normal stuff like school and quizzes, it doesn't matter anymore.

Look, I don't have no family, nothing.

So I'm gonna make my own with this education,

'cause this occupation thing won't last.

How do you know?

'Cause nothing ever does.

[sighs] All right, screw this drill.

You trying to go smoke?

Nah.

I can help you find Dr. Jace.

-How? -You have to do something for me first though.

What? Wait. Jen, hold up.

You said you can find her?

[man speaking indistinctly]

-They're gonna snatch our asses. -Hush up, girl.

[indistinct radio chatter]

Now, everybody, everybody, keep still.

Keep still.

Only by your power

can we push back our enemies.

-[man 1] Go! -[man 2] Move!

Go. Move!

Only in your name can we trample our foes.

We are protected by the blood of Jesus.

The grace of God is protecting us.

Come on now.

Come on.

-[all scream] -Lord!

Lord have mercy, Two-Bits.

About to send your ass to the promised land.

Hey, man, I was just...

seeing how you all was holding up.

-Oh... -I figured y'all would be hungry,

so bought you all some chicken wings, you know, some fries, you know?

-Snacks. -It's all right.

-Come on, y'all. -Hey, I got a little something strong for you, Rev.

-That's just what I need. -[chuckles]

Come on, get something to eat then.

Get some plates and get some chicken and some French fries.

-So you got my favorite? -[chuckles] Yes, sir.

Ah, praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord. [laughs]

Okay, so before I come in, have you...

invited me here just so you could throw me out?

Yet again?

Dad, come in.

I need your help, I want you to take my place

escorting the children out of the perimeter.

You want me to help you with the underground railroad?

-Yes. -Okay, first I have to ask...

did you know anything about Henderson planting a bomb?

Look, I knew he and Reverend Holt were planning something.

-Reverend Holt too? -But I did not know the specifics.

[scoffs]

So now that you're aware,

what are your intentions?

You're gonna continue to be a symbol for a movement

that uses those kind of tactics?

Come on, Anissa, I taught you better than that.

The ends don't always justify the means.

Well, if we lived in a world that was black and white, yes.

But we are living in an occupation,

and if I'm being honest, I had to do some things that I'm not proud of

to make the underground railroad work.

-Such as? -Please, please, do not do this right now.

Besides this is not about me or the resistance.

It's about the people who need Black Lightning.

I need Black Lightning.

There. I said it.

Are you happy?

Grace can't control her shapeshifting.

And I'm worried that she'll be captured by the ASA.

-Oh, Anissa. -Dad.

I love her.

And I would get her out myself.

But I am still hurt from bringing Tavon back,

like you asked.

And I know I'm always saying that I'm a grown-ass woman

and that I've got this.

And most days I do.

But today...

Today I don't.

And I am asking you

to help.

[sighs]

The mainframe is around the corner, second door on the left.

[all clamoring]

Let her go. Hey, hey.

Hey! Get off her.

[all clamoring]

The Marko what? I don't know nothing about that.

[grunts]

[grunting]

Stay down, old man.

Hey. Leave him alone.

Next house, Sergeant Grayle.

[indistinct shouting]

Team bravo, advance.

[Major Grey] Take cover.

Team bravo, fall back.

Fire Team Alpha, lay down suppressive fire.

[all groaning]

[people groaning]

Well, we were very fortunate to have you in the area.

You turned my city into a war zone.

-[gunshots] -[man groans]

-[grunts] -We don't execute people in Freeland.

-[Major Grey] Let him go. -You had no right to commit cold-blooded murder.

I said put him down.

I don't take orders from you, lady.

Black Lightning, you will obey my commands,

or I will order enough air strikes to turn this craphole

into hell on Earth, and I will simply pick the enemy from the rubble.

[grunts]

Commandos.

Police the area.

Collect our dead.

[grumbles]

[indistinct talking]

And you've never been here before?

No, Grey only recently gave me access--

[gasps] Khalil?

[beeps]

Khalil.

[gasping]

He can't hear you.

How is that possible? We buried him.

It's in stasis.

The most humane thing we can do is unplug it.

No!

Khalil is still in there somewhere.

Lynn, stop this.

The Khalil we knew died.

The ASA is gonna know that you tampered with this thing.

It looks like they completely wiped his limbic system.

He's got an advanced chip in his brain.

I've seen experiments with prosthetics in the blind,

but this... Wait.

I found his memory files, I'm gonna open one.

[Lynn] His memories are intact.

The Khalil we know is still in there.

[Khalil screaming]

I'm gonna wake him up.

Lynn, let this go, please.

Your staring is less than professional, Doctor.

Stewart, Lynn Stewart. I'm sorry, I just...

-Do you recognize me? -Oh, of course.

Your CV is in my files.

Dr. Lynn Stewart,

prize-winning, respected neuro surgeon and scientist.

Specialty, meta-humans.

What do you require, Dr. Stewart?

State your previous missions.

Eliminate the smuggler known as Sinzell. Check.

Destroy Markovian safe house. Levelled.

Exterminate the Blackbird. Done.

Kill Nichelle Payne.

Terminated with prejudice.

Oh, my God.

Is there a problem, Dr. Stewart?

No, I just need you to return to stasis,

so I can run a few upgrades on your brain chip.

That thing killed Khalil's mother.

You need to shut this monster down, Lynn,

before the ASA uses it to slaughter anyone else.

He's not a monster.

Don't call him a monster or an "it" or a thing

or any other word that isn't Khalil.

I lost 14 kids, Gambi, 14 people died because of me.

And I won't lose another person ever again.

I'll save Khalil if it's the last thing I do.

