Original subtitles

[Jefferson] Previously on Black Lightning...

- This is not you. - Jennifer, this is me.

I saw Tobias murder my father.

The evidence against him is... It's all gone.

Tobias, how's it feel to be exonerated?

I want to once again become an active member in society

and a pillar of this community.

I take my work really seriously.

Doesn't mean I can't take other things seriously, too.

I'd like to try.

[Lynn] I'd like to include you in a team working to save the children

who were the victims of the vaccinations and Green Light experiments.

She's insane, Agent Odell.

And no one has her experience in protein synthesis simulations.

We're gonna homeschool you.

[Jefferson] It's not safe for you to go back to Garfield.

[cell phone vibrating]

Khalil? Have you lost your damn mind? He is not who he was.

You don't think I know that?

[Gambi] Thirty years ago, I came to Freeland as an agent for the ASA.

Their vaccine inadvertently created metahumans.

I leaked the information to your father

and his investigation got him killed.

- You're gonna love these. - Come on, let's go.

Thank you.

[both speaking Japanese]

- Bye-bye, Hiroshi -san. - Bye.

[tires screeching]

[female voice] Structural integrity 37%.

[female voice] Structural integrity, 9%.

[brakes screeching]

Oh! Oh, my God!

[gasps]

Synced & corrected by MaxPayne == https://subscene.com ==

[Reverend Holt] The photos on this wall represent the people we fight so hard for.

[Anissa] Mmm-hmm.

You know, I have to say, Anissa,

that I was surprised to get your call the other day.

We haven't exactly had volunteers breaking our doors down after that, um...

- Bomb scare. - Yeah.

Man, I could imagine.

And I really believe in the work that you're doing here,

and I figure, right now, you could use the help.

And you'd be right.

After the incident,

we had six of our staff members hand over their resignations.

- But we refuse to close our doors. - Amen.

For most of these patients,

this clinic provides the only medical care they have access to.

Now, it goes without saying,

that this position is yours if you want it.

But I have to be upfront with you,

it isn't an easy job.

[chuckles]

You know, I don't... I'm not really one to back down from a challenge.

[chuckles]

You sound just like Jefferson.

I heard he stepped down as the principal. How's he doing?

He's good, he's good.

- Well, tell him I'm praying for him. - I will.

So, young lady,

when are you ready to start?

[breathes deeply]

Well...

[indistinct chatter]

No time like the present.

[hip-hop music playing on stereo]

[scoffs]

[groans]

[laptop chimes]

Where the hell else am I gonna I be?

My parents got me locked in this room

like I'm black Rapunzel or something.

You know what, if you were a real teacher, I would show you some respect.

I would wait until you turned your back before I threw shade on you

for asking me such a dumb-ass question, but it's okay.

It's all right. I'm just gonna ignore you.

Just a bunch of zeroes and ones anyway.

Straight up stressin' me out, too.

[cell phone vibrating]

I didn't think you'd ever text back.

Yeah. Well...

Okay, so what is it? [Sighs]

What is what?

[chuckles softly]

J, you've been ghosting me for weeks now.

Then you respond to me out of the blue?

Something's up. I'm just wondering what it is.

I just miss this place.

I miss the teachers, I miss my friends. I miss...

Uh, I miss being called the Queen of Garfield.

[scoffs]

You hate that name.

Yeah, I really do. But I will kill for it right now,

'cause it would mean I was actually in school

and not locked in the Pierce Penitentiary

because my parents think the world is too dangerous for me to live in.

I'm sorry.

Look, I know that you being on lockdown is partly my fault

'cause of what I did at this school.

I was mad, though, J. At everybody and everything.

And Tobias, I mean, he got me on all this science stuff.

I got so strong and... I just went crazy with it, you know?

Actually, I do.

You think we could ever

- fix this whole mess? - Um...

I should probably get back.

If my dad finds out I snuck out, he'll go nuclear.

- Yeah. - Literally.

Yeah, yeah. Um...

Look, thanks, thanks for calling.

