This episode was kind of disappointing because it made the four that preceded it feel a bit like unnecessary filler. Like the show took obnoxiously long to set up it’s characters and world; it did in four episodes what it could have done in one or two. This episode made me feel like a lot of what happened in the first four episodes had little to nothing to do with what the main thrust of this series will be, which was only now introduced almost halfway through the season, and that is the missing children, the mysterious experiments that were conducted, the vaccine and Tobias’ anti-aging serum. This episode made it seem like the conspiracy and cover up surrounding them will be what Black Lightning will be up against and they should have come into play three episodes ago. It feels very late for them to be introducing the main conflict.
Tobias’ anti-aging serum was the first new piece of information that we were given and it was revealed in such a forced, random way. With Gambi just suddenly blurting it out, mentioning that Tobias and Tori use it. His entire exchange with Tobias was the firs time I considered that Jefferson perhaps didn’t know that Tobias was still around. Which…why? And how? And Gambi has a secret past with Tobias? Since when? That was also delivered very randomly. I don’t believe that Jefferson knows about that either. Gambi is just all around lying and hiding things from Jefferson and there has so far been no indication as to why. He just is at this point. Plus, it looks like Lady Eve and company have something against him to boot!
I’m pretty sure that Lady Eve and company were behind the experiments, of which the purpose was perhaps the creation of the vaccine, which I’m quite certain is the same thing – or at least the basis for – Tobias’ anti-aging serum. If there were any hints before that Tobias was older than he looks, I must have completely missed them. That came completely out of left field. I’m assuming he was born in either the 40’s or 50’s, since in the flashback to his childhood, his father’s hair pointed to it taking place in the 60’s or 70’s and Tori looked to be around ten years old. That would put him somewhere in his 60’s or 70’s. So he’s quite old.
The show successfully managed to make me sympathise with Tobias – who I don’t much care for – by going into his back story with his father and how he mistreated him because of his albinism. It explains why Tobias doesn’t like Black people. It didn’t excuse Tobias’ actions, but it made me understand him as a character. It also made me kind of root for him to kill his father. After however many years of now seeing him (or Tori), the man clearly knew what Tobias was there for. Still, he was a dick to him. Had he in his old age come to realise what a terrible father he had been, I would have felt sorry for him. But the man was unapologetic to the end. Also, Tobias has super strength confirmed? If the vaccine and the serum are the same thing or the latter is based on the former, it would explain it.
I also believe Lady Eve and company to be behind the disappearance of these nine children. Clearly this is where Jefferson got his super powers from. He could be one of the nine, or a tenth child that they never got their hands on. The experiments and vaccine were also the subject of the story that got Jefferson’s father, Alvin, killed. Soon, they’ll put Anissa’s life in danger since she’s busy looking into the entire ordeal as well. As the character newly discovering her powers, it makes sense that Anissa would be the one to uncover and investigate this. The question is why Jefferson never did. But I digress.
I did not like Anissa’s super suit at all. It looked like it was all about style over function. Whether or not that was the production team’s fault or written as an oversight on the part of the character is neither here nor there. The actual body suit I don’t really care about, although I doubt she has a decent range of motion in it . The problem was her lack of a mask. A bar of gold makeup over your eye area does not a mask make. It in no way hides your identity. Plus, she broke into a storage container without wearing gloves. That is the most basic of the basics. Further, buying it from a lingerie store made little sense. If she ever ended up on CC TV footage that got out to the public, the store clerk would know it was her. It wasn’t like she was someone just walking around the store. She interacted with him for an extended period. Secret identities 101, Anissa.
Random thoughts:
- He can fly!
- Tasers kill people too!
- This is why you use headphones.
- How do you sell something that expired three years ago?
- Tobias and these fish! Are they going to eat him in the end?
- Does everyone use a school project as an excuse for looking into their family history?
- Lol Jefferson’s proud that Jennifer won the fight.
- I thought that was anthrax.
- Ask questions first Black Lightning!
Black Lightning airs Tuesdays at 9PM on The CW.