Lynn. I beg of you to set your emotions aside.

You should go before you're discovered.

Or I turn you in myself.

[sighs]

I've given you administrative rights to the ASA network.

You'll have full access to the ASA's database,

and all the surveillance footage from inside the Pit.

I hope in the end, you'll do the right thing.

When have I not?

Now go.

Peter...

Jen can never know about this.

Man, Jen, quit playing around.

Tell me what you know about Jace.

All right, but first things first.

Touch my hand.

[clicks tongue] No, that's stupid.

I need to know what happens when our powers merge, okay?

Why are you still on this?

Do you wanna find Dr. Jace or not?

[electricity crackling]

[exclaims]

Brandon, do your powers do this with anybody else?

No.

All right.

That's it, that's done.

Now tell me what you know about Jace.

Okay, do it one more time.

-Stop messing around. -Just do it one more time

and I'ma tell you.

You know what?

You don't even know nothing about Dr. Jace.

Get out.

Brandon, you need to chill out, it ain't ever that serious.

Jace killed my mom, so, yes, that's serious, Jen.

And I ain't got time for your games right now.

So here, get out.

Fine. [clears throat]

-It's like that, huh? -Yeah, it's like that.

-Don't slam my door. -[door slams shut]

[coughs]

[Anissa] This is as far as I can take you, okay?

Someone else is gonna guide you the rest of the way.

No, no, no, I don't wanna go with anyone else.

Don't leave me, Anissa.

Look, I know,

you've been abandoned in the past, Grace,

and I would never ever do that to you.

I don't have my powers yet.

So I have someone who is super strong to protect you.

Who?

I don't know him.

Don't make me go with him.

He'll hurt me like the other men.

Hey, hey, hey.

Black Lightning would never hurt you, Grace.

I trust him more than anybody in the world.

-So can you. -Grace.

I will protect you.

Let me take you somewhere safe.

Look. This necklace...

it's very special to me.

And I want you to have it.

Now if you get scared,

you just touch it.

And I'm always with you.

Okay, you gotta go, okay?

We won't be apart for long.

Promise?

Yeah, I promise.

Go ahead.

[cell phone beeping]

Gambi just sent the coordinates

of where you can breach the perimeter.

I'll send them to you and the Perdi.

All right, tell the others I'm on my way.

Let's go, Grace.

Black Lightning...

thank you.

Let's go, Grace.

[Reverend Holt] Yeah, Blackbird told me you'd be coming.

See, I'm still not convinced I should turn these kids over

to the ASA's boy.

We don't have time for this.

And Judas betrayed Jesus for a mere 30 silver pieces.

What's the ASA's price for your soul, Black Lightning?

I don't work for the ASA.

Yeah? Then I'm the first black Pope.

The ASA is a block away, they'll be here any minute.

Lord help you if you're lying to me, Black Lightning.

Now I'll put down my arms.

For I know the God I serve moves in mysterious ways.

Now He may not come when you want Him to--

But He's always right on time, yeah.

I still don't trust your black ass.

[beeps]

[Gambi] According to the ASA's schedule,

there's a patrol to your north.

Turn east on Gibson to avoid it.

[Black Lightning] Copy.

[all gasp]

You're officially a pain in my ass, Black Lightning.

Surrender.

Like I said, lady, I don't take orders from you.

-Drop them. -No!

-[guns firing] -Run to the rally point.

[all screaming]

[grunts]

[men screaming]

-[Gambi] We have zero visibility. -I'm going out there.

Not without your powers, you're not.

-[beeps] -[door locks]

Sorry, Anissa, but it's way too dangerous out there for you.

Uncle Gambi, come on.

No, no way, you haven't recovered enough yet.

[all groaning]

[men coughing]

[twigs snapping]

Hey, everyone okay?

Yeah.

Wait, where's Grace?

[sighs] I gotta go find her.

[sighs]

I'm the oldest, I'll watch the other kids

while you go find Grace.

All right, thanks, Natalie.

[growling]

[man screaming]

[bones cracking]

[Black Lightning] I lost Grace. Anybody got eyes on her?

Negative.

I can't get a visual on anything,

I've lost her in the fog.

[Anissa] I've got her coordinates,

I'm sending them to your visor now.

[keyboard clacking]

I put a tracker in the necklace that I gave Grace.

Right here.

What in the world?

[growls]

Grace.

You came back for me.

Yeah, of course I did.

I told you I wouldn't leave you.

Okay, Grace, let's go.

Anissa's really lucky

to have such an amazing family, Mr. Pierce.

I wish that I had a dad who cared for me

as much as you care for Anissa.

But how?

[chuckles] I keep my leopard sense of smell

in my other forms.

Your scent matches Jefferson Pierce's.

But don't worry, I'll never tell anyone.

-Promise? -[chuckles softly]

I promise.

-Let's go. -I've got them.

The image from the visor finally cleared up.

Goodbye, Grace.

I know it hurts like hell,

but you did the right thing, Anissa.

Grace is safe.

That's all that matters.

I'll be fine.

[laptop chimes]

[grunts]

You know, I asked for a better sparring partner

and they sent me you, Vernon.

A meta-human

with five times the strength of the average man.

[grunting]

[groans]

Unfortunately for you,

-[chokes] -...I'm no average man.

-[bone cracks] -[screams]

-[yells] -[bone cracking]

And that cracking sound

next to your lumbar vertebrae.

Its nerves connects your brain to your legs.

-[bone cracks] -[screams]

That was your T7 thoracic

which controls your kidneys, spleen...

[beeps]

Hold that thought.

[grunts]

[Vernon whimpers]

[closing theme music playing]