[knocking on door]

Anaya? I'm Anissa. I'm gonna get you started, okay?

Is it all right if I check your blood pressure?

- Okay. - Okay.

There you go.

- How's that? - Good.

- Good. - [Indistinct announcement on PA]

Is everything okay? Do you need something?

I just need you to do your job

- so that we can be on our way. - Deacon!

Don't mind him. He means well, really.

He's just really overprotective sometimes.

All right, your blood pressure is normal. That's great.

Thirty-eight weeks.

Aren't you excited it's almost over?

Uh, actually, I... I'm terrified.

What if I'm not good at it?

What if I'm not built to be a mother? What if I just screw up?

Listen, take it from someone who has amazing parents,

doubting and questioning whether you're good enough to raise children,

all great parents do that.

You'll be great. [chuckles softly]

[blues music playing over speakers]

[Tobias] Yeah. Yeah.

Well, if it isn't the man we all know and love,

Councilman Kwame Parker.

Tobias Whale.

Is this what your version of a law-abiding citizen looks like?

Depends on what law you're referring to.

I adhere to the law of the jungle.

Kill or be killed, eat or be eaten.

Either you're dining or you're dinner.

- Care for a game? - Hell no.

Suit yourself.

This is kidnapping.

You and the bootleg Bob Marley who brought me here are going to prison.

I love pool.

Such a beautiful game of symmetry and geometry.

But make the wrong choice...

Your ass ends up buried in a hole. This is a fact.

You been watching too many gangster movies, man.

You don't scare me, Whale.

Oh, I'm not trying to scare you, Councilman.

I'm trying to be hospitable. Let me ask you a question.

How would your constituents feel if they knew your squeaky-clean,

wannabe Audacity of Hope -ass took money from Martin Proctor

to fund your reelection campaign?

The same Martin Proctor that's poisoned,

kidnapped and killed Freeland's black kids.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

I inherited a briefcase that has all kinds of goodies in it,

including a file on you, with all your dirt.

What am I supposed to do with this?

Put that Princeton degree to work and rack 'em.

If you haven't figured it out yet, you work for me.

[laughing]

[doorbell ringing]

Henderson.

- [sighs] - What's up? What can I do for you?

Bill, what's going on?

Something happened tonight, Jeff.

Gambi was attacked near downtown Freeland.

His SUV got shot up pretty bad.

- Take me to him. - No, Jeff.

I'm sorry, man, but that's not gonna be possible.

I'm so sorry.

Was Gambi one of you? Because this just doesn't make any sense.

Who goes after a tailor with military-grade firepower?

One of us?

Look, I forgot to tell you.

He knows that you're Thunder and I'm Black Lightning.

When can we see the body?

His SUV was blown to hell and back, Jeff.

We're trying to collect DNA.

I wouldn't get your hopes up.

Eyewitnesses confirm no one got out of the SUV before it exploded.

Oh, my God.

[sniffling]

I'll get you answers as soon as I can,

but for the time being, let me handle this.

[Anissa sniffles]

Look, I'm sorry.

Really am.

[door opens and closes]

Why didn't you tell him about Uncle Gambi?

Because he already knows enough.

And with all that's going on with the kids in the pods,

that is a can of worms we do not want to open.

So, we protect Gambi,

like he's always protected us.

All right, then. Okay, so... Now it's just you and me.

I'mma go grab my keys.

Wait, keys for what?

For what? So we can go to the sanctum and get our suits.

Okay, and then what?

No, no, we sit tight.

Oh, come on, Dad. Sit tight?

Exactly.

This... This is Gambi we're talking about.

All right? The man has contingency plans for his contingency plans.

So I... I will not believe that he is dead

until I can see it with my own eyes.

Until then...

I'm gonna assume that he's alive and well.

I'll be damned.

She did it.

I stayed up working on it all night.

Let's start trials.

Not yet.

Sorry?

We're not starting trials,

at least not yet.

You have the cure for kids that have been languishing in pods for 30 years,

and you're choosing not to use it?

You ran the sims.

Over 10,000 simulations, and in every one,

every single one, over half the vaccine kids die.

- Yeah. And half lived. - That's not good enough.

The Green Light kids are getting stronger every day,

and we have 28 vaccine victims who are fading.

Their lives are in our hands.

We're not giving them that serum until we can save them all.

[knocking at door]

[Anissa] Jen, you in there?

All right, Harriet, you caught me.

I know I'm still blazing, but it's the only thing

that keeps me from turning into a human flashlight.

I didn't come in here to lecture you.

Really? You didn't? That's a first.

[laptop chimes]

Um, maybe you should, uh... You should sit down.

Anissa, you're scaring me. What's... What's up?

Uncle Gambi...

He's gone.

What do you mean, "gone"?

Well, he, uh...

He was attacked by some gunmen and...

he didn't make it.

[whimpering]

[Jen sniffling]

I don't... I don't know what to say.

Come here. I'm sorry.

- [sobbing] - I'm sorry.

- Oh, my God. - I'm sorry.

[knocking at door]

Anissa?

Is it all right if I come in for a second?

Sure, come in.

I wasn't expecting company, so excuse the mess.

Look, I'm, I'm sure I'm selfish for just popping by like this, but...

My uncle, he died tonight.

Yeah, it was unexpected.

But it got me thinking...

if I knew I only had one day to live,

who, besides my family,

would I want to spend that day with?

I only came up with one name.

You.

What do you expect me to say to something like that?

I don't want you to say anything.

[Anissa sighs]

What are you thinking?

Thinking I was right.

This was a mistake.

[exhales]

Anissa, you know how I feel about you.

And... I'm sorry about your uncle.

I really am.

But I'm not your handbag.

What... What does that mean?

That means you can't show up and have sex with me

when you're feeling vulnerable,

and then disappear when your world is right-side up again.

That's not what this is.

My family...

They weren't exactly the most present people,

and I learned a long time ago to just depend on myself,

not let anyone in.

Then, you walked into my bookstore and...

everything changed.

And if you can't realize that

you can do me real harm,

I need you to stay away from me.

Can you look me in the eyes and promise me you won't hurt me again?

[scoffs]

That's what I thought.

Come on, Grace, don't just walk away.

Grace.

- Grace! - [door closes]

[strange clicking]

Mom, what are we doing here?

I thought Dad said we weren't having a service for Uncle Gambi.

You father's hurting right now, sweetie.

And once he comes to terms with the situation,

he's gonna want something done to honor Gambi.

I'm just getting the ball rolling, that's all.

I still can't believe he's dead.

I mean, we were just in the forest fighting off ASA agents.

I know, sweetie.

You, and me, and Gambi had

- a complicated relationship. - [cell phone vibrating]

I wish I could've told him more

how much I appreciated how fiercely he loved this family.

Found it.

What's that?

It's an old-fashioned pocket watch.

We appreciate that Reverend Holt

has been able to keep

the Rebecca Lee Crumpler Free Clinic's doors open.

But this very important medical facility

is still located in the most dangerous part of Freeland.

Considering that if Black Lightning and Thunder

had not intervened,

we'd be talking about dead bodies and bombs,

an anonymous donor has come to me and offered to fund

the relocation of the clinic from this gang-infested area.

Furthermore,

this very generous donation will allow the clinic

to hire more staff and purchase new equipment.

[reporter] Councilman Parker. Councilman Parker.

Councilman Parker, who is it? Who is the donor?

All you need to know is this donor has just returned to life in Freeland

from an extended vacation

and wants nothing more than to help this community.

[reporter] Can you give us a name?

- Councilman, please, please. - [reporters clamoring]

I have a source that says

your anonymous donor is none other than Tobias Whale.

Is that true?

Not revealing an individual's identity

is the point of an anonymous donation.

- Thank you all for your time. - Councilman Parker, is it Tobias Whale?

Give us a name. Councilman Parker, give us a name.

All these so-called metas, Green Light babies,

I'm telling you, they ain't nothing but demons

paving the way for Satan's return. The police need to...

[TV clicks off]

What was that for?

I just appreciate you. That's all.

Well, I appreciate you, too.

So, how was your day?

Uh, well, it was a Wednesday.

You know what I mean.

[sighs] Lynn,

you have to stop worrying about me.

Now, I said that I'm fine, and I am.

So, I went by Gambi's place

just to check in on things, and...

I found this.

What... What are you doing? Why do you have Gambi's pocket watch?

I thought he'd want you to have it, considering...

No, take it back!

- What? - Look, this is Gambi's.

It's his. It belongs at his house!

- You had no right to take it. - Jefferson, you're not serious...

You know what, never mind. I will take it back myself.

Jefferson?

[music playing over speakers]

[groans]

What's happening, Jay?

Hey. Two-Bits.

What's up?

Hey, man. I, um... I heard about Gambi.

Yeah.

You need me to give you a ride home?

[laughing]

No. I'm waiting for Henderson.

You're bringing a cop to my bar, man?

No, I'm bringing... I'm bringing my friend.

He's still a cop.

[both laugh]

But it's cool.

Look, if you need anything, just holler. All right?

Hey.

Another beer, right? Gotcha.

- Where you goin' to? - Yo, did you just hit my ass?

- Hey. - [Waitress] What the hell is wrong with you?

- Come to my village. - Boy, get off of me!

- Are you crazy? - I love you.

- Get those damn hands off of me! - I want you to be my queen.

- No! - Listen to me.

Hey! What's wrong with you, man?

Hey, hey. Hey.

- Hey, Jay! Jay, Jay, Jay. - Okay. I'm fine. I'm fine, man.

He was just acting a fool, man. I'm fine.

Now, you know better than that, Jeff.

Do you have any idea what could've just happened?

No, look now, Henderson...

You have no idea what my life is like.

The sacrifices I made.

This city.

I've given everything for this city, man.

My blood, my sweat, my tears, and it just takes.

It just takes, and takes and takes.

Takes.

[sighs] It's okay.

An anonymous donor has come to me and offered to fund

the relocation of the clinic from this gang-infested area.

One step closer.

Furthermore, his more than generous donation will allow the clinic

to hire more staff and purchase better equipment.

[Tobias] Khalil. Perfect timing.

Our Latin reporter friend came through. Did you pay the man?

Yes, sir.

Then you are good for something.

Have a seat.

Have you ever had caviar?

Caviar? No.

Like it or not, every successful person remembers two things in life.

The first time they try caviar,

and the first time they can enjoy it without worrying what it cost.

Twenty years ago today, I pulled Syonide up out of that orphanage

and made her my family.

This meal was planned months ago to celebrate our familial anniversary.

You had one job.

Partner with Syonide and you failed.

- Mr. Tobias, I already told you... - I'm still talking.

Since I lost Joey, Tori and Syonide, you're the only family I have left.

Reminds me of a parable

my evil bastard of a father told me when I was a child.

There was two brothers. One weak, one strong.

After spending a lot of time, effort and energy

trying to toughen the weaker brother up,

the stronger brother had to finally decide

if the weaker brother had what it took to survive on his own.

And if he didn't,

it was the stronger brother's duty

to put the weaker brother out of his misery.

Out of love, of course.

Do you understand what I'm telling you right now?

Don't disappoint me again.

Now get.

'Cause you are most certainly ruining my appetite.

Have a good night.

I can't wait to see you, either.

- [grunts] - Oh, my God. Come in.

Help! Help! I need help over here!

[woman on PA] Code blue, lobby.

- She knows. - Code blue, lobby.

You have to save the baby.

- Code blue, lobby. - Find Anaya.

Code blue, lobby.

Save...

- Oh, no. Deacon. - Code blue, lobby.

- Deacon, come on. No. - Code blue, lobby.

Deacon?

Code blue, lobby. I repeat.

I'm gonna say something that I don't ordinarily say to anyone.

You were right.

I ran a new simulation, and I may have found a way to save all of them.

I'm listening.

We were looking at the pods as individual organisms,

not a collective unit.

If we just increase the serum dosage 28-fold,

accounting for the number of vaccine kids, and spin the cells...

And stave off cellular deterioration.

They may reach a gestalt

with overall cell stability in the entire organism.

Show me.

[beeping]

What the hell?

Baby, let me call you back.

I know I said tonight was all about...

Hello? Hello? Damn!

You just can't be sneaking up on people like that.

Man, I could have shot you!

If I had a gun, which I don't. 'Cause I'm on probation.

You still got your ear to the streets?

Yeah, I know a little bit about a little bit.

What have you heard about that attack

in downtown Freeland last night?

Bruh, that wasn't no attack, that was a hit.

By who?

Definitely wasn't no local boys.

I hear probably the government.

Why would the government wanna kill a tailor?

That's the big question, right?

I mean, he was the only white dude in Freeland besides the police.

He basically raised Jefferson Pierce.

[sighs]

All right, man. Look,

who the hell knows what's going on around here anymore, anyway?

Did you hear about that boy jumping out that body bag?

That's crazy, right?

Anybody see the old man get out of the SUV?

Yeah, everybody saw what went down.

That old man didn't stand a chance.

It's a messed up way to go out,

burning up in a car like that.

Thanks.

Yep.

[Henderson] You all right?

[Anissa] Not really. Um...

You should've seen his face, Henderson.

He looked... He was terrified.

You said you know this guy?

Kinda.

Well, he and his girlfriend, Anaya,

they came in here yesterday.

Anything you can tell me about him or this Anaya?

I told you everything I know.

And you say that Deacon told you to find Anaya

and save his baby?

What does that mean to you?

Maybe they were in some kind of accident?

Oh, my God. Henderson, What if they're on the side of the road somewhere?

We have to go find them.

You and I both know this don't look like no accident.

Anissa?

[Anissa] Oh, my God.

That's some freaky...

[computer beeping]

[Anissa] Okay, he came from South Freeland.

[exhales]

Thank you, Uncle Gambi.

All right.

[music playing softly over speakers]

Khalil, you cannot be here right now.

I know. But I heard about your Uncle Gambi.

I just wanted to make sure that you were okay.

Look, I really appreciate you checking on me, but you gotta go.

Okay. But look, if you need anything, just... Just call me, all right?

Okay.

What?

Nothing.

[sighs]

[beeping]

[sighs]

[sobs]

[Anissa clears throat]

Anissa, how long you been standing there?

Long enough.

Give me a hug, Dad.

You know, [chuckles softly]

Gambi told me once, helping raise you,

helping you become Black Lightning,

was the best thing he ever did.

[sniffles]

What are you doing here?

Same reason you're here.

Dad, this place...

reminds me of Gambi.

I just needed to be here.

Go. Go home. Get some rest.

- I gotta... - I'll lock up.

The serum's been injected into the pods' main feeder line.

We're ready to release.

[beeping]

[whirring]

Wait. No.

[alarm blaring]

No.

What... What's going on? What... What... What's happening?

No. No! No! No, no, no, no.

What's happening? No, no.

No. No, no.

[alarm blaring]

What's happening? The simulations!

Told you what you needed to hear.

Fourteen of the vaccine kids will survive.

Inaction would have killed them all.

You should be proud of yourself. You're a hero!

Security, take her out of here!

And take her to whatever hole you dragged her from.

Congratulations! We saved 14 lives, bitch!

[computer beeping]

No, no.

[panting]

[police siren wailing]

Just what I need.

Long way from home, missy.

"Sheriff Clark." Can I ask why you pulled me over?

Suspicion.

Of what?

Wherever you're going, they're closed.

But I didn't tell you where I was going.

It don't matter.

[exhales in frustration]

There's a woman who lives out here I need to check on.

Her name's Anaya.

Step out of the car.

You know what?

[strange clicking]

Oh, hell no!

[tires screeching]

[closing theme music playing]